1900
Age-wise Bill Edwards has recently passed another mile-stone. He, like most of us, is over the four score marker. Young at heart he enjoys reasonably good health, maintains a keen interest in the present, and evidently carries only happy memories of the past. On his birthday he enjoyed a gracious party with his immediate family and a few old time friends. Perhaps, in imagination, you can see Bill seated at a table loaded with tasty viands, and, seated with him, a group of choice friends radiating good cheer and happiness. Well, congratulations, Bill, and best wishes for all the future.
Estelle Brown, widow of Ned Brown, is passing through a tragic experience. In October their oldest son, Frederick, was suddenly and quite unexpectedly stricken with a fatal heart attack" and within minutes had passed away. The family had little premonition of such a sad event and the shock of Frederick's death has been especially severe. Estelle is showing her real metal in this emergency. The class extends to Estelle and her family deep sympathy in their great loss.
Here is, I am sure, a quite unsatisfactory resume of two most interesting and explosive letters received from Bob Jackson. He describes at considerable length the present Cuban situation and the characteristics of Fidel Castro. United States investors are much concerned over the current difficulties in Cuba. Since the Spanish-American War Cuba has been a country of mammoth land holdings by a privileged few; an underlying mass of landless, poverty-stricken, illiterate peasantry; and much official corruption in high places. This situation was made to order for Fidel Castro's revolution. Castro's land reform program is unrealistic and illadvised. What Cuba desperately needs for the immediate future is United States capital, but Castro's policies and actions certainly discourage any investment in Cuban enterprises which rest so largely on land resources. As for Fidel himself, he has been trained, or has trained himself, to be a professional revolutionist; he is a dreamer, gifted with harangue, an organizer of mob passions; overly ambitious; a man of limited outlook with none of the attributes of true patriotism. He is portrayed: "As a Robespierre, egotistical, sadistic, illogical, inexperienced, and visionary." Castro lacks the qualities of effective leadership, and probably has left wing leanings. Cuba seems to be saddled with a deal of political "hanky-panky" which does not augur well for the solution of its economic and political problems.
A much belated item is congratulations to Dorothy Ashton, daughter of Arthur Hayden, on becoming a grandmother. Last April a lovely baby girl, who was christened Dorothy-Ella Ash ton Bently, was born to her daughter, Mrs. George Bently. It is indeed a pity that Arthur could not have lived to assume the title of Great-Grandpa.
John Condit, son of Dave Condit, has recently been made manager of the East Chicago, Ind., branch of Ditto, Inc. The family is now living at 2910 Harrison St., Evanston, Ill. His wife reports three small daughters in the family, but as yet no son to carry on the Condit name.
While the color parade was in full swing, the Goodhues with friends from Elsah, Ill., fared forth into the glories of a New England autumn. The trail led through Woodstock and Barnard, Rochester and Granville Gulf, to Stowe and Smugglers Notch. Then across country to Lancaster, N. H., and back through Franconia Notch. Everywhere, in the higher elevations, the country was aglow with the strong colors of fall; reds, crimsons, yellows, and peach blooms set off by the somber greens of pine, hemlock, and larch. Nature, arrayed in her finest garments, greeted us on every hand with beauty which defied the intrusion of international crises, industrial warfare, and the jangle of racial relations. Roads, hotels, and motels were full to over-flowing with happy folk out to see the color spectacle.
Secretary, 3 Pleasant St., Hanover, N. H.
Treasurer, 34 Carruth St., Dorchester, Mass.
