1931

Before getting into the Reunion news, let's go through the mail bag. A note from JackBean says:

"The Ed Brummers are proud parents of Martha Sybil, their first daughter but third child, with the handsome 7-year-old twins, Jeff and Jed. The Bill Schuldenfreis and Skeet Thomases are frequent guests at Woodbound Inn, where Peg and Ed Brummer are hosts. Ran into Eddie Shevlin, former Dartmouth boxing coach, in Boston the other day. He is a deputy sheriff of Suffolk County there and looks fine. He'd like very much to hear from Bill Alton."

Beany Thorn writes:

"From the Rotary bulletin of the Albany, N. Y., Club: 'Congratulations to Bill and Mrs. Murphy upon the arrival of William L. Murphy Jr. William Jr. will have the advantage of having four sisters to keep him in tow.'

"The frau and I just returned from a week of skiing up northward. Barbara had her mid-term week off from St. Lawrence so we picked her up there and went over to Placid to skate and ski for four days, then over to Hanover where there was snow but no skiing, and thence down to Williston to pick Craig up for a weekend at home. The DOC chubbers in our noble class should know more about the present Outing Club adventures which have taken our old happy-go-lucky, hit-or-miss, learn-by-sad-experience days and turned them into practical application with training in everything imaginable and summer jobs that make me wish I was much, much younger.

"Jim McElroy's daughter Helen is engaged but I can't find the note on it and so can't give you the name of the lucky guy. Incidentally, are there any grandfathers in the class yet? Must be some pretty close to it.

"Has anyone ever compiled a list of the writings of '31? I'd like a list and I know there have been quite a few words concocted by the brethren. The only one I have is O'Neill's story of the beaver dam. Tell the Reunion Committee to pick out some badges at least a foot square so we'll know each other. I still retain my youthful appearance but I realize you and many of the others have probably disintegrated a good deal."

Word out of Brockton says that Ken Sampson, Vice-Chairman of the School Committee, will serve his second four-year term. Ken's dad, Norman, served in the same capacity for 22 years. A special wahoo goes up from this department for Gale Freeman, Vice-President of the First National Bank in Chicago, who is making his voice heard for revisions o£ federal income and excess profits tax laws. (Never mind those bankers, Gale, put a pitch in for some of us.) Dutch Holland dropped into the office the other day and gave every evidence of thriving under the new life that he, Pat and the five youngsters have begun in Pine Plains, Duchess County, N. Y. Dutch crowds his working week into four days and then rusticates with his family for a good long week-end. The more I think it over, the more sense that makes.

A letter from Red Rolfe starts the baseball season in the right way:

"Just a note while convalescing from my recent appendix operation to comment on your wonderful letter urging our classmates to return for our 20th Reunion in June. All your arguments are good, but I think you hit the nail on the head with this thought which I quote from paragraph four: 'Sure, you can go back to Hanover at any time and live those things alone; but only at a time like this can you live them again with the same men who were a part of that first experience.' That idea hit me, for I have been more fortunate than most of you since I still spend two months of every year in Penacook and visit Hanover frequently. No place can be the same without familiar faces and old friends.

"My spirits are high as I set out for Florida and the start of the 1952 season. My surgeon tells me that an unruly appendix has undoubtedly been the cause of my colitis troubles of the past ten years. And as a warning to Messrs. Gristede, Bean.Brummer and Thompson, the surgeon took the slice out of my golf swing while I was under the knife. That, too, has bothered me for years. Unless the Tigers fall out of the league this summer, I won't be with you at Reunion, but I'll be thinking of you all just the same."

It's swell to know that the Big Red is back in shape again.

A couple of very unpleasant items have to be included in these notes. I have just recently learned that Andy Edson died last October. All I know about it is that the trouble started with an infected tooth. I have written for more details but haven't heard yet. Also, an item in the Manchester Union announces that Chuck Sumner died February 14 in West Sullivan, Me.

