1909*
We recently had a very pleasant visit from Jack and Ruth Childs who were down in Boston to get a physical check up at the Lahey Clinic. It was not that they were not both feeling well, but they thought it was the logical thing to do. Ruth has disposed of the Hotel Moulton which she has been running in Lisbon, N. H. for several years. She felt that it was a lot of,work with very little recompense. I assured her that, being in the food business myself, I was in perfect sympathy with her feeling. They are now located in Goffstown, N. H., where Ruth has her hands full taking care of her own and Jack's children and is having a good time being a housewife again.
A notice appeared in the ALUMNI MAGAZINE recently which may not have been noticed by you that Frank O'Brien, who is General Manager in charge of production of the Continental Can Company, delivered two lectures at the Tuck School in Hanover.
I am sorry to report that Cap Kelly has been obliged to give up work owing to ill health. We are trying to get some direct word from him and if we can we will report the details later.
Percival MacNaughton, who has been in the army for many years, is now a Major connected with the Quartermasters Depot in Philadelphia. His residence is 2514 S. Lambert Street, Philadelphia.
As expected, the slurring remarks of Bob Burns relative to his golf game compared with that of Bob Holmes has resulted in libel threats, the correspondence about which, I am reproducing.
December 16, 1940. "Mr. Robert A. Burns Whiting Milk Co. Charlestown, Mass. RE: ALUMNI MAGAZINE 1909 Class—Libel
Dear Mr. Burns:
"I have not quite finished my review of the libel laws and as counsel for myself I am not yet ready to advise myself as to the full extent of the responsibility of the guilty parties. To say that I was shocked and hurt in my tenderest sensibilities (?) would be to convey a grossly inadequate picture of my natural reaction. However, your letter is very helpful as it clearly places the responsibility.
"May I ask just what was served at that class banquet that you admittedly do not recall the balance? I deem it particularly unfortunate that the factual basis of the statement is correct. This makes any attempted rebuttal on my part not only difficult but also embarrassing in view of the large number of witnesses present at the time of the accident in question.
"There are times when I regret, even more than others, that I am no longer class secretary.
Very truly yours, (Sgd.) R. J. Holmes." December 20, 1940. "Mr. R. J. Holmes 10 Post Office Square Boston, Massachusetts
"Dear Mr. Holmes: "Your letter of December 16th regarding my efforts to apologize for so much publicity given our recent golf match is beginning to remind me of the fifth down Dartmouth-Cornell game at which time Dartmouth failed to get sufficient credit for very smart football, but I hope this has been corrected.
"With my modest nature, obviously I haven't said very much about this, but on reading over your letter I find that you distinctly call my victory an accident And now I am afraid the truth must be told, and perhaps more publicized than ever.
"There also was an inference in your letter that our present worthy class secretary expands somewhat on the truth which, of course, places him in a delicate position.
"And speaking of accidents I don't assume that you would call it an accident when a man tosses fifty forward passes and connects with forty-two, or when a man pitches three or four no-hit games. Apparently these so-called 'accidents' of beating you in golf have been going on for some time and it would seem to me that to call this whole thing off, we should not refer to them so lightly; and to correct the whole situation, I would suggest that you admit defeat at this certain golf match which will close the book.
"I am sure that Mr. Floyd has proper legal advice, so we both would suggest that you watch your step. .. .for you may get us mad.
"With my very best respects, I am, Very truly yours, (Sgd.) R. A. Burns."
We are glad to learn that Chester S. Brett Jr., whom we previously reported as being in the Navy, had a rank of 58 out of a class of 264, in his examination for midshipman. He is now assigned to the Cruiser Honolulu, flag ship of the Cruiser Division in the Pacific. It is also interesting to note that the Dartmouth contingent showed up exceptionally well in the examination. With a possible rating of 4, the Dartmouth men had a rank of 3.28 average.
We had a pleasant visit the other day from Harold Wheat who has been running the Canaan Lodge in Canaan, N. H. He reported that while he was doing well with the Lodge and developing an increasing amount of business, the banks have finally decided to handle the Lodge in another manner. Consequently he is now out looking for a job either in the hotel business or in the department store business where he has spent most of his years.
I understand that we were not particularly well represented at the Cornell game inasmuch as Bob Burns, Dutch West, and Chet Brett were the only representatives of the class present.
Secretary, William Filene's Sons Co., Boston, Mass.
