1944
Perhaps it's Green Pastures, or too much emphasis on our own studied confusion, but the best stories seem to come from abroad these days. And Fritz Hier's letter is no exception.
"The picture. Kind of a deathless capturing of a pair of us forty-plus-fours, me'n Jack Sio-bble and our skiing halves. The scene is scenic Austria, Alpine village name of Zurs. Jack tore himself away from his Army teaching duties and I vacated the refugee premises and we rendezvoused high in the hills. The picture was taken just a few minutes after our participation in the slalom race held by Frederick (brother of Hannes) Schneider ski school for the benefit of hotel guests. Well, Jack is an old skier as any Dartmouth and Aspen and Sun Valley person would know, but the Fritzer is a halfwit on skis as any Dartmouth and Westchester and Borschtcircuit person would know. The night before the day of the race the bunch of us was sittin' around glugging down Gliihweins and one Alp looked like any other Alp to all of us. Snobble pipes up and says we ought to go into the race in the morning. The chorus of ayes almost drowned out the yodeiing Schiihplatt singers. Next AM, accompanied by a dandy white wine hangover, they tied numbers on our pigeon breasts, pushed us off the edge of a cliff and there we were in a race.
"Snobble was undaunted. He swished a few magnificent swooshes, brought into play his many mountained and many races experience and came in a nifty second in a 16-man field. His time was 1:07 and the winner's was 1:06. Well, I've really got to be kind of modest about my performance. Crowding the leaders all the way, I came in one spill and about a half an hour later in 1:30. It was good for 15th place, 15th mind you ... in a field of 16. I mean, crowding the leaders all the way! Jack's wife Babs came in sth in the womens' division; my wife Joan took pictures.
"Biographically, Jack and Babs Snobble came to Europe in the late summer of 1949 and spent a year studying geology at the University of Grenoble in France. In September, 1950, Jack got a job in Stuttgart, Germany, as an educational advisor for the Army. Betwixt and between, they spent their time climbing mountains, camping out on alpine peaks, and generally chubbering it all over Europe. Jack skied often and successfully in the All-Army skiing championships held at Berchtesgarden, Hitler's old stamping ground. He quit his army job this past March, spent six weeks touring the ski resorts and attending the Avalanche School, and between now and June will tour Holland for tulips, Scandinavia for fjords and the Atlantic in order to get stateside,again for more studying."
Fritz and Joan have been in Europe for 23 months now.. . have lived successively in Bremen, Frankfurt, and now Munich. .. Fritzer with the International Refugee Organization all this while. Joan has done attendant work as an airline stewardess taking DP's to their new homes. They got home last December when Fritz accompanied the 200,000 th DP to the U. S. Less than three hours off the boat, Fritz ran into Dave Nutt in Lord and Taylors . .. and subsequently got together with Bill McElnae, John Eaton, Boog McLoud and Dale Sisson. The Hiers are now back in Europe where Fritz is continuing his duties with IRO . . . working in a Hit of free lance reporting . . . and raising boxer pups. Rocky Davidson got a little fella from the last litter.
Dick Gilman, an instructor of religion at Colby College, was recently appointed to the faculty of the summer term to teach a course in "Religion in Modern Life." Dick is a Ph.D. and has done graduate work at the University of Chicago, Boston University, and at New College in England.
Dick Mayberry, market researcher for Eastman Kodak, was recently selected as the "Man of the Month" by the Rochester Junior Chamber of Commerce. The citation placed special emphasis on his work as chairman of Boy Scout Troop 40. Dick is an Eagle Scout himself.
Li. Harry Davis, recalled to active duty, is now in Japan assigned to a strategic reconnaissance squadron ... nothing to do with Manchuria, however. Lt. Lem Arnold, Navy flier, is back in harness and is located "somewhere in the Pacific.".. . Capt. Fred Hickey is at Ft. Kobbs in the Canal Zone Walt Price has been made a Captain. .. . Bruno Larsen is back in Army Air Corps, with the 115 Bomb Sq. at Lockheed Air Terminal in Burbank Calif.
Jack Grimm, directing sales of Borden's Starlac, visited Cincinnati recently to check on his radio and TV shows. Before he had a chance to crack any whips, his television program emcee had him up before the kliegs embroiled in the MacArthnr controversy. The Voice of Borden's beat a hasty retreat to the nearest milk bar, drowned his sorrow in Starlac, and flew straight away to New York. Jack is contemplating a junket to Europe this summer.
There can't be a great deal of springtide joy in the breast of Henry Best. An accountant for the Torrington Company in Torrington, Conn., Henry has got that price roll-back hot potato.. .. Dave Little is a sales representative for the West Publishing Company in St. Paul, Minn....Joe Hatch is with DuPont in Aiken, S. C....Dick Berlin is an Insurance Adjuster for the Utica Mutual Insurance Co. in Concord, Mass....Roland Pease is in Boston working on the New England Council.
Pinky Corroon was recently elected assistant secretary of all the Corroon and Reynolds group companies and also Central Fire Agency of New York and Central Fire Agency of New Jersey. He was further appointed assistant manager of the New York Suburban and New Jersey departments. Won't leave too much time to follow the little white ball.
There must still be some McKinley Republicans around who'll stick with that old economic theory that twro can live as cheaply as one ... to wit:
Elizabeth Ann Hays of Tulsa and hometowner Ralph Pringle will be married in June. ... Louise Katz of Springfield, Mass., and DaveJudson announced their engagement in April, will set wedding day soon . .. and there'll be big doin's down in Forest, Va. on June 30 when Bruce Thompson and "Puss" Owen tread down the carpet. "Puss" is the sister of Bruce's old running mate Earl Owen... . Mary Susan Adams of Thomaston, Me., and Delbert Jackson will soon be Mr. and Mrs.
The first dispatch on the Green Derby has come thru .. . looks as though we had difficulty getting out of the gate. The men who have contributed have been very generous... but there just haven't been enough of them. It would be very helpful if you regular contributors would get in your checks early so that our agents can determine their focus for concentration. Thanks.
SKIING IN THE ALPS: Fritz Hier '44 (I) and wife Joan join Jack Snobble '44 and wife Babs in the Austrian Alps. In a slalom race held a few minutes before, Jack had taken a second, Fritz a 15th in a 16-man field.
Secretary, Center St., Box 16-A, Milford, Ohio
Treasurer, 122 South St., Hingham, Mass.
Class Agent, Patchogue Shores, E. Patchogue, L. I., N. Y.
