1917
Jim Rubel writes: "After reading Will Fitch's letter and his laudatory comments about me as a big-time writer, I hasten to pen this note and advise you and the rest of the Class that the only thing big-time about me is my seat, which grows faster than any other part of my anatomy. I did have some luck in the matter of a book brought out last year, namely No Business for a Lady (Commercial) which to date has sold well over the 300,000 mark. But! it must have been just a flash in the pan. I've had no luck in following it with a sequel as yet.
"My illness was of short duration and in a couple of weeks, things were seemingly back to normal. Smoking was removed from my list of vices, but I can still bend an elbow, which after all at my age is about all an old prostate can expect out of life.
"Had a visit last summer from Gene Towler who looks hale and hearty and. whose age I would guess at somewhere in the neighborhood of 45. I must say the years have treated him most kindly. Jib Dingwall '16 dropped in, and my only regret is that I'm just a little bit too far off the beaten track to visit with the travelling brethren.
"My daugher Jane expects to finish at UCLA this year, coming out either an interior decorator or a dress designer. James Jr. is in 2nd year of law school at USC and if Uncle Sam doesn't grab him, may perhaps manage to finish and join the FBI, at which point he can thumb his nose at the Draft Board.
"I haven't seen anything in the mag as yet about coming reunion, but I am hopeful that this year I can make it."
Perhaps there is a misconception about our 35th reunion. As you will recall, the general reunion set up was changed back in '47 so our 35th reunion will not occur until 1953. This change will bring the classes of '18 and '16 up at Hanover with us at the same time, 1953-
A letter from Bob Boynton states that SandyLynch's son, Ralph Jr. attending Dartmouth, was in an automobile accident while travelling to and from Hanover. I am sure we all hope young Sandy has fully recovered. Quoting from Bob's letter: "Gail and I are down in sunny (?) Florida for a few weeks' respite from the cold of Vermont. Expect our younger son Bill down for the holidays. He graduated from Dartmouth last spring and enlisted in the Air Force and is now stationed at Sampson.
"Did I report that I am a grandfather? Yep, older son John's wife Doris presented us with a grandson last January.
"Two football games at Hanover produced only two contacts with '17ers, Arch Gile and Trenny Trenholm."
Bruce Ludgate, Armstrong Cork Company tycoon, sends in the following:
"Things have been going along very evenly with just the usual business problems which include not enough of one thing and too much of another at some time during the year.
"Sumner Emerson dropped in to see me the other day on one of his visits to Philadelphia for a Board meeting, and I do not even get to see VicSmith too much, so I confess to being out of touch with the rest of the Class other than what I see in the ALUMNI MAGAZINE.
"The Christmas season has come and gone and about the only outstanding event for the Ludgates was the Sunday before Christmas when we had open house for Christmas carols in the late afternoon and evening and over 100 of our friends and neighbors dropped in for a bit of singing and light refreshments. Florence has a great flair for such things, because as I possibly have told you before, she is an excellent concert musician and just loves to share with others. While she ran the musical end our daughter and I acted as hosts and directed traffic between the music and the refreshments."
Howie Stockwell and his gang of AlumniFund agents are about ready to start on theannual campaign. More news from Howie inthe next issue.
We have an excellent picture of Russ andMadonna Willis (see cut) and hope this willbe the forerunner of many such family pictures during the coming months. Quote fromRuss's letter:
"I recently sent Don Brooks a check for my class dues and sent a brief note along telling him that my family had made a trip East this last summer visiting Hanover and giving my two boys their first swim in the Atlantic Ocean. He told me that he was sending the letter to you for your news items.
"I happen to have a snapshot of my wife and me and my two boys taken at Ogunquit Beach, Maine, on this summer's trip, and with the thought that maybe one of the Class might be wondering how the old so-and-so looks today, I am sending it on for you to use if you see fit. My wife is the former Miss Madonna Curran whom I married in 1939 when I lived in her home city of St. Louis, Missouri. The oldest boy, Russell L. Jr., is now 11 and the younger boy, John R. is nine. It won't be long before they will be trying to get into Dartmouth. They liked Hanover very much the day we spent there.
"I am employed here in Sterling, 111., by the Northwestern Steel & Wire Company in sales work. It is a nice place about 115 miles due west of Chicago. I don't see many of the '17 men, but met many of the alumni last fall at Ann Arbor,when Dartmouth played there. My trip East was rather hurried, so I missed seeing many I would have liked to have seen."
