Southern California

THE record turnout (125 men) at the annual dinner of the Southern California group at the University Club in Los Angeles on Friday, April 5, may have been due in part to a neat bit of false advertising. The announcement run up by Tom Lane '35 and Jack Rourke '40 featured a photograph of Dean Neidlinger flanked (or should we say, adjoined) by Joan Bennett and Loretta Young. Pudge showed up unattended, but made up for it with a superb straight-talk speech on the Hanover outlook and situation, which left everybody proud of the College and optimistic about its future.

Piloted by retiring president Sam Hobbs '12, the satisfying and spirited program introduced Malcolm Letts and Elmer Ray, respective presidents of the local Penn and Cornell alumni groups; Alumni Counsellor Jim Norton '08; chairman of the veterans' placement committee Eck Heistand '10; visiting hospital expert Jim Hamilton '22; secretary of the San Diego Dartmouth group Vance Dickerman '3l; and Professor William Geiger '92. Attendance honors went to the Flying Forties, whose ten-man delegation included Aulmann, Bonter, Boyle, Cranmer, Fuld, Dewitt Jones, Robinson, Rourke, Reeves and Wentworth. Decca recordman Bones Joy '16 and Capitol Records' Paul Weston '33 collaborated most harmoniously at the piano, which shows that there is yet hope for the United Nations organization and Johnny Merrill '37 sparked the songs. A welcome sign of the times was the replacement of the familiar uniforms with shiny discharge buttons.

A highlight which warmed the heart of every California old hand was the presentation to Leon Rothschild '24 of a set of the Louis Orr etchings, depicting the college which he has served so competently and faithfully for sixteen years as secretary and sparkplug of the alumni group here a service which justifies a slightly unorthodox listing of the new officers, as follows: Secretary, Leon Rothschild '24; President, John Lyman '28; Vice Presidents, Dick Hood '3O and Cap Palmer '23; Assistant Secretary, Ken Lieber '37; and Treasurer, Brad Petersen '37.

The final issue of The Mailbag should appear shortly with detailed data on our returned service men. The weekly lunches (every Tuesday at noon, in the Redwood Room of the Savoy Hotel, 6th and Grand) continue to draw an active crowd, and Jack Rourke '40 is whipping up a monthly lunch for the Hollywood area. And don't forget the joint picnic with Penn and Cornell on June 22 at the Elysian Park Lodge. Starts at noon. Ends when you want it to. See you there.

THE NEGATIVE IS KEPT UNDER LOCK AND KEY. Used to promote the record turnout for the Los Angeles dinner, this picture of Dean Neidlinger with Loretta Young and Joan Bennett, taken on a previous visit, was widely distributed with the heading "Neidlinger's Back and We've Got Him!"