1917
Word has just been received of the arrival on April 6 of Walter Sisson Jr., alias "Pete," weight seven and one-half pounds, Dartmouth '66. The gang herewith extends its congratulations to Walt and Ruth. Walt says,
"Joe Emery Sisson will be in the class of '51 and Pete Coffin Sisson in the class of '66. It has occurred to me, however, that I might delay Pete for one year so that his graduation would come on the 50th Reunion of 1917." Swell idea, Walt, and may we all be there to share your enjoyment of that Reunion.
Our fears have been confirmed by a letter from Oom Will. Lt. Col. Will Fitch is overseas with his first love, the AAF, and apparently not missing a trick. After three years at headquarters in Washington in charge of the aviation cadet program, he writes, "I finally succeeded in getting myself overseas." And he evidently did not go as the fly crows, for he has seen all of the invasion spots except Salerno, and marvelled at the accomplishments of our boys, not only in getting the original foothold, but also in making essential repairs afterward.
The latest news of Lt. Comdr. Don Aldrich places him on inactive duty in the Navy, and having resumed his rectorship of the Church of the Ascension in New York, this year marking the twentieth anniversary of his rectorship. This will be of short duration, however, for he soon goes to Detroit for his consecration as bishop coadjutor of Michigan in St. Paul's Cathedral. He will automatically become bishop of that diocese upon the retirement of the present bishop.
The kind of a note that warms the cockles of our hearts was received from Fillow Street and Fox Run Road, Norwalk, Conn:—"We the peepul of 1917, surrounded by sunshine and the flowers of early spring, gathered together in Easter Vows of loyalty to everything that is right, and loyal to Dartmouth, do hereby raise a toast to Dartmouth and to 1917." It was signed by Gene and Lucile Towler, Lucile's mother, Nanna Hagen, and Tommy Towler '49, Butch and Lee Sherman, Bob and Anita Scott and Bob Jr. '5O, and Ev and Ethel Robie. Sounds as though we might have missed the house-warming after all.
It is a real satisfaction to have at hand a letter from Charlie Clark, partly because it has been ages since we have had one, and particularly that he may know that we are with him all the way, and right now giving him a pat on the back for his courage and strength. He writes, "My wife was taken ill last fall, and, until December when she died, it was a pretty tough seige. Fortunately we had brought up the girls to be very self-reliant, and that is now paying dividends, in that they can do a pretty good job of taking care of me, instead of vice versa. The oldest is a junior at Wellesley, doing very well, and bent on a medical career. The youngest is a sophomore at Newton High, and, just like her mother, always figuring out some way of doing something for somebody." Charlie says, "The next time there's a class shindig I'll make every effort to show up." And we can assure him that he will be warmly welcomed.
On a recent visit to Toledo we had the pleasure of a long visit with Dewey and Helena Duhamel. One high spot was a delicious dinner at Henry Ford's Dearborn Inn. Another was the privilege of being relaxed and refreshed in the Duhamel's charming home. The old ball-toting powerhouse is unchanged in face and figure, but is now carrying the ball for the Blue Ridge division of Libby Owens Ford as sales manager. After leaving Toledo, we learned from a favorite source in Hudson, Ohio, that recently won well-earned acknowledgement by devising a means whereby his field representatives can demonstrate in five minutes the superiority of his Aklo heatabsorbing, glare-reducing glass over ordinary window panes, or in fact, any other glass. No doubt the Duhamel patents will some day be adapted to filtering the smoke out of Toledo, and, mayhap, even Akron, sunlight. Dewey travels about a bit in line of duty, particularly when Helena's yen to get back to New England gets past the resistance point. He has been with Libby Owens Ford for fourteen years, first in New York, and for the past five years in his present capacity in Toledo. Dewey agrees that Swede is a very poor correspondent but says he maintains his same position in the advertising department of the Lawrence, Mass., Eagle Tribune.
