1944

Some people can be too good for their own good, like a nice guy I know named Phil Penberthy. When the Junta composed of Bill McElnea, Needle Allen, Boog McLoud, and Marty Shea convened at Boog's for an amalgamation of spaghetti and meatballs a couple of weeks ago, they were unified in feeling that when a man can organize and successfully execute an Alumni Fund program as Phil has done, it's only reasonable and right to stoke the furnace and name him Reunion Chairman. That's almost like putting out your hand to thank somebody, and then pop him in the belly. But as I said, Phil's a nice guy and has agreed to do it, which is the best thing that could happen to us.

I may have punctured Treasurer McElnea's cash reserve beyond repair when I sent a carte blanche order to Hanover for a return-card mailing to all of youse, which we'll use to compile a 15-year Directory which will include name, address, type of sweat shop, names of spouse and deductions, etc. At least, you'll have the names and numbers of all the players when you get to Hanover in June. Realizing that most of you won't fill in and return the card, I've asked your frau to do so, and I'll appreciate it if you'll keep after her.

To more interesting things ... Tony Frothingham has been named manager for the European area in the international division of Eastman Kodak Co. A ten-year man with the company, Tony was assigned with Pathe in France in '51, went to Hollywood for training in '52 and then returned to Paris where in '55 he was appointed assistant manager for Europe. Using an occasional balloon and frequently the horn, Tony is able to base himself in the U. S. where he, Elizabeth, and the two boys live in Irondequoit, N. Y. That's just a long mashie shot from headquarters in Rochester.

I just learned today from one of our company's field fellows that Russ Isner recently underwent a gall bladder operation, but was pleased to know that he is recuperating nicely and will be back in harness shortly. There are three constants about the fall season that interest me ... the World Series, football, and Stan Zarod's political career. This year the incumbent state senator is giving it the Skeffington try against five aspirants in the 1st Hampton District, and trotting in at about 50-1 odds. Also in the Mass. activities, Don Oakes has just been named principal of Berkshire Country Day School. Prior to the appointment, Don had been living in Jacksonville Beach, Fla., where he turned his literary talents into production of "The Promise," a book for nine-year-olds, and a text book on Japan for high school students. While at Berkshire, Don will be assistant football coach.

Dick Smith, the hardware king of Saugerties, N. Y., was recently elected by landslide to the school board, and according to newspaper reports is quite a wheel in all civic affairs there. I sure wish that Al Cook would operate on Ike or concoct a hang-over pill or do something dramatic so we could write about him more often, but he just seems content to practice and thrive and prosper as Brooklyn's leading physician.

That fellow who invented the hula hoop doesn't have much on Jim Hardigg when it comes to enterprise. Of course, the hula hooper may have got his fortune a little faster, but then that's no good the way taxes are; Jim will take his at better rates. He is master of Hardigg Industries, a thriving and constantly growing Holyoke company specializing in making boxes in which fragile instruments and equipment can be shipped with practically no chance of damage. Even the local postmaster in his most dangerous apoplectic moments can't damage the contents; and neither can skylarking truck drivers who bounce things off their tail gates. Jim, who majored in Math at Dartmouth, and picked up an M.S. at M.I.T. after the war, explains his patented process as a way of "making corrugated fibre containers with polyurethane shock absorbers suspended in an inner box of the carton." He can list many of his customers from the Big Board like G. E., Sylvania, Waltham Instruments, etc., and the list grows daily. Jim got his start as a consulting engineer for Container Laboratories in Washington doing theoretical work on package cushioning for military use. He's got other coals in the fire just as promising, and is possibly kindling the best Horatio Alger story in our class. Jim, his wife, Alice and year-old daughter, Catherine make their home in rural Hadley. Any of you boys with unearthly freight damage losses should stop off en route to Reunion.

Last month when I wrote about all the splendid people who are moving to Cleveland, I failed to mention that Gordon and Barbara Plummer and their two youngsters recently hit the happy Eden where Gordon is with Thomson Products. His better half didn't waste much time making a name for herself with the other moms in the area. She was selected from a group of 90 young women to conduct the "Romper Room," one of TV's best known kindergarten shows. It's designed to stimulate the evil elfins to a proper sense of comportment and tidy behavior when they get behind the brick walls. The TV people, who are so enthusiastic about the show, fail to report how Gordon's daughter (5) and son (4) treat him when he comes plague-worried home at night. I imagine the same as anyone else.

Socialite Brad Long and B.W. (beautiful wife, if you read the columns) have moved into a new San Francisco home. Rog Clark is now in Reading, Pa.; Dick Paul, who might be a full eagle colonel by now, is now working out of a New Orleans APO number; George Pert, eagle-eyeing credit responsibility of the growing number of Dan River Mills customers, is now making his home in Jackson Heights; and, of course, I've told you that Fritz and Jamie Witzel, far gone from Longmeadow, now reside in Winnetka.

Keep after your wife on that mailing.

Secretary, 1105 Center St., Milford, O.

Treasurer, Ballwood Rd., Old Greenwich, Conn,