1911
This time it is possible to give first-hand reports on a few classmates seen on our way south. We found Sarge and Esther Eaton rejoicing in Sarge's finally acquired retirement. Things had been cooking for sometime. Sarge had built a beautiful new home in Fairfield looking forward to a few leisure hours when he would not be busy with one or two other things, such as the two banks of which he is a director, the Bridgeport Hospital where he is a trustee, and various other civic responsibilities. The Connecticut papers gave big play to the sale of Howland's to Genung's Inc., and gave great credit to Sarge who joined the organization in 1926 as merchandise manager. He was a vice president in 1930, president in 1944 and chairman of the board in 1947, when the store was doing an annual business of ten million dollars.
In Washington, Miriam Morris is the only remaining representative of the class. Luncheon with her and her 92-year-old mother, who had danced at her granddaughter's party the night before, found Miriam in the midst of her many civic and social activities. She is fine and seriously planning to be with us in Whitefield in June.
On to Staunton, Va., to the delightful home and charming company of Stan and Sybil Eaton. When Slim retired from his business they wanted to settle in a spot which avoided extreme temperatures and weather changes and decided on Staunton. They picked well by buying a fine brick dwelling in a large grove on top of the highest hill in the city. Their view to the East is the Blue Ridge and to the West, the Alleghenies. They both refute the theory that retirement means idleness. Stan resigned recently as Coordinator of Civil Defense, but still heads the Red Cross Board and the Stonewall Jackson Area Council of Boy Scouts and is on the board of a school for blind and dumb children located there. Sybil is active in the church Rehabilitation Center. There is a beautiful golf course where Slim keeps fit.
Our plan to dine with the Irwins, Grovers, and Heads the next evening was suddenly changed as snowflakes appeared to intercept the drive down the Shenandoah Valley to Asheville. By the time we reached Roanoke the snow was eight inches deep, wet and heavy, and all roads to Asheville were closed. We headed directly for the deep warm (?) South where there would be more classmates waiting.
The first was Eben Holden who with Doris had taken a house in Clearwater for the winter. He has sold his home in Portland so they will spend the summers at their summer home at Sebasco, Me., and winters in Florida. Their younger daughter, Mary, is a junior at Cornell and spent Christmas with them, and Paula, married to a Harvard Business School graduate, lives in Corning, N. Y.
A little trip of a couple of days took us to four other classmates whom we had not seen for a varying length of time up to 48 years. There was Bill Herron in Lakeland who has been in Florida 48 years. He is the only one who stayed here of the group of 1911ers who hit for the South immediately after graduation. Now he looks and talks like a native. He has led an interesting and useful life since he started out with an old shack, a plot of land and a horse; then a garage business; dealer and agent for Fords; and owner of a large tract of timberland. He cut off the timber, constructed a number of buildings in Lakeland and finally, bought another piece of property near the lake and settled down to enjoy himself with an office and a shop where he has fun making furniture, until his wife says there is no room for more. In his spare time he raises fruit and flowers. He sold his fruit before the freeze but lost all his flowers and many shrubs. He particularly mourned the loss of 37 varieties of hibiscus.
A few miles further brought us to "Bones" and Esther Tindall. It was a joy to find Floyd very much improved in health. He looked the picture of health which he accomplishes by taking good care of himself. He had to give up his fruit agency which he was operating for charitable purposes, and is counting on getting back to his home in Fish Creek, Wis., this spring.
It was a special treat to find "Heinie" and Livie Chase at their fine comfortable home in Daytona Beach on a height of land just above the beach itself. This is the 48-year lapse of time referred to above. In appearance Heinie has changed very little during these years. Although he has been having some rough times physically, he seems to have won out. He was retired from the Army as a Colonel in 1946 because of ill health and settled in Daytona Beach about six years ago. He is an avid fisherman, and my one regret was being unable to go fishing with him. Their beautiful daughter and her three children would delight any grandparents.
A pleasant luncheon was had with Don and Fanny Cheney in their ancestral home in Orlando. Don, as usual, is engaged in several civic and community affairs. For years he has been heading up Boy Scout activities and has been the leader in securing and building Scout Headquarters for Orange County. At present he is working with the County Highway Commission in the settlement of damage claims resulting from land seizure for highway development. Perhaps Don can look forward to a settlement in his own case, as the proposed new Federal Highway is due to go through the middle of his house. He has also just been appointed Chairman of the Orange County Historical Commission. Their daughter Virginia, who accompanied them to our 15 th Reunion, is married, but Barbara is living at home and working in Orlando.
The Burt Coopers and Spim Norrises have winter apartments across the street from Don but were unavailable for questioning since they spend all day at the country club digging divots.
Says Gene Gardner (thinking all was warm and sunny in Florida), "We who continue to work after retirement have to stay in this damn penetrating weather." However he and Ruth are devoting their lives to the betterment of unfortunate children. For many years they have been interested in the Devereux Schools, which operate schools in Devon, Pa., and Santa Barbara, Cal., for children who need special care, education and therapy. Gene is now President of the Foundation.
Coleen Hedges' friends will be glad to know that after a three weeks' stay at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., she has returned home very much better, thanks to the new drugs for high blood pressure. She and Cap are planning on Whitefield.
Marion Agry is visiting with friends at Delray Beach, Fla., and will also be at Sea Island where she and Warren had planned a vacation with the Marty Remsens. After visiting Warren Jr. and Marion in Alabama, she will return to her home in Etna about May first.
The Grim Reaper has struck again. This time it was "Dutch" Uline whose turn had come. Uly was another of those valiant and stalwart alumni who have always been ready to answer any appeal from the College when need is expressed. Marion wrote that he had been failing for about a year but was at work even the day before Christmas. Then he went into the hospital for rest and observation. He returned home for five days but lost ground so fast that he had to return to the hospital again where he died on January 28. He had suffered from high blood pressure for over two years, accompanied by hardening of the arteries. He enjoyed his work so much that he could see no reason why any man would want to rest, and that was the way he would have wished it.
Reporting on the New York party, Ken Clark writes, "This was probably the greatest Dartmouth affair that has ever been held. I had never heard the President speak as well as he did. Sherman Adams was very forceful and Hoppy wound up the affair with just the right touch of humor. I think I have never heard so good a glee club and the Barbary Coast was also very adequate. Altogether it was a very wonderful affair." 1911ers present to enjoy it were Aronowitz, Barstow, Ed Keeler, Waldron and the following couples: Fred Eatons, Gay Farrells, Jack Russells. John Scotfords, Jack Steeves and Ken Clarks, with Marjorie Swain as their guest.
At the Boston Alumni Dinner only four classmates showed up. These were Chick Jordan, Dutch Whitman, Gay Farrell and Josh Clark. Maybe six-fifty is too much for us old codgers on social security, or maybe the suburbs are too far from the city, or perhaps we just cannot go out nights any more
Fanny and Don Cheney ’11 at their home in Orlando, Fla., where Don is one of the leading citizens in the community.
Secretary, 218 West Rogers St. Clearwater, Fla.
Class Agent, 92 State St., Boston, Mass.
