1917*
About eleven weeks to Reunion! Five years ago, when you departed from our 20th, you said you wished we could have one every year or two. Now's your chance. By the time this reaches you, your Reunion Chairman, Roy Halloran, and his gang will probably have the complete plans before you.
In the meantime New York and Boston are staging some good pre-reunion rallies. There's a big contest on, for maximum attendance at winter and spring dinners, the city averaging the higher per cent of attendance to receive a very worthwhile prize from the losing gang, to be distributed at Hanover, among the winners attending the SILVER JUBILEE.
The first dinner was held in New York January 27th and a startling notice from Reade and Holden brought out a 40%, attendance. Arch Earle had the gang practising the old songs at the piano. At dinner plans were laid to beat the Bostons and a telegram of greetings was sent to Hal Weeks at Exeter, N. H. Those present were Bill Birtwell from Asbury Park, Don Brooks, Ralph Carpenter from Middletown, N. Y., Tom Cotton, George Currier, Arch Earle, Sumner Emerson, Bunny Holden, Rudie Miller, Elliot Mudgett, Len Reade, Art Stout from Stanfordville, N. Y., Barney Thielscher, Gene Towler and Heinie Wagner Bill Birtwell is now Associate Engineer on a naval supply depot somewhere in New Jersey Bunny said Bob and Anita Scott had been in town for a show, the government had taken their good ship Bonita II in December, but they were going to Florida in January just the same and would see us at the big Quarter Century.
Up Boston way Squire MacKillop writes about tactical maneuvres to insure a full house when the first dinner gong is rungdate yet a secret. It seems the boys have been getting seven or eight classmates out at a time, for Wednesday luncheons, at Patton Restaurant on Court St. The first three affairs brought together Andy Anderson, Walt Barrows, Howard Bartlett, Walter Carr, Will Fitch, Gyp Green, Hal Halloran, Spique Maclntyre, Sam MacKillop, the one and only Leon (Little Joe Beer) Randall, Ralph Sanborn, Win Scudder and Bill Spearin. Both gangs were looking forward to seeing a great gang of 'i7ers at the annual alumni banquets scheduled in February.
Philadelphia men gathered for luncheon January 21st with 100% attendance from the in-city gang—Art Jopson, Bruce Ludgate, Vic Smith and Heinie Wright. Jop said on the phone he and Rachel are headed for Hanover May 15th Bruce is doing double time as Manager of the Closure Division, Armstrong Cork Cos., First V. P. of Philadelphia Rotary Club, with golf and much community work sandwiched in.
Bill Sewall, Tom Cotton, Ken Holden, Arch Earle and your reporter gathered for lunch January 16th. Tom has a convention at New Orleans just before reunion but will get there, by plane. Bill's son graduates the week before, but he never missed a reunion and says this is no time to start bad habits Sam White was in New York a few days early in December, had lunch with Money Bags Brooks, and expects to be called into active service in the Navy any moment Bill Eaton says he ran into Swede Reycroft in the locker room of a golf club a few months back, and he's the same old Swede
From Memphis came a welcome note from A 1 Nelb: "Ordinarily it is quite difficult to coordinate my Hanover desires with my work. But hell or high water—l shall do my best to get there for reunion. Warm regards to the gang."
No word from Trenny since he wrote from Fort Sill in the fall: "After two months of Texas and La. maneuvres I really had a choice collection of chiggers, and I do mean choice. Have also sneaked in a two-weeks' leave down in Biloxi on the Gulf Coast and am now rested and rejuvenated. Have cut out smoking—a filthy habit—but not drinking. I hope to be present at our 25th.". . . .Dick Marschat is Personnel Director, Construction Division, War Dept., 21st Bc-Virginia Ave., Washington.. .. . Naase Young is with the California Shipbuilding Cos., San Pedro and lives at 1227 East Ocean Blvd., Long Beach Lt. Comdr. George C. Currier spoke at the N. Y. Dartmouth Lawyer's Dinner, January 22nd, on the same program with President Hopkins
WAR TIMES IN CANADA Perc Streeter wrote a grand long letter from St. John, N. B. last fall. He's still in the coal business (V. P. and General Manager, Avon Coal Cos., Ltd., an indirect subsidiary of Oxford Paper Cos.) and he gets down to latter's N. Y. office once in a while. At last reunion Forrey Emery nicknamed his wife "Mrs. Dionne," which became appropriate January 22nd, 1941 when the fifth youngster David arrived. "I thought at the time that would entitle me to the honour of having the Class' youngest baby but the next issue of the MAGAZINE showed I had lost out by a few days. I hope I can get my wife to come to Hanover next spring but she is a little afraid of what her nickname will be this time." He mentioned seeing troops in large numbers, Ships of all kinds, occasional blackouts: entertaining officers of the "Jervis Bay" at his home and on the links: most of them were lost "Most of the men we meet have lost their ships from under them at least once.... very fine chaps, matter-of-fact about the whole affair. There is a job to do and they certainly seem to be doing it." About absence from football games Nemo reported "rigid restrictions make it difficult for us to secure U. S. funds My tax on 1941 income will be at least ten times my tax on 1939 income, and this is probably just the start."
When Perc came from way behind in the Riverside Golf and Country Club's men's championship to win one up in September, it was the tenth time he had won this honor. He had an 82 in the morning and 78 in the afternoon. Last summer he was elected president of the N. B. and Prince Edward Island Golf Association. Recently he was elected president of the New Brunswick Accident Prevention Association, Sam MacKillop informs us. Nemo, let's see you when you are in town. Don Brooks is at the Texas Co., yours truly at Curtis Publishing—both next to Grand Central arid a dozen 'i7ers near by.
