1918
Missed by his devoted '18 admirers in New York last winter was good old Tom Campbell, who attended the Hanover Alumni Council meeting and who a few weeks later, as Mgr. of Safety for the Town of Denver, pushed the detonator again and again and finally blew down the threatening 350 ft. high Grant Smelter stack as thousands congregated around (Life, Feb.). Always an intelligent critic of government, Tom says,
"I don't know of a better spot to get into trouble than in City Administration. You can't win with 450,000 odd groaning taxpayers second-guessing every play. The governor's job—and Happy Harry's too, for that matter, is a pushover by comparison. Those finks get their problems scattered; their constituents are remote. We're sitting smack in the middle. But if you can keep your boiling point fairly high, it's a fascinating job—and sure helps build the vocabulary. The most satisfying part, as far as my particular assignment goes, is that I get in on both the policy and the planning and the execution; our department does all the construction (or supervises jobs done by private contractors for City account) of all public improvements—streets, buildings, parks, etc.—as well as all the care, repair, maintenance of existing improvements. We draw the pictures, write the spec- ifications, let the contracts, authorize the bonds (if any) and inspect the job. So we have the satisfaction of seeing tangible evidence of our labors. As one of the boys put it, 'we're responsible for everything from symphonies to sewers.' "
At the BAA annual indoor meet at Boston in Feb. it was young Bill Wright who won his event in the 440 relay against the toughest competition, setting up a record that exceeded college freshman teams and 25% of the college varsity teams. Bill won a medal and got his track letter (Andover) and the coaches at Andover are grooming him for bigger things Chauncey Hood talked with BillWright's son at Andover on the phone, trying to ensnare him into some Dartmouth influence (we've got to get Bill at Hanover and keep him away from Stanford) and said Chaunce, "I haven't seen the guy but he's got one of the swellest voices on the telephone I ever listened to."
Timber top Shea flew down to Miami again on St. Patrick's day joining 2 of the eminent Shea Worcester clan: sister Lil famous breeder of pedigreed cocker spaniels and champ golfer, sister Pat starring in local dramatics At a luncheon in New York of old ambulance drivers in la belle France, of which Cher Ned Ross and Paul Miner and Stan Jones were a few—we learned the big secret: that Helen and Paul Miner sail on the Queen Mary May 12. Paul said he's going to look up all his old haunts of World War I in France and especially "Hollow-Head," beautiful blonde Boulangerie's daughter in Soissons; also old Madame Priout, who illicitly used to sneak sugar away from the Mayor of Soissons to pour down Paul's gullet. Paul might even visit Lunnierville where the girls used to look up so admiringly at le grand homme. All of this, mind you, has been encouraged by good sport Helen, who also is anxious to see Paul's admirers.
Having a delightful luncheon with PrancesChristy in swanky Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center, where all top brass of Manhattan dine, we noticed that Chris got a bow from most of them and a handshake from many. Chris has done an amazing job. Getting out of Harvard law, he was, at age 30, a partner in the very distinguished law firm of Milbank, Tweed, Hope & Webb, later becoming Vice Pres. of Rockefeller Center. Chris is a Director of the Amer. Eastern Corp. (Barr & Barr, Inc.), and the Brooklyn Institute of Arts & Sciences, and organized the leading heart specialists in N. Y., which developed into the Nat. Asso., now raising nearly $3 million a year. He's a member of the 60-Year-Old Rembrandt Club, of which he is Secretary, which club has no clubhouse, no Rembrandts, no assets, and a wonderful cellar of champagne. In addition to his fine law practice, Christy and Perkins, 30 Rockefeller Center, he's been running an export business while the head of it has been in Switzerland for a year. Chris is one of the distinguished citizens of the class of 1918.
