1915
Along with all you Fifteeners who have sons at Dartmouth, I can rejoice that February is past, mid-year exams are finished, Winter Carnival is over, and with the exception of putting another mortgage on the house to pay my income taxes, I can now settle down and try to dig up some news.
In the Feb. 19 edition of The Dartmouth is recorded that Dr. L. C. Dunn addressed the Dartmouth Scientific Society the evening before, stressing the fact that scientific activity in the Soviet Union, and other socialist states, is taking great strides and is far from being chained to the Government. Les, now Professor of Genetics at Columbia University, and until recently, chairman of the American-So-viet Science Society, has recently returned from working in Scandinavia. He discussed the progress which has been made in the socialist countries in the matter of medicine, and in particular the keeping of adequate medical records for genetic study.
Had a nice letter from Charlie Sargent recently. Charlie has been on sabbatical leave this year and had hoped to get away from the Hanover winter during January. The serious illness of his wife, requiring hospitalization and a long convalescence, has upset his plans along that line. He has spent most of his leave in working on both a textbook and a handbook on cost accounting. Charlie's two boys at Dartmouth, one majoring in physics and the other in chemistry, will graduate in 1949 and plan to continue in graduate work. His daughter is now a freshman at Hanover High School.
A letter from Den Grant arrived this month from the wilds of Oil City, Pa. Den is vicepresident of the Pennzoil Co., dealing in lubricants. He states that he is still one of the very few bachelors left in the Class, but can't quite make out whether he is bragging or bewailing that fact. Hopes some of you Fifteeners will drop in and see him if you are down that way.
From the February American Wool and Cotton Reporter, I read that effective March 15, vice-president Jared J. Mowry will become general manager of U. S. Finishing Co. He has also been elected a director of that concern. Jim has been with U. S. Finishing Co., and its southern subsidiary, Hartsville (S. C.) Print & Dye Works, for the past twenty years, recently serving as executive vice-president and general manager of the latter.
Eb Clough and Marjory enjoyed a vacation last month, motoring up to Laconia and the lake region of New Hampshire. Cloughie assured me that they had taken precautions not to catch any chills while watching the skiing and this must be so as he returned to Boston in time to take in the weekly luncheon at Pattens. Duke Sullivan and Speed Henderson havjoined the gang there. Incidentally your secretary paid a surprise visit to Hanover the day after Winter Carnival, but not by any previous planning on my part. My youngest son was unfortunate to miss the train to Hanover by two minutes, so yours truly had to drive the 280 mile round trip to get him back on time. I believe that's the first time I've been to Hanover in winter since graduation, and while it's nice to see the snow sculptures at night, I don't think I'd want to recommend it, as I didn't get to bed until 2 A.M.
Among the Fifteeners who attended the Harvard-Dartmouth hockey game at Boston in February were Chan Foster, Clough, Hunt- ress, Barker, Tuck, Crawford, Dolph English, Geo. Simpson and son, Kike Richardson and wife. I drove down with another Dartmouth grad (incidentally having a flat tire on the way), so arriving late we sat on the Harvard side and listened to the broad "A's" all evening. Dolph English was in Boston for the Household Wares Show and couldn't let the opportunity slip by to see the Big Green play, so shut up shop and joined the boys. Sid Bull was prevented from being present, as I understand he was busy packing up his worldly goods to move into a new home he has recently purchased in Wakefield, Mass.
Word has also reached me that George Martin received a bad blow on February 22, when two six-storied buildings he owned at 45 Fulton St., Boston, Mass., burned to the ground. Not only was his financial loss considerable, but the bulk of his own business was conducted there, which will hamper him for some time.
Had a postcard from Johnnie Johnson re- cently that took the combined efforts of all those Fifteener Sanskrit scholars at Pattens to decipher for me. Johnnie is off on one of his pilgrimages, and this time to visit Walt Nolan 'l3 in Hawaii. He stopped off between trains to have a cup of coffee with John Loomis, and reports the latter now weighs 180 lbs., which is either a boost for that Western air or John isn't telling me the truth about how hard he is working. Arriving in San Francisco, he talked with Tommy Tomfohrde on the phone before meeting AlLivingston and his wife Dorothy. A letter from Ala few days later confirmed this. They had time to take him to dinner and a drive around the city before he sailed. Another pleasant visit Alhad was with Zeke Carpenter, the paper tycoon, whom he hadn't seen for 33 years. To quote from Al, "the years certainly sit lightly on his shoulders, and he has rosy cheeks as when he was a freshman." Since Zeke's business takes him all over the Pacific coast, he hopes they can get together more often. Al has a son, Colin, whom he hopes will be accepted for the Class of 195 a.
On March 1, Russ Durgin was the principal speaker at the Worcester Y.M.C.A., before the World Service Fund Drive committee. Russ is the World Service secretary forjapan, to which country he is returning the latter part of this month. Was sorry we couldn't get together, but his speaking engagements were so numerous that a short telephone chat in between had to suffice.
A card arrived today from Gib Campbell who is enjoying the lack of snow and ice in Winter Haven, Florida. Incidentally Gib is trying to spread a little propaganda for the Republican National ticket this fall while there. The Hanover Inn played host since the last column to Jack Mason and Mr. and Mrs. Eugene V. Bissell, according to cards I received today.
Congratulations are in order for Dr. RalphA. Sawyer as the following letter and commendation from John L. Sullivan, Secretary of the Navy reveals.
"Dear Dr. Sawyer: "I have noted with extreme interest a report of the extraordinary services you rendered to the Navy as Technical Director of Operation CROSSROADS, the atomic bomb tests at Bikini, during the period from Jan. 9, 1946, to October, 1946.
"You accepted voluntarily the total responsibility of organizing and directing the efforts of a large company of civilian and military scientists to measure the effects of the detonation of two atomic bombs at Bikini Atoll during the summer of 1946. Conversant with all phases of this tremendously complex adequacy of the tests. Personally reviewing and directing the assimilation of the data and conclusions drawn therefrom you set an example of scientific devotion that solicited the unqualified devotion of your staff of military and civilian scientists with the result that a new mutual respect arose between the co-operating groups.
"Your personal courage, determination and outstanding leadership were in keeping with the highest traditions of the scientific profession and of the Armed Forces of the United States. It is a privilege to extend to you the profound appreciation of the Department of the Navy."
The Secretary of the Navy takes pleasure in commending
COMMANDER RALPH A. SAWYER UNITED STATES NAVAL RESERVE
for service as set forth in the following
CITATION:
"For outstanding performance of duty as Officer-in-Charge of the Experimental Laboratories, United States Naval Proving Ground, Dehlgren, Virginia, from February 1942 to September 1945. Skilled and untiring in the performance of duty, Commander Sawyer rendered invaluable service in employing methods for proof and evaluation of armor and armament and in the development of superior armor and projectiles. By his execution of the difficult and vital tasks assigned, he contributed directly to the successful prosecution of the war. His professional ability and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."
A copy of this citation has been made a part of Commander Sawyer's official record and he is hereby authorized to wear the Commendation Ribbon.
John L. Sullivan Secretary of the Navy
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER: "Ev" Parker 'l6 beams approval as Colonel Louis Bell 'l6 displays his recently-won, long-delayed Dartmouth diploma. "Ev", a prominent real estate man in Denver, Colorado, visited Colonel Bell in Santa Barbara, Calif., recently.
Secretary Paul Revere Rd., Westwood Hills, Worcester 5, Mass. Treasurer, Ames Bldg., 1 Court St., Boston 8, Mass. Class Agent, The Millville Mfg., Millville, N. J.
