1927
It has been a long time since I've sat down to my trusty typewriter to pound out one of these columns, and many things have been happening to members of the Class of 1927 in the meantime. Most of them have been reported in Les Battin's Speakeasy, which comes just often enough, and is always like a refreshing breeze, mixing news, humor, and Les's inimitable philosophy in just the right proportions to make for interesting reading. During the past several years I've been exposed to the newsletters of many classes, and there's something about the Speak that sets it apart from all the rest, excellent though they may be. If any of you feel the same way I do about it, why don't you drop Les a line and tell him so. I think he'd appreciate it.
There are a few bits of news that have escaped Les's eagle eye, plus a few that he has already reported, but which seem to me to have enough general interest to bear repetition here, so here's a quick rundown.
You've all had the report on our fine performance in the last Alumni Fund, so I'll skip that until the official report comes out in the MAGAZINE a couple of months from now, except to say that Howie Mullin and his grand crew of agents turned in a great job. Those of you who have never served in this capacity have no idea of the tremendous amount of work that is done in our behalf by our agents, so here is our official thanks to them.
Carlton Gilbert, who is doing an outstanding job as assistant advertising manager of U. S. Rubber, was chosen by his company to attend the advance management courses at the Harvard Business School last spring. Gil is the fourth member of the Class, to our knowledge, to attend these classes. The others have been Gus Cummings, John Gardner, and Les Kilmarx.
Horace Baker was a candidate for the Republican nomination for Congress from the Sixth New Jersey District. Unfortunately we don't have the results but perhaps one of our New Jersey correspondents will supply them for a later issue.
Reg Horton, who has been with the Howland Dry Goods Co. of Bridgeport, Conn., for the past 27 years, most recently as vice president, has been appointed general superintendent of the Howland Hughes Co. of Waterbury. Reg has served as president of the Bridgeport Kiwanis Club, chairman of the Retail Division of the Chamber of Commerce, vice president of the Bridgeport Chapter, American Red Cross, and chairman of the Board of Trustees of the United Church.
Dick Lougee's travels during the past several months, during which time he has been traveling on a Fulbright Scholarship, and principally lecturing at the University of Oslo, have been reported both here and in the Speak. However, interesting facets of his trip continue to come to light, among which is his visit to the Isle of Jersey. Dick is the first member of his family to visit the Isle since his ancestor, John Lougee, left there in 1710 for the colonial community of Exeter, N. H. Dick found members of his family still living on Jersey, though they spell their name "Laugee." On May 15, while Dick was abroad, fire destroyed the interior of his house in North Grafton. He traveled about 50,000 miles in eight countries, and up to May 27 had given 27 lectures all the way from Helsinki to Paris to Belfast, and reported that he had managed to survive the banquets that had been given for him, most of which seemed to be designed to kill any ordinary mortal.
Ed Johnson returned home to South Braintree, Mass., in July, after having served for more than two years with the U. S. Information Agency as Cultural Affairs Officer in Djakarta, Indonesia. This is the agency which conducts the overseas information program, explaining American policy abroad and combatting Communist propaganda. After serving in the Navy during World War II, Ed joined the Civil Education Branch of the American Occupation Government in Japan, serving until 1949 in Honshu. In 1950 and 1951 he studied in Greece under a Fulbright exchange grant. He joined the State Department in January 1952, and was assigned to Indonesia, where he has been since. Following his home leave, Ed will go to Bonn, Germany, as Cultural Affairs Officer.
Harry Dey, who has been serving as temporary head of Staunton Military Academy since December 31, 1952, has been appointed as superintendent. Harry has been associated with the Academy since 1927 in many different capacities, including coach of basketball and baseball, field representative, registrar, public relations director, alumni secretary, and athletic director.
Marty Heifer is beginning his eighth year as superintendent of schools in Binghamton, N. Y. Of his family of five boys, one graduated from Dartmouth in 1951 and is now in the Navy, stationed in London. The second attended Dartmouth for two years, is now in Germany with the Army, and expects to return to Hanover next fall. The third will enter Dartmouth this fall and the other two are still in high school. Marty will probably soon qualify as the member of 1927 who has done the most for Dartmouth, if the two younger boys follow in the steps of their brothers.
In July 1953 Van Ingham was appointed executive secretary of the College of Agriculture and the Agricultural Experiment Station of Rutgers University. In the last several years, Van has published four books, Grounds forLiving, Forage Crops, Principles of Weed Control, and Practical Field Crop Production inthe Northeast. He has three boys, all of whom he says are headed for Dartmouth.
Harold Starbuck was married on June 12 to Miss Helen Margaret Pease, in Springfield, Mass. Wilbur Kennedy enters the Grandfather Derby with the birth of his first grandson, Michael David Sprout.
On a trip to the West Coast last spring, the Broers managed to check up on a few members of the Class in those far-off places, but we were very disappointed in not being able to see more than we did. We spent a very pleasant evening with Bus and Ruth Turpin in Los Angeles. Both of them look about the same as they did many years ago when they lived around these parts, and are well and happy. Bus is West Coast manager for Sawyer, Ferguson and Walker, newspaper representatives. We had a short visit with Duke Coulter, who is just the same as he has always been except for a slightly higher forehead, and saw Bill Abbott for a few moments in San Francisco. Bill was very busy with his daughter's wedding and a new house. Moving farther north we visited Don and Betty McCall in their new home in Everett. Don moved there a year ago to head up the Everett Pulp and Paper Co., and is very enthusiastic about his new job and the Pacific northwest in general. In fact, everyone out there seems to be enthusiastic about the West Coast, so maybe there's something in it. At any rate, I felt that I was the only one in the Class who is getting any older.
There's more news, but space is running out, so we'll save it for next month.
Secretary, Pine Hill Farm, West River Rd., Perrysburg, Ohio
Treasurer, Box 1927, Pittsburgh 30, Pa.
Bequest Chairman,
