1926
Since the last writing (to borrow a phrase from Parker Merrow, columnist extraordinaire of that grand old class of 1925, which plagued us so much 30 years ago this fall), a great deal has happened. Another class has graduated at Hanover, the new class of 1956 has entered and the summer vacations are at an end. The Secretary has had to go back to writing up the class news again.
As you will recall, we left off last June on the note of Commencement, and the ever growing list of '26 sons who are now becoming alumni. We didn't mean to leave Henry Andretta off the list of 1952 fathers. Our Hanover correspondent inadvertently omitted George's name. We also understand that a correction is due Jesse Morgan whose son Jesse Jr. has one more semester to go. Apologies to Henry and Jesse!
Gentlemen, do you realize that we are now celebrating the 30th Anniversary of our matriculation at Dartmouth College. If your memory is still sharp after those three decades, you will remember that a spirited election was held in the fall and our class organized with Spud Plummer as President; Tiny Marsans, Vice President; Jack Tarr as Secretary; Fred Hurd, Treasurer; and CharlieStarrett, College Club Representative. (Charlie, weren't you the last College Club Representative in Dartmouth history?) How FredHurd broke into that freshman football team winning ticket is still a mystery 30 years later. The fact that Fred held the office for three years, which is longer than any other single continuous undergraduate officer of our class, must indicate his financial wisardry was easily discernible by his classmates at an early age.
Where are these stalwarts today who so long ago led us through those first hectic months of Delta Alpha, football rushes, The Picture Fight and other mazes of a beginning class?
In reverse order, Charlie Starrett probably needs the least comment, for the international fame of our "Durango Kid" speaks for itself. The idol of Columbia Studios and the preteenage generation lives pleasantly in Beverly Hills, Calif., turning out 40 westerns a year. You have also heard much of his wife Mary and the twins.
Fred Hurd, after a notable record in college, received his M.A. at the University of Chicago and taught one year at Skidmore College. Fred continued on to Harvard for his M.B.A. He then entered business as a salesman with Standard Brands in 1929. However, after having demonstrated such a flair for finance as our perennial class treasurer, he entered that field as his ultimate career. He began in the investment business with Moody's Investors Service and then went with the Investment Banking Houses of J. & W. Seligman & Co., and Calvin Bullock (Ed Hanlon's firm). Since 1941, Fred has been with Brundage, Story & Rose in New York. At the Princeton game last fall he looked unchanged from undergraduate days.
Jack Tarr, our first Secretary, left college alter sophomore year and returned to his native West Virginia. He married Frances Courtney o£ Uniontown, Pa., at the time of our graduation. Jack has been successively a banker, operator of a Curtis-Wright Flying Service, Salesman for Shell Oil and Weirton Steel. Since 1941 he has been Engineer for the E. I. DuPont Co. at Morgantown, W. Va. During our Washington days as Assistant Class Agent, it was always good to correspond with Jack, and his voice sounded just the same as ever over the telephone on one of his visits to the Capital.
R. L. Marsans Jr., Vice President. Our ebullient Tiny of swimming, football and Thespian fame remained in Hanover as manager of a select eating club and assisted in the coaching of freshmen football teams. For the past 12 years, he has been active in teaching and the operation of summer camps. He married Adele M. Zeuller of Brooklyn in 1933. Tiny was at the 25th reunion and inspired the observation from President Dickey at our banquet that of all the changes in the class of 1926, Marsans was the most changed man of them all. But always for the better, Tiny!
Paul G. Plummer, like Jack Tarr, left college at the end of sophomore year. Little was heard from Spud as he became a superintendent for Central Monte Liana, a sugar plantation in Santo Domingo. The news of his death on August 20, 1930, as a result of an automobile accident at North Andover, Mass., in which his bride of two weeks and Edwin G. Xash, former English instructor at Dartmouth, were also.killed, came as a shock to his many friends in our class.
Reports throughout the summer contain further successes of our class members.
Stewart "Junk" Anthony, whose eagle eye guarded the nets of our hockey teams as ace goalie, has given the same protection over the years to the funds of the Cleveland Trust Cos. as a member of their Real Estate Loan and Corporate Trust Departments. Since his efforts were so successful, he was named Secretary of that Cleveland, 0., banking institution in July.
