1929*
HODSON'S OLD HOME WEEK
Back in Seattle Jim reports that at the Yale game last fall, "By some miracle, or perhaps only by kindness of Bill McCarter, I found myself sitting next to Wiedenmayer and Ackley, on one side and MacMurray on the other side. Down in front were Bill Keyes, Mai Mather, Bronse Purdy, Jerry Swope, Lyman Rogers, Art Rydstrom,-A1 Bellerose and Ben Leavitt. A regular old home week. That night in Waterbury, Chris and Jane Born telephoned from Boston. You who see all these guys frequently cannot imagine what a kick it was to see them all together in one place again. Between the halves I had a very few moments with Tom Stokes and also saw several lads from other classes. While on route east I had spent an evening in Chicago with John and Mildred Clements and John had arranged a business trip east for the next day, so the 1925-27 occupants of 6 Hitchcock rode into New York together and settled problems over B & B in the dining car. John got to the game too and when I saw him in Chicago on the return trip, he said he had run into Herb Wollison and Jim Oberlander just a few minutes after leaving me in the Pennsylvania Station. While in Washington I called on Percy Russell, Jack Dickey and Carl Spaeth. As you know, Russell is in general practice while Dickey and Spaeth are doing anti-Nazi missionary work. Also called on Nat Burleigh at the O.P.M. and there bumped into Frank Rogers. You may have heard that Nelson Smith has been appointed by the President as Chairman of the Board of Investigation and Research created by the Transportation Act of 1940."
Ross Hughes says: "Harold Montamat is now Secretary in the American Embassy in Panama. He was up recently and went with a gang of us to the Princeton game. He's quite the diplomat and certainly 'tones up a party.' Quebman, Howard, Brittan and Hays (1930) were along with their respective wives. Trunkie and Art Hays spent the week-end here with us. Trunkie is assistant comptroller with Batten, Barton, Durstine and Osborne advertising agency, and spends his time cutting down the boys' expense accounts. He waited long enough to acquire a Mrs. but believe me it was just the right idea. Ruth, his wife, is lovely and he's one lucky boy. As for me, I'm trying to increase the sales and lower the costs for the Standard Oil Cos. of New Jersey in Hunterton County and in the spare time keep the wind from blowing through an old farm house in the country. We live just outside of Flemington, N. J., that is Mary, Dee, two dogs, one cat, and thirty-two mallard ducks."
George Case reports from Cleveland where his nose has been kept close to the grindstone by The Lamson & Sessions Cos.: "When sales were hard to get, I found my- self in the Sales Department, and now that production is the thing, I find that I am a production man. Evidently this defense program has to be held together with something and that something seems to be Bolts and Nuts; at least as far as we are concerned On a recent trip to Chicago I had a few minutes visit with Dick Burke and Jim Kelley. Dick has been promoted from purchasing in the Sporting Goods Department at Sears Roebuck to the Merchandising Department, probably because it is impossible to buy guns and ammunition for civilian use; at least that is what he says. My opinion is that he richly deserves this promotion to the most important department of Sears Roebuck. Jim is managing some sort of a new venture in Chicago, having left a Minneapolis advertising company. The way I get the story is that Jim is the 'chief cook and bottle washer' of the new outfit."
Mort Crowell is with Magic Foam of California, manufacturers of upholstery cleansers. He writes: "There are about five or six '29ers living near San Francisco; Dick Robins, Polly Parrott, Blyth Adams and Albion Ross. Al, as you know, is the much read and highly regarded Foreign Editor of The Chronicle. Dan Luten is reported to be still here in the Bay Area but I haven't seen him in quite some time. The blackouts here the last few days have been quite exciting. My wife, stepdaughter and I live directly between the Presidio, which is the fort guarding the Golden Gate, and Fort Mason which is the Quartermaster Headquarters and Transport Docks. An air raid on San Francisco would be dangerous for us, but at least we would have a good view of it all. Speakihg of the stepdaughter, it looks as though I may become the first grandfather of the class."
Ed Phelps is head of the English department at the Springfield (Vermont) High School, also senior class adviser, sponsor of the school paper and coach of the debating team. Last June he received his master's degree in Education cum laude from Boston University. Among his extra-curricular activities is attending football games. He hasn't missed a Harvard game since freshman year and wants to know if anyone can beat that record.
Joe Walsh puts in such a long day helping to build the Brooklyn Elevated Parkway on the banks of the Gowanus that he has little time for his family. When he does go home it's in Poughkeepsie.
Don MacCornack, Cleveland architect, tells of his activities simply enough: "I mind my business where I can find it, teach drawing once, a week at WRU's School of Architecture, and indulge in the ordinary lawful social life, which includes a heavy contribution of hours to a local amateur theatrical group. Just how the war will affect this routine is quite unknown, though I am sure, and intend, it shall.
Dick Doe is still working at the Reference Division of the New York Public Library, Fifth Avenue and 42nd St., as a reference librarian. His daughter, Ann Hewitt, was born August 10, 1941.
Joe Ruff has the same wife and children: Jay, 21/2, and Marylyn, 11/2, but a new business: a Lamp Shop, opened last Sep- tember in Hammond, Indiana. Also, his health is good.
Art Clow writes that he has just purchased a new home at 109 Hunlock Rd., Short Hills, N. J., with more land for his three boys. He has also just changed jobs with Western Electric, now being in charge of labor relations and personnel studies at the Kearney Works where some 17,000 are employed, mostly on war work.
Ed Abbott has been with the Federal Bureau of Investigation since December 1940, traveling the country pretty much of the time. After Dartmouth, he studied law, receiving his LL.B. from George Washington Law School and his LL.M. from Georgetown University Law School in 1937. He and his wife, to whom he was married in 1932 are presently living in Omaha.
Mat Rock is with Jeffress-Dyer, Inc., and for about a year and a half has been located at the Naval Proving Ground, Dahlgren, Virginia, where they are building huts, hangers and houses for the Navy. That's where they test bombs and 18 inch guns.
Art Nighswander is so busy with law practice, preparation of annotations for the American Law Institute on Property, Civilian Defense and civic affairs that he's just getting around to announcing the very important birth of Warren Christen on June 5, 1941.
Eddie Deans added to his family last July first when Cynthia Louise came in at 71/2 pounds. Her older sister, Mollie Jo is 31/2 years.
George Yeaton has recently been elected President of the Independent Brother hood of Shipyard Workers of Todd-Bath, South Portland, Maine where approximately 5000 men are engaged in building cargo boats for Britain. For several years prior to his employment in the South Portland yard, George was connected with the Editorial Department of the Kennebeck Journal, the Bangor Daily News, the New York Daily News and other papers.
Bob McClure who seems to be in the insurance business in Columbus, Ohio brings this column to an end on this happy note: "I'm an old married man but no offspring. I live in the country, work in the city, and at present am dickering with the government agent for a little free lime to be spread around the place, which lime you city slickers can help pay for."
Secretary, 75 Federal St., Boston, Mass.
