1906*
Bob Carpenter, who is president of The Carpenter Metal Products Company at Cleveland, Ohio, is now marketing an item which is creating a sensation—an indestructible aluminum baseball bat. He is hoping to get the New York Yankees to adopt this bat with the thought in mind that if Joe DiMaggio, Teller, Rolfe, and the rest of the heavy hitting Yankees stepped to the plate in the opening game of the American League with Bob's aluminum shillalahs, the first inning would be called on account of darkness, due to the constant succession of home runs.
The other day, when a bitter, icy wind was sweeping the city and the temperature was so far below zero that one was reminded of the frigid Hanover winters, we met the long-lost Thrall Ford. It was too cold to talk at any length but Thrall did tell us that he had put in a very busy year purchasing and selling so-called distressed merchandise-that he spent virtually all his time travelling and his home, therefore, was wherever he hung his hat for the night.
As a result of five years' faithful service as trustee of the college, Ned French, whose term will expire in June 1940, has been re-nominated for another full term of five years. The nomination is equivalent to election. No one deserves the honor more than he does but on the other hand the college should be congratulated in being able to keep in its service one of its most interested and outstanding alumni.
Among the participants in the second tournament being conducted by the New Hampshire Bridge Association are Dr. and Mrs. F. P. Scribner of Manchester, which indicates that the old Doc can do other things well in addition to prescribing pink pills for pale people.
Here's what the Manchester Union of December 8 had to say about Eric Kelly's speech at the New Hampshire Book Fair:
"Leading off the evening program of informal speakers was Eric P. Kelly, professor of journalism in the Dartmouth college department of English, authority on Poland and the author of several popular juvenile works.
"Discussing the writing of books for the consumption of youth between the ages of 12 and 18, Professor Kelly said that the best-written of such books enter speedily into the classics and pointed to 'Huckleberry Finn' and Ruskin's 'King of the Golden River' as examples.
"Adult books, he said, are too often written in a way that appeals only to a certain group of readers. The best juveniles, he maintained, must be written so that they will continue to attract youth over a period of many years."
Bob Blood's comment on Eric's visit is still more interesting: Eric made a corking,good talk, made a big hit with a packedaudience, and then had to hang around inthe Book Fair until 11 o'clock at night,autographing his books which were sold.He would have been here yet, I guess, ifthe supply of books hadn't run out.
The football games brought to the New York Dartmouth Club during the football season such enthusiastic followers of the Big Green Team as Ned French, Dave Main, Gus Ayers, Shorty Davis and Frank Eastman, according to Ned Redman, the official watch-dog of the club. Ned also reports that he saw Halsey Edgerton when he was in town to attend the Trustees' meeting of the college on December 14.
Art Farrington continues to make progress in his aim to be closer to Dartmouth. A few years ago he was the Chicago manager for Talon Inc.; then he was promoted to the general offices at Meadville, Pennsylvania, for several years; now he has been transferred to the New York offices at 71 West 35th Street and apparently is a very welcome addition to the small but enthusiastic group of 1906 men of the metropolitan area.
Jim Harvey, whose muscular arms used to cause the bells in Rollins Chapel to sound out their early morning challenge to the late sleepers of the college, is now living at 1022 Roxbury Road, San Marino, California. Jim's brother tells us that he is in rather poor health and would be delighted to see any Dartmouth men who happen to visit California.
Arthur S. Wells—better known as Sethus —former poet and now famous for his blazing beard of titian hue, has become an adopted son of California and has taken up his abode at the Hotel Commodore at Los Angeles.
Ben Mathes, too, has become a booster for the alleged sunny climate of California and is now located at 4623 Edgewood Ave., Oakland. I can almost imagine Ben leading a revolt against the ham-and-eggs crusade which has been sweeping the golden state.
The reason for Ben's having settled in Oakland perhaps is to compensate for Ed Pearson's removal from that famous but foggy city. Ed only spent a short time at Dartmouth but still keeps up his interest in the affairs of the college. He recently has left Oakland to live permanently at Belvedere, California. It looks as if we will soon have a 1906 colony in California, if this trend toward the Pacific continues. I wonder what is back of it—can it be that our rugged individualists no longer enjoy the bitter but invigorating winter winds, or has the ham-and-egg program found supporters in our group.
President,Acting Secretary Room 1430, Merchandise Mart Chicago, Ill.
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