1929*
There's something about this autumn season reminiscent of that one thirteen years ago which placed us for the first time in residence in Hanover, hatted us with a dinky green cap, and sat us down in Commons for our meals. For we're all together again this year through the medium of this column, and our common effort is not just to stay in college, but to get back to Hanover for the Tenth. This is Reunion year: how would you like to sit around in the twilight and listen to Michael, Mayher, Maynard and the rest of the boys sing those songs; or hear that Commons orchestra of ours play again the tunes of 1925 and '26—Brabb's silver trumpet and Gaynor and Plumb on the keys; or play soft ball on the campus with old Earl Liberty throwing them down the line? Sure, you would. Well, perhaps all those things can be arranged in Hanover this June.
You're getting the MAGAZINE this year, whether you would have subscribed for it on your own initiative or not. Your class officers and Executive Committee, believing their action would have your approval and support, have taken advantage of the newly devised unit subscription plan and have subscribed for the entire class thus obtaining individual subscriptions at the 1929 group subscription rate of $1.50 per man instead of the usual rate of $2.50. Inasmuch as this is the year of our Tenth, with early reports already indicating great enthusiasm to get back to Hanover in June, your class officers and Executive Committee have undertaken to provide this means of keeping every member of the class informed as to all plans and progress, what's doing, what's to be done, who's on the job, and who's coming. As a result of this move, and of the payment of the entire subscription cost out of the class treasury, each member of the class is being asked to replenish the treasury by the payment of $1.50 to cover the cost of his individual subscription. For those of us who subscribe annually, there is a saving of $1.00 and payment to the class instead of to the MAGAZINE. For those of us who have not subscribed regularly, or ever before, we can only put it up to you whether or not the MAGAZINE itself, this occasion, and the monthly plans and reports will be sufficient inducement to send the $1.50 which has been advanced for you. (In case you should mislay the bill for the MAGAZINE, which will come from Trunkie Brittan, his address is c/o Arthur Andersen & Cos., 67 Wall St., New York City).
You have received literature from the ALUMNI MAGAZINE describing the College's belief in the merits of the class unit subscription plan. But there is more to it than just that. For us as a class it represents an effort to realize in concrete results the fact that after ten years we have become an organization, a responsive and responsible alumni class, that can act in unison and accomplish a purpose. As alumni we have so far done two jobs well: we have had as good a Fifth Reunion as Hanover ever saw; and we have made outstanding improvement in our Alumni Fund record. Here, in this class unit subscription, we have another chance.
Our reunion progress to date consists of the selection of the following executive committee, restricted for the most part to men available for meetings in Boston and New York: Duke Barto, Jack Blair, Chris Born, Trunkie Brittan, ex-officio (treasurer), Bill Coles, John Dickey, Earl Fyler, Gus Herbert, Jim Hodge, Jim Hodson, Van Jamieson, Bill Keyes, Ben Leavitt, Phil Mayher, Dud Orr, Johnny Parker, ex-officio (vice president), Charlie Shaeffer, Larry Shirley, Jerry Swope, Eddie Walsh, Gus Wiedenmayer, ex-officio (president), and Andres, ex-officio (secretary).
Then, there are the hard workers: the Hanover Reunion Committee of Bob Carr, Ellie Cavanagh, Joe D'Esopo, Charlie Dudley and Herb McCreery.
The Executive Committee will hold first meetings in Boston and New York in October.
All of which is enough when there's news and gossip wailing for circulation.
So we start off this chapter with excerpts from the recent writings of Bill Henretta, citizen of Kane, Pa., engaged in the manufacture of Holgate Toys with Holgate Brothers Company of that city: "Last week we had an advance reunion of sorts. George Scott invited a group of us to a house party on Black Moshannon in central Pennsylvania. Present were: Bob Waddell, looking fine and now working for the State Authority in Harrisburg. Bob was married in May, I learned, and both he and his wife extend a cordial invitation to any '29ers visiting in Harrisburg to stop by and see them. Dick Koontz, now a men's clothing tycoon in Allentown, married and proud father of one girl, age three. Joe Pritchard, who handles the distribution of Gulf Oil and Gas in a large area of central Pennsylvania, and doing a good job of it, too. Joe, by the way lays claim to the first ' '29 twins.' And George Scott, our genial host, who didn't spare the horses in making us all most comfortable and happy. George has formed a partnership for general auditing and accounting with offices in Philadelphia, Harrisburg, and Phillipsburg.
"Judging from all the talk about the reunion next June, it would seem that a 100% turnout would not be at all unexpected. Everyone I have seen expresses the greatest enthusiasm.
"Perhaps you've heard of Kane's becoming a ski center for the East. We do on occasions have some great weather here, and it brings ever so many Dartmouth graduates from Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and Cleveland. Dick Owsley was one of the first enthusiasts, coming all the way from Youngstown. Dick was married last December, and we are all looking forward to his visits this winter with fair frau. John Conlan has also been one of the '2gers to put in an appearance here, though we haven't had the opportunity of seeing John in action as yet on the ski trails.
"Others we hope to see in Kane this winter are Fred Ingram from Beaver Falls, Herb Wallison and George McKelvey from Youngstown, and any others who feel the urge to ski once again.
"Hear occasionally from Ken Moran out in Jamestown, North Dakota, and have already completed tentative plans with him for the Tenth.
