1942
At the moment of writing (February 7), New England, which unaccountably is trying to make like New Guinea this winter, is a grim place. The monsoons are upon us, men, so run for the life rafts. It has been raining with damp vigor for 24 hours now and waders are considered de rigeur.
I've just returned from being pumped full of publicity by that indefatigible idea man, Dave Heald, and found that even his massive cheerfulness was a bit dulled by the weather. His Sunapee State Park has had two count 'em (2) skiing week-ends so far in this season which has been somewhat loosely called "winter." I can't report on Dexter Richards' health and cheerfulness, but since I haven't seen him recently I wouldn't be surprised to learn that, as a would-be ski resort operator (advt.), he has quietly slashed his wrists.
There's a bit of mail, some of it from husbands, some of it from the actual heads of families. Liz Stephens, for instance, that stalwart softball luminary, writes as of January 20: "As per usual it befalls on me to carry on the family correspondence. This time, however, I find I have no choice. Bruce was recalled to active duty, September 11, 1950, and was sent to Camp Pickett, Va. He, at first, was attached to a mobile surgical hospital but later became the assistant registrar at the U.S. Army Hospital at the base. Besides his regular duties he has found himself appointed the special services officer, a title which now involves another full time job. He recently wrote he is income tax expert for the hospital staff, too!
"Our young son Douglas, now approaching 17 months of age, and I spent six weeks before Christmas with Bruce in Virginia. Now we are home 'keeping the home fires burning' and trying to complete some of the projects begun on our home. Somehow I can't accomplish as much painting when I must make frequent pauses to rescue a lively son perched nochalantly on top of chairs, drums and kiddie cars, all stacked tower-of-Pisa fashion in his dad's chair. Doug's attempts to take his dad's place are usually a bit overdone!"
Bill Richards sends along a note and a clipping from 3561 Harley Road, Toledo 13, 0. The former states for the record that he was married in 1945 and that the Richards manse boasts a daughter Sondra Sharon, aged two. The clipping from the Toledo Blade (no date affixed) says that the shareholders of the Title Guarantee and Trust Company named Bill to the board of directors and also installed him as secretary-treasurer. He joined that organization in December, 1949, and has been assistant secretary-treasurer since then. Dick Baldwin writes., January 25:
"The year 1950 ended with a long weekend of excitement for the Baldwin clan as a daughter was born into the family on December 29. Although Billy, three years old, and myself were batching it on New Year's Eve, we were pleased to have the addition of Sue Ann. And now Dot is home with the ever-hungry Sue night feedings, alias midwatch, phooey!
"Dartmouth '42 activity in New York City, as you know, has been revolving around the first Friday of the month lunch get-togethers at the Dartmouth Club on 39th Street. Lip will be glad to know Kret has been doing a good job corralling classmates. Should Lip return to the city on one of those Fridays he will find '42s still patronizing the bar in the proverbial fashion.
"As I recall, the last time you heard from me was some time over a year ago. I was then a cliff dweller in Westfield, N. J., but as of September, 1949, we became home owners once removed by the mortgagor in the fair town of Cranford. Still with the brokerage firm of Reynolds and Company and have no immediate expectation of being placed on Uncle Sam's payroll who ever heard of destroyers?
"The only other news of importance was told to me by Warren Kreter at lunch the other day. Details will have to be filled in by someone better informed than I; but, as I recall, the expected addition to the Corwith family has arrived, within the last few days. As you know, John is with Standard Oil in Venezuela."
Dick's address, by the way, is 209 Beech Street, Cranford, N. J., and the Stephens' is 540 Springfield Street, Wilbraham, Mass.
A communique from Henry Orth '27 from the yeasty environs of Milwaukee, seems to indicate that '42 has pretty well established a cell in the Dartmouth Alumni Association of Wisconsin and is rapidly boring from within. Don Gates was recently elected secretary of that group and Goeres Hayssen was reelected treasurer. These signal events occurred on January 31 at the annual dinner of the association.
A kind note from Edward B. Wardle '99 brings the sad news that William Phillips Gibson '42, the nephew of Mr. Wardle's sister-in-law, died recently in Rhode Island. I'm sorry to report that I have no other information at the present time, but Mr. Wardle has kindly offered to prepare and send an obituary notice which will appear in next month's issue.
And now the clips. First at hand is one from the Scarsdale (N. Y.) Inquirer of November 10, with a picture of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Friez Jr. and his parents taken at the Ponte Vedra Beach Inn, where Ernie is resident manager. His wife is social director of the inn.
From the Ocean City (N. J.) Sentinel-Ledger, Nov. 30, is the account of the wedding, Thanksgiving Day, of Mrs. Maria Haines Mills, daughter of Edward C. Haines of Ocean City, and James Munro Thompson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard T. Thompson of Philadelphia. The ceremony took place in St. John's Episcopal Church, Bala Cynwyd, Pa. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson are now residing in South Portland, Me.
The New York Times on December 11 reported the engagement of Miss Luella Swanson of West Hartford, Conn., daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Swanson, to Dr. Henry F.Kramer Jr., son of Dr. and Mrs. Kramer of Brooklyn. Plans have been made for a February wedding. Hank is a member of the resident surgical staff at New York Hospital.
The Times, a journal that gets around, also reported, January 7, the engagement of Miss Mary Lou McEachern, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur W. McEachern of Greenville, S. C., to Edward Fairfield Moody Jr., of New York, son of Mr. and Mrs. Moody of Cape Elizabeth, Me. An early spring wedding is planned. Ed is an associate editor with John Wiley and Sons, New York publishers.
And still another engagement (didn't know there were this many bachelors left in the class) from the Hartford (Conn.) Courant of December 31. It is of Miss Betty Jo Warden of New York City, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry F. Warden of McComas, W. Va., to E. Burton Kierstead, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest B. Kierstead of West Hartford. A June wedding is planned. Burt is with the American Machine and Foundry Company in New York City.
The 'final item of information I have is that one Hal Eckhardt was named to the board of directors of the Dartmouth Club of New York. As if that weren't enough, he is also treasurer of the Dartmouth Club of Westchester.
There's a man to pick up those tabs for you, New Yorkers!
RECALLED TO DUTY: Bruce Stephens '42, shown above with his 18-months-oid son Douglas, was called back to active service in September. He is attached to a base hospital at Camp Pickett, Va.
Secretary, The Claremont Eagle, Claremont, N. H.
Treasurer, 357 S. Orange Grove Ave., Los Angeles, Calif.
Class Agent, 53 Orient Ave., Melrose 76, Mass.