Another Cleveland banker to gain recognition is our Dick Randall, who has been promoted from Assistant Vice President to Vice President in the Trust Department of the National City Bank of Cleveland.
Hubert A. Des Marais has been named General Sales Manager of Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Cos. of Washington by President Fred C. Shanaman '24. Gob was formerly Pacific Coast Sales Manager for the General Dyestuff Corp. in San Francisco. This change will require moving to his new headquarters in Tacoma, Wash. Sounds like the old days in the Sigma Chi house again.
Another Dartmouth-dominated company is that of Weekly Newspaper Representatives, Inc., a new corporation merging the sales work of the American Press Association, of which Don Robinson is Vice President, and the National Editorial Association. Charles Moran '21 is President and Joel Harris '15 is Sales Manager.
Don Hoffman stopped off at Cleveland one day last summer and recommends that the class members start reading Father of theBride. His daughter Joan was married on August 2. Courtney Brown, please take notice -he and Marge announced the engagement of their daughter Joanne on August 30.
George Champion and Hub Harwood joined John Adams and Jim Landauer, both of the class of '23, to make up a delegation of Dartmouth fathers in June at the Madeira School commencement in Washington, D. C. All had daughters in the graduating class.
It is our sad duty to report since the last column the deaths of Thede McFadden, brother of Les McFadden, on May l and BillNigh on July 30. Further information on each of our classmates is contained in In Memoriam of this issue.
The summer reunion and meeting of the Executive Committee was held under ideal weather conditions over the weekend of August 22-23-24. Those in Hanover for this thoroughly enjoyable-occasion were Charlie andLois Abbott and daughter Sally, Hub Harwood, Stewart Orr and son David, Okey andHelen O'Connor, Bob and Clyth Patten, Donand Dot Norstrand, with daughter Sigma and son Pete, Harry Fisher, Harold and MarionMarshall, Sid and Barbara Hayward, Jack andDot Roberts, Ken and Helen Weeks, Dan andSally Drury, Charlie and Helen McKenna and son Charlie Jr. After an epic struggle, the 1926 Tbundermug, trophy of golf prowess, was regained by Harry Fisher from Hal Marshall who had captured it at the August, 1951, reunion. The highlight as always was the picnic at Keenes' on Saturday night. The hamburgers were thicker than ever and the ice cream and cake more luscious. The surprise of the weekend was the announcement of Stew Orr's engagement to Miss Mary Louise Betten who accompanied him on the picnic.
At the meeting Sid Hayward announced that Ritchie Smith gave a modest gift to the library in lieu of flowers in memory of HillNigh. This beautiful thought was the inspiration for action by the Executive Committee to give a book appropriately marked to the library in the name of the Class of 1926 as a memorial to each deceased classmate and a card to his family of notification.
Speaking of reunions, we are now ready to start the football season with several good opportunities this year for our get-togethers. Make a careful note of the following:
Army at West Point October 11
After the game meet at the cocktail lounge of the Thayer Hotel on the reservation. This will give you a chance to let the traffic clear up on those narrow roads going home.
Harvard at Cambridge October 25
Don Norstrand has arranged the same grand party as last year. Meet at Smith House, 500 Memorial Drive, Cambridge at 11:30 a.m. for cocktails and luncheon. 1:10 p.m. embark on chartered boats for the stadium and return on same after the game to the Smith House parking area.
Yale at New Haven - November 1
Harry Fisher announces the annual class picnic at the same place (opposite portal 3, inside gate, Yale Bowl) and same time preceding the game.
Princeton at Princeton - November 22
Jack Roberts has made arrangements for holding a picnic on the lawn of the Terrace Club, Washington Road, which is but a stone's throw from Palmer stadium. Be there at 12 noon and if the usual poor weather prevails, the meeting place will be in the billiard room on the second floor.
See you all this fall!
EUROPE BOUND: Prof. Francis E. Merrill '26 (foreground) relaxes with George Champion '26 and family on board the "Queen Mary." Also in the picture are Miss Emily Champion (I) and Mrs. Eleanor Champion; Emmy Merrill who was with "Red" in France for the summer escaped the cameraman.
Secretary, 500 Terminal Tower, Cleveland 13, O. Treasurer, Kennedy's, 30 Summer St., Boston 10, Mass.
