1940
The only gripes we had in the world havenow completely disappeared—snow, deep, wonderful powder, has finally arrived in New England and the 1940 file of dope is loaded.First, our new Class Agent (from whom we'llbe getting sweet words shortly) has penetratedthe veil of 1940's promising but shy Clevelandrepresentation. The Scott says:
"Ever since one of your late fall columns wound up with some words to the effect that the only news that ever came out of Cleveland was baseball, I have decided to refute the inference. Honest, Jackson, there's other news than baseball—ain't ya ever hoid a Paul Brown and his Browns? Or the local Barons of International Hockey League fame? Or Hustlin' Harrison? 'The best location in the nation' has got plenty of names in the news these days.
"1940 in Cleveland started out in the fall of 1936 with a large contingent of more than 25; of that original bunch, some 15 or 16 are left here in town. And to counteract the exodus of these native Clevelanders who have left town (Dave Davenport,Elmer Browne, Danny Harris, Chal Carothers,Johnny Newman, George Mills, Ned Jacoby, etc.) there has been only a small group of non-Cleve- landers who have come here to stay for any sustained period.
"First, out-of-towners who have been living in Cleveland but who have recently taken off are ArtOstrander (who has retreated to his native northcountry with a new business affiliation), John D.higersoll (now in Cincinnati with an insurance hrm) and Jack Faunce (whose phone here has been disconnected and who didn't appear at the Christmas luncheon, so I have only to conclude that he either didn't meet his phone bill or, more likely, has blown this town).
"of those from out of town, one would find it nard to believe that Bob Austin hasn't always lived here. Bob is surely in the right spot in his job as sales executive at the Statler. Bob and his wife June have had much difficulty in getting permanently situated here, and daughter Susan hasn't made it any easier to get the right type of home, so Bob shuttles between Wellesley and Cleveland until his housing picture firms up. Then there's Dr BillSinclair, resident at the University Hospital in Pathology. Bill and his wife live in town not far from the hospital. He is mighty diligent about his professional pursuits, along with Drs. Bill Huffman and Bob Williams: all three work in the same hospital, and all are plagued with the traditional irregular working hours which seem to be inherent in residencies. Bill is specializing in G. U. surgery, and, having sired a boy and a girl, has recently forsaken his old haunt of Lakewood and moved to the east side near the hospital to give himself more time at home. Bob appeared at the Christmas luncheon in best bow-tie fashion. He and wife Trudy are having their most and best laughs with son Bobbie, who will soon give his old man a run for his money.
"We don't have just docs in Cleveland we've also got lawyers (lots of 'em), industrial and commercial tycoons (lots of 'em) and a few guys named Joe. In Cleveland there is a large company of commerce, called Pickands-Mather, which is probably the largest of the mining-hauling-distributing outfits on the Great Lakes, and it has siphoned off three from our class: Bill Duncan was at the luncheon last week and related the sad tale that his two cohorts, Keith Benson and Bob MacMillen couldn't beat their way out of the office in spite of good intentions. Bill is in sales, Mac in the accounting department, and Keith in the legal phase of operations.
"With Bill at the luncheon was Jack Ingersoll, who headlined the legal delegation of '40 in town by placing first (Number One) in the state on last year's bar exams. He is now with the fine local firm of Calfee & Fogg. In addition to Jack and Keith, the legal beagles include Walt Kelley and Eb Cockley. Walt, according to his father, has joined the firm of Green, Woods, Lausche & Wilmot and is currently wrestling with legal and real estate problems. Eben is with one of the largest and best-known firms in town, and when he isn't on a case, he's raising son David, sitting as councilman in city government, and functioning as chairman of the regional admissions committee for Dartmouth.
"Taking precious minutes away from year-end inventory activities were the industrially occupied forty-ites at the luncheon. Lee Bassett stayed for the meal and high-tailed it back to the S-P Mfg. Co. where he directs the manufacture of air chucks and related products. I called him the other night, and, for the information of the class woodsmen, Lee hasn't changed a bit. His grand wife Marty reported he was out in the garage cutting up an 8-point buck. They have two sons. Of the others, HerbFoster is works manager of Champion Forge, specializing in labor relations and the raising of three sons; Johnny Knutsen has a new brother for his daughter Lois and by days keeps busy working on tooling and methods with a small manufacturing shop; Dick Goulder is selling for a plastic products company; K.arl Bruch is with Hill-Acme in factory accounting (and still manages a bit of flying between house rehabilitation and the training of three small children); and, as for me, I'm now in the production phase of my company's operations and am most sympathetic with Bassett, Bruch, Knutsen, Foster and Goulder when it comes to current closing out problems.
"That about winds it up, except for John Moore, who, they tell me, is out here selling for Metropolitan Life, and Hank Haserot, whom I hadn't seen since college days, and who lives out on the edge of town in Peninsula, O."
That, methinks, qualifies as the letter of alltime for news coverage.
The January 26 dinner in New York got outthe following (who may accordingly be judgedto be prospering since the 55.50 tariff seemsto have had some effect on the 1940 attendance): Sid Harrington, Harvey Noll, Bill Max-son, Hank Birkett, Jack Little, Jack Halpern,John Allen, Hugh Dryfoos, Bill Martin, EdSchechter, Jay Weinberg, Tom Ballantyne,Rick Davidson, Dave Gibson, Les Nichols,Fred Bachelder and Bud Hewitt.
Bud says of the group, "Jack Little and JackHalpern sat on the dais by virtue of being on the singing program. Jack L. participated in the usual Glee Club group (he's also a member of the University Glee Club) and Jack H. accompanied himself on the piano and sang a song of his own composition. It's the first time I've seen Hank Birkett in ten years. He owns a liquor store in Penn Yan, and is now in New York working for the State Department of Mental Hygiene. Bill Maxson has given up his job with New York Life and is now, as he puts it 'in the rubber business' with a bathing cap concern. Had drinks with TomBallantyne who works for a big paper box manufacturer and Bill Martin who is a doctor at Kings County General, specializing in the Lana Turner regions. He may go into private practice soon. Dr. Bud (Stein) Johnson could not attend since he is hospitalized with a recurrence of an old ailment."
Which all leaves us with just about enough room for these: John Manley has a new daughter (their first) born in New York on December 15; Jack Rourke's Masked Spooner has hit the records with RCA-Victor; Kim Atkins has started on his new duties as administrator of the Bath (N. Y.) Memorial Hospital; Bob Tatgenhorst, assistant Attorney General of Ohio, has opened a law office in Cincinnati (office address gratis on request); Don Worden is selling for food jobbers out of Seattle; and IkeWeed has forsaken the haunts of civilization to open a woodworking shop (colonial reproductions) in Gilford (Laconia), N. H.
More, more, more in our next. There are approximately 250 of those little data sheets now resting in the files (oh, that wonderful feeling), which will be rolled out in bunches starting one month hence. For more details see your Indian Drum.
Secretary, 16 Elm St., Montpelier, Vt.
Treasurer, W. B. Fonda Co., St. Albans, Vt.
Class Agent, 2487 Noble Rd., Apt. 25-B, Cleveland Heights 21, Ohio