"When in New York, see Bob Sparks once in a while, who, as you probably know, is now the father of a baby girl. Also ran into Charlie Harden while in New York recently. Charlie, from what I can gather is a very busy stockbroker in Wall St.
"Cy Worth was married last December to Miss Edwina Blank (that's the correct last name), from Cushing, Oklahoma, and has now established headquarters in Philadelphia."
Next we hear from the proud papa of the Class Baby, who resides at 4 Rope Ferry Road in Hanover: "After receiving my medical degree from Columbia in June, Marj and I took a brief trip to Bermuda, and moved the family to Hanover July 1. I will be interning at the Mary Hitchcock Hospital for the next two years.
"As for 'word direct from Hanover,' I can say that the 1929 record this year in the Alumni Fund campaign was very gratifying to members of the administration whom I have seen. The decision of the class to subscribe 100% to the ALUMNI MAGAZINE has also received laudable mention. As for ourselves, we are all looking forward eagerly to 'the Tenth' in June. We are occupying the Roy Chamberlin house, which is just opposite the hospital. On looking around Hanover, I find that 1929 is represented by Bob Carr, Joe D'Esopo, Charlie Dudley, Herb McCreery, and myself; and I should include, of course, the 'Class Baby,' who appears to have the local situation well in hand! He is now eight and is making the most of the advantages which Hanover offers, and his brother John is five, and also coming along.
"A few of the coming Ten-Year Class have been in town this summer: Susan and Jack Hubbard enjoyed a few rounds of golf. They have a nice new home in Madison, N. J. Martha and Dr. Sherm Little tore through on their way to see Tom Maynard in Maine, but we were fortunate enough to have a short chat with them. Sherm has a fellowship in pediatrics and psychiatry in one of the good Philadelphia hospitals. I have seen Morgan Baker a couple of times. John Parker and family were in town from Bath, Me., for a couple of weeks. Dick Burke was registered at the Inn from Chicago in August, but I am sorry to report that I missed him.
"Bill Keyes was up for a day during Commencement, the occasion being that his brother Charlie graduated in the class of 1938. The John Bryants, Harry Enders, and the lone wolf, Ed Walsh, staged a sort of preliminary reunion here over Decoration Day. That brings to mind a very successful class dinner which I attended in New York in June, where among other things, I learned that Walsh has reached great heights as an afterdinner speaker. He certainly should be kept in mind for the program for next June. 'Just fan him and feed him,' and Ed supplies plenty of entertainment. A short time ago I received a very much flattened package from Beaver Falls, Pa., which proved to be a hat which I left in Bermuda, coming from Fred Ingram.
"I visited Plattsburg recently, and found Carolin and Phil Fitzpatrick, and cute two-year-old daughter Carol in very good shape. Phil is a banker. I have his assurance that he will be in good form for Reunion. He told of Phil May's recent wedding. Fred Sisson happened to be around, and he is teaching at Teachers College, Columbia University."
Hodge of Abbott Court South, Radburn, Fair Lawn, N. J., hasn't much to say, inasmuch as, being a clubman, his clubs have been closed for the summer, or something like that. So he says that this column is the best way to send greetings to his nearest neighbors—Lyt Johnston and Herb Morse—both within three miles, yet despite promises and plans beyond visiting range. Then, getting down to business, he reports that "Paul and Janet Woodbridge were out here last week-end He is involved with the educational department of Columbia Broadcasting, his voice ringing throughout the country on Friday nights."
And now, gentlemen, having saved the best till the last, here is our leader, our president Gus:
"Entering the period which marks as the beginning, the 13th anniversary of the original gathering of a company of some 6go wide-eyed young men of great promise on the banks of the Connecticut about 5 miles north of White River Junction, and terminating 9 months later in a conclave (both solemn and raucous), known as the Tenth Reunion of the same band, which studiously, with little or no deviation or interruption from unwelcome influences of the flighty world outside, pursued its efforts for a period of four years (more or less) to develop and perfect the scientific, philosophic, economic, and sociologic genius quickly discovered to be latent among its members, and at that same conclave to survey the fruits of its labors, gathered over the length and breadth of this land, and foreign fields as well, to observe the effects of its influence upon timeworn institutions of the world (and-vice versa) over the years intervening, and to celebrate in a manner befitting its dignity, namely, only with simple fluids derived from pure and healthful cereals, grains, and berries gathered from this country and Scotland; now therefore it appears fitting at this time for one of that company, selected in a manner more or less legal, and with powers to do little else, to give to the other loyal members:
'Greetings!—see you in June!' —such vital message to all being possible through the medium of this MAGAZINE only by point pledge of our combined resources, the full-year subscription to be indemnified by individual payment to one Trunkie Brittan of $1.50, a reduced and ridiculously moderate sum in view of the advantages of intercommunication, athletic enlightenment (which may be turned to financial profit by the shrewd), and progressive news of the conclave, hereinabove mentioned, the collection of which sum, being, however, mountainously important to said Brittan, as well as to Andres and the undersigned.
"Respectfully,
"G. E. Wiedenmayer.
"P.S.—The above is a sentence—not only grammatically, but almost legally—to reaffirm your allegiance to the class (and its treasury)."
Secretary, 75 Federal St., Boston
* 100% subscribers to the ALUMNI MAG AZINE, on class group plan.
