1910
In these days of troubled thinking when one believes that he witnesses deterioration of the basic concepts of justice and freedom—the decline of the individual and his absorption into the groups—and wonders how we got where we are—it is particularly refreshing to see a man who adopts a wholesome philosophy of living—and adheres to it.
Brooklyn-born Dick Boerker, who won his Dartmouth AB in three years, his forestry degree at Michigan in two more years, a Ph.D. at Nebraska, followed by a lifetime of private work and teaching—married to Irene Bostwick (Univ. of Neb.)—raised three children (Allen D'3B)—writes:
"I was busy all last summer on the old family farm near Willow, N. Y., getting the place ready for my eventual retirement. It is going to be 'back to the country' for mine, and away from civilization, so-called. Man himself has created the evils from which he suffers. He needs to get back to Nature, raise his food, milk cows, chop wood, take a hand in conserving natural resources. I view the world with grave misgivings .... too many false fronts and too much false and precarious prosperity. Man is out of tune with Nature. He thinks in terms of machines and power, and forgets that old Mother Earth is the real basis of whatever he possesses. Man is getting away from the soil, and the soil is getting away from man. Our natural resources are vanishing and our family life is disintegrating. We are riding for a terrible fall. A back-to-the-land movement might save us .... it might call to life the spiritual values that make for real happiness. At least, I am going to try it. I have plenty to keep me busy .... several hundred thousand feet of growing hardwoods, a 30-yearold pine plantation that needs thinning, a garden to be made, a house to remodel to suit our every whim. Perfectly good trout fishing by the front door, and deer on the hill back of the house .... and last but not least, plenty of good neighbors, some of whom are doing the very thing which I am going to do. We have some 300 acres, so I will have plenty of room to move without stepping on somebody's toes. I know that a lot of our classmates are thinking the same thoughts and doing something about it.... so here is one more to add to the list of decentralization addicts."
OFFSPRING—We see from the papers where Dick Tobin '42 has been doing a lot of N. H. skiing this winter, and holding his own, too, according to the published results—SlipPowers' daughter Barsha was married January 3, to Eugene G. Grace Jr., son of Bethlehem Steel's president—Bob Kendall is enjoying himself thoroughly at Dartmouth—WicL Washburn is going to Harvard next year to do graduate work in American civilizationDinny Pratt brags almost as much as Grandpop Hiestand; his son, Everard S. Jr. (former Commander, U.S.N.) now in business at Cincinnati, has two children, Carl Everard (3) and Evelyn (H/2)' "Two great kids, you may be sure. Both going to be President some day!" Gen'l Grant's three daughters are married, the oldest living in Farmington, N. H., has three daughters, Sheila, Tamara and Regina Drew —Bill's second daughter, Mrs. Stephen Allen, resides in Clarksburg, W. Va., while the youngest, Mrs. Richard L. Parizo, lives in Manchester—Dana Jones is attending Bates College where he is quite happy.
AN ORCHID TO ESTHER STEVENS COMEY, possessor of a candid and refreshing mind, who has the courage to speak her convictions—married in 1917 to "Cheever," they have lived in Detroit, Muncie, Muskegon, Forth Worth, Cleveland—raised two children —led a well-rounded life—but read for yourself what she says:
"My husband, Henry Cbeever, is a stunning, grey-haired gentleman at the age of 61 .... our daughter Natalie is married and lives here in Cleveland .... our son Jack, who didn't make Dartmouth, is a 19-year-old lad .. . . was admitted three weeks ago in his mid-semester of sophomore year to the Univ. of Florida and writes 'everything is terrific here' .... 'nuff said .... is studying to be a construction engineer .... and as for Mrs. H. C., she is just a N.E., contented housewife settling in the midwest with thirty years of marriage and happiness behind her."
The Ed Keiths expect to come north from Puerto Rico in May to find a home in New England for their retirement, "31 years in the tropics having been enough"—Anyone seen "Pineapple Hank" of recent?— Herb Woods offers to buy lunch for any Tenner who will look him up in Washington—Ken Phelps and wife are attending the medical meetings in Atlantic City and Hot Springs, thence they go to her old home in No. Carolina—Jimmie Frame lives in Clayton, Georgia, is State Building Safety Director with office in the Capitol at Atlanta.—Bones Jones "Mardi Gras'd" at New Orleans.
WELCOME, GRANDPOPS! There is noth- ing quite as cocky as a brand new 1910 Grandfather—How other folks endure them is a continuing enigma—Latest to stick out their chests are: Else Jenness, who brags of John Springsteed Jenness Jr., wgt. 6 lbs. 34 ozs., born Mary Hitchcock Hospital, Hanover, Mar. 16, 1948 (his able young father Jack now finishing Tuck School)—Thayer Smith rejoicing over David Lawrence Smith, born March 17, in LaGrande, Oregon, son of Malcolm and DorisSmith—and a belated report gives "1910's Grandpop Club" Larry Bankart, the Eddys presenting a fine daughter, Deborah (named after her mother but presently called "Heidi"), to Larry and Miriam on Nov. 24, 1947—Anyone could write quite a book on the privilege of being grandparents.
When you read this column, Marion and I will probably be lazing along on the Old Mississippi—we're leaving here April 18 by auto for Detroit—thence by train to Cincinnati where on April 24 we take a river boat to New Orleans and return—living on the sternwheeler 20 days, three of which will be used at New Orleans—don't know what we are getting into—but it could be quite all right with stops along the way—Paul Albert and ShortyWorcester cruised up the TVA on the same boat a few years ago and report that it is O.K.
—Hope so!
HOLIDAY IN BALMY BERMUDA: Professor Andrew J. Scarlett '10 and Mrs. Scarlett show how easy it is to avoid the cold and damp of New Hampshire . . . . they are doing it by spending several months in Bermuda, where Andy is regaining good health.
Secretary, Canaan St., Canaan, N. H. Treasurer, 1 Weybosset St., Providence, R. I. Class Agent, 14 No. Balch St., Hanover, N. H.
