1924
Long years ago, when we were young and carefree, we took a course in typing, although the gal that has to correct our notes may have serious doubts on that score. One of the standard practice sentences was the good, old maxim, "Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of the party." It strikes us that, by changing only one word, we can come up with our text for June. Now is the time forall good men to come to the aid of the Fund.
You will recall that last month we made the optimistic prediction that 1953 was the year in which 1924 would rise to the occasion, and really do its stuff. We must have had the crystal ball all shined up and in good working order, for the reports coming out of Hanover give solid basis for optimism regarding the ultimate results. As of April 28, we had received contributions from 119 men with total receipts at a cool $9,417.24. The figures to the right of the decimal particularly intrigue us. That .24 is a good omen. At the same date last year comparable figures indicated gifts from 69 men, and total receipts of $4,781.65! Quite a difference!
To view it from another angle, we didn't have 119 contributors last year until May 20, and our present dollar total was not equalled until June 10! By any means of comparison, the early results indicate a terrific achievement for Harr Ranney and his able Committee of Fifty. Gifts are coming in rapidly, and in generous amounts. One out of every three contributors thus far has seen fit to increase his gift, and in most cases the increase has been substantial. A further encouraging note is the fact that nine of the gifts are from "new" contributors, or men who for one reason or another did not give last year.
As the campaign enters its final month there is still much to be done. The three precepts which we listed last month still apply, only more so! (1) Give promptly; (2) Give generously; but above all else (3) GIVE. To those of you who have not yet jumped on the '24 Band Wagon, we would simply say, the ultimate result is in your hands. Need we say more?
One of the rewarding by-products of our work on the Alumni Fund is the fact that at least once a year we get to hear from our classmates all over the world. Earl Daum, a regular if there ever was one, sent us a wonderful letter from Melbourne, Australia. Since leaving Tuck School, Earl has been continuously ously with General Motors Overseas Operations, and has been stationed in many widely separated parts of the world. He and Helen came to Melbourne from Sweden about four and one half years ago. Earl writes,
"We have quite an operation here from an Overseas point of view, employing about 10,500 people, with manufacturing and assembly plants in all the Commonwealth capital centers of Australia. We handle all of the products of the General Motors Corporation, with one or two exceptions. That involves not only the merchandising, but the assembly and partial manufacture of components in some cases. In addition to all that, we njanufacture in Australia the Holden car and light truck a vehicle especially designed for Australia, and not built anywhere else in the world. We are building them at the present time at the rate of just under 50,000 a year."
Earl goes on to say that if one must live outside the United States, Australia rates pretty high in his book. He infers that he and Helen are planning to get back to the States either this fall or next spring. Here's hoping it will be the latter, and that our 30th Reunion may be included in their itinerary. One little item that Earl neglected to mention was properly taken care of by a paragraph we gleaned from the Herald Tribune which stated very simply that "Earl C. Daum, formerly assistant managing director of General Motors - Holden's Ltd., has been appointed managing director." Nice going, Earl. Our congratulations on your appointment to this position of such great responsibility.
Another welcome correspondent during the month was Charlie "/Ike" Boss. Charlie is Vice President of the Broad Street Sales Corporation, operating out of the Boston office at 80 Federal Street. His outfit is a national distributor of three Mutual Funds. Charlie's job entails a good bit of travelling, for his office services what is loosely referred to as the Northeastern territory, which embraces New England, most of New York, Ohio and Michigan. Someone needs a quick brush-up course in geography. Around home Ake is called grandpa, and proudly acknowledges two grandsons, ages 2½ years and three months, the offspring of his older daughter, Mrs. Marguerite Davis. His younger daughter Sylvia is majoring in piano at the Juilliard School of Music in New York. The young lady is an honor student and already has won several competitions. She is aiming for the concert stage.
It is nice to report a fine letter from ChineeAllen, one of our distinguished Fratres inUrbe. Chinee writes that Sylvia, who is now finishing her senior year at Vassar, will marry Harry Nelson Jr., Tuck II, who is now in Air Force procurement, at Rome, N. Y., in mid-July. Chinee's son Jonathan is a freshman at Dartmouth where he has an eye on a Tuck-Thayer major, or engineering with a business twist. Chinee mentions a rather strange coincidence in that Doris Atherton was last year's chairman of the Hospital Auxiliary, Henri Bartlett is the current chairman and Kits Allen is slated to take over the chores next year. Three 1924 wives in a row!
Chinee keeps pretty busy teaching three courses in Psychology, doing consultation and field work for outside concerns, and, of late, giving more and more time to clinical work. Chinee does a good part of the testing of babies for adoption in the State of New Hampshire, and also acts as consultant for school children who have emotional problems. Aside from this multiplicity of interests, friend Chinee still finds time for tennis and squash and continues his old hobby of stamp collecting. What a man!
Robin Robinson wrote us the other day and in his letter he made the pertinent observation that, "Probably all our classmates have the same experience, but I am continually freshly surprised by the seeming paradox that each year is busier than the preceding, and yet- seems to be the busiest possible." After reading of his many and varied activities in and about Hanover, we are about ready to concede that he has reached the saturation point this year.
It will be remembered that Robin is the mathematical wizard who figured out the wonderful reunion plan, presently used by Dartmouth and now widely adapted by many other colleges and universities. He is Chairman of the Division of the Sciences and is a member of many academic committees in addition to his work as a Professor in the Mathematics Department: You will be as surprised as we were to learn that Dartmouth conducts a recruiting program for the Faculty, to secure the best in the teaching profession, and that Robin has been out beating the bushes on several occasions searching for a triplethreat man in non-Euclidean geometry. Another of his duties which will bring back memories, not necessarily fond, to every member of our Class is his job as Supervisor of Examinations, which places him in general charge of all finals given in the gym.
Aside from official duties, both Robin and Ellen are busily engaged in many civic activities in and around Hanover. Their son Peter is a junior at Dartmouth, where he is majoring in Geology. Julia is a Senior at Hanover High and expects to enter Radcliffe in the fall.
What is literally one of the biggest jobs in the federal government has been entrusted to the capable hands of Ned Mansure. President Eisenhower has named him Administrator of General Services, which puts him in charge of all government buying and of government buildings and real property, with 29,000 persons working under him. Defense stock piling is another of Ned's responsibilities and he holds the position of Administrator of the Defense Materials Procurement Agency along with heading the General Services Administration.
The arrival of this news after the June issue deadline does not permit all the details we'd like to include about Ned's tremendously important assignment. We hope Dick Morin will tell more in The '24 Hour Notice, and the ALUMNI MAGAZINE promises more in a coming issue.
This will be our last news column until fall. Have a great summer, and don't try to pack two months of vacation into two hectic weeks. Relax and enjoy it. One way to insure a pleasant summer is to send in your Fund check today, and then sit back with the assurance that you have done your full share in helping to make history for the Class of 1924. See you in the fall.
Secretary, 328 Orchard PL, Ridgewood, N. J.
Class Agent, Cherry Lane, R.F.D. 1, Morristown, N. J.
