1937
The big snow has long since gone; my water pipe's unfrozen. By the time you read this I'll have seed in the ground and I, like you, will have my house in order so I'll be ready for that large 20th Reunion June 13-15! We are looking for the biggest turnout ever, so you must keep this date. Remember, it will be a milestone to look back to, and there are not so many of these in a lifetime.
Dana Prescott sent me a letter from Frankfurt, along with a most interesting Christmas newsletter signed by him and Lynn. Dana is a Lt. Colonel in the technical information office of the Army Signal Corps, in which capacity his main concern is keeping up on foreign developments in communications and electronics, or, as he would describe it, he rides herd on the experts who do the brainpicking. This involves, among other things, a fabulous amount of European travel; the newsletter sounds like an index to Baedeker. As a matter of fact, I can practically assure you that there are no centers of the European electronics industry in grimy cities; rather they are to be found in the Alps (when the skiing is right) or on the sun-drenched coasts of Spain, France or Italy.
Occasionally Dana touches home base to see if there are any developments worth looking into in the Chateau country, the Tyrol, Venice, etc. It sounds terrific to me; I could use a lot of it after a grim New York winter. Dana and Lynn have three children: Cragin 10 (a one-man band), Dan 8½ and Galyn 5. I understand Dana has been offered and accepted a regular Army commission; don't be envious if he comes up for retirement in only five more years! The Prescotts will be in a race with time to make Reunion. They're due back in June, but it will take the "United States" to get them to Hanover on time. Here's luck!
Boz Bosworth has checked in from Milwaukee and reports that his and Marian's main concerns of late have been with their four children: Judy, 17, who spent a wonderful summer in Germany as an American Field Service exchange student and who hopes to spend next summer in Mexico; Bob, 16, a lady's man and sometime "all conference" guard and football captain-elect; Leslie, a 12-year-old, and young Tom 4, an innocent who can still be intrigued by chocolate milk, Lassie and such like. But even the most devoted must seek their quiet moments, so Boz said he and Marian were leaving for Grand Cayman, B. W. I., in March for diving and fishing. Boz, you and Prescott are depressing me.
I had a brief note from Bill Clay who is an attorney in Mt. Sterling, Ky. I had heard that Bill had had a heart attack and his reply to my enquiry confirmed that this, unfortunately, was all too true. However, you will all be gratified to learn that Bill has made a satisfactory recovery. While his activities are somewhat limited, he feels as good as new; more cheering news we could not hope to receive.
One of our staunchest partisans in the Middle West, Fred Castle, was kind enough to kick in a bit of news. Fred is now product development director for Allstate Insurance Co. which involves getting Allstate into forms of insurance other than automobile, such as home protection and more latterly, life insurance. Jim Hathaway is also at Skokie, Ill., headquarters as personnel director. The Castles' three children are Duke 14, Debbie 12, and Kent 10 — and growing fast like yours and mine. (My 15-year-old is six feet and 200 lbs.) Fred says the chance of making Reunion is presently an outside one, but here's hoping. Incidentally, Don Miller confirmed to me tonight that he and Claire will definitely be unable to attend since they are leaving in May for seven weeks in Europe including a visit to Moscow.
Patience being its own reward, I was not surprised to receive a letter from Walter Johnson. I had been awaiting it for sometime and was most gratified to have it. Walt, as you will recall, was named to the Harmsworth Chair of American History at Oxford for this scholastic year. This Chair has been in existence since about 1930 (barely yesterday in Oxford's history) and is held by a different American each year. The tenant is required to give 36 lectures during the year. In addition, Walt is also a Fellow of Queen's College (1340), one of the thirty-odd colleges which make up the University. Its enrollment is about 300 students and 25 dons. Reflecting their monastic origins in the Middle Ages, the colleges are still pretty much a man's world, with the dons dining amply at High Table while their wives and children dwell with fortitude in chill, drafty English homes. Walt has about forty students attending his lectures and in addition has talked before some dozen student organizations. He reports a great growth of interest in and understanding of America in the past ten years and I, for one, can only add that our man Walter has had a certain important share in this circumstance. Fortunately, the scholastic life is not so encompassing that Walt and his bride have been unable to travel. At Christmas they drove to Spain and in the spring they will visit Italy and Greece where Walt will give some lectures for the U. S. Government. Our sincere hope is that the Johnsons will be in Hanover in June — where both of them may sit at High Table, and lecture, too, should they choose.
In the Kudos Dept. this month there are several items which I know will be of interest to you. Harty Beardsley has been elected President of the Bryant Chucking Grinder Co. I understand this firm is now an affiliate of Ex-Cell-O Corp. of Detroit. Harty and Peg are eagerly looking forward to Reunion and within the last few weeks he has seen John Latchis, Bill Rotch, Fran Fenn, and Russ Stearns, with all of whom the Reunion has been a constant topic of conversation. From Kansas City I have word that Pat Uhlmann has been elected President of the Kansas City Board of Trade, said to be the world's second largest grain futures market. Pat, in business practice, is executive vice president of the Standard Milling Co.
I have a news release from Eastman Kodak Co., announcing the appointment of Lynn Brown as manager of the professional and commercial advertising division. Lynn is a former reporter who first joined Kodak in 1943 as an associate editor of the company's weekly employee newspaper. From Springfield, Mass., comes word that Al Mayer has been elected President of the local University Club. And for more news among recent promo tees: Bandy Dwinell has been made an officer of the Rock of Ages Corp.; Bandy is the new manager of manufacturing. I also have an item telling us that Alex Hunter, Mayor of Briarcliff, N. Y., has been named chairman of the local Cancer Crusade.
While I was unable to attend the Hopkins Dinner February 5, at the Waldorf, I do have word from my leg man, Mort Berkowitz, that '37 was pretty well represented. Among those present, in most instances with guests and wives, were Messrs. Ray, Camerer, Robin, Munkenbeck, Jr., Griffin, Jr., Gray, McCoy, Cardozo; also Messrs. Hatch, McKinlay, Leonard, H. Levine, Paul Dickson, John Arborio, Jr., R. Bialla, Vin Turecamo.
That's all for now. Don't forget June 13-15!
William H. Collins '38 has been named Sales Manager of the Pittsburgh-Cleveland-Cincinnati district for the Trent Tube Company, a subsidiary of Crucible Steel Company.
Secretary, 869 Hardscrabble Rd. Chappaqua, N. Y.
Class Agent, 120 Broadway, New York 5, N. Y.
