1926
The annual Boston banquet in February saw a goodly turnout of 1926 to hear President Dickey and President Whittemore of the New Haven Railroad. Spotted around three tables were Henry Bixby, Bill Barclay, HenryBlake, Joe Batchelder, Ranny Cox, CharlieCollins, Dean Chamberlain, Russ Clark, Gardner Brown, Bill Evans, Don Norstrand, CarlSchipper, Walt Rankin, Bob Salinger, DickMann, Harry Hall, Bob Patten, Stew Orr, HalTrefethen, Syl McGinn, Mac Ryder, SteveMitchell and Jim Sullivan. Bob Salinger reports that it was a good meeting but that no one seemed to have any particular news. Bob says that he and Dot, together with the Norstrands, saw the Harvard-Dartmouth basketball and hockey games and mightily enjoyed both battles.
The weekly '26 luncheon still continues as an established institution in Boston but is now held on Thursdays at one o'clock at Barsanti's, which is situated on Devonshire Street just around the corner from Franklin and Federal Streets. Bob reports that at least eight of the boys show up every Thursday and frequently twelve or fourteen are on hand. All visiting '26 firemen should make a point of joining the gang whenever a Thursday in Boston is on the itinerary.
The Boston Herald of February 18 carried a lovely picture of Mimi Frankenberg, daughter of Chuck and Pat Frankenberg, who is among the many debutantes of the 1948-49 season now at college. Mimi is attending Skidmore, is a provisional member of the Junior League and, unless these old eyes fail me, is a surefire candidate for a Dartmouth carnival queen in the near future.
In a recent schoolboy ski meet with other crack teams from schools in Vermont and New Hampshire Jim Oberlander Jr. placed in both the slalom and down-hill events. Jim Jr. is a student at Kimball Union Academy (just ten miles from Hanover) and is busy proving that the athletic ability of the family is not confined to Jim Sr.
Hap Johnston dropped us a line to inform us that he has recently resigned his position as Assistant Vice-President of Stein, Hall & Company, Inc. and is joining the staff of the Special Commodities Division of General Mills, Inc. as of March l, 1949, in which capacity he will concern himself with the industrial starches and proteins extracted from wheat flour. (He'll even probably get to meet Betty Crocker!) Hap has been with Stein, Hall & Company for twenty-one years prior to this change. His letter stated that he was writing from a hospital in which he expected to undergo some minor surgery so that he would be out of circulation for a couple of weeks. We hope you are back in circulation, Hap, and wish you all kinds of success in the new position.
A recent article in The Boston Herald by Bill Cunningham (forwarded to this department by Bob Salinger) extols the "famous class of 1914" and its annual Hanover reunion on Washngton's Birthday. It appears that Bill and Mrs. Cunningham were invited to attend this most recent gathering of '14 and Bill reported the party in detail, dubbing it "a new idea in reunions." Minute-man Salinger immediately composed a note to Bill in which he explained that the Class of '14 could hardly be considered "famous" merely because it has annual reunions and told him of the "really famous" Class of '26 which has had annual reunions for eleven years, with the twelfth year coming up. Bob further mentioned to Bill that August in Hanover is really something and I'm sure that if Bill is at all curious '26 could show him a few new wrinkles in annual reunions. By the way, how many of you have made your plans to attend the forthcoming August, 1949 reunion? Mark it on your calendar now!
George P (Jud) Bellaire writes to say that after traipsing all over most of France, Belgium, Luxembourg and the British Isles (and several hospitals) during '43, '44 and '45 for the Red Cross, he now makes his home in Oakland and traipses around California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Nevada and Arizona for the Dromedary Company. I think he means that Marion (Hut-Sut, Bellaire) lives in Oakland while he and his dates (horrible pun!) cover the western United States. He and Marion expect to make a flying trip to New York and Chicago in March and maybe will see a few eastern '26ers. Jud further advises that on February 25 he and RitchieSmith spent an all too brief evening with Brant Wallace and Del Worthington, who happened to be in California. Details of what prompted this western pilgrimmage on the part of Brant (from New Jersey) and Del (from Chicago) are lacking, as are details of the evening, but we can imagine it was a good reunion!
Your prompt contribution to the Alumni Fund will help put '26 back in its rightful place as a Fund leader and will save Al Louer and his faithful co-workers a lot of headaches. Let's all get behind Al and his boys and contribute at the first opportunity this year!
A little information regarding each and everyone of you would be appreciated! That's all the news for this month and the "three-oh" mark again.
Secretary, 514 M. & T. Bldg., Buffalo 2, N. Y.
Treasurer, 131 California Dr., Williamsville 21, N. Y.
Class Agent, Mandel Bros., 1 North State St., Chicago 2, 111.
