1898

Last June our classmate, Patrick J. Lucey, known in his home town of Holyoke, Mass., as Bob, where he is "Holyoke's one-man encyclopedia of local history" was happily interviewed by his home-town paper, as one of those who "remain young past the retirement age." As local historian we can here only congratulate Bob, not having space to say more than speak of his services to Holyoke for 50 years as engineer of its Water Department, "During which," says he in reply to a letter of congratulation from your Secretary, he "did not lose a single day for sickness." Quite a record, that! He recalls the order of his seating in chapel as "Lockwood, Lord, Lucey," speaks of communication over the years with Phil Patey and Ev Snow, says "If I feel as well next June as I do today, you may expect to see me at the class reunion." It will be worth the while of all who read this to come, too, and renew acquaintance with P. J. Lucey.

Another '98 man was highly honored last spring, but, due to difficulty with news service, we have been unable earlier to notify you that Judge Chester Williams, in retiring from the Milford Court Bench, was given a testimonial dinner at which some 700 persons gathered to do him and two other retiring judges special honor for their outstanding services to Milford and the neighboring region of the State of Massachusetts. Beginning with the Attorney General of the state and the Chairman of the Republican State Committee, there was present an outstanding array of legal talent, including several speakers for this occasion. Many congratulations to Chester for this honor and for the personal achievement it signifies! We hope he has recovered from the effects of that dinner, as indicated by the menu - it began "clam chowder, mixed pickles,..." I dared read no further. We all hope that he will be able to meet Lucey by next June in Hanover.

To late also for an earlier report is the loss that recently came to Ike Seelman in the death of his sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Seelman Kingsley, well known to many for her extraordinary skill in creating the Double-crostic, a form of entertainment of great delight to thousands of persons for many years. First appearing in the Saturday Review, later in the New York Times Magazine and elsewhere, these word puzzles entertained and instructed countless people weekly over many years. The vogue she started still goes on, as a sort of antidote to the all too many inanities that often catch us unawares from our radio or television sets.

Recent word to us from Ev Snow brings news that, following his fractured hip of over a year ago, despite improvement in that respect, Ev is in poor condition while his activities have become heavily reduced. Ev and Ruth are at present at Gould's Farm, Great Barrington, Mass., where we all hope he will gradually recover his health and activity. It would be highly appreciated, I know, if members of the class would write to Ev at this address with a cheering word toward better times ahead for him.

The request from your Secretary has brought good results so far in your annual contribution to '98, and in a special word from many of you about yourselves—to be displayed in this column for the next 8 months. The few remaining classmates who have forgotten that secretarial message will, I hope, take note at this time and send me the annual tokens that keep us a-going classwise. Also take a look at your calendar for June 1958 — often.

Secretary and. Treasurer 960 Broadway, Dunedin, Fla.

Bequest Chairman,