Bill Sewall announces the arrival of a fourthgrandchild and first granddaughter, SallyWinifred Baker on November 9. Quote from Bill's letter: "This is Cynthia's third and runs the total score of Sewall grandchildren to three boys and one girl. Grandma has been down there since November 1 and I got down for Thanksgiving and a look at the new baby. Everything is fine. With a little better luck, I would have made the Cornell game with BillEaton. An ill-timed case of food poisoning upset the plans just enough to prevent making it so I have not seen the team at any time this year."
A note from Doc Walters to the effect that he and his family are in good health and figuring on their annual vacation this winter.
The above brings to mind that John S. Packard '25, manager of the Royal Park Inn, "A Treadway Inn," operates a regular reunion headquarters for any Dartmouth men from March 25 to April 15. Any Dartmouth men going down that way might contact Packard for special reservations.
Gil Swett, our Bequest Chairman, sends in as follows: "Just plain tired out I guess. Going South next week, returning in late January with some new pep to put into this job. The first project will be to get you and Siimmie and Don over for a pow-wow on this new set-up."
Quote from Dan Harris: "Polly forwarded your recent letter received at our Virginia home. It was very nice to hear from you. I wish I could reply with a bang-up report concerning myself, but really I lead a very humdrum sort of life. I've been with this bunch of associates for 12 years. Most of the firm's activity is with industrial firms on management problems, but I seem to end up on assignments for government agencies. At first they had one advantage, they took me abroad quite a bit and I've always enjoyed foreign travel, but that novelty has worn off and I'll be just as glad if I don't have to ever again board an overseas plane.
"May I talk upon my favorite topic—my family? Dan Jr. '40, whom you met at our 20th, I think, has never married. After the Army Air Corps he went on to take a doctor's degree in astronomical mathamatics and at the moment he's assistant director at Yerkes Observatory of the University of Chicago. His golf is just as deadly as when he played on the Dartmouth golf team and I find a vacation weekend in his company a very expensive pastime.
"Chet '44, who left college before graduating, however, to enter the service, is married and has one daughter heading for Vassar. They live in Warrenton on our place and Chet manages the operation. Under his bossing it has grown to be a sizable enterprize. If you like pure bred cattle and good hunters, keep our address in your little book and drop in on us. Warrenton is about 40 miles south of Washington, easy to reach, and if you will come I promise you'll find Virginia very delightful.
"Margot, my third and youngest, is married. She picked a swell boy with an Annapolis background. They have two children, the oldest thinks he wants to be a Navy flyer too, just like his pop, and the youngest, a girl charmer, was by coincidence born the same day as your letter was dated, October 9.
The following letter from Elizabeth Poor Middleton, Box 359, Lenox, Mass., is a very interesting one and I suggest if any of you men have any of the material involved, please contact Mrs. Middleton.
"Last April, the ALUMNI MAGAZINE published a letter of mine requesting of the Alumni contributions of any memoir material they might have of my father, the late Prof. John Poor. To date, the response to that request has been very disappointing. Among those people at Dartmouth with whom I have talked, the idea that such a collection be made has received favorable to enthusiastic reactions—but that is all.
I am now contacting each Class Secretary hoping that they may be interested to bring this material, I am sure must exist, out of hiding. Thus this appeal to you.
I shall appreciate very much your efforts to help me."
Quote from the New York- Club News:"Gene Towler '17 will demonstrate, with very slight encouragement, the fascinating camera (size of a cigarette package) which is the apple of his very discerning eye."
Harold S. Walker, having resigned as Swampscott's Civil Defense Director, is now at 2 Thomas Circle, Marblehead, Mass., in the capacity of District Public Works Office, 6th Naval District, Naval Base, Charleston, S. C.
Visitors at the Hanover Inn: Mr. and Mrs.Ralph Sanborn and Mr. Mel Palin.
SUMMER REMINDER: Russell L. Willis '17 (r) traveled from Sterling, 111., to give his family a first glimpse of the sea. Shown at Ogunquit last July are (I to r): Russell Jr., Mrs. Willis, and John.
Secretary, 408 Frelinghuysen Ave., Newark 5, N. J. Treasurer, 9 Park Terrace, Upper Montclair, N. J. Bequest Chairman, 77 Harrison St., Verona, N. J.
