1943
Your reporter has just returned from the great North Country for a weekend visit to the Moose Mountain Lodge in Hanover. There, my friends, is a really marvelous place—you'd think you were right up in the Swiss Alps—alpine atmosphere and all. My wife and I arrived there on Friday—after a short visit in Hanover with Bill Maeck and Elmer Stevens. The temperature was down to about 250 below zero—but that dry cold didn't faze us a bit.
There are two ski tows—one for the good skiers and the other for people like me. There is good cross country skiing—just about everything you want. The lodge itself has atmosphere plus—large fireplaces, etc. I'm not trying to advertise the lodge for its owners, but I think it's something you men would like to know about.
On the way back, I talked with Bill and Steve about Reunion plans. They have really started the ball rolling. In a very short while you will see evidences of that. Start making your plans for reunion now—theirs are almost completed!
If anyone has any ideas along the lines of an idea for a uniform for the reunion, please speak up. If anyone is in that kind of business or has good contacts in one where we can get a good deal on some sort of hat—or cheap uniform, please, please get in touch with Bill in Hanover. The lower we can keep those things, the lower the tax will be and the more fellows we get to come.
The annual Boston Alumni Association Banquet was held February 4, at the Hotel Statler. The usual speakers, plus a new movie on Dartmouth, free beer, etc., attracted the following '43's: Elmer Stevens, Paul Hanlon, Duke Dushame, John Koslowski, AndyCaffery, Binny Tower, Farmer Mead, WaltPowers, Chuck Arnstein, Bill Glovesky, JugO'Connor, John Shaw, Ted Driscoll, StanBolster, Josh Clark, Ray Colby, RalphEntwistle, Phil Jackson, Don Miller, BillSweeny and myself. If I've left anyone out, I apologize—l thought I wrote all the names down I saw.
Have a few vital statistics to report this month. First, the marriage of Charlotte Dundon to Bob Williams. The lucky gal hails from Rockville Centre, Long Island. The only other wedding is that of Mary Fontana to Jim Donahue of Rutland, Vermont. Jim is an instructor at Rutland Junior College.
Two new offspring arrived recently— Charles Larsen Holsworth to Chuck and Mrs. Holsworth on December 30, at the Greenfield, Massachusetts, Hospital, and Jane Marie Blaauw to the Mrs. and Connie Blaauw on January 13.
I received a very odd letter from an anonymous person recently. I'd be very happy to hear more from that person in regard to the subject matter in question. There must be some reason behind his complaints.
Howie Thomas should have been included in the list of people from which I received Christmas cards. The reason he wasn't is because he's over in Switzerland. Did you get to see any of the Olympics, Howie? StanPriddy has been playing lots of good hockey with the boys—did you see him? How about a letter with some news from Switzerland?
Here's a newsy letter from John Reps:
"Just to prove that your frantic calls for news are not entirely unavailing, I am breaking a five-year silence by this letter. The occasion is not likely to happen again: namely, my engagement to one Connie Peck from Birmingham, Michigan, and the product of Kalamazoo College and Brown University. Birmingham is a suburb of Detroit, the wedding will be June 26, and all members of the class who wish to see a lovely girl marry a badly frightened man are hereby invited.
"My activities since the War: Cornell University for a Master's in Regional Planning, where Roy Watson was the only '43 seen except at the Cornell-Dartmouth game in 1946. Then to the University of Liverpool for six months after being poured on the boat in New York by JohnKeefe, Bud Silverstein, John Mcßean and BobThede., down from various points in Connecticut. In England I was able to check on the amazing activities of Ed Bock, occupying a luxury flat in Kensington with Joe Goldstein '44. Ed and I went to Paris together, the hotel reservations being by courtesy of Guy Mallett, who unfortunately had left the week before for Switzerland.
"Coming back in August I was stranded in Southampton when my ship was delayed in some French port. Trying to pick up a last-minute cancellation on the Queen Elizabeth, I met Tony and Kathy Farrell, returning from a year in France with CARE. In New York Herb Marx climbed off his editorial chair with Scholastic Magazine to have lunch with me, and the next day I ran into Bruce Jones who is working for an advertising agency with a name as long as Al Foley's alphabet.
"My present position as head of a small city and county planning organization is exactly what I've been aiming for. Binghamton is a pleasant city, and comes complete with Larry Johnson, whom I have seen twice on his visits home from Harvard Law School. Fritz Hier '44 is publicity director and instructor in journalism at the near-by Triple Cities College, and I have just attempted to establish contact with Hank Keck in Corning.
"Buying the ring has pauperized me, but there should always be some sort of refreshment around for a wandering classmate. My best to you, Fred, and to any of the fellows you may see."
I had another very long and extremely interesting letter from another classmate you all know well. He is another who has been silent for altogether too long—Harry Gerber. Here are portions from his letter.