SHACKFORD CALLED Lt. Comdr. Bart Shackford wrote Christmas day that he was called into active duty December 17th with a Medical Specialists' Unit, assigned to a Naval Dispensary. He says, "Beside our unit of Doctors, there are a number of hospital corps men, regular Navy, mostly old-timers who are fine fellows, and render invaluable assistance to a group of landlubber doctors—especially when a pathologist like me is standing watch as 0.0.D. on a Sunday, with no other M.D. on the reservation. . . .having done nothing but pathology and electrocardiography for the last 20 years. It is disconcerting to be confronted with the general practise in a dispensary, which cares for Navy families as well as personnel. Imagine a pathologist puzzling over infant feeding cases, sore throats, eye injuries and hysteria! Never a dull moment."
Wonder if Doc Walters has been called yet? A good letter just before Pearl Harbor brought his usual constructive cheer: "Can hardly wait for reunion. Can't some of the men spend the entire week in Hanover? Three days is too short, we might as well make use of our privileges now I was chosen to be Chief Editor of the 12 volume 'Lewis Practice of Surgery' published by W. F. Prior Cos. With Dr. H. K. Gray and Dr. J. T. Priestly, won the gold medal for our exhibit on 'Malignant Lesions of the Stomach' at the 1941 meeting of the A.M.A." Hearty congratulations, Walt, from all of us.
Let's stand a moment in silent tribute to the memories of two classmates who have left us. John S. Ferguson of Schenectady, N. Y. died January first. If facts for his obituary do not come in time for this issue they will be in the April issue. Richard B. Spaulding of Rutland died January twentieth. See Necrology section.
JUBILEE COMMITTEE'S MESSAGE
Flash—Reunion Committee redoubles work to fit plans to new conditions Dates advanced to May 15-16-17 Overhead to be held down as much as possible. .... Come by train if you've got to spare your car Get the gang together at Grand Central, North Station, and other starting points, like old times Stage coach up the hill in Hanover, maybe Come for your sake, for the sake of the class, for the sake of the College.
Twenty-five years ago, 1917 heard the call and answered "Here!" 100 per cent. Now comes another call—not to active service for most of us, but to keep chins up, thumbs up—to put over a grand reunion in spite of Hitler and Hirohito. Shall we answer "Here!" again, next May?
Sherm Smith wants to know how many 'i7ers failed to receive his registered air mail special delivery request for a personal report for the reunion bulletin. If you failed to get one, write him. .. .pronto. . . .
prontissimo and tell him what's what about yourself, family, any other '17ers you've contacted lately, and your reunion plans. Don't be bashful. You won't be quoted... .if you so request. But for Pete's sake send in a letter or a post card, today, to Sherman L. Smith, 106 Overhill Road, East Greenwich, R. I.
Larry is Superintendent at Norton and Plainville, Mass., since 1924, and was appointed by the Mass. Department of Education as a member of the Steering Comm. of State-wide Curriculum Revision. He is also a member of the New England, Mass., About-Boston and Framingham Superintendents Associations, The Phi Delta Kappa Honor Society in Education at Harvard, the Mass. Schoolmasters' Club and the National Ass'n of School Administrators. He is vice president, Norton Board of Trade, ex-president of the Norton Men's Club and takes an active part in the Grange.
He admits collecting antique furniture, old clocks and books, but says the greatest find was when he pulled the plaster and lath off his old farm home at Derry, N. H. and found the original paneling and beams twelve by eighteen. Larry has installed a small golf course on the farm, and dreams of breaking 100 sometime on a regular course. Saw Martin Sanborn recently and urged latter to join him at reunion; also had a letter from Ralph Cocks at Hartford and one from Earl Cranston who is a professor at Redlands College, Cal. The Nourses have two daughters, Patricia and Rebecca, in their teens.
KARL L. THIELSCHER, MARSHAL,1917 DAWN PATROL. Barney Thielscher, Grand Marshal of 1917's Army,Navy, Marine and civilian forces, including all mobile medical units, will againtake full command of all field strategy atthe Hanover concentration of the UnitedRegions, SILVER JUBILEE to you, May15th to 17th. Senior year we elected our oldhalf-back, infielder and Palaeopitus member to lead us in cap and gown to Class Dayand Commencement exercises, and on allreunion marches thereafter. He has nevermissed a reunion, and will be looking for aline-up 200 strong this time. Tolch holdsour one life-time Class office and expectsbig attendance to make it pleasantly activeas well as highly honorary.
Between reunions Barney has expandedhis business sphere from time to time.While still Manager of Graybar Electric'sBuffalo house, divisional management ofthe Rochester, Syracuse and Albany houseshas been added to his responsibilities, sometime back. He is a director and past president of the Electrical Ass'n of the NiagaraFrontier, a member of the Buffalo Club,Wanakah Country Club (score a secret),Buffalo Automobile Club, Chamber ofCommerce, and the Dartmouth Club ofWestern N. Y. The Thielschers have twoboys: Karl Jr., 12, and David R., 9. In addition to the individual service noted, Barneyhas turned in some great team-work rightalong, on our Alumni Fund, National,Silver jubilee, 25th Reunion Gift and current Class Nominating Committees.
Bunny Holden '17 Manager of theAmerican Viscose Worsted Department, visits another member of theSILVER JUBILEE Comm., formerClass Editor Butch Sherman '17, athis Brattleboro home. Bunny andthe N. Y. Patrol hope to enjoy a bigextra-dividend in reunion repartie,or what have the judges to hand out,when the regional winner is announced at Hanover.
LAURENCE G. NOURSE, SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT IN MASSACHUSETTS
Secretary, 18 Madison Ave., Cranford, N. J
