Western Pennsylvania
WE HELD OUR ANNUAL BANQUET at the University Club, Pittsburgh, Tuesday, April 20th. Herb West was the representative from Hanover, and gave us a very illuminating account of the College in war time, with reduced number of students, presence of the Navy, many of the faculty on leave—and even invigorating temperatures down to 50 below. The banquet was remarkably successful, especially considering that many of our younger and most enthusiastic alumni are in the' service. Forty-three were present, and a number came from as far as Union town, 50 miles away—a fine effort for these days. After the banquet was over, several of the boys got stiff—from bowling five games, they claim. Election of officers occurred right after dinner, and Bill Lang, 1933, for several years faithful secretary, was elected presid ent, which carries with it privilege of buying the keg of beer at the annual summer picnic. We intend to hold this picnic, come hell or high water, or even walking miles from the end of the nearest street car line with our soft balls and bats and picnic suppers.
Other officers selected by the multitude were vice presidents Fred Babcock '36, Fred Ingram '29, and Blair Rainey '36. Shep Patterson '24 is being allowed to control the money bags for a year, and the undersigned was chosen to do some amateur writing.
We are holding regular weekly luncheons in the Grill Room of the William Penn Hotel, Wednesday at 12:15, with an average attendance of about ten or a dozen. No business formalities, just a bunch of good friends get together once a week, and we have a hell of a swell time. Some of the rest of you boys might as well wake up and realize that you have to eat somewhere, so why not at the William Penn, and visit with your old friends and make new ones. I can only quote our retiring president, Bill Eaton '17, when he said that he didn't care who was in from out of town, he had a regular Wednesday engagement that he couldn't break—and with Bill a big shot with Gulf, with attendant responsibilities, the rest of us can certainly make the luncheons. A welcome visitor to most of the recent lunches has been Professor Ross Stagner, of the Psychology Department, who has taken leave to help out the war effort with Koppers Coal and Coke along personnel lines. Various others have dropped into these gabfests from time to time, in uniform, with traveling theatrical companies, etc. Any of you readers who plan to be in Pittsburgh in the future just make a point to join us.
