1938
One of the most frequent criticisms leveled at the average secretary is that he constantly retails news of only a few classmates; this, of course, is usually because he doesn't get news of anyone else, and the old space has to be filled. The natural tendency, therefore, is to shudder at items concerned with people most active in class affairs.
I must confess to the horrid fault with Marty King; I have mentioned his name often indeed as participating in the New York meetings with dependable regularity, but now I come to realize that I have slighted him from the standpoint of real news. Fortunately comes to hand this moment a good report by a reliable observer, one Sandy Mills to the following effect:
"Thought you might be interested in the latest situation on Martin R. King. The boy seems to have stepped out here in Cleveland, having bought a huge home on Fairmount Boulevard in Cleveland Heights. Jane and he invited Bob Eckel and me, our wives, and a Princeton couple to dinner last Saturday night. Marty takes us to his game room on the second floor, where he has complete facilities — in addition to a pool table that was left in the house by the previous owner. We played pool a considerable length of time and King, claiming to be inept, soon had all our money and we had paid for the dinner, in addition to a substantial downpayment on a new car.
"Naturally, this new home is being equipped exclusively with General Electric indirect lighting and I hope to initiate, within the near future, an investigation of this lighting and certain of its installation. It is beautiful, however!"
Said communique comes on the letterhead of the Mills Company, "Metal Walls for Flexible Interiors."
Scotford helps fatten the old shoe-box with a letter from John Huck, to wit:
"My own situation has changed considerably since last year. I left the University of Chicago late last summer, and have established John W. Huck & Associates, consultants on philanthropy. The 'Associates' consist solely of a secretary (who, as you can see, is not typing this letter!) and the clients are a hell of a lot scarcer than I would like. I expected to lose money the first year, and that part of the plan is going along according to schedule. Actually, what I'm trying to do is help corporations give their money away; they need the help but, as is so often the case, those who need it most don't realize it and aren't interested. Another six months should tell the story. I'm having a hell of a lot of fun, and working ten times as hard as I ever have in my life but my kids are getting tired of turnip-greens."
Thomas C. Roberts has been named super visor of special advertising services of the East man Kodak Co. He is in direct charge of Kodak's regional advertising offices. His duties will include the study of methods for more effective use of Kodak advertising by dealers, wholesalers, and photofinishers.
After joining Kodak in 1939, Roberts was associated for about two years with the company's stores organization. Following his return from U.S. Navy Service in World War II, he served as sales representative in various Eastern and Midwestern territories.
Fran Belcher, one of the most prolific members of the class (six children), has been appointed executive director of the Appalachian Mountain Club. For the past seventeen years he has been an official of the A.M.C. Hutmen's Association, and three of those years has represented the hut system on the club's governing council. For the past year he has been treasurer of the club. He comes, to his new full-time position after twenty-years of service with the law department of tHe Boston and Maine railroad. The new job is an entirely new position with the club, necessitated by the much increased interest in the club, its tremendously increased membership, and the new fields into which the club has entered.
Prominent in the Connecticut Ethical Culture movement, Dr. Al Wolff, director of student personnel at the University of Bridgeport, was a recent lecturer in Stamford on the subject: "Problems in Imparting Ethical Values from the Standpoint of a College Guidance Counselor,"
During World War II, Dr. Wolff was chief psychiatric social worker at Tilton General Hospital, Fort Dix, N.J. Since coming to Connecticut after the war, he has taken part in various state organizations. He is serving his fifth year as an elected member of the Milford Board of Education, is a past president of the Fairfield County Guidance Association, and a past vice president of the Connecticut Personnel and Guidance Association.
Last of the prominent news items of the month is a feature story on Bill Lansberg's activities buying books for Baker Library. The story has to do with an annual list of books published by the American Library Association as "the most notable books of 1956." This year (1956, to be sure), Bill found that he had purchased all but one of the 46 listed, which makes his batting average pretty good. The previous year he batted 1000; in 1953, 1000 again; 1952 all but one of 53. When you consider that each year some 14,000 books are published, you can see Baker is getting expert attention.
A one-day stand in Hanover this past spring vacation was singularly devoid of any 1938 contacts. I can report the Tanzis still doing business on the usual informal basis; Mac's still purveying food and chatter; and Fletcher the Lecher still standing in front of his emporium. Since the College was still on vacation, the town was quiet and orderly.
By the time this reaches the light of day, the New York shindig of a pre-reunion warmup with 1937 and 1939 will be history, and I hope to be able to" report on it, depending on academic and other matters here in this monastery. Next month's will be the wind-up for the season, so if you want to see your own or someone else's name in print, get busy and get me the dope before the fifth of May.
Meeting at an altitude of 9,000 feet, RedBoutilier '38 (r), a passenger, discovered hispilot was George Hersam '29, company pilotfor Cornell-Dubilier Corp. The two were on aflight from Vernon, N.Y., to Orlando, Fla.,and were later photographed at the airport.
Secretary, Trinity-Pawling School Pawling, N.Y.
Class Agent, 329 Concord Rd., Yonkers, N.Y.
