1931

The impromptu rally of our class, scheduled in conjunction with the homecoming football game with Pennsylvania in Hanover on October 4, turned up a delightful number of classmates with their wives — or a number of classmates with their delightful wives —as well as additional members of their families. The rally was actually a sequence of three affairs, starting with the Saturday noon picnic in the Bema, followed by football game seats in a block at the approximate intersection of row Z and the fifteen yard line, and concluding with a dinner at Bob and Louise Keene's hostelry in Etna, with sons of 1931 and their dates as guests of our class executive committee. The idea of hosting the undergraduate sons of our class was germinated by Dick Holbrook at last year's similar meeting of our class committee, and was even more successful this year.

Statistically the count at the Bema picnic was 75, including 25 of our classmates and a substantial representation of their families. Ed Brummer, the promotional spark behind this box social, came up with perfect weather plus extra lunches for anyone short of personal groceries plus not one cake as promised but two, both ceremoniously decorated for the occasion.

There were reported to be 91 tickets in the '31 block. Frankly, there was too much happening during the game and at half time for me to either personally verify this count or to push the chore on anyone else. The dinner total at Keene's was 69, which included eleven Dartmouth sons of '31 five of whom, with enterprise equally typical of their fathers, brought their dates. In other words, my hearties, for this Hanover weekend '31 was really up!

I have been back in Chicago less than 24 hours from the sentimental exhilaration of the Hanover Plain and New Hampshire's peaks, and while the names of our classmates who joined in this pleasant reunion are as fresh and vivid as October maple leaves, let me proceed with a full run-down. John and Lucie Camph; Skeet and Doris Thomas with sons Caleb Jr. and Allen; Bunce and Eleanor Clarkson and daughter Lorna May; Went and Diana Eldredge and sons Jamie and Alan; Ed and Gert Studwell; John and Gladys Benson, with daughter Carolyn and son Jack Jr. '60; Charlie and Dot McAllister and son "Skeff" '59; Charlie and Margie Nims and son Tom; Clif and Sue McDonald; Al and Harriet McLean and son Allan; Ted and Bertha Johnson; Jim and Esther Purdy and son Andy '60; George and Marny Hawkins and son Jere '62; Len and Dottie Clark and daughter Ginger; Doug and Bee Woodring and son Doug Jr. '62; Dr. Ralph and Ann Hunter; Vic and Elizabeth King; Johnnie Cogswell's son Bill '61, John Hase's son David '62, Forsha Russell's son John '61, Les Klein's son Bill '62, and Larry Tucker's son Stephen '62.

The hard core of this grandiose shindig were the members of our class executive committee, meeting at intervals throughout the weekend in what I can interpretively refer to as "executive session" and including Dickand Peg Holbrook and son Pete 61; Jack andAlice Reno and son Jack '61; Fred and RuthSlaughter; Pete Evans, confirmed, underscored, and dedicated bachelor without peer; Bill and Mary Steck, with daughters Suzy and Margy and son Bill '59; Bill and EdnaWilson; Jim and Janet Frame; Russ andBetty Beckwith and daughter Joan (Skidmore '61); Jim and Bunny Godfrey and son Judgie: Ed and Peggy Brummer and twin sons Jed and Jeff. Charlie Engstrom's prolonged illness prevented him from attending but the report is that he is recovering steadily.

The significant items covered by the committee under Dick Holbrook's chairmanship will be reported to you in Russ Beckwith's next issue of the class Newsletter. I will report on only one item since it proved to have deep sociological overtones. The committee was billeted at Keene's for the weekend with sleeping accommodations in the ski bunkhouse, meaning the men slept in one room and our wives in another. It disturbed some of us that this arrangement might be a sign of our advancing years, but we were delighted to encounter a spontaneous disappointment on the part of each of our respective child brides at this thoughtless surrender to group economy. The unanimous conclusion of our wives - and certainly with no reflection on Bob Keene's otherwise splendidfacilities - was "lost weekend!"

A September issue of Business Week magazine carried a feature story on National CashRegister's leadership in its field, and lookingout at the reader with a calculating eye wasNCR's president, Bob Oelman.

Pete Evans, our class treasurer, reports thatmany of you who are reading this fine ALUMNI MAGAZINE have remitted your annual class dues. Those of you who haven'tdone so should forward your five dollars toUncle Pete, and to all of you - the rare fewwho are prompt in all things and the rest ofus who are died-in-the-wool procrastinators - send me a few lines of news about yourselves.And if Russ Beckwith or I have reportedyour recent change of address, fill me in onwhat was behind your move. Your classmates, your College, and your class secretaryare all interested.

Secretary, 734 Keystone, River Forest, Ill.

Treasurer, The Elms, 2701 S. Dort Highway Flint, Mich.

Bequest Chairman,