1934
Immediately following the tragic downfall of the Dodgers in October, we sought a spot of sadly needed cheer, and the spot turned out to be Krumbum's Kozy Kumquat Korner, a joint within bunting distance of Ebbetts Field that calls itself "Your Chrome Away From Home," or ought to. We opened with a pair of raisin-jacks and soon realized that no longer were we completely sad—just fair-tomaudlin. Then we switched to full-fashioneds (smooth as silk on the intake, but later they sock you!) and that was the end of our hollow leg. Well sir, just as our sorrows were going down for the third time, who should enter the scene from stage left but luscious Lucy Lebensraum, as tasty a little cup-cake as ever sported a vermouth cassis for a heart.
"Hullo, Big Boy," purred Lucy, "whazzamatter, you look lowdown."
"You think this is low," we replied, (wondering how in thunderation you treat the editorial we within quotes), "Why Sister, you shoulda seen me before I got high!"
"Kiddin' aside, Luther," pursued Miss District Attorney, "what's the sore?"
"Put it down here," we sallied, patting the puce-on-fuschia cushion of the bar-stool, "and I'll tell ya. It's not just that Dem Bums dropped The Serious; that's only part of it."
"So what's the rest of it, and aren't you going to ask what I'm drinking?"
"It's, well, it's the December class notes .... or rather lack of them, and alright, what are you drinking?"
"Lack of them? Pousse Cafe, thank you."
"Yeah, no news from the guys; nothin to write about. Barkeep! Build a rainbow for goldilocks here."
"Oh darlin', ah'm shuah theah must be jus' loads a' things yawl c'n write about. Honey, jus' give me a teeny '01 sip of that thing you're drinkin' while he makes mine. That's a lamb."
"Like fr'instance what? Name one." "Wel-l-l=l-l-l-l, there was the New York class dinner, what about that? Many turn out?"
"Yeah, matter of fact there was a darn good crowd at the Dartmouth Club for the opening event of this banner year for 1934. Let's see, now, we remember Al Marks and HarryWallace and Herm Spitzer and Mike Joseph and Herb Steyn and Art Grimes and MacCollins and Dick Gruen, and then down at the other half of the table there were BobSmith, Harry McCarn, George Copp, BillScherman, Nels Krogslund, Hank Werner,Bud Yallalee, Dick Wells and I guess that's the lot—17 of us. George Copp, new presider over New York affairs for the class, has things set for another such dinner on Thursday, December 8, same place. (There's your pousse, Luce.) Y'know, I've got a hunch that all the dinners will be well attended this year.... you know, because of reunion and all."
"I should think so, but tell me, does the class treasury pay for those dinners? That doesn't seem fair to the other fellows."
"Oh, no! You might say the class sponsors all such gatherings, wherever held, but each dinner is self-supporting. Here in New York we get a big break in that the club provides the announcement cards, but each diner puts up the two bucks for his meal."
"Well, why couldn't '34 gangs get together like that in other sections of the country this winter?"
"Could. Easy as pie. They might arrange with a restaurant to give 'em a special dinner price and then they could share the mailing expenses. Takes a bit of doing, but once organized it's a breeze.
"But look, princess, I have a column to worry about—got any more ideas?"
"Lovahboy, ah don' believe you've noticed that mah li'l ol' oF glass is jus' bone-dry. What's that you ask—do ah have any moah EYEdeahs? Why of co'se ah do. Did you ever tell those nice boys that Bill Callihan is now superintendent of agencies for the Pilot Life Insurance Co. in Greensboro, Nawth C'lina? Or that Eddie Davis is a material handling engineer for Whitin Machine Works in Whitinsville, Mass.? Or that Clyde Seney is a management consultant with Booz, Allen & Hamilton in New York, and living at 15 The Court, New Rochelle? And ah'll bet a lot of fellas didn't realize that Art Wood is an associate professor in the department of sociology at the University of Connecticut in Storrs. Honey, did you heah what ah said 'bout mah poor bone-drah li'l glass?"
