1940
Spring seems to have come to these parts again, and with it the promise that this is the last column for another season. I can't say that I'm sorry, for it's nice not to have to face the column deadline for a couple of summer months. This June will mark the halfway point for your scribe on this voyage from tedium to 1956 —a course marked, fortunately, by at least sporadic receipt of news from those of you who have touched pen to paper in a rash moment and sped the result in this direction.
The first entry on this bill of fare may not be news to some, but we have to risk boring you with these details anyhow. The wives of both your Treasurer and your Secretary have marked the coming of spring with new babies. The Rainies announced the arrival of Sue Williamson, weight nearly 9 lbs., born on April 10. They thereby balanced out their family of four with two of each sex. Not far behind Sue, though slightly less hefty, came Deborah Browne, weighing nearly 7 lbs. and arriving on April 25. That makes four for the Brownes too, with the one son grossly outnumbered by three girls. All appear to be doing well, including the self-satisfied fathers, who are momentarily trying to ignore the cost of living these days.
Still speaking of babies, I must make a further correction to the Jack Rourke family story. The surviving twin mentioned in last month's column was erroneously reported as being a girl. The latest word is that Jack Jr. is coming along very well, weighing something over 5 lbs. now after starting out at 2 lbs., 7 oz.
And still they come. A second son was born to Hugh and Joan Dryfoos some recent Saturday. Since the news clipping didn't include the date, we can't help you there. The lad, named Jeffrey Alexander, should be a logical contender for his numeral sweater in some class in the early '7os. Last reports show Hugh living on Park Avenue in the big city and holding down a vice-president's title in a paper novelty manufacturing company. We'd appreciate a card regarding the birthdate, Hugh.
Coming to my rescue this month, DaveBoyle has contributed the results of a labor which, judging from the datelines, was begun in zeal and completed in sobriety:
'(March 2) —If the Sage of the Sunapee Ski School can crawl out from behind the Sporthaus Bar and cast a few pearls before swine, this writer holds some hope for all the Forlorn Forties. NedJacoby had maintained all along that Bob was beyond redemption, having received a hastily scrawled note on the back of a Pabst beer label some two years ago to the effect that he (Skinner) was heading north due to a shortage of snow (and blondes).
"This recalcitrant reporter for one applauds the idea of some regional division of responsibility for tying the straggling ends of Forty together. I'll assume a very limited-term appointment for these sun-washed shores of California, if characters like Chap Wentworth, De Jones, and Gary Allen will carry the ball in those backwater regions of their present residence. The trouble with any such plan is overcoming the natural apathy of men 35 years old with families. Perhaps we can convince Jack Rourke's sponsor, Thrifty Drug, to offer a bottle of Serutan to each member of the class who waxes the most prolific each month of 1953. I'm sure we can extract some interest in this Revival of Reluctant Forties if such poles-apart spots as Sunapee and Hollywood can shake their lethargy.
Let's see who is still within the city limits and sober enough to stand and be counted. Don Worden by day over a hot typewriter in the story department of Warner Brothers; by night over the hot bars; by weekend, on the cold powder snow still pursuing the silverware. Last year he became hor's d combat —this year I am. Age in the form of three-gate flushes caught up with us
("April 5) —Ned Jacoby is belaboring himself with the board and brush in the no-man's land of this region, to wit, downtown Los Angeles. Gone seemingly, are those good old days when he lay on his paddle-board, deepening his tan and catching the unwary lobster for dinner. Old Jake took up art seriously when that terminal leave pay ran out in 1950 And we haven't had any success in trying to lure him on skis since
"Jerry Schnitzer is another product of the Hanover Plain who toils on the typewriter for the films although, most recently, he did a stint of acting in a picture about the recent A-Bomb explosion It is reported that a couple of years ago Jerry bought and operated a tuna-fishing boat out of San Pedro 1 his has been variously referred to as a method of brushing up on Jack London, or a tax dodge for Fred Fuld, the CPA par excellence of that harbor town.
Bill Lucking is a long-lost soul whom I ran into when we were both incognito at a Fiesta Ball in banta Barbara last summer. He was dressed as an early Spanish Vacquero, and I was a late Scottish Highlander. Both of us were the only ones under the table by 10 pm, so we knew we had been at Dartmouth together. Thus we found Lucking With an incoherent voice, he claimed to be practicing law out of Ojai, Calif
Fred Fuld has been duly reported as fit for duty after working 100 hours a week getting in the income tax returns for Jack Rourke and Darryl Zanuck. Fred says he is expanding his service to Long Beach -next stop, Memphis, where Wentworth claims the need of some tax advice on dependents (how many now?).
"As for Boyle you can still find him drifting around Pathe Laboratories, enmeshed in film and polishing the glass eye in his forehead, the one that s polarized for all depths and screens P.S Worden just reported that he's no longer working for Warners but training for the '56 Olympics."
Once in awhile we get the word that another stalwart '40 has succeeded to some position of honor (and work!) in the community. This time it's Ken Arwe, of Keene, N. H,, who is in the spotlight. Ken was recently elected chairman of the advisory board of the Salvation Army in that city.
From an anonymous report on the doings of more '40 doers, we understand that Boband Crosy MacMillen and John and SueKnutsen constituted the team mainly responsible for the outstanding success of the Cleveland engagement of the Dartmouth College Glee Club this spring. Spearheaded by the Class of '40, a record crowd turned out to hear the green-jacketed songsters and to attend a post-sing dance at which Dave Davenport and Karl Bruch, guided by their equally capable wives, provided very clever table decorations consisting of ski boot vases, miniature duckboards, replicas of the Nugget, etc., to add a touch of Hanoverian nostalgia to the festivities. In all, 14 couples of '40 attended the function - a darn good record for a casual social event. Aside from the aforementioned, the Dick Goulders, AI Rosenthals (who just happend to be visiting the Goulders), Lee Bassetts, Eb Cockleys, Bob Williams,Bill Huffmans, Bill Duncan and date, HerbFosters, Scott Rogers and John Moores were there in full regalia.
That's it for another term. I'll be in Hanover next weekend to participate in the annual class officers' meetings. Wish you all could join me, but that will have to wait for 1956. Meantime, best wishes to you all for a fine, happy and prosperous summer, and don't forget to heed Stet Whitcher's request for a pre-June 30 check to the Alumni Fund campaign.
Secretary, 322 Canterbury Road, Westfield, N.J.
Class Agent, 168 Reed St., New Bedford, Mass.
