1917
This month, at least, I don't have to go too deeply into Vic Smith's mail bag for news as my own scouts, have dug up several interesting bits. First off, though, let me apologize to Searles Morton for not having acknowledged the very nice luncheon Gene Towler and I enjoyed with him during the Christmas holidays while he was in these parts to see his married daughter. And again in mid-February, Gene and I had the privilege of lunching with Ralph Sanborn while he was in New York on business. It's always nice to see you men from out of town. If any other of you visiting firemen will give us a little advance notice of contemplated trips to this metropolis, we will do our best to round up some of your more intimate classmates for lunch or dinner.
From Jack Saladine we have learned that as of April 1, Ralph Cocks will end his teaching career at the Bulkeley School in Hartford, Conn., after having taught there for some 28 years. Jack further reports that while in Pittsburgh on business he contacted SandyLynch and as Jack put it:
"Had the pleasure of visiting his home and having dinner with him, his charming wife and one of his four sons who is now studying law. Another son is in the Army, a third is working for the Eastman Kodak Company in Rochester and the fourth is in Shadyside Academy. The oldest three are all Dartmouth graduates. Sandy, his wife and one son are flying to Switzerland this month (February) for, believe it or not, several weeks' skiing. Dr. Lynch has now retired from active practice but is just as active and vocal as he was at our last reunion."
Remember the old rallying call " '17 UP!" Well, let's all rally around old man Eaton and show the College and the other classes what 1917 really can do when the call is " '17 UP FOR DARTMOUTH!" Every last man in the Class, unless I am greatly mistaken, can give something to the Alumni Fund and no contribution is too small and none can be too large. I have a strong feeling that a lot of men really would like to contribute to the Fund, but don't because they feel that the relatively small amount they are in a position to give won't make any difference. That definitely is not so! Every dollar counts and participation is important, too. If the limit you can afford is $1, $5, or $10, send it in! No one is asked or expected to contribute more than he can afford but it is hard to believe that there is one among us who cannot afford to give something to help meet the needs of the College we all hold so dear. Regardless of the dollars, let's have 100% participation!
During early February while "aboard a DC-7 somewhere past the 'Point of No Return' over the Pacific," Len Shea wrote the following interesting account of his and Sally's three weeks stay in Hawaii:
"As of the moment Sally and I are aboard a DC-7 Mainlainer five hours out of Honolulu headed for San Francisco after three grand and glorious weeks in the Hawaiian Islands. Since Sally has lived in the Islands and we have relatives on Oahu, Hawaii, and Kauai it is needless to say we were royally entertained and had a grand time.
"The weather was good to us and still is, flying at about 18,000 feet in a cloudless sky on a beautiful Sunday afternoon over the blue (and it is blue) and, as of today, peaceful Pacific Ocean.
"While on the Island of Kauai one of our friends introduced Sally and me to Bob Coffman, Class of '42, who is Pastor of the Union Church in Lihue and we had a very interesting visit with him; he is a fine boy (note I said boy, we old bucks have got to face it). All in all we've had a grand time and from what I've read, we ducked a lot of pretty severe weather. Tomorrow morning I'll be back at the same old grind in the San Francisco area, then to Los Angeles and then on East to arrive the middle to latter part of February."
During mid-February Ted (Rear Admiral) Lonnquest joined some thirty others, each with 26 pounds of cold-weather clothing, aboard a C-97 for a five day cold-weather testing trip to Alaska. The object of the expedition was to test the newest equipment during the coldest part of the northern winter. The temperature near Ladd Air Force Base, one of the expedition's stopping points, was reported to be 76 degrees below zero just prior to the expedition's departure. After that experience the current temperatures in Ohio must seem like summer to Ted.
One of my Boston scouts, a young fellow named MacIntyre, reports that the Boston group attending the annual alumni dinner on February 16 was especially pleased to have been joined by the Squire of Newark, KarlKoeniger. Others present, in addition to my scout and Karl, were Bunny Holden, PhilEvans, Thommy Thompson and Guy Richardson. Karl, too, enjoyed the occasion, describing the dinner as one of the best of its kind he ever attended.
While in the Boston area Karl twice visited Pete and Lucy Olds in their Newton home, on the second occasion to join in an advance celebration of Lucy's February 29th birthday. Karl reports that Pete is a master of that part of the culinary art which pertains to the transformation of "spuds" in their native state into a delectable offering of mashed potatoes. The metamorphosis is said to involve procedures and utensils too numerous to detail but the end product is "sans pareil."
The annual dinner of the Northern New Jersey Alumni Association on March 2 also was a most successful affair. Only five men of our Class attended, namely, Sumner Emerson, Gil Swett, Cliff O'Neill, Karl Koeniger and your Secretary, but we had the pleasure of having three Dartmouth sons at our table - Jack Koeniger '46, Dave O'Neill '51 and Dick O'Neill '52. And speaking of Sumner, he has been named general chairman of the 1955 United Hospital Fund Campaign - a really big job as anyone who lives in our metropolitan area of New York knows.
We don't propose to list in these columns all of the ailments, illnesses and operations experienced by our classmates, who, at our age, can expect to undergo almost anything, but when a man reports almost gleefully that his gall bladder and appendix recently were removed, that's really news! Such was a recent report from Sherm Smith who spent some time in the Jane Brown Memorial Hospital. He says he feels so much better now that he wonders why he had them in the first place.
Another extremely cheerful though indisposed classmate with whom I recently talked by phone is Mac Switzer who underwent a spinal operation some two years ago. Nerves were disturbed, making locomotion difficult and recovery extremely slow. Mac, would, I am sure, be happy to hear from any of his many friends. Incidentally, he is the proud possessor of three grandchildren.
Please note the following address changes: Baron S. Barnes, 401 W. Fullerton Parkway, Chicago 14, Ill.; William D. Fleming, P.O. Box 212, Covington, La.; Daniel L. Harris, 19333 Van Aken Blvd., Apt. 502, Cleveland 22, Ohio; Herbert C. Jenks, Sears Realty Co., 817 Anacapa St., Santa Barbara, Calif.
Secretary, 9 Park Terrace, Upper Montclair, N. J.
Class Agent, West Lebanon Rd., Hanover, N. H.
