1921
This being your new class secretary's first attempt at class notes writing, there's no telling what you are going to find. If you are expecting some world-shaking —or even classshaking pronouncements, your secretary is immediately and herewith a thorough failure. The reportorial and literary quality and standard of an established column, such as this, can never remain completely static. There must either be improvement or deterioration. How can there possibly be any improvement on the job that Reg Miner has been doing, as well as his predecessors, so what a dismal future for this column. Reg has set a pattern, and in his whole job as secretary he has done a job hard to equal, impossible to surpass.
That goes too for the other recently retiring class officers. John Sullivan, who has turned over the presidency to Roger Wilde.Hal Braman spoke for the class about John in the August issue of "The Smoker." Do you remember the day back in 1920 or 1921 when the student body didn't agree with the management of the Nugget on the brand of pictures being shown? And they expressed their disapproval by a mass march on the Nugget with everything but good will in their intentions? And the obviously inevitable results were prevented by our recently retired class president's leadership and courage? John was a leader then, and he always will be. Bob MacDonald too, who has passed on the class treasurership to Abe Weld. The job of class treasurer can be a pretty thankless one, but Bob, in the way he has handled it has proven how much more to it there is in the building of class solidarity and goodwill than just getting in the dues from the brethren.
And finally, talking about jobs well done, we'll have to give a standing vote to Don Sawyer for what he did on this year's Alumni Fund. All we have to do is to look at the record, and the statistics speak for themselves. No matter how enthusiastic, loyal, and tightly knit a class may be, it still takes the kind of leadership and downright hard labor such as Don has given to produce the kind of statistics shown in '21's Alumni Fund results for 1956. These are the kind of leaders, with those who have gone before, and those who will follow these men generation after generation, who are the Dartmouth Spirit, and because of whom — with all the other thousands of loyal sons — there will always be a Dartmouth.
Now, THIS IS IMPORTANT. You've heard about it, and read about it. "IT" will just about be here by the time you read this. IT is the long planned and awaited post trigentaquinquennial fall class meeting, and reunion. October 19 and 20. You say you haven't made a reservation? So what? There's bound to be some place within walking or wheeling distance of Hanover where you can be put up. At least those who are near enough can get up at the crack of dawn on Saturday and come up for the meeting (to be in 103 Carpenter at 10 A.M.) and the lunch at Norwich Inn. Don't forget, you and yours are invited to be the guests of the Executive Committee at a cocktail party Friday, October 19, at 5:30 P.M. at the Ski Hut. Let's go '21.
Swinging back, for a moment, from thoughts of gaiety to a few words of sorrow. We just recently received word, sent to the College from Charlotte Townsend of the death last spring of her husband Maurice Brainerd Townsend. Townie, at the time of his death, was an executive of the Consolidated Cement Company of Jackson, Michigan, with which organization he had been associated for thirty years. Our deepest sympathy goes to his widow, and two sons, and brother who survive him.
Also, our sympathy goes to Red Stanley whose wife Isabel died on July 29. She had not been in too good health for some time. However, she was up for the 35 th reunion in June, and we will always remember her constantly friendly and cheerful personality. The funeral, at Union Church, in Waban, was attended by so many of her, and Red's friends, including Bill and Edith Perry, Dick and Sue Barnes, Tom Cleveland, Don Sawyer, and RegMiner.
Men of '21 continue to make news in the daily press, and what they are doing is newsworthy. Ellwood Fisher, one of the most highly respected and civic-minded citizens of Cleveland, has recently been appointed Chairman of the Distribution Committee of the Cleveland Foundation. This organization gathers and allocates thousands of dollars to various cultural, civic, and philanthropic institutions.
Another leading Clevelander is Joe Schultz who has been elected Vice President of the Central National Bank of Cleveland. Joe has been with Central National since 1922, and before his recent election was executive officer of the bank's office in the Rockefeller Building.
Early in the summer, the faculty of Lehigh University gave a dinner for Dr. E. Kenneth Smiley honoring him for his 25 years of service to the university. Ken has long been in educational work, and has been Vice President of Lehigh since 1945.
Francis G. Hickman, editor, writer, world traveller, and war correspondent, was attending the International Trade Fair in Poznan, Poland, at the time of the June riots there. His eyewitness account appeared in several newspapers through the Associated Press.
It's interesting to note how many of our classmates are in educational work, or in allied fields of literature, and cultural arts. Dr. Erling Hunt is another one. We received a clipping from a Cambridge, N. Y., paper, covering an address he had given at the Cambridge Central School, and referring to him as the "noted and distinguished educator from Columbia University." Erl has authored many books, articles, and monographs on various topics concerning education, history, political and social science. He has been professor and head of the Department of Social Science at Teachers College since 1938.
Charlie Gilson's younger son, Benjamin ('54, Med. '55) was married on August 10 to Sarah Wright Bond of Wellesley Hills, at St. Andrew's Church, Wellesley. They had met in Hanover when Ben was at Medical School and his bride a laboratory technologist at Mary Hitchcock Hospital. Ben is now in his final year at Harvard Medical School.
We have just had word of John Eisaman's change of address from Narbeth, Pa., to Van Nuys, Calif. Hodge, as we used to know him, has been a banker for some years. We'll try to run down detailed news of his recent move, and activities.
Was in Hanover one very rainy day in August. What a mess the town was! Holes, trenches, excavations — a mammoth trench and corresponding pile of dirt across the south end of the campus, all in connection with the replacing of the underground steam pipes from the central heating plant. Chatted for a few minutes with Corey Ford on the telephone. He reports he is making good progress, even though it is a long, slow pull. He's back from a recent quick trip abroad, and hopes soon to be back in full circulation.
Had nice notes from Joe Vance, via OrtHicks, and from Capron Payson expressing their regrets at having to miss reunion.
Secretary, 276 Gano St., Providence 6, R. I.
Treasurer, Rm. 1200, 195 Broadway, New York 7, N. Y.
Bequest Chairman,
