1931

Ordinarily, this first column of the new Dartmouth year would start out with some bromidic badinage such as, "Well, here it is a brand new year and aren't we all happy to be getting together again to share our happy experiences of the summer, and to face once more the joyful opportunities... etc., etc.," ad nauseam. But this year, you're not gonna get it, 'cause I'm not gonna write it ... for two reasons: first, I'm too sad; second, I'm too excited. Just a few days ago, we heard about Rod Greig's death. I've written but have not heard yet what the cause was, other than his mother's note saying it was "very sudden." What a lousy break! ... And what a swell guyl So far as I know, he never once refused to do anything that he was asked to do for the Class or for Dartmouth - either while he was in school, or in the years since then. There seemed to be a kind of inborn pleasantness about Rod; as though he was always much more interested in the things that concerned you than he was in exposing any of his own problems. That's a rather rare trait ... and Rod was a rather rare person.

And what's this thing I'm "too excited" about? Well, it's been dawning on me slowly, and finally hit me full force that this isn't "just another year." This is THE BIG 25th! The year we're now beginning has for its inevitable conclusion the 25th Reunion. As you very well know, that's the one that counts! 1 hat's when the Class lays it on the line for the College, and that's when we are supposed to prove that Dartmouth was good for us and vice versa. And if the very thought of that doesn't make you excited, too, then just drop me a note and a hypodermic of benzedrine will be on the way to you by return mail. But, before getting into all that, let's dig through the clipping files and the mail bag and see what's been going on since last we met.

It's always handy in a poker game, or in writing a column, to turn up an "Ace" ... so off we go to Manchester, N. H., where the lead picture in the announcement of the reorganization of the board for the BostonMaine Railroad is our own William L. Phinney. A few of us around Westchester are going to keep an eagle eye on Ace's performance, because, if he can answer the B & M's problems, we're gonna get him down here to see what can be done about the commuter problems on the N. Y. Central. Don Stoddard has just been elected chairman of the Nutley, N. J., Planning Board. That's a big assignment, and it's another one of those "local boy makes good" stories, because Don has been a resident of Nutley practically all his life. Here's a name that hasn't popped up for some time, Allan "Finn" Rikkola ... and it's a news announcement that he has just been made reporting manager by Dun & Bradstreet for the entire New England area. The Baltimore Association of Commerce announced during the summer that Henry T.Douglas is now manager of their New Industries Location Committee. Henry didn't finish with us; but he did cause some confusion, because he called himself "Doug" and WaltDouglas called himself "Doug," and two DougDouglases ... well, you can see where that leaves a secretary.

The roster shows that, during the summer, the Hanover Inn housed the following dignitaries: Mr. and Mrs. Butch Bettman, Mr. andMrs. Al Jones, Mr. and Mrs. Les Klein, and two, travelling in single harness, Ron Findlay and Charlie Engstrom. Boy, how thirsty I get for that oasisl

Just a kind of wrap-up on the Alumni Fund. You'll think that I'm huckstering for Bill Steck, but if you do happen to get the impression that I am most mightily impressed by the job he's done, well, maybe that is just about the impression I want to give. The competition in the Green Derby was mighty tough this year, as evidenced by the fact that Bill and his gang collected almost $18,000, which is 106% of the goal set: and they got 428 contributors as against last year's 397; and 55% of the contributors ponied up more than they did last vear.... And yet. '31 finished fifth in the Derby. Somehow it doesn't seem fair. A guy named Moses once did far less, and he "came forth" (following which I, too, should head for the bulrushes). Anyway, congratulations to all of you.

My secretary always gets a special charge out of letters that come to me from big-league executives; and a recent one impressed her more than some of the others. This one is from Gale Freeman, who writes on the very dignified letterhead of the First National Bank of Chicago (under which letterhead he is listed austerely as a vice president) and the letter starts:

"It must be wonderful to be rich and powerful and have plenty of time to work for the Class of '31 —instead of being fully occupied in the effort to keep the wolf away from the door, as most of us are."

There's no need to comment about that "rich and powerful" stuff, but I would like to explain why the wolf stays away from my door. A few years ago, he came howling and scratching at my door, so I let him in and put him to work as Assistant Class Secretary. A couple of days of that, and he skidaddled out the door as though he had just taken a turpentine sponge bath, yelling over his shoulder "To hell with this —you just go right on being so all-fired rich and powerful." BedellMoore (whom you probably remember as Greg Moore, but who undoubtedly changed his name so that it would match the name of the building where he has his office, which is the Bedell Building in San Antonio, Texas) writes that business has been a little slow in his line recently; but I don't know how to match that with the other news he conveys, i.e. that he has just moved into a new house and had it redone from top to bottom. He goes on to say, "I am very sorry that I live so far away from the class activities because I would like to take a larger part in them." Silly boy! As a member of the executive committee, he's about to get his wish!

And now to polish off with a few items about the Big 25th. Letters are going out this week to all the members of the executive committee, suggesting that we hold our meeting in Hanover on October 22. Just by coincidence, that happens to be the weekend of the Harvard Game, and there are those of us who want to see this new gridiron aggregation in action. Just the very short time I had with Coach Blackman last spring left me with the feeling that things are going to be okay. (A very vagrant thought: wouldn't it be nice to have a quarter-back named Pippa, so that Sunday's headlines could read "Pinna Passes ...and All's Right with the World").

Dick Holbrook and I have started on the 25-Year Book, and one of the first steps was to hire a photographer to see to it that all your handsome visages are properly immortalized in glossies. You'll be hearing more about this very soon. The general outline of the book is fairly well established: but the important part, i.e., getting the vital statistics from each of you, will be getting under way probably about the same time that this column appears in print. We've written to all the members of the executive committee to get their slant on the proper way to get things started, and one note of confidence was expressed by Johnny Boermeester, which could be translated in many ways. He says (with regard to some of the contracts we'll have to sign), "I don't see how one city slicker can put anything over on another city slicker particularly if the latter hies from the New York area." I think somebody has been complimented, but I'm not sure who or how. JimGodfrey has just returned from a family vacation in Wyoming, and writes that he's ready to get into the swing as chairman of the Reunion. He, and all of us, would more than appreciate any suggestions any of you may have for making this the biggest ever. Why don't you write and pass along any ideas you may have. Meanwhile, keep on being just '31. See you next month.

Secretary, Lambert & Feasley, Inc. 430 Park Ave., New York 22, N. Y

Treasurer, 1512 Spruce St., Philadelphia 2, Pa.

Combined Fund Chairmen,

ALLISTER, 224 Beverly Rd., Scarsdale, N. Y.; WILLIAM F. STECK, 1250 Terminal Tower Bldg., Cleveland 13, O.