We telephoned the Dan Harris residence when in Cleveland and were rewarded with a long chat with Mrs. Harris, Dan being out of town, as is. his frequent custom these days, of strenuous war activity. Dan is doing management engineering with the Trundle Engineering Company, Cleveland, and is engaged wholly on war projects for the present. He spends ten days a month in Texas with Gulf Oil and the balance elsewhere in the hinterland except for week-ends at home. Dan Jr. '4O, is a captain in the Air Corps, a navigator, and still in this country, but expecting assignment and foreign service shortly. Chesley '44, is a first lieutenant, Air Corps Armament, and was at the time in Belgium. His unit received a Presidential Citation for its conduct in recent action. Margot is seventeen and a student at Laurel School, Cleveland. She helps her mother maintain home in status quo for the boys when they return. An ardent equestrienne, she had spent the previous afternoon looking up a hunter to take the place of her favorite, which had gone lame.
The Squire of Hudson beat us to the draw by partially reporting the high spot of our Akron visit in a recent issue of The Sentry. Thej rest of it is the long Sunday afternoon and evening sojourn at the Sewall home, which passed so quickly, and the waffles and sausage and pure Ohio maple syrup which passed so quickly, too. With Sally mixing the batter and Bill making the waffles, it's a team you can't beat. We'd like to describe the Sewall's situation but we're just not up to it. Suffice it to say that until sundown, we sat on a comfortable divan before the wide library windows examining the broad valley stretched out before us through Bill's field glasses. You will have to imagine the picture, the three and a half acre lawn sloping gently away into the orchard which runs down the broad valley below, the green rolling hills on the other side, and the gentle flexing of the right elbow which lent a mellowness to the whole scene and brought back many of you birds in distant bustling cities. Bill manages the lubricating company division of the Goodrich Sales Department, and in that capacity does considerable traveling. He is fortunate in seeing Bill Eaton frequently in Pittsburgh and reports him as tops. Cynthia, who ably assists Sally as hostess, graduated from Lake Erie College, Painesville, Ohio, in '43, spent a year at business college in Cleveland, and now goes to work each morning with Bill as a private secretary at the B. F. Goodrich Plant in Akron. John '42, Thayer School '43, is a private in the Ist army. He went overseas January 1, and has been in the big drive ever since.
Our last dividend, Tor the nonce, was collected in Columbus, where we had two long visits with Searles and Kate Morton. They showed us the city as only two native and life-long residents could, and should it become our good fortune, Fran's and mine, to light in Columbus at some future date, we will know what parts of the city we like and two people who will assist us in finding the proper spot. Searles a busy attorney, probably too busy, maintaining his own office, his partners having gone off to war. He looked the picture of 'l7 health, but he did speak of bringing work home of an evening, when the conventional closing hour at the office came too soon. His is a general practice, with, we judge, a leaning toward real estate, and he is attorney for the city of Columbus. He and Kate almost made our Silver Jubilee Reunion and then almost made Cape Cod last summer, both of which misses can be partially restored in the future. The evening in the Morton's most attractive and most comfortable solarium, punctuated the pleasures, of a different kind, of continued travel. Daughter Dorothy is married and living in Freeport, L. 1., and Kate contemplates a visit in the near future.
A note from Phil and Jo Evans announces, "The arrival of our first grandson, born April 17, at Norfolk, Va., William Freed Du Comb, Jr., son of Lt. and Mrs. Wm. F. Du Comb (Josephine Grinnell Evans). All are doing well. Philip Jr. is in the Phillipines. His ship escorts minesweepers in invasions.". .. . Don Brooks says, "Gene and I had lunch one day last week with Red Wendell of Denver. Red looked well and prosperous and it was nice to have a chance to visit with him for a little while." The same day Don and Helen met Mary Gile for dinner. "She said that Arch is well, but looking forward to the day when he can get back to his beloved Hanover.". . . . Doug Fleming writes, "The Douglas Flemings are all at home in thriving S.W. Texas, including their 21-year-old daughter, Mrs. Kenneth Matthews, whose husband, a former Texas U. football star, is a lieutenant in marines in S.W. Pacific. I am operating oil wells for Irving Trust Cos. of N. Y., and a plant manufacturing breechblock parts for 8" guns for ordnance department. Love Texas. Come see us." .... Now is your last chance to get on Kompitant Karl's Alumni Fund list for the year.
Secretary, 57 Chestnut St., Dedham, Mass. Treasurer, 9 Park Terrace, Upper Mcmtclair, N. J.
