1923
'23's celebration of its beginning in Hanover September 23, 1919, was a big success, with a bigger bunch of '23s in attendance all over the map than in any previous year. Karl Williams was in charge, and he and the man who puts out Skiddoo teamed up to organize and deliver a bang-up affair. You will already have read the details in Skiddoo, so we won't attempt to cover them here. In a letter just a few days before the big event, written to his cohorts, Karl said some things that were so well said, we want to quote them here:
"For myself, the general direction of '23 Night nationally (and beyond) on behalf of the Executive Committee has been more of a happy task than otherwise, despite all the worries and problems. I guess the answer is simple: much of it lies in the heart-warming response of men like Rivoire in New York, Anonymous (James Broe, praise be, and committee) in Massachusetts, Palmer in California, Kimball in Illinois, Rice in Connecticut, Turnbull in Michigan, Lynch in Minnesota, Cannon in Ohio, Burke and others in New Hampshire, McKee in Vermont, Dixson in Colorado, and so many others in widely spaced places who see no obstacles to performance, or, seeing them, move on regardless. In my book, there is nothing to match the spirit and strength of our particular class, as there is nothing to match the spirit and strength of the men of the College collectively. I believe it will always be that way with us, as long as we see fit to keep alive among us the interest and feeling, which we have in common, by rekindling such as this."
The Chicago contingent were guests of Dotand Butch Kimball, at their Hinsdale home, where they gathered Saturday afternoon. The Kimballs offered nine (count 'era, nine) beds on the basis of the softest beds to the earliest arrivals, and two guys who could get away from their wives for the evening and one bachelor occupied same. All told, there were 12 stalwarts present, including the man of the house, and these were Vince Baldwin, RussCarpenter, Warry Cook, Bud Freeman, BillJuergens, Butch K. Metzel, Joe Pick, DudPope, Vic Short, Ted Swartzbaugh, and KarlWilliams. This round dozen caused a telegram to be despatched to President Dickey, which read; "Chicago '23 celebrating '23 Night at Kimballs one dozen strong for Dartmouth." They also destroyed an extraordinarily large quantity of groceries. And they had a meeting of the Class Executive Committee, which included, for the occasion, any other '23s who might want to put in their two bits, this being an old '23 custom. Some of the business transacted was as follows: (1) the Class is to move in the direction of having the old watering trough, which used to stand across from the Inn, restored to its former important status of free-speech center on the Dartmouth campus; (2) The Dads at the forthcoming Hanover Fathers and Sons dinner will please grab their own checks, so that the Class treasury will continue to finance the cost of the affair for the sons, but not for the fathers; (3) now that Jules Rippel has retired as a chairman of the 1923 Memorial Fund, he, Flanigan and Metzel are to name a successor, although for the present there is to be no revival of Class Memorial Fund activity.
CUPID SCORES AGAIN
One of the all-time diehards finally up and did it in September. Sammy Sammis' letter tells all: "Her name is Nancy Esmond, she is a widow, and she lives in Pittsfield. Her first husband was Robert Esmond, in our class, who transferred to Annapolis and died about 12 years ago. Nancy has a son who is a senior at Yale, but she'll be on our side at New Haven—l hope! She is really a charter member of '23—Flanigan has met her, and thinks she's O.K. Our wedding is to be September 15 (ED. NOTE: this fact was confirmed by wedding announcement) and then two weeks at Nantucket. Maybe this will give the few diehards who are left a ray of hope. We'll be seeing you in Hanover one of these days. Sammy."..... and three cheers for you, Nancy and Sammy!
News of the wedding of Nonny Fay was gleaned from the Boston Herald of September 18, which reported that the previous day Charles Norman Fay and Jean Frances Becker were married in Cambridge. The bride attended the University of Virginia with the class of 1940. Two of Nonny's sons were active participants in the Christ Church ceremony. Jean and Nonny took off for Europe. The class salutes them both, with all good wishes!
FROM RACINE, WISCONSIN
Bud Freeman writes: "We live at 3400 Taylor Avenue; our office is at 306 Fifth Street, and our business is mortgage banking, real estate, and insurance. Our company has pioneered veterans' housing and veterans' financing since I returned from service, and I believe I can safely say that we have had a hand in either building or financing approximately 50% of the new houses built in Racine since the beginning of 1946.
"Of course, the biggest event in our lives was launched last year, when the '23s at Karl Williams house in Rockford gave Connie and me that send-off to Champaign, where we made little Louis Gustave a member of the family." (ED. NOTE: The Freemans adopted this shaver, who has now become a great hand for cooing at his daddy when he comes home at night from the office.)
FROM CLEVELAND....
Vic Cannon writes: "I haven't much news of the Cleveland contingent, but here goes: (t) Ray Barker's oldest son is at Dartmouth. He played on the freshman soccer team last year. (2) Heinie Bourne and his bride of about a year ago were visitors down East and saw the Big Green in action there. (3) I talk now and then with Jock Osborne regarding his farming requirements. He threatens to buy some fence from Jim Brown Stores, Inc. (adv.) and I'll be glad to handle the order. His chief enterprise remains the coal business. One son, a Dartmouth graduate, is married and lives in the East. Best wishes."
