1932
The bright autumnal colors and chipper atmosphere of New Hampshire and Vermont were found to exist in the Middle West recently when the members of our Class convened, at Ed and Jean Eichler's invitation, at the Fin 'n Feather Farm on Sunday, October 4. The scene of our annual fall outing was set in the rolling hills of the beautiful Fox River valley near Dundee, III., about fifty miles west of Chicago. We had a very good turnout for this highlight in our Class's local activities. Among those present were Bob and JerryAckerberg, Gene and Monnie Fitch, Bob andPeggy Gould, Dave and Adie Kirby, Jack andMarty McRae, Ed and Marion Miller, and a friend of theirs, Peg Winters, Sam and MaryMoore, Bob and Betty Riddell, Whip andAdeline Walser, John and Midge Sheldon, two friends of the Eichlers, Joe and Barbara Estes, Evie and the undersigned.
We assembled at around 1:30 P.M., near the concluding moments of the fifth game of the World Series. On the program was a copious quantity of beer and diverse games. This was followed by hamburgers, cooked and served in the open air, baked beans, salad, and more beer. Unlike our picnic at the 20th reunion, we did not have a stirring speech by ButchModarelli, or his counterpart, Whip Walser. We did not have a wild cow chasing a scared colored cook across the landscape. We did have, however, a good opportunity to get caught up on the various activities, personal, family and business-wise, of our various classmates.
Following the picnic, Ed and Jean invited those of us who could stay to join them before the big open fireplace in the new addition to their house. We listened to a number of recordings. One was a stirring speech by WhipWalser made at a picnic at Jean and Ed's about five years ago. Although the effects of time, international travel and operation of a big-time farm-implement business over three or four continents have somewhat mellowed Whip and caused him to become somewhat more conservative than in his undergraduate carpetbagger days, he still has the free and easy manner and wanderlust at heart which so characterized him back in Hanover 25 years ago. He leaves for South America soon.
One idea which developed at this time was that of having a class winter carnival or weekend somewhere in the country later in the winter. Bob and Peggy Gould extended an invitation for such a party in February at their home near Barrington, about 35 miles north and west of Chicago. This novel idea is something which the plans and events committee of our local class organization is working out. We are all keeping our fingers crossed that the fact that some beer other than Pabst was served at the picnic won't cause Bob to give the venture up.
It was announced recently in a New York paper that Harrison Harper had been appointed district manager of the New York office of Dun & Bradstreet, Inc. Harry started with this organization in 1933. His first capacity was that of a credit reporter. He has had numerous assignments and responsibilities with the company since. Until recently he been district manager for the State of New York. This entailed the supervision of all service activities of his company throughout the state.
Charlie Ryan has been appointed general attorney for the New England Telephone and Telegraph Co. The highly successful rate cases which Charlie has handled for his clientemployer since World War II provide ample justification for praise of Charlie's good work, as well as reason for New England Bell designating Charlie as a general attorney. Incidentally, in one of the more recent rate cases before the Massachusetts Public Utilities Commission, Charlie had occasion to call upon our recent Class prexy, Marv Chandler, to testify as an expert in the field of valuation, equity- debt ratio, and matters of general corporate finance.
Speaking of persons who get around in this world, I would like to mention the activities of Bo Wentworth. In July I received a letter from him mailed in San Francisco. More recently I received a post card from him mailed in Limerick City, Ireland. Bo reports that in going to California, he traveled west by way of Canada, visiting his company's offices in Winnipeg, Calgary and Vancouver. In the course of this trip, he had an opportunity to spend a weekend at Banff and Lake Louise. Among other things, he comments in his letter:
"The purpose of this epistle is to report that as a result of seeing your comment on Alf McLaughlin in a recent issue of the ALUMNI MAGAZINE, I 'phoned him while in Winnipeg. We had a nice, though brief, visit together, high-lighted by lunch at his attractive golf club, which, appropriately enough, carries an Indian name. Unfortunately I can't recall it. Alf looked well, having recovered from a stomach ailment which has evidently plagued him for some years. He says that business in the Western Gypsum Co. with which he is associated is excellent and well ahead of last year which is not surprising when one sees Canada's present expansion. He also reports he is a grandfather (via his daughter), one of the first in the Class no doubt, and that he has a son who will be seriously thinking of college within the next few years."
Congratulations are in order for WalterRushmore, recently elected president of the Dartmouth Long Island Association.
I received a welcome letter from DickHazen, in which he made certain comments about his various personal and professional activities. Dick reports as follows:
"We have managed to keep a roof over our heads since I opened my office about two years ago. It keeps us busy either we have our hands full or else are looking around to find some more work to do. The latter has required the preparation of a good many technical papers, appearances at meetings, etc., all of which are supposed to be good professional promotion. The most interesting work that we have had has been the design and supervision of construction of a complete water supply system and a sewage system for Monrovia, the capital of Liberia, West Africa. The job is not especially large, but poses many problems that one does not encounter when nearer to the source of supply of equipment and materials. I have made several trips to Liberia in the past year or two and expect that I will go over again next month. The job has provided a nice opportunity for coming home by way of Europe, which has been very pleasant.
"The kids grow up fast. Chris is in high school and the two girls are coming along close behind. I finished six years' service on the local school board last summer and jumped from the frying pan into the fire by going on the board of directors of the Children's Village. The Children's Village is a home for delinquent and disturbed boys in Dobbs Ferry, not unlike Boys' Town. I notice from the statistics that we have quite a few boys from Cook County and other midwestern areas. It is hard to realize what messes some of the kids get into until you study a few case histories."
Charlie and, Ginnie Doerr stopped off in Chicago recently on their way back east from a vacation trip to San Diego via the Twin Cities. Having spent several years in this California vicinity prior to World War II, Charlie and Ginnie had a grand time visiting with friends there. John Sheldon and I had the pleasure of a luncheon visit with them while they were in Chicago. Charlie has recently taken over a very interesting job of heading up a company-wide executive training program for McKesson & Robbins.
Secretary, Suite 1100, 11 So. LaSalle St., Chicago 3, III. Treasurer, 144 Brixton Rd., Garden City, N. Y. Memorial Fund Chairman, Bay Crest, Huntington, L. I., N. Y.
