1926
As months go, May's among the best,It passes almost any test.The poets hymn its birds and flowers,Its golden early morning hours,Its skies of blue, its fields of green,Its symphony of scent and scene.May is, in fact, the people's choice,And just about the only voiceThat's raised against it near or far'sFrom gloomy lads in Oyster bars.
May is always exciting for class secretaries as it starts off with the Alumni Officers meeting in Hanover on the first weekend, with the opportunity to spend a few days there at the best time of the year and to exchange ideas with all other class notes secretaries, collectors of class dues and Alumni Fund organizers. That is when we try to find out what makes for the strongest class organizations. We always welcome your suggestions and ideas, too!
Remember that May is the month when Okey O'Connor needs your help to win his big contest in the Green Derby. Don't wait for the last minute to mail in that check. We are getting to the age when we can't stand that suspense.
After an unusual silence, news has begun to reach us again from Boston. Stew Orr has sent in a report of the 1926 attendance at the dinner of the Dartmouth Alumni Association at the Hotel Statler on February 16. At Table 2 were Stew Orr, Hal Trefethen, Joe Batchelder, Gardner Brown, Rus Clark, Carl Schipper, Jim Sullivan, Steve Mitchell, Bob Patten, Syl McGinn, Fred Gurney, and Gob Des Marais. The class was also represented at the head table by Rev. Wee McClintock, Rector of Grace Church, Medford, Mass., who gave the invocation. That fellow Gob Des Marais certainly gets around.
Stew also commented on the grand weekend that Herb Redman arranged in honor of the class parents and their undergraduate sons on the weekend of February 18-19-20, and the envy of the Boston delegation in Don Norstrand's deep tan after that trip on the United Fruit boat to Panama.
Noting Joe Batchelder among those present at the Boston dinner is a reminder that by now both he and Kier Boyd are out burning up the fairways and turf courts respectively to open this summer's sports season. Even after 29 years they are great contenders for the championship trophies, for cunning and strategy have replaced the blazing power that made their names a household byword in the Golden Twenties.
Also from Greater Boston comes a clipping from the News (Maiden, Mass.) indicating that Harry A. Hall III '50 has joined his father Harry "Dutch" Hall Jr. on the Board of Directors of Kyanize Paints, Inc. (formerly Boston Varnish Co.). Dutch like Messrs R. R. Young, Pat McGinnis and other outstanding titans of business during 1954 also acquired financial control of the company and is quoted by the News as saying, "The slight shift in stock ownership which has recently taken place does not affect the policies or the structure of the company in any way. It does guarantee for the future that the company will be guided by those actively engaged in its management." In addition to being vice presidentand treasurer of Kyanize, Dutch is a directorof the Maiden Trust Company. In spite ofbusiness pressures he has time to relax as indicated by the following note on the letterhead of the Hanover Inn:
"Bumped into our old friend C. C. Brown here in Hanover last night. He is up here advising the Economics Department on something or other. Do and I are here visiting my second son Dave who finished up three years in the Pacific last December and is back here to complete his work in the College, and graduates this year. We all enjoyed predinner cocktails with Brownie in the new Inn lounge We all wished you and Det could have been with us. Brownie had to hurry off for dinner with President Dickey, but it was grand to see him again. My older son Harry has been associated with me in our family business, Kyanize Paints, Inc., for the past four years, since his graduation from Dartmouth in 1950. His two lovely children make 'Do' and me grandparents. .
"Marilyn is now 22 and after Bradford Junior College attended Tobe-Coburn Fashion School in New York for two years and is now a model in Bonwit-Tellers with her eye on an assistant buyership. Cynthia is 15 and in Melrose High, and keeps us in a dither all the time with her comings and goings."
Another item of interest in the business world has been the notice in the New YorkWorld-Telegram & Sun of our Robert M.Stopford's resignation as vice president and general sales manager of Brunswick Worsted Mills, to join the Hockanum Men's Wear Division of J. P. Stevens & Co., Inc. This will permit Mr. J. P. Stevens to continue as Secretary of the Army. In spite of his new responsibilities, Bob has been lending invaluable assistance to Okey O'Connor and Don Hopkins in their efforts to establish laurels in the Alumni Fund campaign.
Not to be outdone by Don Norstrand's tan, our former Class Agent Al Louer spent part of March in Cuba. Here is his nice letter describing the vacation.
"Ellen and I returned from Cuba last Monday. Varadero Beach is a grand place for swimming, absorbing plenty of sun, and just plain loafing. The water is clean and the sand white. We stayed at the Kawama Hotel, formerly run as a club, in a cottage with thatched roof just a few yards from the water. I still have quite a tan.
"After two weeks there, we had planned to spend the final week in Havana, but I had to give up my investigation of the Esquire story of 'The Sexiest City in the World' because the food got me down. That seems to be a common complaint for tourists in Cuba as there were people much more uncomfortable than I was.
"Instead of Havana, we spent our final vacation days visiting Ellen's aunt in Coconut Grove just outside of Miami. We still had plenty of sunshine there and I recovered completely once I could have good American food."
