1916*
A Wah-Hoo-Wah for Wallace G. "Jack" Kittridge, who ranked first in a competitive examination and as a consequence, won the appointment as Director of the Division of Commercial Motor Vehicles of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Jack still wears the pink cheeks that he sported back in Middle Fayer.
Here is positive proof that the column is being read. E. Hugo Gumbart, the once wandering steel man, now located in Cincinnati, wrote in answer to my hint in last month's notes. Gummy went with Bethlehem Steel in 1919, when he was discharged from the Army, and by 1924 was Assistant Manager of sales in the Rail Department. He married in 1934 and went to Dayton where he lived until 1934, when he returned to Bethlehem. Gummy in his travels visited with Balmacaaners, all the way from Rog Evans in Philadelphia to Hi McLellan down in Tyler, Texas. Gummy went to the Cincinnati Dartmouth banquet recently and met Chet Drury, who is the big Brass Hat of Security Bag Co., and Freddie Frederickson from Miami University at Oxford, Ohio.
I'm going to send the names of Balmacaaners in Southern Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee to Gummy for periodic reports of progress.
A reporter has to be mighty careful these days. I had Max Spelke down as one of the few remaining handsome bachelors of 1916. I'm awful wrong, for Max has been married for twelve years, has a daughter ten, and a son nearly eight who knows all about Dartmouth and reads my notes. When you call on Judge Spelke in Stamford, Max brings you into the sanctum sanctorum, sends out word all appointments are off, and the bull league starts.
I know I am correct in calling greyhaired Jack Curtin, a bachelor. Here is a wire just arrived from the Occident-Orient Chapter of Balmacaan, stating that everything was under control that Carl John and Lucille were coming back from China on the Clipper for the reunion in forty-one and incidentally and currently were having a swell time. The wire was signed by Lucille, Eskie and Jack Curtin. Gee, I wish I had been with you.
Now for the news of our New Hampshire brethren. I've just seen a splendid report on the Development of the Great Bay Area in New Hampshire, signed by Larry Hayward, hydraulic engineer.
The Bard of Bristol, now the Pride of Rye, New Hampshire, meets formally weekly, and informally, several times with Larry. You know I mean J. Hyde Mensel. Bob Brown, of Nashway has had a visit from young Bill McKenzie who is Dartmouth-bound this fall. Dan and Mrs. Dinsmoor were on for a visit, and Bob reports that Mrs. Dan has fully recovered and feeling tip top. Mrs. Bob Brown and Mrs. Dan are sisters. Like his father, Dan Jr., is getting four point for marks. Bob's oldest boy Dave hopes to enter Hanover this fall. Dave is the trap drummer in his own orchestra and will be a recruit for the Barbary Coast band of this generation.
Talking about proud fathers, Jim Coffin is the proudest and I don't blame him, for Jim Jr., is going great guns in Hanover. It just means that the old man is going back to Dartmouth for another four years.
Ralph Heinie George is flooding Concord with new Fords and the gas they use. Young Hank George is the High School Badminton champ., and Millicent is soon to graduate from the Filene merchandising course. Maybe Heine wasn't proud too that his Millicent was one of the seven selected from hundreds to take the Course.
Dr. Charlie Parsons, Concord's hard working physician, is on the go so much I've missed him. Emery Lapierre tells me that Charlie is doing wonderful work. Speaking of plutes, said Lapierre is just back from a long vacation spent in New Orleans, Miami and other hot spots. And I understand said Lapierre is a good poker player. Perhaps Ed Ozite Kiley, Art Fiske, johnny Mullens wouldn't agree with this item.
Jim Shanahan, president of the New Hampshire Chapter of the National Cost Accountants, was taking a day off when I called. Trying to figure out the take in income taxes must be tiring. Balmacaaners will be tickled to learn that Sweeney Fuller is feeling fine and is very much better. I've often wondered how a handsome, curly haired, pink cheeked lad was given a name like Sweeney. It sounds like the handwork of those awful Chi Phis, Soutar, Walker and Parkhur1st. Speaking of Dick, I saw Dick and Bill Banton, who was down from general agenting for Connecticut Mutual in Portland, at a Dartmouth lecture in Boston. These men are still highbrows taking in the lectures and getting educated.
If anyone wonders where Harry Goldman was on the night of February 15th said Harry was not out with a blonde, said Harry was not visiting a sick friend, he was present at the New York Dartmouth dinner. I just slipped up, when I recorded the names of Balmacaaners attending, in last month's notes.
Balmacaaners living around Greater Boston have been invited to be guests of the Twentieth Century Association at its Saturday luncheons at 3 Joy Street. It would be a fine thing for classmates, (who may bring their wives), to meet together at these luncheons. Phone me when and if you can come to any Saturday luncheon. I am very sorry to record the death of Charles Van Wyck Mott who was made an honorary member of 1916 at our twentieth reunion. Van died suddenly of a heart attack at Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Stirling Wilson flew down from Washington and represented the class at the obsequies of his friend of forty years and our friend. Van was most enthusiastic and had made plans for our twenty-fifth. The first contribution received by the Committee on the Twentyfifth Memorial Fund came from Van. We who knew him, will miss him sorely, and our heartfelt sympathies go out to Selma and their son Tom.
The news has just come that Craven Laycock is dead and there is a void in my heart. I pray that my soul may be fortunate enough to follow wherever Craven has gone and that he will be there to greet me on my arrival with a twenty-four notice. Grant unto him eternal rest, our beloved Craven.
As you read these notes, Pete Cleaves and his hardworking crew will be busy on the Alumni Fund. Won't you sit down when you finish the notes and send your check along? They love to do it, because it's for Dartmouth, but honestly we could make it easier for them if we did it right now.
Secretary, 37 Maple St., Stoneham, Mass. Class Agent, Girard Trust Co., Philadelphia, Pa.
* 100% subscribers to the ALUMNI MAGAZINE, on class group plan.
