1937

Secretary, 869 Hardscrabble Rd. Chappaqua, N. Y.

Treasurer,. 17 High Street, Greenfield, Mass.

As it does each year, Labor Day spells the end of summer to your editor and sits him down with pad and pencil to meet the October deadline. I certainly trust that all of you have had restful summers and pleasant vacation times. My idle days included an abnormally large number devoted to house painting - which can be relaxing, too.

Before passing on to other things I thought it most appropriate to again look back on our part in the 1957 Alumni Fund drive with much pride. We were over the top with 463 contributors and $17,127. This is a new record of giving and so the thanks of each to all and to Bialla and his able workers!

We have a large year ahead of us, culminating as it does in our 20th Reunion in June. I talked this evening with our Chairman, Carl Ray, and he reports that his various committee people are lined up for duty to the extent of about three-fourths the requisite number. The balance of man power will be in hand shortly. Carl and Ruth are going to Europe - mainly business for Underwood - September 26 for a month's stay in England, France, Germany and Italy. Before departure Carl will have a write-up which he and I will review for an early issue.

In the interim, there is one bit of reunion trappings to which you may bend your talents. We have not got a slogan yet — no "Back to Hanover" business in ten words or less. There is a reward out for a tag line for '37's 20th. The man who submits the winning number, to be chosen by the Reunion Committee, will have first choice of the door prizes before the drawing begins. Send your entries to me (with a line or two of news) and I shall rush them to Mr. Ray.

I must say that the summer brought me from time to time some gratifying bits of news from here and there. So much so that I shall have to hold some over an issue since our Editor-in-Chief needs space for coverage of the Dartmouth Convocation on Great Issues. Please don't take that to mean that I can't use all the items you send me, for I really utilize every one, and with thanks.

We had a nice note from Rog Barney, who we thought would conduct the Memorial Service next June. Rog has had to decline since he and his family moved from Concord on August 15 to Brighton, Mich., where Rog will be on the stafE of Parishfield, a laymen's training center of the Episcopal Church. We wish Rog all success in his new work and continued improvement in his mobility after his severe polio attack of two years ago. Sorry, too, he probably won't be with us in June.

Burk Welldon dropped me a line from Wilmington, a city, I gather, where you are of a breed apart if you do not toil for Du Pont. Burk is such a maverick but is none the less tainted with chemicals since he is at the research center of Hercules Powder Co., hard at work on polymers, "like the most recent version of polyethylene." Forgetting the atoms and the molecules, Burk's big news this summer has been a new house on a hill near the center. Moving day was August 28. He tells me this is the split-level to end the breed — eight levels, including two in the basement. A case of either some hill or some architect! Sounds like a creation of Bob McCoy after a Schlitzecue.

Burk meets up with more classmates than many of us, including Bar Moseley (at Dartmouth get-togethers), John Dingle (over the bridge table from time to time) and George Vennum (at Cub Scouts, but Burk doesn't say whether he or George is Aquila). Many thanks, Burk.

Bill Bell wrote me in June about his activities of the last several years. You may recall that Bill spent three years in Germany, the first fourteen months in Frankfort as Chief of the purchasing division, Quartermaster Procurement Center and the balance in Heidelberg, assigned to the Procurement Branch, G4 Hqs. USAREUR. His work entailed a good deal of travel so that he saw a good bit of Holland, Denmark, Belgium, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Austria and Switzerland. This combined with leave in England, Ireland and Scotland makes the Bell family one of our better traveled members. Col. Bell, Vera and the children arrived back in the States last Christmas, first class on the SS America.

Bill is in the office of the Quartermaster General in Washington engaged in procurement matters (you notice that in Washington they never talk about divestment). Bill still travels a great deal, though to less romantic cities like Kansas City, New Orleans and that fantastic place which crawls with automobiles - Los Angeles. He and family are in suburban Falls Church, Va.

The summer's mail also brought me a line or two from Les Hoyle who is currently practicing law in Phoenix, Ariz. Les has been out there for about three years and having passed the Arizona bar sometime back now has his own law office. He reports that he has "managed to remain single" which leaves him among very thin ranks and, apparently, there are even yet casualties among this stubborn minority, for I have a clipping from Washington, D. C., which conveys the happy tidings that Joe Kiernan has become engaged to Miss Suzanne Hume and the couple plans an October wedding. As far as I know this leaves Fink Broadbent our sole bachelor in that area.

My old track team buddy, Bob Mulliken, sent me a note reporting that he is with the Underwriters Service Agency of North Scituate, Mass., in the field of fire inspection and appraisal. Bob is married to the former Lois Krieger, Mount Holyoke '38, and they have three children - Jeff 61/2, Carol 5, and Bruce 3. Although Bob travels a good deal, he has found time to keep himself busy in such local activities as Red Cross, Civilian Defense and, also, as a member of a local dance combo. It was good to hear from Bob after these many years.

One last note before closing, I have an announcement that Dave Todd has joined the architectural firm of Ballard, Todd and Snibbe as one of the charter partners. I noted that while their main practice is in New York, they also maintain an office at Montego Bay on the Island of Jamaica. That would be for me.

Next month I will get caught up on the last of our summer items; but, in the meantime, keep the new material flowing.