1931*
In a topsy-turvy world with the situation changing daily, it is not unnatural that the Secretary's job should assume a similar trend. Last month, as you could probably see from the column, it was a hell of a job to find very much to talk about. The world looked very dark and ye Secretary wasn't very happy about the whole thing. As a matter of fact, any one of you could have had the job if you had so much as sent in a penny postcard. Today, however, the world looks much brighter and as this column goes to press, we are beginning to feel that everything is going to come out all right.
Saturday we took in the DartmouthPrinceton game and, as you know, saw Dartmouth come out on top 20 to 13. After spending a pleasant Saturday night with Hodson, Wolff and Snooky Warwick, got up at the crack of dawn on Sunday to shoot some golf with Wolff and Hodson. Brother Wolff has developed into quite a golfer; Hodson is becoming a master on the greens; but outside of the 129 that the Secretary shot, the only memorable drive was one that went 200 yards up, 200 yards down, landed on a wooden bridge spanning about a 10 foot creek, and bounced neatly out into the fairway for a net gain of about 175 yards—the sort of a shot only a real duffer can get.
The Army has begun to cast off the old men of the Class of '31 at a rather rapid rate. Bill Minehan has been discharged and is back on his job with the Northwestern Mutual in Milwaukee. Jim Rice finally decided that the life of a bachelor was too dangerous and immediately upon his discharge we received the announcement of his marriage to LaDonna Phelps on September 20. Jim is still living in Tacoma, Washington, hasn't gotten himself located yet, but expects to real soon. Jim Lull, whom we reported at the Personnel Office at Fort Sam Houston, will be discharged soon as the result of a foot injury. Hope it's not too serious, Jim, and that you will be well shortly. Doug Wilson, who was drafted just about Reunion time and sent to Fort Sill, Oklahoma for a couple of days, was transferred almost immediately to the Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland where he was placed in the Chemical Warfare Service. Doug says, "Don't ask me how I got in that particular branch of the Army; I who never had a chemistry course in my life—it's a long and complicated story. However, I'm very glad I did, for the work was interesting and I learned quite a -Jot. I even won a couple of medals, including a pistol marksman's badge." Another transfer took him to Boiling Field, about 40 minutes from his front door, where he joined a detachment of the First Chemical Company (Service, Aviation). This lasted a month when he was released for being over 28 years of age. At present it is too late to go back to his job at Rice Institute where he was an instructor in English, and he is planning to finish his Ph.D. and get his degree. His only comment is that his experience was very illuminating and good for his waist-line and physical condition in general.
Still helping the armies of Uncle Sam, Ernie Moore writes to say that neither Harvard, Dartmouth nor any business association has ever worked him as hard as they are working him in his Officer Training School. He says he understands now why "West Point officers are a little impatient with the manner in which recruits carry out their assignments."
I think that pretty nearly accounts for almost all of our gang who were drafted and I, for one, am glad to see they have been relieved of duty.
We have always heard that June was the month of weddings, but our various pressclipping bureaus seem to give September and October a very good plug. Joe Clough and Rhoda Widgery were married in Durham, North Carolina and will be living at 2 Brewer Parkway in Burlington, Vermont. Joe, as you know, is a full-fledged M.D. and a Lieutenant in the Army, specializing, we suppose, in eye and ear work after four years of training at the Massachusetts General Hospital specializing in oto-laryngoscopy and ophthalmology.
Dick Knight and Katherine Ambrose were married in Hudson, Massachusetts, where they are now making their home. Dick is with the Robinson Hardware Company.
Hawley Jaquith and Mae Janet Smith were married in New York and are going to make their home in Short Hills, New Jersey. Hawley is secretary and treasurer of Mansfield and Swett at Maplewood.
Congratulations to you all! As long as we are on the subject and passing out congratulations, here are some for three potential carnival queens who arrived recently:
Alice Ann to Exa and Wendell Wichter. Remo Anne to Remo and Walt Hausman.