He recalled humorously that he had been pledged Kappa Sig along with Joe Converse, and they went up to the swanky new stucco house then being built and were assigned the washroom to paint and polish. Lanky Joe Converse, seeing no stepladder about, climbed on the delicate wash basin and promptly snapped the cold and hot water pipes, which proceeded to spurt out a torrent over the freshly painted walls and down through the newly painted house. Joe was in a dither. He hadn't been pledged as yet. With a blank face he turned to Chris. Chris had no answer. Chris stuck his fingers in the pipes in an effort to stop the deluge. Joe rushed out of the house and went tearing up the street madly and quite terrified, ran into Hitchcock Hall and jumped into bed. 'Tis said that the tolerant Kappa Sig brothers finally pulled the quilts off him and brought him back to the house and assured him they'd still take him into the club.
From rugged Conservatives Dick Holton, Comptroller of the East N. Y. Savings Bank (hear this Edith and Dick's daughter Mary Louise tied with a Czecho-Slovakian student for Ist place in tough Wellesley), Johnny Johnston, executive veep of Belding-Heminway-Corticelli, and Swede Bennett, the lumber man from Medina, Ohio, who is running the Chamber of Commerce, has received the same chain letter appeal: "During World War II many cities developed a disaster panel.... etc." soliciting contributions for the reelection of Senator Robert A. Taft. Swede said in his PS, "We're going to do a job on this campaign in Ohio. Am sure you'll be glad to be a part of it." We're in, Swede. And we sent the first appeal letter received to Herr Prof. Fish, who, as the Quick-Lunch patrons of Hanover's GAR Hall can well attest, has a way of laying it on the line. Bob says: "You ask what do I think of Taft? Well, before I answer you, I feel like saying (and will) that no one's political temperature can be taken by putting that question alone. It so happens that I agree Taft is one of the half-dozen outstanding men in the country and, as such, his defeat would be a distinct loss. If I were an Ohioan, I would surely vote for him, and as a testimonial to JasperJohnston 'lB, as well as Senator Taft, two great men, I sent my contribution along to the Taft Campaign Fund."
Bob Fish continues, "But that doesn't mean that I go along with the inference that anything 'labor and left-wingers' want is wrong. That's just as fuzzy and feverish as assuming that everything they attempt to do is right. What makes me seem so different, sometimes, I suppose, is my unwillingness to swallow sweeping over-simplifications as accurate descriptions. The fact that I like Taft as a senator and for his political independence, frequently in opposition to his own party as well as to the Democrats, doesn't require me to enlist 'in the present struggle against complete surrender to Socialism,' or carry the banner 'it's later than you think.' Indeed, Taft's stand on labor disputes, educational assistance and medical care, favors the use of Federal power and funds, sometimes administered centrally and sometimes locally, but it is more government activity, which is generally regarded as "more socialism.' I agree with Taft on most of these matters, so put me down as a good 'Taft socialist.
The balance of Bob Fish's 2-page letter is even better and perhaps we'll have room for it in another issue. Herr Prof. Bob, who has a way of getting out his bazooka and penetrating 10" armor plate was sometime back appointed by the Gov. of Arizona to head up the State Power Authority —an unselfish contribution to the country in a payless job.
We saw a picture of our own Robbie Robinson, Pres. of Robinson Reminders (Westfield, Mass.) showing him at the airport to receive samples of English leather goods flown in via overseas airlines. This company has a fine reputation, and Robbie's father has done an amazing job in the fine character he has built into this firm. We are sorry we missed you, Robbie, when you called in N. Y.
The Gottschaldts have a lovely tropical place in Coconut Grove, where the Carpenters and Earleys enjoyed cocktails in jungle-like surroundings. Later the Gottschaldts had a nice visit with Hittie and Reed Montgomery (vacationing and attending a Beer Ass'n Directors' meeting). Mentioning only a few, Bee and A 1 have avacado trees, lime, orange, grapefruit and mango trees and airborne orchids growing out of the chimney walls Happy to report that white-haired Jim Carpenter tanned more than a Seminole Indian from the tropics, survived in his cabana from a bookie raid and really looks swell. And how he chuckled over the collect call he and Bennie Mugridge made at 4 a.m. from Miami to Steve Mahoney in N.Y. Said Jim, "Steve was on the hook and squirming before he realized we were not his Florida client." Last but not least, was the enjoyable anticipation of seeing Louise and Pat Case in St. Petersburg, and great was the disappointment to find their attractive apartment but not find them in. Pat may be in N.Y. this summer and BillChristgau and all of us sure would be glad to see you, Pat.
