1933
We've been having simply incredible weather here in Hanover this fall.... and when your sec'y starts reporting the weather, you know why.... clear, beautiful warm days, when the temptation to get out on the golf course instead of grading quizzes or writing class notes is overwhelming. And this particular afternoon is the best yet; and we have no intention of missing the chance of cracking 120 today, a goal we've been slicing at all summer. So we won't detain you long, or you us. You've been so cooperative in keeping our mailbox free of '33 news that we should be out there criss-crossing the fairways in a half hour.
Some months ago, we reported the appointment of Drew Dudley as Director of Public Relations for the World Bank. You will recall the high spots of Drew's interesting career, in advertising as consumer sales director of Wrigley's before the war, with the War Department early in the war, later as Chief of War Information programs for the OWI; commissioned in the Navy, he served in the executive office of the Secretary of the Navy, and then, in 1946, his appointment as Chief of the Media Programming Division of the Office of War Mobilization and Reconversion. Then, last spring, his present appointment. Drew recently spent a month in London at the annual meeting of the World Bank, and while there, wrote a letter to his family telling of some of his experiences, which they have kindly permitted us to excerpt. Drew wrote:
"The days here are very exciting and hectic Perhaps I can sketch some of the highlights. Today at lunch I was one of three guests of the London Association of American Correspondents. It was in honor of the Prime Minister, Mr. Clement Atlee. He talked very frankly about the serious condition of Britain and their financial crisis, the coal situation and strikes Coal in the English mines is the key to more production. It is the basis of their whole recovery. It is hard to think that a nation can be so destitute after a war. At least, Atlee assured us, there was a fair distribution system and the working classes were getting their fair share. It also seems to be true that if there were an election tomorrow the Labor Government would be reelected by quite a large majority Yesterday, the Hon. Mrs. Randolph Churchill had a few people in for me at her flat in Grosvenor Square. The Herbert Agars were there, and several other people, including David Niven, the movie star Today, I arranged a press conference for McCloy of the Bank, and Gutt of the Fund, and it was chairmanned by the Hon. Hugh Dalton, Chancellor of the Exchequer and chairman of the Board of Governors of the Bank and Fund I have arranged broadcasts, news reels, still photographs, etc., in a country in which I might remind you I have never been before, and which considers press rather unimportant." Drew also sketches lire under the austerity program. He says, "We are given cars to get us about London, but the girl-drivers are from outside London and, so far, know the city less well than I do There are no napkins because of the shortage of soap, and you are only allowed a two-course meal. And bread, if you request it, counts as one of the courses. The English are not well known for their cooking and things are flat."
Drew found a little free time in the midst of his duties, and he reported the following "The Earl of Carnarvon has invited me to High Clear Castle next Sunday. It is sixty miles from London in Berkshire and is one of the last remaining great houses in England. It still maintains a staff of sixty people. His hunting is very good and from what I hear the gardens are the greatest in all England." A friend invited Drew to a fight for the European welterweight championship, and he reported, "One of the British boxers had been in America the last five months. He was not doing too well, and the crowd was rather unfriendly, saying that he had gotten fat on all those steaks in America, and he had better go back there." Drew adds, "They can't help resent a bit our way of living, and our luxuries, amid all their austerity."
Gaston Raoul wrote to Larry Reeves in August that he had been busy building himself a new house since he got out of the service, where he said he acquired "a profound respect for a roof and two or more meals a day," things which the armored field artillery was at times a bit careless about. Gaston is in the manufacturing business, married (1942), no children.
Nick Xanthaky, last reported teaching economics at Bates, has shifted his base of operations to Whitman, Mass., where he is in charge of the social studies program in the high school, and much closer to his business in Salem, N. H.
Fran Hoge, former denizen of Topliff with your correspondent, took himself a wife on September 10. Mrs. Helen Gales Shafer of Locust Valley, L. 1., daughter of George M. Gales, one of the founders and former president of the United-Rexall Drug Co., was the lucky girl. Fran is vice-president in charge of sales of the U. S. Television Manufacturing Corporation.
There has been quite a '33 visitation in Hanover in recent weeks. Bumped into SamCunningham in the bookstore the other morning. Sam took a weekend off from his banking duties in New York to take in the Penn game. Other '33s who have stayed at the Inn recently are the Smiths of Waterbury, the Mecks, the Swans, the Neiblings, the Whitbecks, the Hitchcocks, and Don D'Arcy. The Don Murrays of Beloit, spent part of their summer vacation in Hanover. Arlene is teaching government at Beloit, and Don, the Romance Languages.
At next year's reunion the boys will have to be a little more careful about making Gordon Ingram's house a sort of second headquarters. Some months back Gordon and Syl adopted a little girl, Susan Helen, who had her first birthday on September 10.
That's about it, men, and I'm overdue at the first tee.
Secretary, 20 Valley Rd., Hanover, N. H.
Treasurer, 2812 Grant Bldg., Pittsburgh 19, Pa.