"No doubt you have received countless suggestions for disposal of the money contributed to our War Memorial fund. Since the idea was conceived I've felt that something more than a concrete gift to the College should be made. In one letter I believe the suggestion was made that a Capehart or Grand piano was being considered. There is no doubt that either of these would be fine and well received by the College. But their life is limited—theirs and any other concrete gift would stand as a memorial only so long as they were serviceable and of utility. In time they would be cast aside having served their purpose as a utility but not as a memorial.
"Our gift should be something which has an element of timelessness about it. Something which will, or will give promise of, going on long after a utility item has ceased to have worth. It may sound like perpetual motion, but to be specific I have in mind a scholarship fund which would be perpetuated by yearly gifts from members of the class.
"Since the men we propose to remember were sacrificed in senseless combat or preparation for combat and no doubt in their last moments wondered "why?" as those of us who look back wonder now, why not further the study of men who are determined to make that question needless to succeeding generations?
"Looking back at the war years, I have a feeling of revulsion and shame for the needless sacrifices and crimes committed in the name of patriotism and honor. Avarice and greed would be a better name for it!
"Considered from any angle the whole thing was needless and though to us caught up in it looked inevitable, there was a time when it could have been avoided. The lack of men capable of showing the way is obvious. Couldn[t we in some way, however small, lessen the possibility of future wars by furthering the education of selected men interested in foreign relations and world politics? The need for specialists in the field is great and to my knowledge the supply it limited.
"Life in this section of the Indies revolves about the Refinery—the second largest in the world'— which is an affiliate of Standard, New Jersey, and is operated by about 700 Americans and 7,000 West Indians. We Americans live in a Colony restricted to foreign staff employees and enjoy most comforts of an American small town. I was very fortunate to become affiliated and am enjoying my work in the maintenance and construction division of the Plant. I say fortunate because, instead of starting at the bottom as in the States, down here an American is automatically a supervisor and liable to more authority, responsibility and more important-to more experience.
"Regardless of all that, Mary and I look forward to our trip home in the spring and Reunion if possible."
Some address changes of interest: Harry J. Armstrong, 318 S. Kenilworth, Oak Park, Illinois. Jack C. Behringer, Inland Container Corp., Macon, Georgia. Dr. George H. Burke, 119-19 193rd Street, St. Albans 12, L. I., New York. Bradford D. Cole, 1420 Myrtle Road, Forest Grove Park, Silver Spring, Md. Thaddeus G. Dr is coll, 16 Walnut Road, Swampscott, Mass. Robert E. Field, 155-18 65th Avenue, Flushing, New York. Paul R. Hackstedde, 1306 Hayward Court, Cin- cinnati 26, Ohio. Albert J. Holzhauer Jr., 930 West 36th Street, Los Angeles 7, California. Theodore H. Haskell, 3287 North High Street, Columbus, Ohio. William P. Moseley, 2438 N. Columbus Street, Arlington, Virginia. Franklin T. Perlev, Sound View Drive, Bay Hills, R. F. D. 5, Huntington, Long Island, New York. Kenneth E. Sorlien, East Hill, R. F. D., Collins- ville, Connecticut. Robert W. Straub, Route 1, Box 259A, Spring- field, Oregon. Alden Taylor, Warrens Point, Little Compton, Rhode Island. Holden Waterbury, 32 Westervelt Avenue, New Brighton, S. I. 1, New York. lames K. Boak, Box 4347, Chestnut Hill, Phila- delphia, Pa. William J. Holliday, 1044 West 42nd Street, Indianapolis, Indiana.
Bud Hall sent along a report on the Class War Memorial Fund. Things are looking up! Still not quite high enough, but the amount has hit the $2,150 mark. The goal, as you remember, is $3,000. The place where we've fallen down, though, is in number of men contributing. The above amount represents gifts from only 43% of the class. All of this is interesting in light of the letter I quoted from Harry Gerber.
Received a report from Don Kingsley on a '43 get-together in New York, held at the Dartmouth Club January 29. He says:
"Members of the Class of 1943 living in the New York area got together on January 29, for a reunion dinner in the Dartmouth Club at 37 E. 39th St., New York, New York. Many of those present met classmates that they had not seen since before the war.
"Maurice Dampier organized the affair, and outlined briefly after the meal tentative plans for the Fifth Reunion at Hanover this year. The dinner was such a success that it was decided to have a similar get-together in the near future. Bob Krumm was elected by a unanimous vote to organize the next dinner which will be held within the next couple of months.
"Among those present were: Bob Higgons,Norm As key, Graham Conklin, -Emil Mos backerJr., Bruce Jones, Bob Garvey, Don Kings ley, BingDonaldson, Ren Grevatt, Bud Lasser, Al Drake,George Barlow, S. M. Lambert Jr., Don Reich,Robert Pinto, Ted Hopper, and Maurice Dampier. Don Pfeiffle of the Class of '44 happened to -be in the building and joined the '43's at dinner."
Secretary, 11 Eliot St., Belmont, Mass. Treasurer, Parkhurst Hall, Hanover, N. H. Class Agent, Belmont Hill School, Belmont, Mass.