We are happy to report that good old DocJoe Quincy, who was the Arthur Murray at the 20th reunion in the Alumni Gym, is coming along nicely after a heart upset three months back, and Joe already is looking forward in another 6o days to complete recovery and being back on the job again, as one of Boston's prominent surgeons on Commonwealth Avenue.
John O'Gara's much-beloved go-year-old mother passed away in Florida in February, and the class extends its sympathy, Johnny. Seen at the swanky Flagler hard-to-get-in apts. at Delray Beach (booked through JohnnyThayer—both he and Adair looked fine), with a gorgeous color-lighted pool, were welltanned Katy and Ev Young with daughter Carol (Ev with his 4th nose, deep sea-green nylon trunks and grey-patterned "little print"), who enjoyed all of Feb. in Delray after a week's peep at the high spots in Cuba. As an outstanding contractor, Ev built the beautiful Hartsdale Golf Club, much of the building for huge Reader's Digest and, in addition to fine homes, Ev is doing industrial plants in N.Y. and Conn March 8 letter from AI Gustafson says in part, "I dislike to tell you about my condition, which I try to minimize. On the brighter side I am very thankful for everything I have so much to be grateful for, in spite of my being on the shelf, so to speak. Ask good old Chris Christgau to send me a menu of 'lB's NY party at Commodore, April 12, and ask the boys to autograph it for me."
Bill Colby is Pres. of the Concord chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution Leon Dodge was elected as selectman at Alton, N. H. town meeting and at Hanover Stumpie Barr was voted in as town auditor (thanks, Jake Bingham) At the D club of Wash., D. C. (Dick White is pres.) Larry Pope gave a very interesting talk on the storage warehouse and long distance moving business, touched up with his well-known humor. .... Marion and Lewis Lee were grandma and grandpa on March 18, when son Mike's Gary arrived When Nancy and Red Hulbert were guests of his Excellency John M. Chang, the Korean Ambassador, at the award ceremony for Homer B. Hulbert 'B9 (Red's father, now deceased) the citation read, "For sacrificial service rendered as a labor of love to the cause of freedom and independence of Korea."
Bill Christgau and his white-haired father with the County Cork smile, Stephen Patrick Mahoney, had great pleasure in driving Ted Hazen back from Hanover's Fathers and Sons dinner to Holyoke and there in Calvary Cemetery Chris visited again the plot of the Mahoney dynasty, where the car promptly got stuck in the mud and Chris had to take a week off to recover from pulling it out (as well as the potent spirits enjoyed with Bill Reilly and Paul Erwin) Mildred Le Fevre had a major operation in March and is now doing nicely—daughter Elaine is back with the State Dept., also in Wash., D. C„ after being thrown from a horse last Oct. .... Mary and PaulMather sure had a wonderful time all over Europe.
Rog Howland, agent for the splendid New England Mutual (oldest of all), figures the class is a bit ahead on mortality. "The AE tables indicates that of a group 18 years of age (that's us in 1914) there would be 70.9% surviving in 1950 or 36 years later. The CSO '4 l table would indicate 80.2%. Against these our experience (440 in 1914 less 61 already gone ahead) would stand at 86%. So one may say '18 is about 15% ahead of the old table; about 6% ahead of the new."
AT AN ADVERTISING RECEPTION given by Sinclair Refining Cos. for newspaper men in New York, Feb. 8, this Dartmouth foursome attended: (I to r) Roy L. Rubel '2O of Cresmer & Woodward; Steven P. Mahoney 'lB of Burke, Kuipers & Mahoney, newspaper representatives; Charles F. McGoughran 20, Sinclair sales manager; and Sylvester M. Morey 'lB of Morey, Humm & Johnstone, advertising agents for Sinclair.
Secretary, 74 Trinity Place, New York 6, N. Y. Treasurer, Parkhurst Hall, Hanover, N. H. Class Agent, East New York Savings Bank, 2644 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn 7, N. Y.
