1931*
In renewing this column, we are very much aware of the weight of years on our shoulders—ten years coming up this next June. I don't imagine any of us feel any older than the day we finished, but it's ! my guess that we're all a lot wiser—or at least, think we are. Before bringing out the news items, we want to again pay tribute to Beany and his competent staff of class agents. Once again the Class of '31 finished well up in the Alumni Fund. In fact, '31 has been the most consistent performer among the younger classes. Hats off to you, Craig, and all your helpers for a hard job well done. Beany's news always makes the secretary's job a hard one, particularly at this time. We have some items and with the letters that come in with the dues, we'll have more to bring us up to date. Here's a bit we picked up at a luncheon with Monk McCord—McCann Erickson Research—Mac was listening to Tommy DOlsey's Saturday afternoon program when he heard the announcer say that the winner of that week's amateur song-writer's contest was none other than one Charles O'Neill of Bridgeport, Connecticut, and that a check for too bucks was on its way to him- Both Mac and I were a little concerned as to how O'Neill rated this "amateur" stuff. As far back as we can remember we have always thought of Chuck as a pro along these lines—or at least a semipro. In any event. Chuck, how about telling us a little more about it. Maybe we could boost your royalties if we all knew the name of the song and bought a score.
The ranks of the bachelors have thinned slightly and we find that Bill WilsonRepublic Aviation's capable publicity head—was married to Edna Frances Molineux in Yeadon, Pennsylvania, on June 15. Bill and Edna are now living in Amityville, and with the stamp of approval which the Government has just put on Republic Aviation's plant, Bill is one of the world's busiest men. This approval means that Bill's company must expand itself from four to five times so that it can play its part in the manufacture of army pursuit planes and dive bombers. Bill showed me through the plant a short time ago and if you ever want to see a beautiful but death dealing piece of machinery, you ought to get in the cockpit of one of those babies. If the rest of our aviation industry turns them out in the same way, it is going to be tough on Herr Hitler when these go into action.
The other bachelor to succumb to feminine charm was Dr. Hugh Neely who was married on August 34 to Dorothy Marshall Marshall. Hugh is becoming well established in New York medicine and he and Dorothy will be at home at 156 East 52nd Street in Manhattan after the first of October. Congratulations to the four of you and we will surely look forward to meeting the girls next June.
There has been considerable talk about the declining birth rate in the United States, but in trying to keep our records up to date, I can guarantee you that it's not the fault of the Class of '31. As a matter of fact, I would say our fellows were doing more than their share. Up to the present we can report that Chuck and Mary Briggs have a daughter, Betsey, who by now must be about a year old, but was not previously reported in the column. Charlie and Cynthia Babbitt report a daughter, Judith. Les and Vita Klein added a young fellow by the name of William Philip. Les, by the way, is in the Catalin business which manufactures everything from novelty jewelry to baby's teething rings. That's quite a spread in there, Les, and I guess young Bill will have enough things to keep him amused. Up in Boston Ned and Marjorie Kent added another potential member to the Class of 1962 when John R. Kent put in his appearance on July 20. Another member of the Phi Gam clan, Bill and Marie Benger announce the birth of a daughter, Gail Marie, on June 34. Bill was recently transferred to the office of the International Salt Company in Scranton, Pa., with the title of Credit Manager. He and his family are living at Clarks Green and would welcome any '31ers who might have occasion to be in that neighborhood. From out Cleveland way Betty and Bill Steck have expanded their program to take in the addition of Suzanne who was born on August 16. Bill is an attorney in the firm of Bushnell, Burgess, Fulton & Chandler in Cleveland. There has been a consider- able amount of correspondence between Bill and myself as to who was missing at the '3O commencement last June. I admit that I had the edge on Bill because I really did have two witnesses all the way to Hanover and back again in the forms of Frank McCord and Charlie Schneider. We heard that Bill was in Hanover and according to all reports, while he was look- ing for us we were also looking for him. I think the burden of proof is on Bill be- cause anybody who was in Hanover that weekend and couldn't locate Charlie Schneider behind the bar of the Sigma Chi house with its alternating pink, green and yellow lights, must either not have been in Hanover or not in the shape to pass comment. How's that for a legal ar- gument, Bill? In any event, the main at- traction of the coming Reunion will be Brother Schneider in the capacity of Chief Entertainer at practically any spot in Hanover during the Reunion. Inciden- tally, the purpose of our trip to Hanover was to try to get some ideas for the work- ing out of the plans for our own Reunion and at the same time to take part in a discussion with some of the other classes which will reunite next June around the matter of inaugurating some new ideas for Commencement.
Beany's comment in his News Letter about the bachelors in the Class of '31 brought a number of replies which Beany was able to publish himself. The following letter, however, arrived too late to make Beany's issue and was passed on to us. Under the heading of Highland Homespuns, Ashville, No. Carolina, John I. Waterman, Treasurer, it reads: "In order to protect the good name of my wife and daughter and clear them of the stigma of illegitimacy, I herewith present a few vital statistics. On June 18, 1937 I took to wife one Louisa Marcena Pickett, daughter of Judge and Mrs. Walter M. Pickett of New Haven. Inevitable result was that future international beauty, Marcena Pickett Waterman, presented to us May 9, 1938. Incidentally, in case Adrian O'Keeffe and Ben MacMillan are blushing, both of them are married and have done their bit towards the Government Repopulation Project. Adrian has three daughters, and Ben, two. We have been in the south since early this year, and to date have made absolutely no progress in converting any of the locals to the cause of Willkie, but given time expect to insert a large crack in the solid south."
And the latest bid for Carnival Queen in 1962 appeared in the household of Lloyd and Deborah Wilson. Rosemary was born on July 25 and, according to her mother, is a perfect image of her old man.
Not having had a column for four months, we have quite a list of changes of address. Billy Alton returned from Cairo, Egypt, and is now located at 46 Wright Street, Westport, Conn. Joe Rushton is a practicing physician with the Clinic Hospital, San Angelo, Texas. Raoul M. Herrera, 75 bis Avenue Foch, Paris, France. (How about a letter, Raoul. I am sure you could drop us something interesting about what's happening over your way.) Harry Almond, practicing physician with the Ralph D. Simons Memorial Clinic in Gardiner. Ted Danforth at Butler Hospital in Providence. Joe Esersky now located with the Community Dentists, 866 Elma Street, Manchester, New Hampshire. Charlie Schneider now with the National Gypsum Company at 420 Lexington Avenue in New York City. Arne Rich with Montgomery Ward in Ann Arbor. Dr. Dave Winkler now with the Hartford General Hospital in Hartford. And Chan Griggs of the Civil Aeronautics Authority, all the way up in Anchorage, Alaska. In the field of education, we have I believe '3l's first principal, Ed Reichert now the principal of the Cumberland School in Milwaukee. George Phillips has recently joined the Hofstra College in Hempstead, Long Island. Marty Zinn, New York and Texas, can now be reached at Lake Charles, La. Jack Weatherley, formerly of Madamoiselle, is now with Street & Smith Publishers in New York City. And our final change—and about the first word we have heard from Ed Burnham in many a moon shows him as a construction superintendent in Littleton, New Hampshire.
As we have said before, the more we hear from you fellows, the more interesting this column can be made.
Secretary, Phoenix Mutual Life Insurance Cos. gi Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains, N. Y Treasurer, 443 Warren St., Hudson, N. Y.
