Class of 1921
It has been with great pleasure that this department has followed the activities of Werner Janssen during the musical season just concluded, and his final appearances as a guest conductor with the Philharmonic Orchestra in New York proved just as productive of interesting news stories about this famous Twenty-oner as did his debut with the orchestra last fall. At the close of his engagement the famous Lotus Club of New York gave a dinner in Werner's honor, at which Herbert Witherspoon, the new director of the Metropolitan Opera Company, was one of the speakers. James Montgomery Flagg served as toastmaster, and for the occasion he had made a drawing of Werner. Mr. Witherspoon expressed his pleasure at the increased participation of young Americans in the musical affairs of the country, and he cited Werner as an excellent example of this development. George M. Cohan, Arthur Hopkins, and Werner himself made speeches, and a program of musical numbers was presented with the musicians including Helen Jepson of the Metropolitan Opera Company.
In one of his closing concerts Werner set a precedent by having the Philharmonic Orchestra repeat a number to satisfy the enthusiastic and long sustained applause of the audience, thus overturning a tradition which has existed since the earliest days of the orchestra. The event attracted such attention that it landed on the first page of the New York newspapers next morning.
Werner's honors have not been limited to this country, however. A recent dispatch from Rome announced that James Monroe Hewlett, director of the American Academy in Rome, had revealed that four American composers had been chosen to write a series of musical works based on the life of Theodore Roosevelt and to be presented next fall in connection with the observance of the seventy-seventh anniversary of the late President's birth, and included was Werner Janssen, who had been selected to compose the music of "Roosevelt the Rough Rider." The plan was drafted by the New York State Roosevelt Memorial Association, and Werner has been named to conduct the music of the four composers at its presentation next fall.
And just 17 years ago this month all Hanover was whistling his "Dancing Honeymoon."
For many months now a multitude of radio fans have listened each Saturday evening to the review of the week's news as presented over stations WBZ and WBZA by that prominent Boston newspaper man and Twenty-oner, Harland (Manny to you) Manchester, and in addition he has won another huge following as conductor of the "World in Review" page of the Boston Sunday Herald. Now Manny is branching out in a new field, that of lecturer. Under the auspices of the Herald he is to lecture on the latest events in the world's affairs before a limited number of clubs and organizations in New England.
Ike Chester, loyal Twenty-oner and vicepresident and sales manager of the GlobeAmerican company, is vacationing in Europe with his wife. Incidentally Ike designed and is selling the gas range that was the hit of the recent gas industry convention in Atlantic City.
A signal honor has been bestowed on our Cleveland merchant magnate El Fisher, who has just been appointed chairman of the Community Fund for the city of Cleveland, a mighty big job of organization and direction.
The word' that drifts east from Chicago is that the Loop is still buzzing and laughing over the song leading and other comedy antics of Rog Wilde at the recent Dartmouth banquet.
Speaking of that affair, we understand that the boys are telling this one on Harry Chamberlaine, who was present at the Dartmouth banquets both there and at Cleveland. It seems that Prexy Hopkins, having listened to Harry's boasting of his prowess at ping-pong at both dinners, finally led our Twenty-one colleague into the ping-pong room of the University Club, of Cleveland, challenged him to display his skill and then proceeded to ring up a victory for '01 over '21.
A recent issue of the magazine Esquire carried an article on "Amatory Athletes" by Dr. W. Beran Wolfe. And for many weeks his "Woman's Best Years" has been in the best seller class on the nation's bookstands. As if writing and practising psychiatry were not sufficient to keep Walt busy, it now develops that he has gone in for sculpture. Five of his works were displayed at the spring showing of the New York Physicians Art Club at the Academy of Medicine. Walt went in for "portraits" in this exhibition. Two were in stone and three in plaster. Incidentally he served on the arrangements committee for the exhibit.
Sam Plumb has joined the ranks of insurance men and is now representing the Northwestern Mutual Company in Streator, Ill. And another recruit in this field is Bill Barber, who resigned his post as director of the white collar division of unemployment relief in New York City at the time this work was taken over by the city (and incidentally after a very fine record in this arduous and involved task) and is now selling life and accident insurance for the Connecticut company in the New York area.
Jim Wicker, who is now connected with the Montgomery Ward Company, has moved to Fort Worth, Texas, where he is the company's supervisor for the Fort Worth district.
Harry Trull is now an investment securities salesman for the firm of Turner, Gill, & Crout of Philadelphia.
The good word from Orono, Me., home of the famous Stein Song, is that Lloyd Flewelling has been appointed an assistant professor in the English department of the University of Maine.
And now here's wishing you all a pleasant and prosperous summer, and in the meantime don't forget that check for the Alumni Fund, if you haven't already sent it along. And make it a good one. The College needs your help more than ever these days.
Secretary, Lotus Rd., New Rochelle, N. Y.
