Class of 1914
We made an expedition recently to the offices of John Peppard for the purpose of purchasing a few items of badminton equipment, which we have now installed in our back yard at considerable difficulty laying out the court, and so forth. John said it would be very easy, but his understatement was considerable.
John's office is located at 9 Federal Court, which one approaches through the financial district of Boston, eventually arriving at Federal St., and if you look sharply the sign will'lead you down an alley where you come absolutely to a deadend. Even though you have called John beforehand and he has told you to come in the middle door at the back of the alley, you are confronted with four and not three doors. But the cut-and-try method indicates that one door is a phoney, and up the stairs through the middle door you bump into the most extraordinary collection of tennis, badminton, and other court game equipment.
We shall not bore you with the intricacies of badminton shuttlecocks or birds, but John can go on for hours. He seems to have solved everything except certain problems with regard to the effect of the Boston east wind on the flying birds, and this he hopes to have under control very shortly. He even showed us a huge bat for the purpose of playing court tennis, which some few scores of plutocrats still enjoy. It weighs as much as a baseball bat and John's description of the game should be immortalized by a better pen than this.
John's business, by the way, is very good, and certainly anybody having anything to do with racquet games can find his heart's desire in the huge stocks that John has available.
We had a pleasant visit from George and Helen Boggs. While Helen shopped we lunched with George and had a very pleasant old-fashioned tongue-wag. It is our humble opinion that George has solved the problem of economic existence as well as anyone in the class, and after an hour listening to the fun he has making a living—and a good one too—we return to our cubby hole with a sort of depressed feeling, but, nevertheless, an increased resolve to get up to Nova Scotia sometime soon and see the beauties for ourselves.
Sig Larmon was one of the principal speakers at the annual secretaries' meeting, outlining the progress of the Alumni Fund HI the current campaign.
Speaking of the Aiumni Fund, we
should mention that our efficient class agent is apparently achieving some reputation for the unusual letters he uses for fund collection. Just because you like to get this Alumni Fund publicity material, both from Hanover and from John, don't let this hold up your contribution. We are sure that the authorities would be glad to keep you on the mailing list, but it will lessen the strain to have your contribution in right away.
By the time you read this there will be scarcely a score of days left, and inasmuch as you mean to contribute anyway, if you have not already done so, put the MAGAZINE right down at this point and send your remittance.
We are somewhat annoyed with Jack Conners. Jack is general secretary of the Connecticut alumni groups and manages each year a marvelous get-together in various locations in Connecticut. Each year we are invited, and from the glowing reports that come back from visiting firemen we always mean to attend the next time.
This year we were all set, and then Jack changed the date to May 31, which, coming after a double holiday, kind of messes things up. But this is all in the way of saying that Jack is doing a marvelous job with the Connecticut group, and these annual field days, according to all members, are among the outstanding Dartmouth gatherings every year.
Please keep us on the invitation list, Jack, and some year we hope to make it.
Still from Connecticut we must mention a pleasant visit from Jim Wulpi. Outside of the inevitable baldness Jim has changed very little and inquired about all of the boys.
Jim is connected with the United Air Lines and is living in New Haven. He bats around the country a great deal, traveling by air, of course, and regrets that he sees so few Fourteeners. We told him the addresses of some of the boys in the Far West, whom he hopes to meet. He intends to be with us at the twenty-fifth reunion.
We met Derby Hall in the Public Gardens the other day, and in a few minutes we settled quite a few of the world's affairs. Derby specializes in advertising for utility companies here in New England. He might even be called a tycoonette, in fact. He almost had us crying for a few minutes in relating the difficulties of utility management under our present regime .... or something.
Derby claims, however, that that isn't what keeps him thin, for he hasn't changed a pound since the good old days of Cal Coolidge.
Through John Piane we received news from John Mumford Palmer. He reports that a year ago, together with a group, he formed the Palmer Associates, Inc., for the business of lithograph advertising with offices at 215 Fourth Ave., New York. City. He is now living in Larchmont, N. Y.
We rather gather that Mrs. Palmer has been in poor health this past year, but apparently she is quite well again.
It is nice to hear from John again.
The Secretary, together with Charlie O'Connor and Clyf Chandler, attended the Tuck School annual dinner in Boston recently. Charlie is looking very well, his only worry at the moment being that his son now at Worcester Academy, being very much interested in dramatics, "is toying with the idea of entering Yale for study under Professor Baker in his Workshop.
Clyf Chandler reported he had been ill this spring, but he is now feeling well again and he certainly looks it.
From the New York Times May 11 we learn that Ellsworth Buck, who has been chairman of the Board of Education Building and Sites Committee of the City of New York, was elected vice president of the board. Congratulations are in order for this additional evidence of the high esteem in which Ellsworth is held.
This is the last call for the pre-reunion in Hanover this June. Officers and committees intend to be present to work out plans for our coming Twenty-fifth. Not only will suggestions from all be greatly welcomed, but you had better come along and enjoy a pleasant week-end and sit in on the preparatory work for the big doings next year.
Dick Barlow is authority for the statement that he never believed you could have so much fun at an off-year reunion until he tried it.
Don't forget to check in with John Piane when you arrive in Hanover. There are no formal plans, but we will do some informal reuning together. We hope to see you.
Well, here's a very pleasant summer to you all ... . and thanks a lot for your letters and help in this past year.
Secretary, 367 Boylston St., Boston
