1927*
Tsk, tsk, tsk, what a pity! Not one member of the class had three cents to squandor on a stamp last month to send a letter to your scribe. We didn't know the depression was quite that bad. Without intending to brag any, we'll go out on a limb far enough to offer to pay for any letters that are sent postage collect. That ought to shame at least one out of six hundred into using some ink.
Since 1934 Sheldon Voorhis has been in Augusta, Georgia, as southern representative for F. S. Crofts and Company, textbook publishers of 41 Union Square West, New York City. Prior to this Sheldon spent a year with the San Francisco News in San Francisco; two years in the advertising and automobile departments of the J. M. Horton Ice Cream Corporation in New York City; two years with the White Plains DAILY PRESS and one year studying at Columbia University for which work he received the M.A. degree in English literature.
Latest reports from Providence inform us that Russ Weston is now President of the Rhode Island Mutual Liability Insurance Company. This thriving company specializes in automobile and other forms of liability insurance. Russ, who was formerly with the Liberty Mutual, is doing a grand job. He is married and lives at 152 10th Street in Providence.
"Extra, extra, extra," shouted the newshawks on the streets of Janesville, Wisconsin, the morning after war was declared early last September. At the same time radio station WCLO of that city was broadcasting the news of the declaration of war by France and England, and Germany's invasion of Poland. All this was the result of the daily routine work of Bob Bliss. No, we don't mean he started the war, but he is co-publisher, with his brother Sidney, of the Janesville GAZETTE which together with station WCLO is owned by the Gazette Printing Company. After graduating in '27, Bob spent one year in the national advertising department of the Boston HERALD. He then returned to Janesville and spent several years in their editorial department and radio station which was built in 1930. Since the death of his father in 1937, Bob and his brother have been managing the aforementioned companies. Bob is married and has three youngsters. This large and active family together with the responsibilities of publishing "Southern Wisconsin's Farm and Home Newspaper Since 1845," has left him little time to spend on other hobbies. He did, however, find time for a little skiing this winter, thanks to the good snows. One evening not many months ago we passed through Janesville on our way west, and were sincerely impressed by the thriving and prosperous appearance of that city. We wish now more than ever that we had had time to stop off for a short visit with Bob.
We have always had lots of insurance men, lawyers, doctors, school teachers and investment bankers in the class, but we hope you are all noticing how many authors are coming to the front in recent issues of this column. This month we find that George Koles is associate author of Ohlinger's Federal Practice, a work of six volumes on the jurisdiction and procedure of the courts of the United States, and civil actions under the constitution, United States code, and the new federal rules of civil procedure. Four volumes of this set have already been published and the two remairfing volumes will shortly be on the market.
Wil Shaw says in part: "At present I am caught in the toils of the printing industry, acting as treasurer and salesman for a printing outfit here in the big city. (New York.) Business is none too good, has been worse, and, we hope, will be better. I have lunch occasionally with Al Chabot and Hugh McGrath, the first of whom is in the legal department of American Water Works and Electric Co., and the second of whom is doing a flourishing insurance business. Hughie's wife recently presented him with their fifth child. Al, I might add, has one son, Rodney, born a year ago last August.
"Gerry Brickett and I correspond fairly regularly. He is a maintenance engineer with Congoleum-Nairn Company, located in Westminster, Maryland, and spends most of his spare time flying either his own plane or one he hires for longer trips than his own can comfortably make. If you remember, he left at the end of his sophomore year to finish up at M. I. T.
"Carleton Gilbert, who is doing a good job as head of one of the advertising departments of U. S. Rubber, lives in Larchmont and he has one child; as of our meeting last week.
"Reg Vincent is still with the National City Bank and maritally unencumbered."
Wil also enclosed a newspaper clipping which he says was dated November 1, 1940. It must have come from Winchell's column: "Mr. and Mrs. Wilfred E. Shaw, of 222 East Seventy-first Street, announce the birth yesterday, of a daughter, Sandra Palmer Shaw, at the New York Hospital. Mrs. Shaw, the former Miss Laura Creigh ton Palmer, is the daughter of Rear Admiral Leigh Creighton Palmer, U. S. N. (retired) and Mrs. Palmer, of New York and Washington."
Sam Martin writes briefly: "Have two fine boys now—one twenty months old, and one eight months. Although neither can talk as yet, I have taught them to sit up in their cribs and yell, 'WAH-HOO-WAH'!" Sam also says he hopes to get east for the Fifteenth.
A note from Nelson Robinson, Manager of the Nashville Branch of The Kroger Grocery & Baking Company, says: "Still of good health, bad disposition and single blessedness." Having washed dishes for a year with Nelson at the Smalley Club we deny the second part of his statement and know the reason for the third part. Wib Kennedy reports progress in the peddling of life insurance in Dayton for the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company. Wib is also a farmer and is married, having a ten year old daughter, Gretchen.
This column would not be complete if it did not record that in the passing of Dean Emeritus Laycock the class as a whole and all of us as individuals have lost a true friend. We were one of the last few classes that had the privilege of his friendly inspiration and stern yet kind advice. We had the pleasure of chatting with him a few weeks ago in Hanover, and that same spirit of friendly enthusiasm and interest in sons of Dartmouth is a memory we are proud to have.
Reunion time of the year is drawing near, and it will be only two more years before our big shebang. For those of you who want to get in tune for that party, and incidentally spend a most pleasant week-end, our sister class of 1925 has come forth with a very kind gesture. Through your scribe they have invited any '27 members who expect to be in Hanover during this off-year reunion to join them in their festivities. We appreciate this hospitable invitation and hope that it may be accepted by at least a few of our goodly number so that they can offer us suggestions how to (or not to) run a Fifteenth Reunion. For those interested, further details may be secured by writing your Secretary.
DARTMOUTH 1927—For DARTMOUTH in 1940 Agent Bill Abbott, 400 North Michigan Ave., Chicago, 111.
Agent Josh Davis, Reynolds & Co., 120 Broadway, New York City.
Agent Rog Salinger, 24 Fredana Rd., Waban, Mass.
Gus Cummings crashes through with a bigger and better theme for his Fund campaign this year. As you have already noted from the first issue, the "Speakeasy," '27's own rag, will conduct an InformationPlease contest which is bound to prove interesting to all of us as it will be centered around our own class members. Like all of us, you must be wondering what certain classmates are doing now. Does your old room-mate still grind his teeth in his sleep? Has Joe Ox got a stiff elbow yet? Did Fred Flash ever marry the gal? Stump the experts or shame some of these guys into opening up with the truth. Send your questions in to Gus. Also if you know facts about some classmate that should be known send the information along to Gus. He will formulate a question from it in one issue with the answer in the next.
The class has been divided into three major districts. The west and central district under Bill Abbott, the eastern district under Josh Davis, and the New England district under Rog Salinger. Points will be awarded to each group for questions, answers, contributions and increases. So gather round folks and shower down on Gus. This is our year to make that quota.
Secretary-Chairman, 152 Waban Ave., Waban, Mass. Class Agent, 244 Dorset Rd., Waban, Mass.
