1916
By the time you read these lines, General"Stew" Paul will be noticing the increasing warmth of the Florida sun, Horace Fishback, in Brookings, S. D., will be remarking to his chauffeur whilst driving to the bank, "Joe, did you notice the drifts on Main Street are down to five feet this morning?" Shorty Hitchcock, in Altadena, Calif., will be working on a good excuse as to why he should not go out and dig up the south forty for a new rose bed, and Alec Jar dine will be wandering around the country trying to decide what part of it to live in. Bill McKenzie, Jim Coffin and I will have other things on our minds. And while we are talking of sure things, I might add the prediction that Cliff Bean will be seen on and off at Hanover Inn, in the course of his routine on behalf of this and that interest of the College, which in the days ahead will demand some looking out for. The Beans, by the way, were at the Inn in January at the same time Dick Parkhurst was.
Gene Chase, who, as you know, is Professor of Government at Lafayette College, is the author of a new book recently published by McGraw-Hill, entitled The United Nations inAction, which, from the description, covers the entire history of the United Nations to date, from its origin to the end of 1949. At the moment, it appears that Gene may be called upon to write a sequel, chronicling the United Nations in Non-Action, but the international situation may be entirely different a month from now.
Jack Childs, Secretary of '09 and another Ohio alumnus both sent me clippings from a Cleveland newspaper, showing a cartoondrawing of Fletch Andrews, and praising himso lavishly that I cannot resist quoting partof it, so that other classes perusing thesenotes may have an idea of how important aman Fletch is, aside from his natural eminence due to membership in the Class of 1916.The clipping says with enthusiasm:
"If 'Fletch' Andrews isn't this town's most gifted toastmaster, he certainly is close to it. In fact, at the moment of writing we can't think of anyone to push him off that lectern. Yesterday noon, at the Cuyahoga Bar Association's annual awards lunch, where five public servants were deservedly recognized for their years of faithful devotion, the tall, spare, friendly, intellectually wide-awake dean literally stole the show. For many years 'Fletch' sparked the Community Chest meetings, spiced up other gatherings around the community. Not alone with his inexhaustible treasure of astonishingly apt anecdotes, stories, etc., but with his shrewd insight, his slyly inspiring 'lift.' Around America he is regarded as one of the best law school deans. Had he chosen to be a practicing lawyer rather than an educator of lawyers, he undoubtedly would have risen high in his profession. As a judge he would be an excellent one, and, by the way, a hard-working and effective one, with courage, humaneness and stature. Perhaps what we're getting around to saying in paying 'Fletch' Andrews this compliment as the town's foremost toastmaster, and wishing we could observe him oftener in this capacity, is that he is one of our greatest civic, legal and human assets. Just a swell guy, anyway you look at him is what we mean." Well, the man who wrote that won't get any argument from the Balmacaan.
Comes from Sam Cutler, the Viscount of Varnish, a clipping from the Boston SundayHerald, with a picture of Anne Currier Steinert, Bob's very handsome daughter, and looking unmistakably like him. The occasion was a Beacon Hill tea of the Circle, an organization of "last year's debs." Anne is the President of the Circle, naturally.
A crowded and roisterous Government postcard arrived from Santa Barbara, containing the following messages. From Alec Jardine: "It behooves you to come here and see living as it should be Jan. 23 and 80 degrees, flowers everywhere summer is rampant, oranges and grapefruit, avocados and such, yours for the asking. Lovely country, lovely people."
From Lucile Eskeline: "Please come to California and rescue the Dartmouth boys. They enjoy it a little too much." From Esky himself: "Was expecting you out here for the barbershop chord meeting." From "Honeychile" Jardine: "Wish you were here sho nuff." From Louie Bell: "Why don't you come out and see us here in Santa Barbara? Cheers" And from Mary Bell: "We are all waiting." Naturally, so much concentrated attention turned my head, more or less. I had planned to take in that San Francisco barbershop society convention, and see those Balmacaaners in Southern Cal., but I couldn't take Betty on a service plane, so we are going to do our basking this year at Daytona Beach, Fla. Maybe we can drive past Stew Paul's orange estancia.
