1915
Fran Poor writes from Florida that his one regret is not being able to live in New England, where he would love to join us all in cheering the Big Green during the fall weekends. He wants us all to know what a swell job Roy Johnson is doing in Jacksonville. Roy is State Manager of the Sun Life Assurance Cos. of Canada, a- prominent Rotarian, and interested in the Big Brother movement. In fact his activities have been so numerous that he has overtaxed himself and has been forced to take a much needed rest. A letter from Roy confirms this, but he assures me that he will be back on the job in about a month. His son, Gary, has just been home on his first vacation, and Roy says he was tremendously pleased to see how enthusiastic he was about our Alma Mater, proving to him that it hadn't changed very much since our day.
Chuck Ingram reports attending a meeting in the Northwest, where he had the pleasure of listening to a talk by President Dickey. As in other places where he has spoken, the audience was most favorably impressed.
Ben Tobin comes to life with a letter from Los Angeles. Ben has been employed by the Continental Motors Corporation for thirtytwo years, and for the past eight years has acted as executive vice president and secretary. During the war period he had charge of a war plant for the Company at Dallas, Texas. He has now moved to Los Angeles to establish a major branch for the Company, serving the entire Coast to Alaska, as well as Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, and a portion of Montana. The operation will extend up through Canada, including British Columbia, the Yukon and Alaska. Besides Ben and his wife, the family consists of two daughters and a son, the younger just recently married.
Jack Johnson writes he was sorry to miss our last Reunien, but along with many others, business interfered. Jack's daughter, Winifred, started at Western Reserve University in the fall of 1943 and will graduate this June. His son David is a sophomore in High School. Unable to follow the Big Green except through the newspapers, he keeps his football spirit alive by attending the Western Conference and Pro games as often as he can. Outside of business he himself with Legion and Rotary. Fifteeners are not in evidence in Ashland, but he sees Phil Learoyd on his frequent trips there. To quote from Jack, "Phil looks well preserved, the years are treating him nicely; a little gray, but distinguished looking."
Kel Rose sent me a clipping from the New York Herald Tribune concerning the remodeling of Washington Irving's home at Tarrytown, N. Y. The interesting description is too long to include here, but the man who has charge of all the research for the restoration is our own Dr. Hugh Grant Rowell, President of the Historical Society of Tarrytown.
Erl Mac Andrews is in charge of the household linen department of Jordan Marsh Cos. in Boston, so if any of your wives need those articles, better go see Erl.
Bill Huntress writes in to give me news of Horace and Emily Holton, residents of Brockton, Mass. Their son, Stanley, a Navy veteran (he was at Bikini) has returned to New Hampshire University where, because of his credits from radar training, he is now a Junior. Horace works for Chamberlain & Cos. of America, selling insulation and weatherstrip ping. As a hobby the Hoi tons have a four acre sheep farm, stocked with registered Dorsets.
Cloughie writes that among the distinguished visitors to Boston this month were Don Bennink and "Chopsticks" Potter. Don's visit was short as his legal and income tax business keeps him on the jump so there was little time to exchange class news. I understand that String Downing played host to Herb Potter, but whatever took place in those twenty-four hours will have to wait until another issue. Cloughie attended the Cos. "C", 101 st U. S. Engineers Reunion in the Y.D. Club of Boston recently and was joined by another Fifteener, Russ Chase.
The Boston luncheons have resumed with the usual reliables present—Meader, Bull,Slade, Foster, Barker, Huntress, Simpson,Clough, and as a surprise guest, Ashley St. Clair.
The New York Journal-American carries the news that Beardsley Ruml, chairman of the R. H. Macy & Cos. will resign as Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of N. Y., due to the press of other business. Beardsley has been a Director of the Reserve for eight years. Besides his post as Macy chairman, Beardsley is trustee of the Spelman Fund of N. Y., chairman of the 1947 War Orphans Appeal, director of the Muzak Corporation, and of course Trustee of Dartmouth.
One of the most colorful and successful booksellers in Boston—in the whole country, in fact—according to The Saturday Review, is Bush Campbell, whose Personal Bookshop chain now comprises seventeen branches, and is growing steadily. Bush opened up his first store, in a basement on Newbury Street in 1925. Steadily expanding the retail department, he has built up a nation-wide business with public libraries, colleges, and the United States Government.