"Jeez! so quick awready? Stripe up another one of them goblets, Mac, we're caught in the gulp stream! Well keep talkin', Sister, you're goin' great; what else?"
"Well, did you see the piece in the Lawrence, Mass., Tribune for October 15, featuring Jack Wholey? Told how Dr. John of Birch St. financed his way through college and medical school with the help of that tinkling piano, starting with the Commons orchestra. Bet that would bring back memories to the lads. And let me see, now, there was another mention in the press about.... oh, why sure, the American Metal Market of September 27 carried some important news: Bill Judd has been elected secretary of the North & Judd Mfg. Co. of New Britain. Bill, you'll remember, was named assistant secretary in 1944, having become director of priorities and legal advisor in 1942. He's one of the Dartmouth '34s who went through Harvard Law.
"And I even have a travel note for you—in October the Mac Carter family spent a weekend doing the White Mountains, using as their base of operations The Keenes in Etna (that's the winter and summer vacation lodge that runs a popular ski school for kids during the week after Christmas.) Mac & Co. are now living at 219 Wolcott Hill Rd., Wethersfield, Conn.
"Speaking of travelers, the Hanover Inn played host to the following Thirty-Fours in October: the Bob Morrises from Lakewood, Ohio, the Dr. Launie Holts from Falmouth Foreside, Me., the Jack Corcorans from Lowell, Mass. and the Bill Haist family from Bridgeport."
"Baby, I'll have to admit you get around alright, but I notice you haven't yet mentioned that Al Marks has been made a director of Howard Clothes. Readers of the WallStreet Journal learned it on October 21 and two who kindly made sure I caught it were Les Reeve and 1918's model secretary, Ernie Earley.
"Another thing you apparently missed my tempting tomato, is the announcement in Bob Brown's Editor if Publisher for Sept. 10 of the seminar on Management and Costs conducted by the American Press Institute of Columbia University. A key member of the illustrious group, which was scheduled to discuss various problems on the business side of the newspaper game was our own Orv Dryfoos, assistant to the publisher, New YorkTimes."
"True, but ah have a yummy EYEdeah for a final paragraph. Why not list all those you or your scouts noted at the Yale game?"
"Yummy is the word, you luscious lushr you. How's this for a swell bunch: Dick Gruen, Dr. Joe Robinson, Jack Hinsman, Bob Griffin,. Bob Smith, Shorty Thomas, Al Jacobson, Peanuts Davies, George Copp, Al Marks, Dave Calloway, Mac Collins, Henry Brown, Bill Hartman, George Magrath, Bill Stowe, Jerry Danzig, Les Reeve, Irv Diamond, Mike Joseph, Herm Spitzer, Ray Hulsart, Art Grimes, Rollie Morton, Babe Shea, Orv Dryfoos, Ted Thompson, Johnny Lashar, Bill Scherman, Wit McConnochie, Nels Krogslund, Gail Raphael and the gol'dangedest nicest bevy of wives and sweethearts anybody ever saw in any stadium anywhere!"
Of course, that was not the end of our colloquy. Not by a shot-glass. But it's all we have room to relate here. Maybe some time later we can tell more: about the subsequent singing, the dancing, the shucking of shoes, the bartender's mot when we rested our tootsies up on the bar (Take your feet out of the lady's drink, Buster, or you'll get a sock in the pousse!) and all the rest. But until then, trot along trimly now, and Merry Christmas, everyone!!!
VICE PRESIDENT of Spiegel Inc., nationwide mail order and retail merchants, Bob Engelman '34 is in charge of women's and children's fashions.
Secretary and Treasurer,
no Fulton St., New York 7, N. Y.
It's A BIG WIDE WONDERFUL WHIRL!!!!! THIRTY-FOUR'S SWEET SIXTEENTH June 16-17-18 VOOM-VOOM!!!
