1927
The title of this column should be, "It Pays to be Wrong." For 16½ years by his own confession, Woody Burgert has never written to your much neglected scribe. Recently, however, after that long hiatus he was prompted to write by a desire to correct a statement that appeared in this column. He hastens to assure us that the error was not of our making. It seems that we innocently quoted from Cug Daley's letter a misstatement which appeared therein and which itself arose from a misunderstanding. We quote: "Specifically, Cug's letter, a portion of which appeared in the March issue of the ALUMNI MAGAZINE, quoted me as reporting that on a recent trip to Memphis I had run into Bob Slater and had stated that he was associated with the First National Bank of Memphis. The First National Bank of Memphis is a splendid institution and it would be a source of great pride for anyone to be connected with it. However, the facts are that although I did see Bob on my trip, I found him in Louisville and not in Memphis, and although he is connected with the First National Bank, it is the First National Bank of Louisville—another outstandingly fine bank—and not the First National Bank of Memphis." (Could it be that both of these outstanding institutions are customers, Woody? If so, there is no charge for this plug, because you have given us a very valuable idea.) I£ we print something wrong about some of you guys, maybe we'll get a letter from someone at least telling us it ain't so. Don't be surprised, therefore, if you read in this column that you have just been promoted to Chief Bartender at the Coolidge in White River or that you have been elected president of the Reversible Diaper Manufacturing Company. It will only be our little game to see if you can still afford three cents for a postage stamp.
Woody adds that there is no vital news about himself. He is still with the Harris Trust & Savings Bank, still working very hard and still enjoying it very much.
Sid Voice writes that he recently had a phone call from Leon Loeb. Lee has recently been discharged from the United States Army and is now working at Associated Film Makers, 401 E. National Building, 630 Fifth Avenue, New York City.
Sid adds that he has little news about himself but that he has recently purchased a new house in Hewlett Bay Park, Long Island, which is all of about two blocks from where he now lives. He did not mention the fact that he is the very busy Executive Vice President of Consolidated Lithographing Corporation in Brooklyn.
We have spent several very pleasant evenings with Chuck Burwell who, as we reported in the last column, has recently been transferred to Boston. He is now busily engaged with taking up his new duties, as well as trying to find a home for his good wife and three sons who expect to join him here after school closes in June. Chuck tells us that his old roomy, Cary Stiff, is Advertising and Promotion Manager of Wurzburg's Department Store, one of the larger retail stores in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Carey has four youngsters, two girls and two boys. His other old roomy Don Kinney is still running a Finance company out in Greeley, Colorado. Don has a family of three children.
Chuck also reports that Bill Sprague who formerly worked for International Harvester Company in Grand Rapids is now working as an expediter for that same company at their Battendorf, lowa, plant. Bill's wife and two sons are still living in Grand Rapids.
Had a nice letter from Fred Jackson informing us that in February he attended the annual dinner of the Maine Dartmouth Alumni Association in Portland. There he saw Gus Buschmann who is teaching at Bates College and Led Berry who is still operating his chicken ranch known as Merry Meeting Farm in Bowdoinham, Maine. Later in April we spent a most enjoyable evening at our home with Fred and his good wife who were spending a few days in Boston. Fred had come down to attend some meetings of representatives of the War Manpower Commission for which agency he has been doing some interesting and valuable work in some of the State of Maine war plants. Fred told us that the last day of their meetings he had to lecture to the group and that half the Massachusetts Department of Education "came to see a State of Mainer make a damn fool out of himself" which we bet Fred didn't do. During the evening we managed to drag out of him the information that besides his businesses of restoring old homes, selling wood, selling, renting and repairing outboard motors, not to mention his government work, he is also deputy sheriff, truant officer and chairman of the Republican Committee in Jefferson, Maine. Fred's latest hobby, which he pursues with our fellow columnist, Deacon Merrow '25, is shooting muzzle loading Kentucky rioes, and he claims that he and the Deacon have become quite proficient with this ancient weapon.
Monty Phillips phoned us today while on his way through Boston. We were sorry to learn of the death of his mother, for which reason he was on the way to his family home in Peterborough, New Hampshire. Monty, as you know, is a Captain in the Army Air Force and is still stationed in Santa Ana, California.
Indirect reports tell us that Bill Abbott has been transferred from Alameda to the Navy Base at Treasure Island.
Haven't heard for many moons from Lt. Dick Simpson, A 1 Welty, Joe Tracy, Bob Stevens, Stew Schackne, Ed Ruth, Johnnie Pike, Dud Noyes, Ed Marston, Mike Ketz, Rollie Howes, and lots more of you good classmates. Maybe we'll have to start the "It pays to be wrong" system.
Don't forget that this is June and the Alumni Fund Drive closes at the end of this month. Old Man Cummings is shooting for a record his final year. Let's make it his best ever.
Secretary, 152 Waban Ave., Waban, Mass. Treasurer, Box 1412 Pittsburgh 30, Penna.
