1921
As a sequel to last month's mention of George Ferguson's new book and in reply to a congratulatory letter, George writes:
"I am glad to have your reaction to the book, and must admit I have been quite surprised by the response. We are now in the midst of a second edition to a European publication, so it is still very much with me.
"Unfortunately the royalties will be of no help to me as I turned them over in order to expand the book and eventually set up an educational fund. However I will still try to hitch-hike to Hanover in 1956."
Bill Barber please note.
If any of you have seen a recent movie, Prince of Players, in color and cinemascope, you might like to know that it was taken from a Book-of-the-Month-Club selection, Princeof Players: Edwin Booth, a biography of that famous actor by Eleanor Ruggles, sister of our own Dan. This Vassar graduate with Phi Beta Kappa honors lives in Cambridge, Mass., is married to Robert Semmes O'Leary, lay editor of the New England Journal of Medicine, has authored two previous biographies and is working on a fourth. There's plenty of talent in that Ruggles family.
Even though we knew it was only a question of time, Harry C h amber laine's message that Rex King had passed away on January 8 hit us pretty hard. Rex, with Mickey's help, had put up a gallant but losing fight for many months. Under In Memoriam in this issue you will find the story on Rex.
Chuck Moreau, publisher of five weekly newspapers in northern New Jersey, brings us up-to-date on his activities:
"My second grandson was born December 31 to my daughter, Mrs. Alan Glen, of Bloomfield, N. J. My older son Alex is in the Army, stationed at Ft. Hood, Texas. My younger son John, a Junior at Glen Ridge, N. J., High School, quarterbacked the football team this last fall and is 'more or less' headed for Dartmouth. I spent the last two summers in Europe writing articles for my five New Jersey newspapers, and thereby got all the desire for travel out of my system for awhile."
Mac Johnson (that's peripatetic, son) popped up in Boston recently. It took him three weeks to count all the cash in the local Federal Reserve Bank, but social engagements slowed him down a bit. He dined with the Miners and lunched with Don Sawyer. No wife or gray hairs yet.
By the way, if you should happen to see Don, our new Head Agent for the 1955 Alumni Fund, all you have to say is, "How're things doing, Don?" and you will learn that: (1) The campaign really will start to roll in April; (2) the names and addresses of thirty 1921 class agents will be listed in an early Smoker because these men are not only going to give money but will spend a lot of time and effort getting the rest of us to do so; (3) one unsolicited classmate has already started the ball rolling with a gift of $1500 in the hope "that others will match or top this figure; (4) some corporations are matching in amount any gift to a college given by one of their employees, which is a hint to sound out your own corporation regarding the possibility of thus increasing 1921's total dollar amount; and (5) bearing in mind that last year 25% of our class gave 81 % of the class total; an increase of even a few dollars by each of the other 75% would do the trick this year, especially if a few more join the Century Club. All of which indicates that Don is a worthy successor to RogWilde and Bill Perry.
Col. Roland C. Batchelder will be out of the Army and retired on April 30, which means that he and Jessie, after several years in Germany, will be back on Coffeetown Rd., Deerfield, N. H., unless they are tempted to try the West Coast for awhile. One of their first pleasures upon returning to the U.S.A. will be to get acquainted with five grandsons whom they've never seen, two of them born in 1954. While in Stuttgart, Jessie got involved as American president of the German American Women's Club but found time for trips to Paris and Switzerland with Rollie; to Berlin and Rome with friends; and some visits with son George and his wife, who are stationed in another part of Germany. Maybe they'll be around for our TRIGINTAQUINQUENNIAL.
Dave Bowen, presently superintendent of schools in Rockport, Mass., has acquired forty acres of land in Lebanon, N. H., and about too acres in Norwich, Vt. Now he wants suggestions on how to develop these acres for maximum return and enjoyment.
Chan Symmes has been tied down all these years to the one-man operation of a hardware and supply store in Winchester, Mass. The recent acquisition of a partner and a complete modernization of his store will not only enable him to do more and better business but will give him more freedom for trips to Hanover and Cape Cod with Lorna. His son Parker is a heating and air-conditioning engineer with Cabot, Cabot and Forbes, a live-wire developer of industrial areas. Daughter Marcia meanwhile is dividing her time between Colby Junior College and Hanover.
Jim Wicker, after four years of selling real estate for other brokers in Stockton and Oakland, Calif., has just opened his own office in January at 3727 Grand Ave., Oakland, and is a member of the Real Estate Board of that city. He faces courageously the competition from 115,000 licensed brokers in his state. Need any mortgages, Jim?
El Duncan is still selling stationery and printing jobs to banks and businesses in the Greater New York area but his company is now Milton C. Johnson, 78-80 Walker St., N.Y.C., instead of J. C. Hall. El still lives in Englewood, N. J.
Hicks, Wilde, and Joe Lane showed up for the Alumni Council meeting at Hanover in January. Vance Clark, Lorin Goulding and Carlton Van Cleve each took the time to send a few kind words about the Smoker and this MAGAZINE but were reticent about their own activities.
Walt Lundegren has a new grandson, Finley Cuyler Hunt 3rd, born January 3 in N.Y.C. to daughter Jayne. Bill Perry's son Hartwell '55 became engaged recently to an attractive young lady, Janet Albertson of Wyncote, Pa., who is a graduate of Endicott Jr. College.
That's the news for today except that the thermometer reads two degrees below zero and we'd like to be back at Waikiki.
TUCSON PARISH: Rev. George Ferguson '21is shown in front- of the Parish House of St.Philip's-in-the-Hills, Tucson, Ariz.
Secretary,21 Chestnut Street, Wellesley Hills 82, Mass.
Treasurer, 2519 Ridgeway, Evanston, Ill.
Bequest Chairman,