Ed Kirkland, who, as you know, is taking a semester as a visiting professor at the University of Wisconsin, now resides at 43 Ely Place, Madison 5, Wisconsin. Bob Dana, whose undergraduate picture peers handsomely out of my Aegis, has registered two addresses with the College, 540 Atlantic Ave., and 3414 Beacon St., Boston, and I am not familiar enough with Boston to know which is his business address and which his residence.
I am very sorry to record the sudden death of Karl Shedd's daughter Dorothy at the New England Deaconess Hospital, December 15. She was a therapeutic dietitian at the hospital. What made her death especially tragic was that the news came to Karl while he was confined to his bed after a cerebral hemorrhage, suffered as he was returning to Athens, Ga., from a meeting he had addressed in Knoxville, Tenn. Those who were at our reunion last July will recall that Dorothy attended with Karl and Mrs. Shedd. She left an infant son. I know that all classmates will want me to convey their sympathy to Karl and Mrs. Shedd in their hour of tragedy. Karl says he is slowly regaining his health, although he has been forced to give up his work for one quarter. He hopes to be back in harness for spring quarter, and our good wishes are with him. Karl has always been a loyal and interested member of 1916 and only his distance from Hanover and the demands which the teaching profession makes on all faculty members in June of each year prevented his regular attendance at reunions.
Since starting this column again, after ashort delay, I have received a letter from theJardine, dated Los Angeles, where he andHoney Chile will take an apartment for awhile, visiting daughter Janet. Says as follows:
"Left Wellesley Dec. 11 for L.A. stopped over night only in N. Y., Wash., Raleigh, Augusta, Ga., Meridian, Miss., Marshall, Tex., Ft. Worth and Van Horn, Tex., Tucson and Phoenix, Ariz. Found Janet had secured a furnished apartment six miles from her home. We plan to be here till about Feb. 20, when I'll drive Estelle to Tucson, and I may fly on into Washington for a few days; I think I'd like to get busy during the emergency and find me something to do with the Government where my experience could be of some use.
Had dinner with the Dinsmoors and had a wonderful time. Dan has been out of town a lot, in the desert at Trona. A week ago Estelle and I drove to Santa Barbara and we had two delightful days there; Eskie and his grand wife Lucille sure took us around to see the town. Santa Barbara is a jewel of a town rising up from the sea to the mountains back of it. Beautiful homes, beautiful buildings climate so warm and nice. It has everything but industry and they won't let industry in for fear of smog. Had dinner Tuesday evening at Eskie's Louie andMary Bell were there (see my mention of postcard above F.S.W.) and a real 1916 time was had by all. The party lasted pretty late or was it early. The next day Eskie drove us to the desert back of the mountains. We had delightful lunch at the Ojai Valley Country Club, owned by Irene Dunn. After lunch we drove back to S.B. and shoved off for L.A. Took two days to rest up."
Jack English (without whom no 1916 column would be complete), and I correspond from time to time, largely about barbershop quartets; last letter Jack described the Old Timers, a quartet whose ages range from 56 to 73. You Bostonians have probably heard them sing. Jack is in fine spirits and why shouldn't he be?
Clint Greenwood writes from Farmington, Me.: "I've been reading the paper and listening to the radio. If it gets too cold down there this winter come up to Franklin County, Me. Thermometers indicate Maine is up and coming as a winter resort for those who don't like extremely cold weather." It's almost down to zero in Washington tonight. (Shivers.) Send me some news and I'll write a newsletter.
GREAT ISSUES LECTURER: Edward C. Kirkland 'l6, Professor of Economic History at Bowdoin College, spoke to Dartmouth seniors January 15 on "Free- dom and Communism in the Colleges and Univer- sities." He is former President of the American Asso- ciation of University Professors.
Secretary, Dartmouth House, 8608 Broad Brook Dr., Bethesda, Md.
Treasurer, 27 Concord St., Nashua, N. H.
Class Agent, 97 Mayfield Ave., Akron 3,0.
