1927

If these Class Notes seem to have too much of a Boston or New York flavor to suit some of you, I can assure you that it isn't because I'm trying to give any one section of the country an edge over any other section, but merely because I happen to have a few correspondents in those areas who feel that it is their duty to report on news that has to do with members of the Class of 1927. I'm sure that the members of the Class in other parts of the world are just as active, and just as newsworthy, but unless I get wind of your activities I can't write about them. News from the Pacific coast, from the Southwest, and from any other section would be most welcome, and if enough is forthcoming I will promise that we will have an issue of these notes without a single reference to a classmate in New England or New York. How about it?

Those of you who are baseball fans may be interested in the sequel to the story in our last issue relative to the proposed transfer of a couple of franchises, and in order to keep you up to date on the latest baseball developments I may say briefly that the move of the Browns to Baltimore was blocked by the American League, but the National League approved the proposal to move the Braves to Milwaukee, which should have made Cliff Randall very happy, while creating gloom among the Boston contingent, as it definitely puts Boston in the class of the other small towns that cannot support two ball teams. The Milwaukee team has moved to Toledo, which has taken the heat off Harry Wallace, as everyone here is more than happy to exchange a cellar team for one which has won the championship for the last two years, and all of the lawsuits have been withdrawn. Whether this all marks the end, or only the beginning, of the Class of 1927 in the professional baseball picture, only time can tell.

From the Boston Traveler and The NewYork Times, both under date of March 11, comes news that Warren D. Oliver (Shorty to us) who is a senior partner in the firm of Herrick, Smith, Donald, Farley & Ketchum, has been elected a director of Draper Corporation.

Here is an item from Joe Russakoff, which I will quote verbatim, in Joe's unique style "At the class agnts dnnr last nite —we wr reprsntd by torn gillespie, reg vincent, samwormser & mslf-hope i hvn't left anyone out-sam just married hmslf-& it seemd as tho evryone in club knew it - he said it ws his first night out in more than a month it aint the old sam who ws almst a denizn of the jernt he's a domestic Bed animule now -& seems 2 like it."

Joe is also responsible for the following item from Women's Wear Daily of March 19, 1953:

"Torrington, Conn.- Many department stores throughout the country feature Woman's Day promotions, but the W. W. Mertr Cos., here believes its own promotion is the most unusual of all

This 150-year-old store has held Woman's Day events the past 13 years, the most recent one on feb. 27. While the women employees take over complete management, the men go out on the floor not to sell, but to entertain the customers

In the spirit of the promotion, Stuart W. Cleaveland, president and treasurer, assumed the role of the Wife of the Yankee Peddler, Edgar E Heyer, vice President and secretary, became John Brown, Torrington's noted abolitionist. Others became space cadets, 'Flappers' of the 1920's, etc Mr. Cleaveland worked up to the presidency, and then became principal owner. Today he is chairman of the board, succeeded by his son Stuart, who has been with the firm 26 years."

Chuck. Burwell has resigned as general agent in Portland, Me., to join the Fred T. Jordon Agency in the same city, which is the local sales office of the Union Mutual Life Insurance Company. In his new position, Chuck will devote his full time to life underwriting and policyholder service. He went to Portland as general agent of the Aetna, for Maine, in 1947, and has been active in civic and insurance affairs as a member of the Kiwanis Club, a trustee of the South Freeport Congregational Church, president of the Cumberland Council of Churches, member of the board of the Greater Portland Vocational Counseling Service, and Secretary-treasurer of the Maine Chapter of the American Society of Chartered Life Underwriters. In addition Chuck has found time to be president of the Dartmouth Alumni Association of Maine, and to have served for many years as an Assistant Class Agent for 1927.

Fred Thompson, of Wagon Mound, N. M., has been elected majority floor leader of the New Mexico House of Representatives. Inasmuch as the Republicans hold only a 28-27 majority in the House, Fred doubtless has his work cut out for him, holding his cohorts in line.

Other political news of 1927 includes BillCusack's election as a member of the board of selectmen of Winchester, Mass., with the second highest vote in a field of six, and RudyPreuss's bid for appointment as District Court Judge in Nassau County. A final report on the latter will have to await word from one of the New York correspondents.

Rog Salinger was elected to the executive committee of the Boston Alumni Association at their annual meeting, where John Dickey spoke out against Communists in educational institutions. Among the representatives of 1927 present, in addition to Rog, were CharlieBartlett, Shorty Oliver, Bill Prescolt, JoeKelly, Tom Anglem, Doane Arnold, Bill Cusack, Brownie Freeman, Dick Bradley Fox,Larry Scammon, Bob Page, Charlie Paddock,Ding Heap and Les Battin.

Received a very welcome letter the other day from Bruce McKennan, who is with the New York Stock Exchange firm of Salomon Bros. & Hutzler in San Francisco, enclosing a beautiful picture of himself and a fishing partner with two magnificent sail fish which they had caught at Acapulco, Mexico, recently. Bruce's fish weighed 106 pounds, and measured 9 ft. 3 in. which is a lot of fish. He said that he had recently had a visit with Phil Fowler, who was just returning from the Philippines with his attractive bride Madeline. Phil had just disassociated himself from the Air Force and was on his way to New England, where he will resume his civilian status in the oil business.

Gus Buschmann sends in his claim for honors in the "first grandfather derby." His entry is a granddaughter Dorothy, born to Gus' daughter Caroline Barnes, on August 24, 1050. This moves Gus into at least a temporary lead in the "full-term" section of the derby, full-term, in this case, referring to the grandfathers stay in Hanover, not in any way to the mother. Gus is taking a sabbatical next fall, so this summer he and his wife are planning to visit Holland, Germany and Austria. Gus will stay in Austria during the fall, while his wife returns to Lewiston to rush their six school age children back to school.

Late winter visitors to the Hanover Inn included Henry Baylcs, Warren Murray, DoaneArnold and Charlie Bartlett. By the time this gets into print, I hope that I'll join that category, myself.

This should reach you just about at the halfway point in the Alumni Fund campaign. By now the early-birds" have already sent in their checks, and the rest of you are full of good intentions. Cookie is sweating, and all of his assistants are beating their brains out. $600,000 is a lot of money, even in these days but when we think of it in terms of our love for Dartmouth it isn't so much. 1927 has always done its share in meeting the needs of the College but we always seem to do it the hard way, and I mean the hard way for our Class Agent. The days between now and June 30 are all too few for all that Cookie and his assistants have to do, and if each one of you who reads this will just do what you know you are going to do before June 30 anyway, and do it right now, you will save them a tremendous amount of work and worry. You're one of the ones that they can count on, so send your check today, and let them concentrate their efforts on the really tough ones. Don't make them work on you.

WITHOUT EXAGGERATION: These sailfish were caught off Acapulco, Mexico, by Bruce McKennon 27 (r) and Ph.l Johnson '37 in March. Bruce's trophy measured 9'3" and weighed 106 lbs. His home is in San Francisco and Johnson's in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Secretary, Pine Hill Farm, West River Rd., Perrysburg, Ohio Class Agent, 128 St. Paul St., Rochester 4, N. Y.