1931
The top news to reach your secretary this month, as regards our illustrious classmates, is news on Bob Oelman of Dayton, Ohio. The National Cash Register Company has announced that Bob is their new president. This column, in years past, has had many fine things to report on Bob's accomplishments, and it is a real pleasure to add this exciting one. Congratulations, Bob, from your classmates!
Had a nice drive over the new Indiana and Ohio turnpikes just before Easter, ending up in Columbus, Ohio, at my brother-in-law's. Tried to see or talk with Jack Cunningham, and although he was out of town, I did get to talk with his wife, Jane. At home, they have two fine daughters, Cathy and Ginny. The eldest, Sally, is a freshman at Smith. Jack is doing a fine job as an industrial engineer for Spencer Turbine.
We are sorry to report that our good friend and worker, Charlie Engstrom, has relinquished his job as Bequest Chairman, but was good enough to get Jim Godfrey to carry on this most important job for our class. To you,Jim, we say thanks for agreeing to again be ofservice to your class. We're still rememberingthat fine reunion you engineered. And to you,Charlie, thanks for the fine job you did thispast year. Here is something on which a lotof you will want to follow through:
"George Nickum and Si Leach report that close friends and business associates of our classmate, Bill Geiger, who died last fall, in memory of his fine principles of ethics and citizenship, are establishing a fund to insure the college education for the three Geiger children (Susan is past 17, Sandra, approaching 8 and Bill II, 5). The residue at the termination of the trust will revert to Bill's beloved Dartmouth College. Those who will want to share in this tribute should communicate with either George or Si. George is at 71 Columbia St., Seattle 4, Wash., and Si at 365 Grain Exchange Building, Winnepeg 2, Manitoba, Canada."
Here is good news from Chicago. JohnGoodwillie reports an important first for '31in that "windy city." Thursday, April 4, atthe University Club, 12 '31ers attended aspecial luncheon. In the body were Akerlund,Bob Biesel, Ozzy Bliss, Si Burge, Gale Freeman,Goodwillie, Skip Hall, Cliff Harris, GeorgeLill, Rusterholtz, Slaughter, and Al Wolff.There is a potential 36 attendance for the nextscheduled gathering on October 17. If you didnot receive an invitation to the first, please letme or Goodwillie know, so you can be advisedof the place of the October 17 luncheon ordinner. Fred Slaughter and Pete Akerlundplayed hosts, but didn't pick up the checks.I missed it and am therefore looking forwardto the next with gusto. This is a good spot totell you that John Goodwillie was made a vice-president of his firm, Dole Valve Company,6201 Oakton Street, Morton Grove, Ill. Congratulations, John.
Other mail from Denver recently brought news from Thad Smith and Bill Grant. Bill reports that the chain letter started last fall was sent on by him, and so whoever has it now please add some news and send it on its way. You'll be interested in Thad's letter which should have appeared in Frame's "Wa-hoo Wampum." Thad is an attorney for Continental Oil Company, and as you know kissed the small hills of New England good-bye for the giants of Colorado.
The Greenville (Conn.) Community Council, of which Charles Skeffington McAllister was one of the original organizers, has paid our Charlie an extremely high tribute. At a recent annual meeting he was given the Award of Merit, (an inscribed silver box) given annually to a resident who has made unusual contributions to the civic life of the community. He was chairman of the organizing committee and later was its first president. The list of Charlie's contributions to his community are long and impressive. We certainly congratulate you, Charlie, along with your good wife, Dottie, and your only son, Skeff, who is now a sophomore in Hanover. You have served your class most generously, too, during many of these same years of outstanding service to your home town, Greenville. Thanks to you, Doug Morris, for informing your secretary of the awards bestowed upon one of 31's illustrious sons.
If plans and intentions go as scheduled, I am leaving for the hills of New Hampshire this next week (May 2), to attend the annual Class Secretaries' meeting; a visit with my brother in Concord; and a little business on the side. Not having seen early May in Hanover since 1932, I am anxious to be off. If it had been March and 1930, here's what some of you guys were doing, (relax and let your mind take you back 27 years ago):
The Arts elected Bob Oelman, President; Abner Vice-President; Ed Gruen, Secretary; CortAnderson, Librarian. Columbia drowned our water polo team 34 to 26, while Magee was making 4 points as Pennsylvania topped our basketballers 27-25. In the IC4A Donner took 4th in the broad-jump, and Princeton iced us 3-2 on the rink with Andres and Johnson in the starting line-up. Syracuse outboxed us 6-1, Bob Ryan getting our only victory. Also slugging for us were Weinstein, Bean and Bob Chapman. A conference for prep schools was held with Gruen, Danfortb, and Burr ill on the planning committee. On the same day, Henry Johnson was elected captain of hockey for 1930-31, and hockey letters were awarded to other 31ers: Andres,fisher, and Rockhill. The next day Yale outswam us 44-18, but Spiegel got a 2nd, Burkhardt a first, JAcCord a 3rd, and Cukor swam on the winning relay team with Spiegel. We beat the freshmen at hockey 4 to 1, goals being made by Bertram and Egan. On the 6th, class elections produced JohnMartin as our prexy, Len Clark as v.p., Jack Warwick as secretary, and Beany Thorn as treasurer. On the Bth, the Round Table picked for membership: Jack Barrett, Rut Dennis, Rusty Rusterholtz and Mitch Syrek. Radin and Gebring were meeting for the championship match in college handball, and leaving for Mount Washington, under the leadership of Sey Burge, were Beckwith, Page and Feltner. A day later on a downhill race at Moosilauke three of our buddies placed: Baumrucker, Page, and Feltner.