From lowa City comes the news of the appointment of Prof. Ed Mabie as Director of general studies in the liberal arts college of the University of lowa. Ed has had a continuous and active part in planning the general education program and will assist the Dean in maintaining consistency in the policy and program.
A letter from our Class President, StanLlewellyn, informs me that he has reappointed Charlie Griffith, chairman of the Me morial Fund. The mention of Charlie reminds me of an excerpt from one of his letters while journeying to the Far East that Joe Pitman kindly forwarded to me. It is such a striking bit of writing and, to my way of thinking, of so much interest to the class, that I am taking the liberty of including it in this column.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF POST-WAR MANILA
This is a voice from another world, one that is rising slowly as a Phoenix from the ashes of a once beautiful world. As I look at the devastation about me, I wish I could adequately convey to those at home the appreciation for their support of Philippine War Relief which has brought new hope and morale to these courageous people.
Flying in from Guam, Manila from the air looked normal and beautiful. As we circled Nichols Field, a glorious sunset cast a 'golden light over the green fields below, while Bataan and Corregidor were silhouetted in the familiar dark blue of a tropical horizon.
Once through Customs, it was dark outside and I appreciated Dave Gunnell meeting me with a Philippine Ed. small truck which sloshed through F. B. Harrison to Taft Avenue extension. Rain had been falling, and the pock marked roads were a quagmire. As we got nearer to the Ermita and Malate districts I could make out in the darkness greater evidence of the effects of fire and bombard ment. Roofless houses, windowless walls, columns blasted to crazy angles, the Ayala Bridge half original and the rest a Bailey. Once across the Pasig and down General Solano to Tanuay, the streets were more normal, and into back alleys we came to Castillejos, off Arlegui.
The Philippine Education compound escaped destruction miraculously. The Japs had been glad of a substantial warehouse where they could print their mickey-mouse money and all sorts of propaganda. In their haste to leave they failed to blow up the building and had time only to break a few of the printing presses which were easily repaired.
When the GFs arrived, the GHQ Topographical unit moved in, and printed the indispensable maps for General Mac Arthur's campaigns. The Army built officers quarters on the second floor of the largest building, and I am in Room 5 of a very comfortable suite which includes the bedroom for Dave Gunnell, another for Jim McNeely of Laidlaw, a small office for Felix who was one of Hugo Miller's staff of Ginn & Cos., and a day room where we have rattan chairs, a radio, a sink, and an icebox. The accommodations are excellent and our quarters and mess are presided over by Ginero and his wife who were houseboy and amah for both Mrs. England and Mrs. Bordner. The shower is outside about 250 feet away by the estero, and if I shut my eyes I am back again as a Flying Cadet in Texas or a bedraggled officer at Ft. Dix.
By daylight, the ruins of Manila take your breath away. I knew the old familiar haunts of the City Hall and the Normal School, but I had no idea of what I would find. Where shells had not actually gone through the reinforced concrete walls, big chunks of concrete had been bitten out. The interior shows the freckles of small arms fire. Classes in the Normal School are going on while workmen hammer and repair, doing a remarkable job of rehabilitation.
The Post Office, near the Pasig, is a wreck, but business goes on. The Japs and Gl's fought from floor to floor. The Legislative Building looks like a wounded elephant, his knees crumpling under him. That changed hands in the_fighting night after night until the Japs were exterminated like the rats they are.
The Walled City is a vast Army motor pool and dump. Not a house in sight. Towers of the Augustin and Recoletos churchs are standing, walls of the Dominican and Cathedral like skeletons, and the old Government buildings unrecognizable.
Inflation everywhere. I am using a jeep which I hire at 5 pesos per. hour. A ride from the Manila Hotel to Phil. Ed. costs 5 pesos if you fall for it. Breakfast at the hotel is 3 pesos, lunch 4.80, and dinner 8 to 10. Rooms are 20 pesos a day without meals.
This is the background, so inadequately sketched, against which I again take up the threads left off with such forebodings in 1940. A guest card has just arrived for Major Griffith from the Army and Navy Club, and I shall soon step across its battered threshold with the memories of happier years pounding against my head and heart.
Secretary, 11 Paul Revere Rd., Westwood Hills, Worcester 5, Mass. Treasurer, 31 State Street, Boston, Mass.