Sarah Alice to Dorothy and Steve Smith.
Our agent reports the following changes: Larry Allen, formerly with the Container Corporation at Natick, Massachusetts and then transferred to Narbeth, Pennsylvania, is now back Boston-way with the General Electric Company in Lynn. Ted Dabrowski, formerly with the Eddystone Manufacturing Company in Philadelphia, is now in New York and living in Rew Gardens. Parker Pierce, formerly with the Food and Drug Administration in Boston, has been transferred to Philadelphia as an inspector. Wally Thorsen, formerly salesman for Country Home magazine, is now with another Crowell publication, Collier's, the National Weekly.
Spence Cram reports from Cleveland that Bob Baumrucker, who was formerly with Hays McFarland & Company, is now advertising it with McCann-Erickson in Cleveland.
Steve Smith's letter from Belmont, Massachusetts, reports that Joe Stickney is the new white hope of '31's golfers if enthusiasm amounts to anything, and Steve is willing to back him against Sammy Groves right now. We might promote a match, Steve, and donate the proceeds to the Defense Clinic that you and Joe took in a short time ago.
Speaking of defense, Walt Hausman, with the Polygraphic Company, is beginning to feel the pinch of priorities although his own hobby of printing year books continues nicely. Walt prints the Smith College Yearbook this year for the third time in a row, has a number of others signed, and at present is making the bid for three or four other New England schools. Bob Spotts is about the only one Walt runs into, but he reports him as one of the top men for the Devoe-Reynolds Paint Company. This is a change for Bob from our records and we do not have any more of the details.
Walt Gehring, whose business cards formerly showed him to be selling derricks, has now established his own office supply business in the Swetland Building in Cleveland.
Our final letter from Rog Burrill who, as he reports himself, is still alive and kicking, has just taken over a new job which promises very well. As of November 1, he will be the representative in eastern New England for the American Lending Libraries, Inc. of New York. He will be located at East Weymouth, Massachusetts and from there he will hit the road all the way from Providence to Portland. I think I should let you read Rog's own words because he should be made to suffer in due proportion—as a matter of fact, his wife should probably have divorced him by now. He goes on to say, "I must at this point make application to be removed from the list of 1931 bachelors, as of April 23, 1937. Isn't that awful? I wager that is the longest time on record that a thirtyoner took to announce his marriage to his classmates. Again, allow me to be ashamed. We are very happy, are Dorothy and I. She was formerly Dorothy Barber, Northfield '29. We have no keeds, thank you, but we do feed two cats and a setter every day as well as ourselves." Also, "Sometime, when I feel verbal, I will tell you about the letter I sent to Beany, care of Hudson, Mass., which was returned to me; then I sent it to Beany, care of Glens Falls, N. Y., and it was returned to me. Just a plain case of frustration, that's all." Serves Beany right, Rog. If he only represented some insurance company that didn't bear the name of a town, he would probably get all his mail.
As I have said before, writing this column (and never mind any cracks! I'll have you know that my wife and I just completed the English quiz which was listed this month in the Ladies Home Journal. I got a 64 which, according to said magazine, was above passing for men and a mark which, were I only taking Freshman English again, I would exhibit with the greatest of pride to some instructors who were thoroughly convinced that McAllister would never see a mark better than an Eand I can't say as I blame them as I look back on these columns and some of the themes I used to write) has not been so tough. [False pride goeth before a fall. ED.] The checks have been rolling in for the Class Dues and we have sent great gobs of them on to Geiger in Chicago. More of you fellows have paid than ever before at the same point in the proceedings. This, of course, is to make those of you who haven't paid yet feel Class Dues conscious.
Until the next issue, then, our best wishes for a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Secretary, Phoenix Mutual Life Insurance Co. 31 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains, N. Y. Treasurer, 400 W. Madison St., Chicago, Ill.
* 100% subscribers to the ALUMNI MAGAZINE, on class group plan.