In Dartmouth's closing-of-the-season court game Columbia won 56-28. Picken got 4 baskets, Magee2, and also in the line-up were Myllykangus and Bob Biesel. O'Neil (that's C.K. author of "War Train") got his first big literary job: Editor of "Jacko." Jack Ewers and Dick Holbrook were his big gun associates. But on the same day two of our sharpies, who really made their parents proud with their accomplishment, were announced in the morning paper as billiard sharks: Eric Wollaeger, and Les Billings. (How are you two doing at the game by this time?) The 12th was the occasion of a wrestling tourney. These were the canvas-lovers from our class: Jim Sudduth, Gilmore, Peterson,Bob Chapman, Doug Morris, Skip Hall, ChuckRobinson, E: A. Smith, Shep Wolff and CharlieMcQueeny. Now as for Bradford, Bob Alcorn,C. Marx, Doug Morris, L. Tucker, Bill Waterman,Bill Byrne, Don Stoddard, Pete Boynton and LewTaylor, they were all up early the next morning to accompany the glee club to Bradford. (How in the world could you wrestle the 12th and be warbling satisfactorily at Bradford the next day, Doug?)Charles (Dutch) Babbitt set a new college 440 record on the track, and elected to Cabin and Trail was Charlie Engstrom.
Remember the 2nd annual Green Key Convention, with delegates from 24 colleges attending, on March 15 ? I can well remember it for I was given the job of entertaining the two from West Point, and any Green Keyer will vouch for the capacity of these knights from the Hudson. It was a profitable night for Joe Pilver but a sad knight was shoved on the late train for points south. Billings overcame Wo ellager in billiard finals. With McCord doing an upset in the 100, Dartmouth " downs Penn 32-30, and a rough Penn water polo gang beats us. G. D.Morris was picked to study international problems in Geneva, Switzerland during the summer. Magee,Picken and Myllykangus got basketball letters. Whittinghill and Feltner lead in Class B 4th annual down hill race at Mt. Moosilauke. On the 20th ShepWolff easily throws Hal Booma '30 in college wrestling tourney, and the Players select R. Burrill and R. K. Richardson to membership. Rod Hatcher was running the interclass track meets. On the 21st Sigma Chi won the interfraternity track meet, followed by Theta Delt and Tri-Kap; the '31ers winning were Holbrook and Reno in individual events and with Tri-Kap's record setting relay team were Bat Austin and Mai Pratt. In the interclass meets point winners were Huckins. Clarkson, Donner,Moody and Pratt. In charge of tickets for the Boston and Cleveland appearances of the Glee Club were J. N. Cole and H. Galley.
According to local scuttle-butt "Chief" S. R. Walkingstick '18, pure blooded Cherokee Indian from Oklahoma, gave Dartmouth its "Indian yell", although the present so-called "Indian yell' is only what is left of the original, for when "Chief" left Hanover, no one was able to reproduce it in the proper fashion. It was first used at Palmer Stadium dedication October 24, 1914 at which Dartmouth was licked 16 to 12. On the 24th, Psi U swimmers took the relay with Wolff, Dilley and Palmer aided by Hall '32. The intramural referees for the season had been Quinn, Hausman and MacVean. TomEgan had posted the high single game (127) in the fraternity bowling matches, and Billy Alton was re-elected boxing captain. The fencing team had H. D. Crosse as our delegate, and all Juniors wanting to attend Tuck School in September, 1930, were ordered to register with Dean Gray at once. On the 26th, Chicago was still in second day of an 8½" snow fall and blizzard. The gym team letter winners included Norris and Seney; Babbitt, Burkhardt, Cukor, McAllister, McCord and Spiegel won swimming letters; and doing so for the water polo team were Greig, Hall and Holm an. Getting an early introduction to luncheon clubs were BillWaterman and Lew Taylor who sang in a quartet in Woodstock before the Rotary Club. Hitting the head lines again on the 26th was Doug Morris who was elected President of the D.C.A.; as vice-president: (and this certainly turned out" to be getting the horse behind the cart) Jim McElroy, treasurer: R. H. Burrill and as secretary, H. S. Guernsey. Instead of beating out our lungs and legs at the gym, in the pool, on the track, about the boards, or in Memorial Field, most of us would have been better off to have been out for the golf team, (no matter what the scores,) like Bill Benger, Chuck Hill,Jonas, Mullan and Zinn. And how many remember the all-college vote on the liquor issue? Fourteen colleges voted; Princeton was the wettest with 79.1% admitting to drinking. The admissions at Dartmouth were 64.5%. On March 28, J. B. Feltner was named manager of the Winter Sports teams, and with Chicago recuperating from the heavy blizzard, the baseball team heads south for a seven game trip, while the rest of us take off for the Easter recess, yeah even into California.
The time is running short for completion ofour goals for this year's Alumni Fund, so ifyou haven't yet sent the dough Hanover-ward,do it now, and if you have and can send somemore, do that now too! '31 up!
Warren Moore '32 is the new Treasurer ofLever Brothers Co. He joined the company asAssistant Treasurer in 1951 after holding thatsame position with Eastern Air Lines.
Secretary, 345 West Murray, Macomb, Ill.
Class Agent, 1250 Terminal Tower Bldg. Cleveland 13, Ohio
