1944
This month's remarks are being scribed from home base. I have just partaken of the annual convention of secretaries, treasurers, and agents here in Hanover.... and the battery of my enthusiasms is recharged. So lest it fade, like a 9 A.M. whiskey sour, I shall tackle these class notes, now three days over-due.
The state of the unversitas may be termed (... . and cleverly) "splendid." A lush Spring has settled on an otherwise lush little New Hampshire town, and although there are no more "Übe's" or "Slim" Conners to grace the season, Pompanoosuc and the golf course reflect much of the old, Fletcher is still smiling in his cavern, Chief Ferguson is still tagging out-of-town cars (he'll probably invest in a Sam Slade Fingerprint Set with my contribution) and Tanzi is still keeping the Internal Revenue boys happy. I might mention that "Fletch" now sidelines in hawking rugs. Repeat "Hawking"! Of the town's more promising citizens is "Shipwreck" Kelly, Junior Jeweler at Coburns, who has a wild thirst to get his thumbs in your watch. At the track meet with Harvard this afternoon (which we won) I caught athletic director Dave Blair on a busman's holiday, officiating at the cinders and up in the stands, looking very selfsatisfied, Karl "the Moose" Musser, now winding up executive training at the Amos Tuck School of Administration. The moose leaves for Oxford in June.
"Gus" Pratt, our class treasurer, is here with his very lovely wife, celebrating a 6th wedding anniversary, and also gleaning devious ways in which to keep the 1944 coffers above the red water mark. Don Pfeifle, our class agent, with whom I had planned to make the northward journey, was happily detained at home to welcome the newest member of the Pfeifle family. Our best hopes that Momma, Baby, and Poppa are doing well. Dick Davis, wife and baby are still here in town. Dick picks up a quick MCS at Tuck this June.
"Bud" Zetterberg, one of our last campus wheels and present advertising manager of the DCAC, was good enough to pass along info on our Hanover remnants and others. Incidentally, Bud's cute little daughter will be on hand when the old man gets the parchment at the Bema this June.... also at the ceremonies will be Bob Hamlin, Jack Hempstead, and EdMacNeil, captain and sparkplug of this year's Ivy League leading nine (our 2-1 ninth inning win over Columbia yesterday was strictly of the Ring Lardner variety). Graduating with a Masters from the factory of tomorrow's industrial leaders will be the above mentioned DickDavis, also Jack Lewis, and Dave Wrisley (Dave, I understand, has two exceptionally fine young sons). Tuck, Dartmouth, and 1944 are expecting great things from these boys. Bud goes on to tell of seeing Charlie Schumacher at several hockey games.... and I hear that Charles is about the hottest thing at the Diamond Match Cos., and family-wise one of the proudest poppas of two sensational kiddies. Although flattery will get him nowhere, Bud tells of Bob Callan "getting better looking and playing better ball" and heading down south to play with Jersey City. JohnnyFurfey, our former fair-haired boy of the nurses' dining room at the Mary Hitchcock Hospital, will start chasing the ambulances in June after getting his law degree at BU. Carl Rood's pride and joy, Fred Kennedy, now an old married man, is in high finance at the Shawmut Bank in Boston. Bob Close is still working the circuit for AT&T out of White River .... and Rog Antaya winning fame, fortune and a new Ford as end coach at George Washington University. Most of jou probably know that Rog married his very wonderful Colby sweetie and is now poppa of an equally wonderful little daughter. "Snookie" Hughes, soldat extraordinaire and absconder of pomegranates in Atlanta hotels, is a coach-teachercoach at Melrose High .... and there is talk that this most eligible bachelor of Eastern New England is weakening, but in a direction any discerning sharp eyed gentleman would be happy to be weak about. More than that the Snook coached a very successful hockey season. Speaking about hockey, Jack Riley and his championship charges are home again. And further on hockey, a local comment has it that Dick Rondeau is "still the one man who can make a hockey stick talk .... in spite of increased weight." I dislike hearing about that "increased weight" from a beer salesman .... much the same way that my sales manager hates to see a sunburn on my face. I should mention, elatedly, that another of our athletic fortes, Gordie McKernan, coached another undefeated football team at Pinkerton Academy last season.
As long as we're sticking close to New England, I should PRO John Eaton's new venture. Not too unlike wild-catter Glenn McCarthy, the Blue will usher a gusher in a new food merchandising idea at Seekonk, Mass. You '44 vacationers rooting Route 9 to the Cape this summer, be sure to stop in at the Blue's drivein TOLL HOUSE for a fast bite and a fast turn of conservation. His nearest competitor, Howard Johnson, is but a spit and a mashie shot away.... this side of the Cape, so by-pass the HJ.
I had a word from Fritzer Hier, who having digested the finest that the American way of life has to offer, is now seeking new horizons, namely those peeking into the Urals. As surely as mare follows night, the unenlightened of the West will get the true picture when the Voice of America speaks. Uncle BobRiebow, squirreling away a fortune with the Beechnut Packaging Cos., was recently here in Hanover executive talent at the Tuck School.
Like so many people these days, I have overextended myself so I'll go over the rest of the news fast-like Buz Beattie is winding up his law course at the U. of Va BuckyMansfield stormed thru Dickerson Law and is now practicing in Philly Johnny Lesher is learning the lumber business from the acorn up out in Washington, put in a tour at a number of logging camps and now working the timber cruisers in Centralia LeßoyBriggs improving the educational system in 'Frisco Charlie Fox, way to hell and gone, is with Aramco in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. The principle joy of April came with the news that Bucky and Jackie Brandt had their third son .... and born on April Fool's Day. The Buck writes a really funny letter and I wish we had space to quote it Buck is making a fortune for Bamberbergers of Newark in the cosmetic dept. Gordie Ross and wife have a swell new little son, young Christopher Cobb Bouquets of best wishes to this month's newly weds, Chuck and Susan Foster (Sue is the former Susan Harrison of Montclair, N.J.) and Steve and Cathy Flynn (Catherine is a former Wilmington, Del. Flaherty).
Your fine support in the Alumni Drive is certainly appreciated. It looks like we'll really do a job this year. Have a wonderful summer!
Secretary, 26 Olmstead Rd., Scarsdale, N. Y,
Treasurer, 100 Hersey St., Hingham, Mass.
Class Agent, Patchoque Shores, East Patchoque, L.I., N. Y.
