1916
Julia (Mrs. Phil) Nordell, of Ambler, Pa., has just hit a very gratifying high spot in her career as an artist, at the fifth annual exhibition of paintings of the Lansdale, Pa., Art League. Julia entered five paintings and received the silver medal presented by the Rotary Club of Lansdale for the best water color Her painting was entitled "Barney's Joy, Buzzards Bay." She also received first honorable mention in the same division for "Bayou Lafourche, Louisiana." It is fine to see Julia, Who is really an artist of great ability and talent, receive this recognition.
I had not expected to send in this contribution to the class notes for this issue, having nothing to write about, and being about to take Off for Florida, and I notified the editor to that effect. However, I could not get an air hop to Florida (Admiral Ted Lonnquest '17 offered me a ride in his plane, but it was to Dayton, not Florida), so in desperation I am writing the column as usual, and some news has come in the last two mails which will help.
By the time you read this I shall have attended the class officers' meetings in Hanover, after a two-year absence, and I am looking forward to it, and hoping that this year it is an early spring and not the damp and gloomy facsimile thereof that I encountered in previous years on this occasion.
The New York Herald Tribune for February 5 (which just comes to me, since Erwin Gifford missed this one) repeats rumors about a new chairman for the Federal Maritime Board, and quotes Dick Parkhurst as denying that the post had been offered to him, and adding that he is very happy in his present job.
Dewitt Stillman writes that he saw the picture of Carl Eskeline in the ALUMNI MAGAZINE. "The face looks a touch familiar, but I can't place the body." Dewitt brings me up to date on himself by saying that he battled ill health for a few years but is pretty pert nowadays, living in a northwest suburb of Chicago and having fun working on his place there. He is semi-retired, and on some special work in Chicago that does not keep him tied down too much. He asks about an interim reunion. He could be induced to attend one in New York since son Donald '41 lives in Darien, Conn. He has two other sons, one Cornell '44 and one Colgate '45. All married. Two were Naval officers, one an Air Force captain, and all home unscathed from plenty of action. Dewitt closes by saying he still has the same wife Dorothy.
Gen. Stew Paul was tendered a dinner at Engineers Club in Boston on April 18, by the general officers of the present 26th (Yankee) Division. At a dinner at the YD Club the next day, veterans of the YD presented a portrait of General Paul to the YD Club. Six of the 1916 Clan gathered at the Sheraton Plaza to give Stew a welcome to Boston. Although it was a holiday weekend and many of the boys were out of town, Gil Tapley, Cliff Bean,Frank Bobst, Bob Steinert, Jack Kittredge and Gus Brown were on hand. Jack English wrote me: "If you know the YD and their loyalty to Gen. 'Daddy' Edwards, you will realize the place Stew has in the YD hearts when they sang their Daddy Song about Stew. Believe me, that is the highest tribute that could be paid to Stew by the YD." I helped dock the Agamemnon at Commonwealth Pier in 1919 when she brought back a contingent of the 26th Division and General Edwards was on the pier to greet them, and what a cheer they gave the old man.
Had a brief letter from Sam Thieme with a clipping about Rear Admiral John W. Roper, who was retiring from his post as commander of the nth Naval District. The reason, all the Ropers were boyhood friends of mine, including Uncle Dan, former Secretary of Commerce.
John Ames writes from Japan enclosing the menu of what he calls a typical Japanese meal hot green tea with soy bean cakes, cold pickled herring, eggs, with shavings of dried tunafish and hot sake, various raw fishes, meatballs, mushrooms in a soup, cold crab meat, cold pork, mushrooms and prawns stuffed with boiled egg, more tea, strawberries with cream and coffee. John says he hasn't acquired nearly enough time for rotation home yet.
In Habana, Cuba (all right, spell it your way), Chuck Durgin has been promoted to vice president of the First National Bank of Boston, a powerful and flourishing institution in Latin American countries. The Habana newspapers says: "Una cordial felicitation enviamos viamos por este medio a uno miembro de la colonia norteamericano de esta capital, altamenta menta estimado en nuestro circulos sociales: C. F. Durgin ha sido designado vicepresidentede The First National Bank of Boston."
Charlie Brundage invites me to drop in at his farm in New Jersey some time and have a drink of home-brew or milk, or anything else. He favors a reunion any time, any place.
Phil Nordell has a bougainvillea vine growing up through his back porch. That is a beautiful vine, but it has no business in Ambler, Pa., so Phil decided a long time ago to cut it down. He has cut it down several times but it keeps on coming up, and now has a lot of beautiful blossoms. I think the doggone thing does that just to irritate Phil, who knows it doesn't make sense for a bougainvillea to have blossoms in Pennsylvania.
Max Spelke has developed a bad heart and has had to retire from active business. Chin up, Max! We're with you.
Dan Dinsmoor phoned me one day, in Washington for a rush meeting, and headed for New York for another meeting, and then for a weekend with the Browns in New Hampshire. Dan probably went back to Los Angeles with some new stories a la Bob Brown.
Young Jack English is still touring, last I heard, with Joni James, and Carolyn English is still singing with the ten Colbyettes. The guy who told me this (and you can guess who) claims they are good.
A clipping from an East Aurora, N. Y., newspaper gives Dave Shumway credit for the success of the local basketball team last season. The paper says: "A mysterious figure in the world of business and finance, Mr. Shumway shuttles back and forth between East Aurora and Buffalo at high speed. While observing the West Seneca game from a seat in the stands, he took his first soundings, realized his help was needed, learned that he could bring about a favorable result by standing instead of sitting. Subsequently he made several mysterious trips to Buffalo, and then for four weeks he stood up at each game, remaining completely aloof from the bleachers. The team won steadily." It goes on to say that Dave changed his tactics and decided the team would win if he sat down at the Medina game. The team won again. What do you make of that, Watson?
A letter from Jake Mensel is too long even to digest here, but I expect to see Jake and Anita on the way home from Hanover, and I should be full of tall tales by the time I get a chance to address you next.
Carl Lincoln sent me a clipping of the engagement of his son Richard Kimball Lincoln to Elisabeth Clay. Richard is a senior at Harvard, member of Hasty Pudding, veep of the D.U. Club, captain of the varsity crew and a candidate for Navy officer school.
Secretary, 4808 Broad Brook Drive,
Bethesda 14, Md.
Class Agent, Box 151, Sagamore, Mass.
