1939
I had hoped that the '39 notes in this issue could commence with a fanfare of trumpets to be followed by announcement of the new slate of class officers. Instead, I can only state lamely that by the time this appears in print the negotiations will be completed although it seems to me that I said the same thing in the last issue. Well, be patient!
No news of classmates has drifted into 5244 Reservation Rd. during the past month so this column will have to remain a little on the bare side during this transition period. I hesitate to launch a great news-collection drive and then dump the products of'same on the new Secretary who will have all he can do during the early months just digesting old secretarial files. However, in the meantime a few clippings and a very fine letter from Foster Clippinger in Japan should see me through.
I have a clipping from a New York paper showing a picture of Dr. William H. Fairweather. The article goes on to say that he has just been awarded a fellowship in surgery at Memorial Hospital in New York City after a previous career including service with the First Marine Division in the Pacific during the war, marriage in '43, fatherhood, etc. It all must have agreed with him for in his picture he's looking as young and robust as ever.
Also was interested in the headline DARTMOUTH GRADS HEAR WAR ACE. Sure enough it was Dave Schilling speaking to the Long Island Club on Dartmouth Night. He is still with the Air Force—a full colonel and apparently doing very well. A month ago he was taking charge of a big Air Force show up in Nassau County.
Foster Clippinger is definitely the writerof-the-month so here comes a detailed quotation from his very fine letter post-marked Japan, September 7. He has been there with the U. S. Army since 1945.
"Recently I returned from a two week trip in Hokkaido, the northernmost of the Japanese home islands. It was such a hodgepodge of pre-war, early post-war, and present-day Japan that I think the details might be interesting.
"We were a party of 8—4 from GHQ, 2 interpreters and 2 Japanese Government officials. Our railway car was a combination sleeper, diner and lounge car, with crew of 3. The purpose of the trip was to inspect coastal whaling stations, processing techniques, and progress of the fishing cooperative program.
"Since our railway car had no shower, taking a bath soon became one of the daily missions of life. We were taken either to the community hot bath or, in the larger villages, to a hotel which would reserve the bath for just our party. Bathing in Japan is a communal endeavor. After the bath we donned Japanese robes and went to the banquet hall where the town's elite citizenry and geisha supplied a sumptuous feast sufficient for several meals with music and Japanese dances. They love parties—an opportunity to eat a tremendous meal on another's budget. One night we were taken to three different dinner parties in the same evening.
"We boarded a whale catcher and went to sea for 3 days. On the afternoon of the third day, our hours of scanning the water from the crowsnest produced a whale spout—full speed to the attack —all hands on deck—load the harpoon gun- jockey for proper firing position—Fire! It's a hit —the electric harpoon didn't work properly so an explosive harpoon was also fired into the whale but the charge didn't go off. The whale fought for about an hour, but finally we got close enough to spear it with an electric lance, chain it to the side of the ship, and start back for the whaling station with our 45 foot, 25 ton sperm whale. Arriving early the next morning the whale was pulled into land and up. to the cutting deck where a crew of 30 people in one hour had it cut up and divided into piles of meat for eating, blubber for oil extracting, bones, entrails, etc. for special processing and ul imate use as fertilizer. The teeth were pulled and given to us for souvenirs. I took a roll of color pictures which came out remarkably well. We watched all the steps in processing—everything is used—the blood is dried and sold as animal feed—insulin is made from the pancreas. We had whale steaks for dinner that night.
"Changes in Japan have been manifold since September, 1945, when I first came. There is a tremendous amount of rebuilding of homes, buildings and factories. The mental attitude of the Japanese has changed from abject obedience to the victors to outward insistence of rights, equality and freedom of expression.
"It will be many, many years before the Western world understands the East, and vice versa.
"Americans in Tokyo live in American billets, eat American food, drive to work in big, new American-made automobiles, work with Americans in stateside office buildings, shop in the American Post Exchange, go to American movies and dances, ride on railway cars and buses which are reserved for Allied personnel, swim and play golf in Clubs procured for Allied use. It is possible to go for days without speaking to a Japanese. Some people wonder why American democracy is not more readily grasped by the Japanese.
"Dartmouth in Japan had a picnic last June in Hakone, near the base of Mt. Fuji, at a beautiful summer place of one of our Japanese alumni.
About 40 people showed up with classes ranging from '97 to '43."
I suppose quite a few classmates took in the Yale game and so I missed a good chance to collect news when I failed to make it. Well, maybe I'll see some of you at the Princeton game which is a lot closer at hand.
Secretary, 5244 Reservation Rd., Drexel Hill, Pa.
Treasurer, Kendall Mills, 40 Worth St., N. Y. 13, N. Y.
