1940
I'm typing this with one arm in a sling. Joyce and I made a skiing pilgrimage to New Hampshire over Washington's Birthday weekend, and I came a cropper on a Mt. Sunapee ski trail. Tore some important ligaments in my right shoulder which are knitting very slowly. However, the accident couldn't put much of a damper on the enjoyment of our return to the New Hampshire hills and the excellent hospitality provided by Dexter Richards '42 at his comfortable hostelry on the hills above Lake Sunapee.
Having been accompanied by Indian Drum editor, Diz deSieyes, I'm certain to be scooped on any news gathered in the course of that excursion by the time this gets to print. Therefore, I'll say here only that we saw something of genial Bob Skinner, whose renowned prowess as a skier is being matched by his growing success as an entrepreneur. Bob reported on a really good season of trade in the many lines of ski equipment for which he is acting as importer-distributor. We also had a chance to visit with Dr. Lew and DodieLambert, whom we saw on a brief side trip to Hanover. Their eldest son had just garnered his "expert" rating in the Ford Sayre Memorial ski course now being conducted for the town children. Guess I should have done more practicing on the boards in my younger days too; for this sore shoulder is mute testimony to my more ancient ineptness!
We note the trend to extending the variety of products, services and honors promoted under the hackneyed "blah-of-the-month" label. Understand that not even the medical profession is unscathed, with a "malady-of-the-month" publication currently appearing. All of this introduction is byway of leading up to our own "letter-of-the-month" competition. The front-running entry this month is a letter from Clint Clad, Court Commissioner in the Superior Court of Los Angeles. Clint unwittingly answers the query about Jack Rourke contained in last month's column and, in addition, yields some news of himself:
"About a year ago, your column published a rather carping review of Jack Rourke, by the TV editor of a Pasadena paper. The gist of it was that his show was not very original. As if anyone could be consistently full of originality, doing five shows a week!
"In view of that, and in fairness to a swell guy who has achieved a top rung in a really rugged business, I hope you will be able to publish the enclosed article, by the same TV editor, which appeared in today's paper. It's certainly a well-deserved tribute to Jack.
"Incidentally, in case you're wondering just what a Court Commissioner is, it's a kind of assistant judge in our judicial set-up here. (Los Angeles County Superior Court, by the way, is, in true California fashion, the largest single court in the world - 80 judges and 15 commissioners.) I spend my time hearing and deciding cases, primarily in the Domestic Relations field, and in issuing the various types of court orders which don't require court hearings. I was appointed in October 1953. giving up private practice at the time, and have loved every day of it since. Really fun!
"Which brings to mind that I probably haven't written you since the war, so since this is in the typewriter - and assuming you can decipher my lousy typing - a thumbnail sketch follows:
"Out of the Navy in '45, and into Yale Law School, graduating Oct. '47. From then until becoming a Commissioner, I practiced law with firms in Los Angeles and La Jolla, Calif. Also have done a little part-time teaching. In fact, I'm teaching a course in the Graduate Division of Univ. So. Calif. Law School right now.
"Janie and I are living in Pasadena, with kids Jim (8), Jenny (5), Mike (a girl, 3), and Laura (1), and are typical confirmed and obnoxious Southern Californians, despite the smog. For example, we have one raincoat, no rubbers and no leggings, snow suits, etc., for four kids.
"This has turned out to be more about me and less about Jack than had been intended. Anyway, I hope you can run the clipping."
Space limitations have prompted some editing of Clint's clipping, but I think the evidence of Jack Rourke's meritorious effort is obvious and impressive as set forth in TV Editor Bill Bird's report in the Pasadena Independent for February 22:
"Having had occasion in the past to be severely critical of Jack Rourke on some of his many radio and TV activities, we want to give a well-deserved commendation for Jack's production and handling of the 13½-hour 'Heartbeat' telethon which started midnight Feb. 19.
"The staging of a telethon is a monumental task at besC but to keep it running smoothly and on schedule, as Rourke managed to do with this one, was an accomplishment that borders on the impossible
"The whole thing was a masterful job, the best by far of any telecast of the kind that has yet been presented. The public owes Rourke and station KNXT a debt of thanks for a magnificent job. As a result of it, the Los Angeles Heart Fund is richer by more than $160,000."
Forty was, as usual, well represented at the Boston Alumni Association's annual mid-winter feed recently. In attendance were StetWhitcher, Chet Brett, Bob Austin, Ted Miller, John Fitzgerald, Bill Halsey, DwightFlanders, Gordie Wentworth and Don Rainie. Stet was reveling in his new-found freedom from Alumni Fund leadership. Austin, whose off-season real estate activities are admittedly a cover-up and excuse, making it possible for him to pursue his New Hampshire summer enterprise on Lake Winnepauket, was bubbling over with plans for building more guest houses. Bill Halsey discoursed earnestly on the unrelated subjects of his chances of getting off on a local traffic violation, the future of pre-fab housing (he having some affiliation with National Homes in the Boston area), and the changing Dartmouth ski fortunes which have brought recent showings in the cross country event to such low estate. The Ted Miller clan recently moved into new quarters, a 13-room house down the street from their old home, so they now have some real elbow room. Wentworth is retiring after long and faithful service as Boston Association secretary to devote his efforts to enrollment activities.
Elsewhere in alumni activities, KneelandSwenson was elected president of the Merrimack County Alumni Association, supplementing his business activities in the family granite business at Concord, N. H.
We understand that Mel Wax has resigned his position as managing editor of the Claremont (N. H.) Daily Eagle, effective March 1. It will be strange not to see Mel covering the news circuit from the paper's Hanover office whenever something of prime reader interest is going on.
From the address changes, it should be noted that Kim Atkins has transferred his hospital administration duties from Crookston, Minn., to the Anna State Hospital, Anna, Ill. It also looks as though CharliePower has returned to the New York area from his administrative assignment with the Rockefeller Latin American development program activities in Brazil.
Don't forget to send your Alumni Fund gift to Hanover early.
Secretary, 322 Canterbury Road, Westfield, N. J.
Class Agent, Minute Maid Corp., Plymouth, Fla.
