Class of 1911
Most of the news this month is from the Pacific coast. First and special items of news—Al Wheeler has arrived. The follow- ing letter under the address of 1027 11th St., Santa Monica, Calif., is quoted in full, it all being what might well be termed, "pertinent news."
"I saw by the ALUMNI MAGAZINE thatMr. Butts reported I had left on December 2 for California, and to prove that I andmy family arrived at the furthest point wecould get without drowning in the Pacific,I am writing you from the above address.
"We reached here on December 20 andlanded on the beach, something like Balboadid in the past. We had a fine trip without too many troublesome incidents. Wehad a trailer hooked on and we always hadour doubts as to whether we were pullingthe trailer or the trailer was pulling us.We had a few: accidents on account of that.
"Stayed on the beach a couple of weeksand went swimming most every day withthe kids. Everybody there seemed to beenjoying a nervous breakdown, and whilethat is a pleasant diversion it is , fairlyexpensive. We moved uptown here andput the kids in school and are fairly wellsettled in a small bungalow house withpalm trees and roses in bloom all over theplace, also fruit trees. We will probablybe here until the school season is over andthen possibly move inland a little bit.
"Visited Neal Hotaling one day andsurprised him in his store, waiting on acustomer. I don't think he was the onlyone left. Neal has a nice store, and informed me that he had no bargain saleswhen I interrupted him, asking the question. He didn't exactly kick me out, showing good judgment, but on looking me overfor a while, he thought I might be AlWheeler, and I finally had to admit it. Hetook the day off, and with his charmingwife took us around the town and tolunch, which was a big help. Also went tothe Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena, andI guess it was pretty good.
"Called Perce Deshon on the phone andgot him out of the bath tub, and I guesshe must have gone back in again, becausewhen 1 saw him yesterday he looked fairlyclean. I was tickled to see him, atid alsohis wife, who claims she has a boy 20years old, but I doubt it. Perce looked fine,and we had a good visit.
"Come out and see us when you arearound this way. With best to you andyour family and everybody."
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PICTURE
Just to get the other side of the picture here is one received from Perce Deshon.
"May I report under class news that Ihad the rather dubious honor of welcoming 'Handsome Almond' Wheeler toCalifornia, that land of bleak and barrenwastes, where the sun never shines andwhere the perpetual rains and fog makelife a dreary, drab existence.
"Al said he had been trying for years toget away from the evil influence of the1911 crowd around Boston. He had associated with them for so many years that hetook it more or less for granted the remainder of the class had deteriorated tothe same level. However, he reported howagreeably surprised he was in finding thathis long-lost classmates in other sections ofthe country had not suffered the moraldegeneration of the Boston group, but onthe contrary, were still actuated by a senseof idealism and refinement which wasmost gratifying.
"Al was so downright penitent about thebad company he had been keeping andso sincere in his desire to lead a morerighteous life thcit he had me crying on hisshoulder. But you can't teach old dogsnew tricks. He was just one of those city'slicks' trying to put a fast one over on acountry classmate. Z discovered his perfidybefore it was too late. We will henceforthbe on our guard lest he try to contaminateour innocent minds with dissolutethoughts, and how do you think I discovered that he was putting on the doublecrossing act? He was keeping up a correspondence with the ring-leader of thegang—the worst one of the bunch. Thereon a table, lay a letter, addressed andstamped and ready for mailing. To whomwas it addressed? None other than ChesterC. Butts. Can you imagine anybody writing to that guy?"
AN INTERESTING LETTER
It may be that the letter below may be of some inspiration to Friend Al. In any case it is surely most interesting. In fact, it almost makes me envious of Gerry. I can imagine what a great kick he is going to get out of watching his development progress, up to the point of having vendible avocados.
" 'Vox clamantis in deserto' is right. Theabove address designates a none too widespot in the road, chiefly populated by asmall number of our red brothers, and mywigwam is securely anchored to the slopeof a hill near the foot of Palomar Mountain. However, I did not come down herefor the purpose of engaging in astronomical observations but rather to increase thevendible supply of avocados and lemons.To that end I have bought a small ranchand am making haste slowly toward itsfruition.
" When I got it the land was virgin andhad no water. On the 17th of August Istarted to build a house and on the zythof October moved in. The house is fortyfour by thirty-two, Spanish type, and mytotal labor bill was $42.80. Need a newhouse, Nat? Now I have seventy poundspressure at the kitchen sink—fine mountain water. Also have Jiumerous calluseshere and there.
"We are located in a cove at the end ofa valley, a mile from the highway. It willalways be the end of the road, for theonly way to go from here is straight up.The north line of the Pauma Indian Reservation is our south line, and the Indiansmake very good neighbors. In a couple ofyears, when the cactus and sage have goneto their reward, and the trees develop asense of impending duty, life should be alittle less strenuous than at the moment.However, there is a lot of satisfaction intaking nothing and making something outof it by your own efforts, and a fellow findsthat he can do a lot of things he hadn'tsuspected.
"Please give my best regards to all thegang when you see them and reserve agoodly share for your good self." AddressPala, San Diego Cos., Calif.
Abe Winslow's Squeaks again refers to Art Gray. It seems that on this occasion Art threw a party, or in the paraphrase of the Squeaks. "PREXY GRAY 'n puton a Christmas Party, December 24, atwhich he passed out gifts for all thosepresent."
"Up and at them" Mathes takes the bull by the teeth, or—not only issues a challenge but accepts one. In the January 31 issue of Advertising and Selling Jim has a first class article on "Grading—A Challenge to Advertising." Jim poohpoohs the idea that advertisers should be afraid of the proposed law relating to grading of products. He infers rather broadly that if advertisers have reached the point where they have nothing to offer other than the advertising of an inferior product as high grade, in the expectation of securing business on that basis that they had better be joining the ERA. I do not read all the advertising news, but this is the first reply from any advertising aggncy that I have seen that refuses to be scared stiff by a limitation as to the definition of quality of the advertised products. More power to you, Jim!
Secretary, Hanover, N. H.