Along with Ralph Thomas' acknowledgement from Pittsburgh of birthday greetings comes the following verse:
Age is not always a matter of years- But, frankly, I find that I'm Perturbed when I hear the songs of my youth Revived for the second time.
The roll call for the half-century club in May has the following eleven distinguished names: Per Edwin Johnson and Stew Orr, May 4; Les Talbot, 5; Al Louer and Lou Weber, 9; Dick Nichols, 10; Walt Rankin and Jim Traquaire, 19; George Scott, 22; Henry Bixby, 23; and Dexter W. Wilbar, May 30.
If you really want to feel elderly (who does?), just mention prohibition among a social crowd of young married people, aged 20 to 30, and watch for the blank stares. "Prohibition? Oh, that was something before I was born - or when I was real small, wasn't it?" And remember those purchases so vividly down at the June?
Don Hoffman spent his 50th birthday in Hanover and writes this about it:
"I assure you that it was not lack of appreciation that made me neglect your very nice letter on my 50th birthday but rather say it was forgetfulness and laziness.
"We were on our way home from our camp in Maine on that date so spent the night in Hanover. Having spent the day of my 21st there, too, it made me rather nostalgic, and would that there could have been many of the old guard around to help celebrate this one. In those 29 years there are many changes noticeable, and those in the college, especially, for the better.
"Haven't much news of interest (Ed. note - any news is of interest). Don Jr. was married last August which leaves Emmie and myself free to roam as we will. It seems rather odd not to have a bunch of kids from Dartmouth dropping in for the weekends or holidays but now we enjoy the grandchildren.
"Hope the new administration on the New York Central have done well by you. Have known your new president quite a few years and greatly admire his abilities, although it has been tough keeping up with the many changes being made."
Thank you, Don. We agree with your analysis of the situation. The administration has still kept the secretary on the payroll so there are no complaints.
Here is word from the West Coast in Thomas C. Colt's report of his 50th.
"Priscilla and I flew to San Francisco on February 16, leaving the babies with a nurse, to represent this institution (Portland Art Museum) at the unveiling of another Samuel H. Kress Collection of Renaissance Paintings - this time at San Francisco's de Young Memorial Museum. The luncheons, dinners and general festivities were such as San Francisco does well. We managed to maintain a proper balance late evenings with Turk Murphy at the Tin Angel (Dave Brubeck, who we prefer, being out on tour).
"So we returned to Portland on the 19th and I took to bed with a 'strep' throat. The latter made it possible for me to sleep through and completely ignore the anniversary you mention. I came up from under the covers only today."
Don Hoffman's reference to Hanover reminds us that with spring already here, summer is not far behind, and it is none too early to include the class reunion in your vacation plans over the weekend of August 19-20-21. Only last August Tony and Thelma Gleason with their children were with us in Hanover. Tony now sends the sad news of Thelma's passing, the latter part of February, in his letter.
"Unfortunately, the enclosed notice about summarizes the status of the Gleason family. The first serious symptoms of Thelma's illness occurred on our trip to Quebec after the Hanover meeting in August. We should be thankful that the Lord took her when He did, as we were able to keep her suffering at a minimum.
"Gilbert was discharged from the Army on January 6 and lost no time getting back into the academic groove, which pleased us all. His reports from Oberlin are most enthusiastic. Audrey is thrilled with Smith but likes Hanover, Williams-town, Amherst and New Haven, too.
"The Class of '26 continues to swell the ranks of Northern New Jersey interviewing chairmen and now includes Brant Wallace, Art Wilcox,Bleek Williams, Jake Jacobus and myself, or about 20% of the administrative group. Northern New Jersey will probably help process over 400 boys this season if the sixth mailing turns out to be as promised."
Tony, the class extends through the medium of these notes, its sincerest sympathy toyou and to your children in this loss. We, too,will miss Thelma at our class gatherings.
Some time ago we tried to get Johnnie Blairto join one of the class gatherings in Hanoverand got this brief reply:
"Nice to hear from you, but sorry I can't make it. Say 'Hello' to everyone for me, please. I wish the M.D. had ordered me on a farm fifteen years ago. Will write at length later in answer to your welcome letter."
So far no letter, John. What further news? Jack Childs '09, fellow columnist of this MAGAZINE and noted raconteur of Aurora, Ohio (not to be confused with East Aurora, home of Elbert Hubbard, another dean of letters) has taken pen in hand to write this timely message for his friends of 1926:
Remember, too, your Dartmouth days, The meetings and the rallies. Remember all the jaunts you had Around the hills and valleys. Remember, Dartmouth's gifts to you Have given you a lift. Remember, now, her future weal Depends upon your gift.
So please get that check in the mail today to Okey O'Connor!
WELCOMING CLASSMATES, Don Church '26 (l), manager of the Belleview-Biltmore inBelleaire, Fla., shakes hands with Bob Salinger while Harry Fisher looks on. All attendedFlorida reunion held there in March.
Secretary, 500 Terminal Tower, Cleveland 13, O.
Class Agent, „ 81 Fairview Ave., West Orange, N. J.