FROM MINNEAPOLIS
On the letterhead of J. M. Dain and Company, investment firm, Hal Bishop writes: "In 1936 I left the First National Bank of Minneapolis and joined this firm. The family has remained static at two kids; Nancy, who is 21, went to Bennington for a year before transferring to Minnesota; and John, who hopes to enter Dartmouth this fall. My ski jumping days are over and have given way to the less arduous sport of trout fishing, and a little Kelly pool now and then. We have a cabin on a trout stream in Wisconsin only 30 miles from here which gets quite a workout. Eddie Lynch, by the way, pulls some big ones out of his stream, also in Wisconsin about 100 miles away. Bob Maxwell and I spent a reminiscent and well-organized evening in Chicago a while back Best regards, Bish."
AND FROM BOSTON
a good letter from Larry Curtis: . I finally persuaded the authorities at Tufts to give me my degree, so I am an alumnus with divided allegiance For many years I've been back in Boston as a Chief Adjuster of the Workmen's Compensation and Group Claims Department of the Liberty Mutual. .... I married again in 1939 and my wife and I and two boys and a girl live in Newton Center, with summers at Rye North Beach, N. H Since the war, when I was in the Coast Guard Temporary Reserve, I have returned to bridge, mixing martinis, and trying to stay young with a growing family..... Still feel very much a part of the class.... Larry."
LITTLE KNOWN FACTS DEPARTMENT
56 '23s comprise the list of men who gave $500.00 or more towards our record-breaking Memorial Fund gift last year.... 26 of these same gentlemen who are in both of the above groups are '23 REGULARS—men who have been contributors to the Alumni Fund in every year since graduation.
INFORMATION WANTED
We want news of the following classmates of whom the class has heard entirely too little these many moons: Leonard Brown, JamesBlair Doxsee, Ed Evans, Frothingham, Gurriaer, Charley Howard, Kissam, Ludington,Vernon Myers, Plohn, Dick Rubens, Suydam,Travell, Upjohn, Wylie, Zantzinger, A thumping THANK YOU! for dope about these gentry.
IT HAPPENED IN 1919
Our thanks to Tay Smith for the storywhich follows, being one more nostalgic episode in the series of stories about "way backwhen" which we started to run last year.Says Tay:
"Remember the great football team of 1919— Swede Youngstrom, Gus Sonnenberg, Jack Cannell, Zack Jordan, Bill Cunningham, Jim Robertson, etal? And remember the Colgate game lae in the season, with both teams undefeated up to that date? Colgate scored a touchdown in the first half, and converted, and the game was just a see-saw affair after that until the last few moments of the game. On the last play of the game Colgate was forced to punt fairly deep in its territory. All we could hope for was a miracle; and it happened! The Big Swede blocked his umpteenth punt of the year and fell on the ball across the goal line. Then it was up to Jim Robertson to convert—from a fairly mean angle, and in a cross wind. Maybe the story has acquired inaccurate complications in mv mind, but as I recall it the ball bounced on one of the uprights, but fell into pay territory, so that both of these great teams completed their seasons without a defeat. Those few seconds during the close of that game have ever afterwards highlighted my recollections of sport."
HATS OFF
To Bill Gates, who has stage-managed the annual '23 Fathers and Sons Dinner for the last two years, and who has asked to be relieved. Bill's interest, enthusiasm, and hard work made both the affairs he ran most successful, and built these dinners into annual institutions Fathers with sons in college take note: the 4th annual Fathers and Sons dinner will be held in Hanover in January or February next year. Tell your boy about it, and make your plans to join him there.
CLASS QUESTIONNAIRE COMINGUP
Before long (if it hasn't reached you already) you may expect from this correspondent a news-gathering questionnaire, and we ask for your cooperation in filling it out and returning it to us.
WE'RE PROUD
of the new Prexy of the Alumni Council—our own Sidney Joseph Flanigan!!
GETS LEGION OF MERIT: Colonel I. Miller '22 receives the Air Forces' decoration in recognition of his outstanding wartime services as chief of staff of the South Atlantic Division of Air Transport Command in Brazil from Lt. Gen. Edwin Rowlings on July 21. "Col. Miller's diplomacy, tact and delicacy in dealing with the Brazilian Government materially helped in realizing an overall good neighbor policy." Chief of the Cost Control Division in the office of the Air Forces Comptroller, he has served with the Air Forces for seven years.
QUAKER HAT AND BONNET enhance, but hardly disguise, the Charlie Akins '23, all set for the Old Dartmouth Historical Society party and New Bedford Premiere of "Down to the Sea in Ships."
Secretary, 1425 Astor St., Chicago 10, Ill.
Treasurer, 5 Tyler Rd., Hanover, N. H. OUR THIRD ANNUAL '23 NIGHT
