1915
Reunion plans are gathering momentum. Dale Barker's first broadside - "HI-ROZZZA" - certainly stirred up the old nostalgia! By now, you will probably have received others. The trend appears to be headed for a landslide. The Class Directory is progressing - I hope no one has overlooked sending in his data card! Big doings are brewing for Hanover in June!
Ev Lamson reports he's relaxing in Exeter, N. H., getting ready for the trek to Hanover.
Dr. and Mrs. Howard Sawyer were spotted at the soda fountain in Baileys - Boston's famous candy emporium. Buster didn't look as though he had to refrain from chocolate sundaes, but appeared to be abstaining, nevertheless.
A good bunch turned out for the dinner get-together of '15ers at the Dartmouth Club in New York on February 7. A tape recording would have been a knockout! Some of the boys don't see each other too often, but when they do - reminiscent tales and anecdotes are really dusted off! Jiggs Donohue got 'em going on some close harmony that threatened to stop the show. A good London broil finally tempered proceedings and a good time was had by all. The following brethren of '15 were present: Gus Braun, Ralph Brown, Pete Cannon, Dick Clarke, Charlie Comiskey, Jiggs Donohue, Red Folan, Marv Frederick, Bob Fredericks, Carl Gish, Bob Griffin, Charlie Griffith, John Healy, Roy Lafferty, Art Nichols, Bill Nissen, Sammy Sanborn, Dick Scharmann and Phil Murdock.
Carl Gish loves "Mombo" — at least he turned up with a husky cane and a knee injury which he swears he got while dancing. Ah - these youngsters!
And Dick Clarke, believe-it-or-not, has taken off 34 pounds - with the advice and consent of the family doctor!
Harry Ellms couldn't make the New York dinner, it having caught him in the midst of a session at St. Luke's Hospital. Harry is out and around again, however, and his beaming smile bears witness to the fact he is feeling wonderful - better than he has in years.
Gus and Clara Braun were headed for New Orleans and the Mardi Gras — which I believe is not unknown to them. Sure hope the echoes via the newspapers of the hilarious riots at that affair are purely coincidental! Gus said they expected to visit Florida also and were due back at that luscious spot at Culvers Lake in New Jersey some time in March.
Warren Montsie was hospitalized some time back up in Hanover and I trust is fully recovered by now.
The deep-freeze fishermen, Kike Richardson and Eben Clough, partook of their usual mid-winter pastime of "fishin' thru the ice" up in the North Country over the pre-Washington Birthday weekend. It is reported they took along half a steer in the form of rib roasts and, with Judge Amos Blandin '18 along to maintain the proper judicial atmosphere, it is difficult to figure out when they had time to fish. Final results were not in - at this writing. P.S. Margy Clough spent that weekend with the Phil Murdochs in New York, and all participants, including Radio City, Ed Sullivan's TV Show, and New York's shops will recover!
Doc O'Hara reports:
"I plan to be off late in February on a two months' trip to Pakistan. I shall be working for the State Department as a consultant on medical education, that being a field in which the partition left Pakistan in short supply. I welcome the opportunity of trying to be helpful as well as of learning something about the area out there. Fortunately, the Veterans Administration, for whom I am now working, have given me leave for this assignment."
Good going, Dr. Dwight O'Hara, and we'll look forward to some interesting tales on your return. Doc adds that he's looking forward to reunion.
The Leo (Red) Folans have joined the clan of "cliff dwellers" in New York. Red has sold his Darien, Conn., place and taken an East Side apartment here. Now he can roll out of bed and into his Fifth Avenue office with the greatest of ease! Right, Red?
We were all saddened by the passing of the Gile brothers, Archie and Jay - both of whom were close to the hearts of '15ers. Bill Cunningham's tribute in his January 31 column just about expresses the sentiments of us all.