The next Reunion letter will give you more details of the program for June 13, 14 and 15, but right now I want you to know the names of the fellows who have already said they're going to be there come hell or high water: EdMaas and Betty from Plainfield, N. J.; FrankBlatz and Grace from Plainfield, N. J.; JohnMcDonough and Mary from Portsmouth, N. H.; Ralph Jonas and Esther from Haverhill, Mass.; Charlie Dwyer and Marion from Swampscott, Mass.; Charlie Babbitt and Cynthia and maybe their youngster from Barre, Vt.; Sid Rubin from Brooklyn, N. Y.; Bill Wilson and Edna from Princeton, N. J.; JimFrame and Janet from Medfield, Mass.; ArtEcker and Marcia with their son and daughter from Syracuse, N. Y.; George Hetfield and Jane from Plainfield, N. J.; John Boermeester and Marion from Needham, Mass.; CharlieSchneider and Ruth from Scarsdale, N. Y.; Dick Holbrook and Peg from Bedford, N. Y.; Howard Mason and Isabella with their two children from Hanover, N. H.; Frank Clarkson and Eleanor from Worcester, Mass.; AcePhinney from Manchester, N. H.; Bob Wallace from West Englewood, N. J.; Don Stoddard and Molly from Nutley, N. J.; PaulCrehan and Marie from Medford, Mass.; NickNichols and Elizabeth from Ridgewood, N. J.; George Miller and Ruth from Chenango Bridge, N. Y.: Ori Hobbs and June from West Peabody, Mass.; Hank McCarthy and Rose from Danvers, Mass.; Hank Richmond and Frances from .Nyack, N. Y.; Bill Benger and Marie from Scranton, Pa.; Ed Studwell and Gertrude from Weston, Vt.; Dick Hamilton and Nancy with their two children from Greenfield, Mass.; Al Jones from Uniontown, Pa.; Tar Snow and Mardie from Boston, Mass.; Eddie O'Connor and Margaret with their two children from Maiden, Mass.; ChuckO'Neill and Connie from Westport, Conn.; Charlie Charlton and Phyllis from Verona, N. J.; Vic King and Elizabeth with their child from Plainfield, N. J.; Ed Sieminski from Ho-Ho-Kus, N. J.; Ed Brummer and Peggy and Jack Bean and Margaret from Jaffrey, N. H.; Bill Schuldenfrei and Lee from Plainfield, N. J.; Jack Warwick from Bronxville, N. Y.; Charlie McAllister and Dot from Scarsdale, N. Y.; Bill Miller and Jo from Reading, Mass.; Sheet Thomas and Doris from Middleboro, Mass.; Beany Thorn and Eleanor from Hudson, N. Y.; Greg Moore and Mary with their child from San Antonio, Tex.; WaltGehring and Blythe from Lakewood, O.; BillMinehan from Milwaukee, Wis.; Bill Steck from .Wickliffe, O.: Johnnie Camph and Lucie and possibly their son from Glencoe, Ill.; George Nickum and Bettie with their two children from Seattle, Wash.; Sey Burge and Mary from Evanston, Ill.; Charlie Simonson and Cele from Rye, N. Y.; Parker Soule from Philadelphia; Jack Reno and Alice and possibly their two youngsters from Macomb, Ill.; Peanuts Winslow from Southport, Me.; Russ Beckwith and Betty and possibly their four offspring from Newark, N. Y.; Pete Evans from Philadelphia.

Before this column goes to press, I'm sure there'll be word from others that they'll be there but we're already late for the deadline and we've got to get this into print. Incidentally, when you see Bill Minehan in June, you'll want to congratulate him on his recent promotion to Secretary of Northwestern Mutual Life, where he's been since way back in 1932.

Secretary, 6 Walbrooke Circle, Scarsdale, N. Y Treasurer, 730 Sherman Ave., Plainfield, N. J. Class Agent, Old Orchard Rd., Clarks Green, Pa