1935
Playwright and producer Harold J. Kennedy recently made news on the West Coast when he opened his new season of plays in Los Angeles with "Tiger at the Gates," a Christopher Fry adaptation of the Jean Giraudoux play. The drama critic of the Los Angeles Mirror-News described this production as "a bold and unique theatrical departure," one which makes a distinct "appeal to the intellect." The cast of Kennedy's new play is liberally sprinkled with movie names, including Mary Astor, John Ireland, and Robert Ryan '32.
It was Kennedy who, a few years ago in a speech before an East Coast theatrical gathering, made headlines when he stated that "The average mental age of the movie audience is thirteen and a half, and if the mental age of the moviegoer is that, the average age of the television and radio audience can only be described as prenatal." Out in Southern California, where Kennedy is making his headquarters, he is evidently trying to produce fare to meet the demands of those of us who want something more than adolescent westerns and flimsy dramas.
From Hanover we learn that Bob Hage, whose job as Director of the Office of Financial Aid and Associate Director of Admissions takes him frequently to far corners of the country, recently had get-togethers with various members of our class who live in the South and Southwest. On his speaking tour Hage reports seeing Bunny and Rosemary Deutsch in New Orleans, Chuck and Carol Gillan in Houston, Dick and Florence Meyers in Dallas, and Lew and Peg Whitelaw in Oklahoma City. Deutsch has become the perennial secretary of the Dartmouth Club in New Orleans, Chuck Gillan is auditor for the Gulf Atlantic Wholesale Co. in Houston, Dick Meyers is branch manager of the Pepperell Manufacturing Co. out of Dallas, and Lew Whitelaw is merchandising manager of Halliburton's department store in Oklahoma City. (What with Ralph Lazarus in Cincinnati and Newt Hamblet in Richmond, Lew Whitelaw makes the third member of our class who has become a top department store executive.)
A personal note about Bob Hage himself is that he took wife Henrietta on his speaking tour, and the two continued down to San Angelo, Tex., to visit daughter Patty, who is married to John DellIsola, '55, and who had a baby girl in January.
Another traveling man and faithful correspondent of this column's is Ed Offutt, who reports visiting with Reg Bankart in New York recently, and with Ted and Kay Harbaugh in Chicago. Ed says he is thoroughly enjoying his new job with the Smith Kline & French Foundation out of Philadelphia.
International Notes . . .
The first word in many a moon came from Walter Gage, who is now living and working out of the country. Walter writes from 1, Rue Massot, Geneva, Switzerland, as follows:
We moved to Geneva last spring where I am head of a group of companies, headquartered here, conducting a business of international trading in grains, fats and oils and similar commodities. It is a fascinating business but very time consuming, thereby somewhat limiting my opportunity to play golf.
I hope to be in New York late this spring and look forward to the prospect of at least a brief drink with you.
Your correspondent took a combination business and vacation trip to Mexico last month, and while there I attempted to get in touch with Miles Riley, who, so far as I know, is the only member of our class living in our neighbor republic below the Rio Grande. The address I had for Miles, however, was incomplete, and I was unable to track him down, so if he reads this I hope he will write and give us his address and current activities.
On the way back, I stopped in Dallas for abusiness meeting, and local banking and realestate tycoon Ed Carey displayed his usualgenerous hospitality by taking me to an excellent luncheon at the luxurious DallasClub, which Ed was largely instrumental inorganizing a couple of years ago.
Family News...
The following happy note from Hal Stanton in Agawam, Mass.:
The Big Green's victory over Yale when you and I were in Hanover was nothing compared to my wedded bliss. After 14 years Merle and I were blessed last September by a darling baby girl named Sherry Ann. To all childless 35ers I say, 'Be of good faith, look what happened to me.' Businesswise I have been with Bay State Film Productions in Springfield, Mass., since I got out of the Air Force in '46. We produce industrial films for the blue chip companies throughout New England. I handle sales and distribution.
And the following from Jack Auwerter inCleveland:
After several years of having no particular item of news to report, we now feel very 'newsy' with the prospect of our fifth child due about September 1. Eleanor just finished a run as Grace in 'Bus Stop' (the restaurant owner) at the Cleveland Play House - not that there is any connection!! So, we have just bought a much larger house, still in Shaker Heights.
Miscellaneous Notes ...
Dr. Marvin Rauch reports that he, FredMebel, Phelps Luria, and Bert Geller '37, compose an inner Dartmouth clique in their local yachting organization on the south shore of Long Island. Rauch says that with his classmates' help he hopes to "overcome family opposition and name my new boat 'Wahoo,' which would be both salty and green."
John P. Thomas writes from Delmar, N. Y. that the most interesting news about his family was the 5,300 mile, 30 day camping trip they took through the maritime provinces of Canada last year. "The camping part of the trip was good for daughters Judy, 14, and Jeanie, 10, because of lessons in cooperation and family unity," says John. Art Fisher postcards from Englewood, N. J. that he has been "domesticating and rusticating busily within sight of the George Washington Bridge," and that the Gotham hotspots are now a dim memory and even the Dartmouth Club has become a place for sightseeing. If his kids ever permit, he hopes to "come out of the shell again some day and see how the rest of the world lives."
Don Rogers out in Minneapolis says that Dan Swander came through town recently, and that the two had a most pleasant reunion.... Dero Saunders, one of Fortune magazine's most prolific editors, had a fine and definitive article in that magazine recently on giant Union Carbide & Carbon Corporation. ... '35 was represented at Winter Carnival this year by at least one member of the class, namely Tom Lane, wife Ginny, and son Christopher, now 14 and a student at the Loomis School.
'35 in Minneapolis ...
To end up the column notes for this month, we will reprint the following news from Bobb Chaney, who heads up the big BBDO advertising operation in the twin cities. Bobb writes as follows about '35ers in that area:
George Hoke is bustling about town as usual. He has become quite active at St. David's Episcopal Church where I believe he is a vestryman. Bob Collins, who has his own company in California, was in town about ten days ago. Had a chance to have lunch with him, George Hoke, and Put Kingsbury. Bob looks good, apparently is prospering and is very high on California.
Al Dodd is with Travelers Insurance Company and is located in Elgin, Ill. He is doing very well businesswise and familywise too. He has four daughters and a son. When I last was down that way several months ago the two older daughters were head over heels in love with two Dartmouth undergrads, both of whom are playing basketball. Al is doing a lot of good work in interesting boys of the Chicago area in Dartmouth and following up with effective enrollment procedures.
Dud Russell is president of the Duluth Universal Flour Mills in Duluth and also of the City Council. He is a very busy man in that head-of-the-lakes metropolis, and as the St. Lawrence Seaway becomes nearer and nearer to reality he will probably become even more involved. Bette and Dud and the whole family were in town last weekend when Dave, their son, was playing in a couple of midget hockey contests.
Secretary, 17 East 45th St. New York 17, N. Y.
Class Agent, 1129 Willow Road, Winnetka, Ill.
