1908
The Class will be interested, I know, in a report on the condition of Mike Stearns, our venerable president. It's all good, even though he has shrunk from the large economy size to a more handy package. But let him tell you as he told me in a letter dated after his return from the hospital in April.
"I am disgustingly healthy. They have me on a 1200 calorie diet and my weight is now 186 with 411/2 waist vs. 225, with a 46 waist. Nap in the afternoon - take it nice and easy for a while and I'll be as good as ever. Have cut out cigarettes (smoke a pipe) and they prescribe four ounces of Bourbon a day (darn it). But you can bet your bottom dollar I will be in Hanover in June. We Coronaries have got to get together with the Prostate Gland boys. Now that you have General Knox on your side and God knows how many others, Rotch, Soule, Merrill, Stone, myself and no doubt others can play checkers and argue it out anyway."
Sounds like Mike all right. Guess there's no doubt that he's 0.K., for which we are thankful.
Now comes news from the Pacific Coast, forwarded by Don Frothingham and containing news of an important meeting. His dispatch reads as follows: -
"Reporting that Larry and Dorothy Symmes have been dominating the S.F. society pages, but especially that Larry held the head of the table at his 1908 Luncheon at the Press Union League Club for Danforth, Gray, Wood plus Dick Carpenter 1910 and this subscriber. Webb Evans couldn't get up from Palo Alto. His health is much better. The flying Symmes are homebound via Washington, D. C. We all figure Tread did his usual fine job at Vero Beach." (He did.)
More news from the Pacific Coast, this time from Walter Rich on April 7, who doth depose as follows:
"Just returned from Palo Alto where I had lunch with Webb Evans and Gus Ayres '06 and eighteen other Dartmouth men of various classes. Had a grand visit with Webb."
Art Sides is being kept busy in various parts of the country showing colored slides covering his recent trip around the world. A suggestion, Art: why not show them to the gang in Hanover at the informal reunion June 13-15? It will be a relatively small crowd, but these are those who'd love it.
Wink Fiske says that there is a chance that he will be in Hanover in June. And speaking of Wink, it should be reported even though a year late, that last year after his trip to Hanover, he conducted his class at Waltham High School as president at a fiftieth reunion, with banquet, at the famous 1775 House. Over half the class were present, coming from as far as Washington, D. C., and Cincinnati. Remember, Henry Stone did the same for his class at Haverhill, same being reported in these yere columns last year. They should certainly be on the committee to plan our big 50th, three years hence.
Art and Juliet Soule are back in Cohasset after their customary winter in Florida. They Stopped at Vero on the way north. There we watched Art work on his petit-point at which he has become professional. With a needle and various colors and shades of yarn he paints pictures on cloth that have all the tones of oils. Art has been very successful at this and has sold many pieces at very substantial prices. Can anyone equal that for a hobby?
Talked with General Knox yesterday (April 28) and he is back in circulation as of yore. In fact, he was going in town that night, so didn't send him any sympathy cards. He doesn't need 'em. He expects to be in Hanover in June for the 'OB lecture series. By the way, when you read this there should be time to get a room if you haven't already done so.
Chick Currier, our hard-working Bequest Chairman writes that his customary trip East will be postponed until late in the summer in time to be in Hanover for a bequest meeting in September. We'll miss him in June. He has done a grand job and has enrolled many '08ers in the bequest program. If you have ideas along that line, Chick invites your correspondence.
Syd Ruggles, our completely unselfish Class Historian, is in the throes of collecting data on each classmate, preparatory to issuing a class book on the occasion of our 50th reunion. As you know, he has sent out requests which have met with a generous response, but there remain some who have not yet replied. This is to urge those who have not sent in the basic facts of their careers to do so as soon as possible. The book can be complete only if you do. You can imagine that this is some job for Syd, but a very little job for the individual classmate. Please.
If I am correct, the next issue of the MAGAZINE will contain the facts and figures of the 1955 Alumni Fund Drive and will be free of the usual news, gossip and palaver. In it we hope and believe that '08 will be right up there with the quota busters as of yore. We will have until June 30 to get there and will be advised of progress in the meantime.
NEW ADDRESSES: Laurence Adler, 460 Riverside Drive, New York 27, N. Y.; Dr.Harold Rugg, Woodstock, N. Y.; Charles C.Severance, 10 Yong St., Cortland, N. Y.
Notes Editor, 119 Parker St. Newton Center 59, Mass.
Secretary, 115 Broadway, New York 6, N. Y.
Class Agent, 125 Walnut St., Watertown, Mass.
