1908
Frank Cook, superintendent for the Northern Pacific Railroad at Spokane, was commissioned a lieutenant colonel in the Transportation Corps in September and left home at once on orders for overseas duty. Following the terrific destruction of railroads in France, the War Department commandeered Frank and other experienced railway engineers to restore the transportation system of the French. After five years with the Boston and Maine, Frank went West and joined the staff of the Northern Pacific, with which he has been nearly thirty-five years. Before joining the operating staff of the railroad, he was in the engineering department, and served as roadmaster, division roadmaster and trainmaster, and held positions all over the system. Frank's daughter, Margaret Mary, is an ensign at St. Albans, Long Island, N. Y. Another daughter, Frances Elizabeth, is a recreational worker with the American Red Cross in New Guinea. Mrs. Cook will continue to reside in the family home in Spokane.
Joe Blakely continues to supply the needs of Vermonters living in Montpelier and the surrounding territory from his pharmacy which was established in 1870. Joe recently saw Bob Chedel in Brattleboro and reports that Bob is greatly improved.
Edward P. Bartlett who lived in California for fifteen years, then five years in Washington, has been living in Delaware fo fifteen years. He is with the DuPont Co., as a research chemist, participating in research work which has contributed, among other things, to the manufacture of women's hose and glider tow lines made out of air, coal and water.
Rev. Bill English continues to administer to the spiritual wants of the members of the-First Congregational Church of Norwood, Mass.
Speaking of the English boys, who knows the present address of Freddy K. English? Mail addressed to him at a former Washington address has been returned.
Don Comstock, who has been in the real estate and investment business in Vermillion, Ohio, was appointed head of the Mass. Purchase Department of the Federal Public Housing Authority in 1942 and he has been with that agency since that time. His office covers Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky, and during the time Don has been connected with it has built over 60,000 dwellings for war workers. He reports that Tat Badger's organization built an Ordnance Plant near Vermillion some time ago.
Stan Tappan of Manchester recently stopped playing cards long enough to allow a doctor to discover that he needed, a minor operation. He had the operation, and a prompt and complete recovery followed. Stan urges that the class have a modest get-together next summer to compensate for the loss of a reunion last year.
Jack Detlefson is now with the War Production Board in Washington.
"Harry" Harriman, who is living at the General Lyon Inn, Eastford, Conn., reports that his youngest daughter Ann, Smith '45,; gave up her senior year at college and was married on August 23 to Lt. Robert C. Barningham, Brown '43, of Providence, who was home on a thirty-day leave from the Southwest Pacific. His oldest daughter Betty, U. of N. H. '40, has returned from a two- year stay in Newfoundland and is living with her two sons in Westmoreland, N. H., while her husband, Dartmouth '39, is serving in the Army. His son, Benjamin, Dartmouth '35, is with the Ansco Co. in Binghampton, N. Y., helping perfect colored films for aerial photography.
Robbie Robinson's son, a member of the class of 1945, is with the Air Corps in Africa. His older married daughter is attending Drake University at Des Moines while her husband is serving in the Army overseas. His youngest daughter has entered the University of lowa as a junior after attending Rockford College for two years.
As we observed last month, we entered college an incredible forty years ago. Shades of Bob Strong and Alumni interviewing committees: We did not decide definitely to go to Hanover until a week before college opened; we sent along our credits from high school and, without waiting to hear from the college or to even make application for a room, started east with two upper-classmen from Rockford. We reached Hanover the last day to register and when we joined the line of scared, green freshmen, we astounded Skeet when in response to his question as to where we roomed, we told him that we didn't have any room. He informed us that the college had no vacant dormitory rooms. An uncomfortable couch in Sanborn was our berth for several nights and finally we obtained a room in Wentworth, directly opposite the chapel bells, which fact obviated the necessity of the purchase of an alarm clock. We knew no one in Hanover except our two fellow townsmen. About all we knew about the College was that Daniel Webster was a graduate and that the football team had beaten Harvard the year before for the first time since 1769. We remember vividly the first meeting of the class in the chapel with Prof. Harry Burton, our class officer, where we sat with Roy Keith and Jack Knight. We remember the first meeting of the class organization in the old gym, when Ev Marsh was elected president. We recall that Ev and Joe Donahue were among those nominated for this high office. Fresh from making the commencement address in the Grand Opera House in Rockford, we were impressed with Joe's Shake- spearean appearance and oratorical effort when he rose to speak. The man next to us whispered that Ev had been a big man at K.U.A. Those letters long before the use of the alphabet by the New Deal were Greek to us from Republican Illinois, but they must have been impressive to the majority as Ev was the successful candidate. And now,_ al- most enough water has gone down the Connecticut River since that peaceful September to float the U. S. Navy.
Someone has figured out that the acting secretary is now the oldest football official in point of service in the Western Conference. He is again on the job this year and has already been on missions to Ann Arbor, Champaign, Minneapolis, and Madison.
New addresses: Lawrence Adler, 3902 Spuyten Duyvil Parkway, N. Y. C.; Harold Clark, 10 Bald- win, Nashua, N. H.; Capt. Donald Y. Frothing- ham, USNA—Exiled Governments, Navy No. 100 Fleet P. 0., N. Y. C; Joseph L. Richardson, 4763 West 12th St., Los Angeles, Calif.; William M. Silleck, R. D. No. 4, Dover, Del.
Acting Secretary, 602 Forest City National Bank Bldg. Rockford, Ill. Treasurer, Taftville, Conn.