Johnnie and Bea Johnson sailed on February 24 from New York on a world cruise that will include Egypt, Africa, India, China, Japan, and maybe some other spots I missed. To give him the proper impetus, a congenial group gathered for lunch at the Dartmouth Club for a bit of a farewell and bon voyage to the boy from Cape Cod. Bea, having some last minute shopping to do, was there inspirit only. It's too bad, when good fellows get together, that reminiscences become too involved to be retold - in print! Be that as it may, good wishes started this cruise off on the right foot. Those present to help the cause along in true Fifteen fashion were CharlieGriffith, Art Nichols, Harry Ellms and PhilMurdoch. Red Folan was scheduled but couldn't make it. Kell Rose sent regrets, being still confined with a virus. Russ Livermore,Bags Wanamaker and Charlie Comiskey were all out of town. Randy Burns '12 and Sam Saline '17 joined the group long enough to pay their respects and (as Randy says) lend respectability to the party. The cruising Johnsons are expected back along in May.
Ran into George Dyke 'midst the hub-bub of Lexington Avenue recently and highballed him for a short chat. George was fresh from the anti-pollution committee meeting in which he plays such an active part. Says he's looking forward to reunion. How do some of these fellows keep their youthful looks!
Duze and Helen Lounsberry were headed for Japan to visit their daughter and family. Fortunately, they, as well as these other glob-trotters, will be back in time for reunion. Otherwise, as Dale Barker says, we might have to hold our 40th in the Orient!
Cecil Whitney has some nice things to say about my "tickler system." Thanks. I'm glad it seems to function. Better watch out, though - I might be looking for another job some day - and I've got it in writing! Anyway, try to look up some of the gang here when you get to New York.
The Boston Alumni dinner, with over 600 Alumni present at the Boston Statler on February 16, was a stand-out. As Al Sherman puts it:
"This affair always makes for an event in itself. While an old story over the years, there are always enjoyable meetings and inspiring remarks from the head table, and fifteen of our class were together: — Barker, Bigelow, Bull, Clough, Downing, Foster, King, Lounsberry, Meader, Rice, St. Clair, Richardson, Shea, Sherman, and Simpson." Al says they did a lot of buzzing about reunion and it was evident that a lot of thought, effort, and opinions from all over were well underway to bring all of us once more together in June. Anent globetrotting, Al commented: "These boys going 'round the world, hither and yon, and I with my nose to the grindstone, don't make for too cheerful thoughts, but, as I see and hear, and you too, I should feel lucky if I can't do the first, I can do the second."
Al is in the throes of working on clients' tax returns and opines that the word "simple" - as applied to tax returns - has long since been dropped from our dictionary. Oh brother! Why did he bring that up!
Among other notables included at a stag dinner for nineteen held by President Eisenhower back in December was Al Bradley of New York, executive vice president of General Motors, Inc.
Don't start a run on the newsstands, but the February 21st issue of Life featured an article on the evacuation of the Tachen Islands and the importance of the Navy's participation. The main picture spread shows a Navy helicopter from the U.S.S. Estes landing on lower Tachen. There is reason to believe that the pilot thereof was none other than our own Duke Sullivan's son Alan, ensign in the regular Navy attached to the Estes. Don't ask how I know!
Visitors at the Hanover Inn during January included Mr. and Mrs. Russ Rice, KentSmith, Bee Rural, and Chan Foster.
Hubert E. Sargent has satisfied the standards set up by the Engineers Joint Council for inclusion in the 1954 edition of Who'sWho in Engineering. Sarge is now chief engineer of the Vermont State Highway Department and was chief engineer of the N. H. State Highway Department before coming to his present position.
Just to show how far reaching are the tentacles of ye reportorial staff (with an assist from the Springfield Union) there is a mighty intriguing candid snap that made the headlines on January 1, titled - "A Noisy Welcome on the Birth of a Year." The scene is at The Student Prince and underlined as "typical of similar celebrations in Springfield's downtown cafes and hotels." Right smackdab in the center, bedecked with a jaunty tasseled cap, and surrounded by a bevy of charming women, including (fortunately) his own good wife Clare, sits the king of the festival - Gib Campbell. There can be no doubt that the witching hour 1954-1955 had just arrived! (A note attached to the clipping refers to "this example of results of a Dartmouth education.") Murder will out, Gib!
Late flash from the North Country! Kike and Eben caught a fish!
Changes of address: Leo M. Folan, 160 East 48th St., New York City 17; Denison W. Grant, Vice President, The Pennzoil Co., Oil City, Pa., Grantland Park, Franklin, Pa.
Secretary, 301 East 53rd St. New York 22, N. Y.
Class Agent, Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. 70 Pine St., New York 5, N. Y.
