Southern California

Fifty-four members of the Southern California Association and auxiliary boarded the 110-foot cruiser Celeste on September 25 and voyaged to beautiful Catalina Island. The trip across the channel was negotiated through a very heavy fog and only the navigational ability (and sobriety) of the skipper prevented several narrow squeaks from becoming solid collisions. Upon reaching the Island, the weather cleared wonderfully and with the boat anchored in a sheltered cove, an hour's bathing was enjoyed in cold, crystal-blue water. Ted Rector '49 brought his skin diving gear along and submerged himself for a good thirty minutes, his presence indicated only by bubble trails. A tie was reached between RudyPacht '35 and Congressman Eck Hiestand '10 in creating the largest splash diving overboard. Leaving the cove, the ship pulled into Avalon Harbor and the entire group adjourned to the Avalon Country Club for cocktails and dinner. Returned to the mainland about 11:00 P.M. dead tired, but satisfied that the trip had been one of the best gatherings in Association history.

The sea-farers included President Bill Eldridge '34 and wife, Ed and Barbara Abbott '46, Bob Cone '37 and wife, Ken Lieber '36 and wife, Eric Rafter '37 and wife, Ed and Sarah Ramsey'35, Wendell Williams' 34 and wife, Ed Ripley '27 and wife, Ken and Dotty Schaefer '46, Vince Burke '47, Joe Eisaman '47, Harry Colmery '46, Stu Durkee '33, Bob Purvis '49, Leon Rothschild '24, Gus Farnsworth '49, Will Hays '31 and wife, Brice Banks and wife, John Cowart and wife, Bourke Welch '47 and wife, and Mark and Joyce Lansburgh '49, who were instrumental in making the affair a success.

Dartmouth Night was celebrated on October I at the University Club in Los Angeles and between fifty and sixty of the local membership turned out for cocktails and dinner. After announcements by Bill Adams '34, resident representative of the Friends of the Dartmouth Library, and Bob Williams '26, chairman of the enrollment committee, President Bill Eldridge '34 introduced the speaker of the evening, Eck Hiestand '10, Congressman from the 21st District. Eck gave us a nonpolitical report on his recent survey of the Far East and clearly pointed out that trips such as he took are a far cry from pleasure junkets as some newspapers are prone to tag them. The association is indebted to Eck for taking time out of a hot campaign struggle to talk to the group.

Harry Lill '05 was the oldest alumnus present and we were glad to have Lee Branson '49 attend the function while visiting the West Coast from Michigan. Bill Adams talked himself into a great parlay while dawdling over a pre-dinner Martini. He wired together Notre Dame, the Cleveland Indians and Ezzard Charles.

Association luncheons have been re-instituted and are being held the last Tuesday of each month. Three locations have been established, in Hollywood at the Hollywood Roosevelt, downtown at the Biltmore Hotel, and in Beverly Hills at the Tail of the Cock. Visitors are welcome at whatever spot proves convenient.

Secretary, 454 N. Camden Dr., Beverly Hills, Calif.