1917*
As a Merry Christmas greeting to all in 1917, Parker Melvin broke his long silence on December 2% with the following newsy letter about himself and the gang around Buffalo: "I have been in the oil game ever since getting out of the army, and by the oil game, I mean the production of the crude out of the ground. I literally started at the bottom, and when you start at the bottom in this game you start pretty low. However, I managed to organize two or three companies, in which I have an interest and manage. At least I am a step or two above the bottom. All our original production was located here at Bradford. But about a year ago branched out into Kansas, and am now operating there quite extensively with headquarters at Chanute. This requires several trips a year out there, so I feel almost like a commuter.
"I am at present serving on the board of directors as vice president of the Pennsylvania Grade Crude Oil Ass'n (don't come to me for an ad in Look, Liberty has driven me nuts), and as a director and a member of the Executive Committee of the Independent Petroleum Ass'n of America. This also requires traveling around the country, but usually takes me west instead of east.
"However, one of my partners lives in New York, and I usually do get down once or twice a year. You can rest assured I will call you on my next trip.
"On one of my trips, I believe it was last March, we were meeting some friends of ours returning from a West Indies cruise, and Ruth and Walt Sisson were on the boat. Had a short visit with them. Also saw Walt, or rather waved to him, at the Cornell game last month.
"See Barney Thielscher and Burt Gale every now and then. In fact saw Barney on Monday. We are only about 80 miles from Buffalo, and it is out nearest largest city, so have to go up every now and then.
"See the Trenholms quite often. They are at Alleghany, N. Y., only about twenty miles from us. Trenny and I usually have a few golf matches during the summer, and we had them over to a party this fall. He is the same old Trenny with the same old moustache. They also were at the Cornell game with their son, who is now in Dartmouth.
"My recreation seems to be golf, hunting, fishing, and a little skating, although I find not so much of the latter, as I seem to enjoy the fireside more and more each winter. Managed to spend a few months in Florida a couple of years ago and this seems to have soured me for winter sports. Managed to work in a business trip to Kansas in November. The quail shooting is excellent out there. Unfortunately, we have no oil production in Canada, so my fishing trips there cannot be charged up to business expense. Likewise the duck shooting.
"The family consists of the same three girls and the Mrs. Or rather the girls are now young ladies, the oldest going to college next year. My God!, time flies, and no sons for Dartmouth."
Hearty congratulations to Fred Gates, who wrote from Massillon, Ohio, December si: "I was married to Madaleine Allen, teacher of home economics, Washington High School, Massillon, October 4, 1938, in St. Timothy's church of this city. My wife is originally from Charleston, W. Va.
"Having chosen a teacher of home economics, I am now being properly nourished with balanced meals containing the right number of calories and vitamins. Our furniture is all absolutely correct so far as period and design are concerned, and each room is perfectly balanced. My wife's accomplishments include home nursing, and if I have a headache or a cut finger, it is liquidated immediately. Folks say I never looked so well and happy in my life. I believe now that I am perfectly balanced, because with all the balancing my wife is a good scout.
"I have taken on no new activities of late, and even have tried to eliminate some of my old ones in order to be more free to stay home. Our wedding trip was spent seeing New York and Bermuda. I hope some day to show my wife the many attractions of Hanover, N. H."
George Clark conducts a general insurance business at Lisbon and is president of the Insurance Underwriters Ass'n of New Hampshire Congratulations to George Currier, who received his commission as Lieutenant Commander, U. S. Naval Reserve, on December 27 Get ready for more and better (if possible?) ALUMNI MAGAZINE covers from Sunny Sanborn. To properly transport his multitude of cameras, snowshoes, and togs on his week-end hikes, he ordered one of those coveted de luxe Dartmouth green beach wagons, almost lost hope of delivery in time to reach Hanover for New Years, but found the traffic manager of the Ford Assembly Plant at Somerville perfectly able to turn the works upside down and produce for a Seventeener. Ralph says it's wonderful what our own Charlie Riley can do.
Nothing like a gall bladder operation (November 23) can keep our Maritime Provinces Golf Champion down very long. Sam MacKillop received the following from Nemo Streeter early in December: "I have been most fortunate in the way I have come through the operation I hope that I will be discharged in about another week, and they tell me that it is almost record time for this type of operation." Nice going, Perc.
Since reporting on the gala events at the Stanford game reunions in last month's issue, word has come of other Seventeeners present. Len Shea and his bride were at the game and the banquet afterward, went to Los Angeles and were with the gang at the party given by Walter Wanger at Wiltshire Bowl. Mort Rhoades, now an insurance agent at Los Angeles, was likewise at the party. Also many of Hollywood's most celebrated enticements.
Since the game Al Whitaker has come through with the following account of himself: "I am a civil service employee of the state of California, holding a position entitled Associate Chief of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Division under the State Board of Equalization. In this position I am primarily concerned with the collection of the excise taxes on the sales of all alcoholic beverages in this state, and with the auditing program covering all manufacturers, wholesalers, and importers of such beverages. We also run the state headquarters licensing office and handle the paper work in connection with state-wide enforcement of our liquor laws.
"I have been living in Sacramento for the past eighteen years; was married in 1925 and have two children, a boy of twelve and a girl of ten. I still play tennis and do a fair amount of fishing and hunting in season."
No wonder we couldn't get any news out of Hen Sturgess last summer! Last month we received a copy of the Dartmouth-in-Dixie Doings, containing this note: "The retiring president of the Georgians, Hen (A. Henly) Sturgess '17, had a tough time of it in the early summer—pneumonia. After he had finally gotten all the little pneumococci out of his system, Hen put the ideal touches on his convalescence by spending the month of August at his former home in Connecticut." Hen, we hope you're as well now as you looked in that picture on page 30 of the October MAGAZINE.
The Boston Traveler, October 17, gave us this: "The secret marriage of Tracy Dibble, junior vice-commander of the Essex County American Legion, and Sara Pelton of Beverly Farms, an active Legion Auxiliary worker, was revealed today by the couple at their home at Fern wood Ave., Lynn. They were married in July at Alton Bay, N. H."
Don O'Leary is a member of the advertising sales staff of Scribner's Magazine, New York City Ves Whiton is looking fine, his health is improving constantly and he sends regards to everyone. He'll be back at class dinners at New York before many months Buck Stewart is promoting Manhattan real estate transactions with Ladd and Nichols at 6 East 46th St., and can be found frequently at the Dartmouth Club for luncheon Palmer Riser has completely recovered from the effects of his serious automobile accident last spring. He, Mrs. Riser, and their three girls are living at his parents' home in New Rochelle, have enjoyed some meetings with Rudie and Mrs. Miller, and Palmer hopes to remain in the East.
WANTED, SOME BLOODHOUNDS
Who can give the Secretary the correct address of James Edward Burns? We have had him listed at 331 Chestnut St., Holyoke, Mass., for years—but he was with Childs Restaurant Co. in New York a long while and was reported with them at New-ark a year or so ago. We have no address whatsoever for Elmer E. Engelhorn, Baron S. Barnes, Frank B. Stevens Jr., and Edward C. Young Jr.
Secretary-Chairman, 18. Madison Ave., Cranford, N. J.
* 100% subscribers to the ALUMNI MAGAZINE, on class group plan.
