1933
Without the aid of bifocals (it won't be long now) your secretary's panoramic eye - supposedly, standard equipment for all class scribes - caught sight of twenty-nine '33ers in Hanover at the Brown game. Also seen was one station wagon marked "The Shop in the Woods, Conway, N. H.," which would indicate that Paul Burtis was in town, too.
Credit for this large turn-out goes to Mel and Ruth Katz who volunteered last spring to handle the arrangements for this weekend. None of us will ever know the amount of time and effort they expended for the cause. Unfortunately, Ruth was the victim of some virus and had to spend the - whole time in bed in Hanover. In addition to the aforementioned, we saw at the game, most with wives and some with children, too: Bill Bates, Sam Black, Stan Colla, Don D'Arcy, Jeff Davis, Junie Drowne, John Faegre (took the prize for coming the greatest distance), Bob Fairbank, Bob Fox, Hunter Hicks, (second prize), Cliff Johnson, Ed Knapp, Jack Manchester, John Meek, Bill Muller, Jud Pierson, Fuller Ripley, Jack Robinson, Arnie Salisbury, Horace Shaw, Hank Smith, Ken Spang, Bill Starr, Sid Stoneman, George Theriault, Phil Whitbeck and Randy Valensi.
The game, of course, was a stand-off, but its sting of frustration was erased by the hospitality of the Mecks who opened their home to the clan for a post-game gathering. A large number of us went from there to Occom Lodge (the old Pi Lambda Phi house) for dinner. This was the class headquarters for the weekend and the spot for a very fancy pre-game luncheon, buffet and lap style. Your scribe and his bride were supposed to stay there on Friday night but didn't make it due to complications in our teen-age department. However, our room did not go unoccupied as the result of the sharp eye of an unknown undergraduate date who just parked herself there for the night - uninvited. She got h --- from the management and it got twelve clams from me. If any of you are aware of her identity, instruct her to make a donation in like amount to our treasury in care of George Farrand who, incidentally, will appreciate receiving dues from all of you who have forgotten that important detail.
Bill Lang, who has been forging steadily ahead with the U. S. Steel Corporation, assumes on December 1 the new post of Administrative Vice President and Treasurer. He still holds the job of president of U. S. Steel Homes Credit Corporation to which he was named in 1954 when that new unit was formed. Bill joined U. S. Steel in 1934, after one year with Gulf Oil, and advanced through various jobs to become assistant treasurer in 1952 and also assistant vice president in 1955. Bill is a busy man as president of the Board of Trustees of Short Hills (N. J.) Country Day School, vice president of the Short Hills Civic Association, vice president of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, and treasurer and a director of the Deafness Research Foundation.
It was a wonderful weekend socially and weather-wise and our plans call for an organized get-together each fall at whichever home football game falls around Columbus Day. It was not a complete draw from the stand-point of football, either. Led by Bill King, son of BUI (Haven) King of Richmond, Va., the freshmen beat the Bruin frosh 21-6. Young Bill, who has worked his way up to first string quarterback, scored twice on runs of seven and 32 yards.
Apparently most of the class sided - and smartly too - with my wife about attendance at the Harvard game. She remembered last year's drenching and claims to have made pre-game references to such terms as "over 21," "perennial sophomore" and the like. Dartmouth won and yours truly is still ahead at home, but must admit to walking around all week with pneumonia. We couldn't see too well in the rain but did make contact with: Jarv and Eleanor Chapman, there to see their son Chuck, Number 63 and guard, slither in the mud; Don and Mugs D'Arcy (will someone buy D'Arcy a new hat?); Sam and Carol Gass with their two sons; and, Whit Kimball and his boy Dick. The team played hard and smart football and deserved to win.
Dick Jackson, who should now be back from a jaunt around the country, including the West Coast, wrote early in October, "Dartmouth certainly is having a time getting off the ground but I trust that Blackman's magic will show itself before long." Since this is being written right after the Yale game, you can see what a prophet our friend Richard is.
Johnny Monagan, Representative from the Fifth Congressional District of Connecticut, was tendered a testimonial dinner on August 31 at Cheshire, Conn., with over 600 in attendance. A lot of prominent people had a lot of nice things to say about John. He was referred to as "Connecticut's scholar in politics." John has received considerable attention as the result of his being the only member of the Connecticut delegation to the House to vote for the Landrum-Griffin labor bill. Johnny explains that he wanted to "guarantee legislation this year." It is his observation that "Congress is a pretty good reflection of the American people. Most of the things they want, they seem to get. What they want badly, they get fairly promptly." He has been quoted as saying that he'd "like to give it another whirl in 1960."
We have a most welcome letter from Charlie Clark on his own company's letter head, which indicates that he is the authorized distributor for the A. B. Dick Co. in Tulsa, Okla. You all will recall the terrific letters Charlie used to write for the News-letter from the thick of battle in the Pacific. He doesn't have too much to say about himself but we would judge that his business is most successful and progressive. Charlie writes that his wife is the sole woman member of the Tulsa Community Chest Board. His oldest daughter, Judy, a senior at the University of Colorado, will be married in December and graduate in January. Nancy, a sophomore at Depauw in Greencastle, Ind., is majoring in Spanish and hopes to spend her junior year in Spain. Carolyn, a high school senior, won her school's American Field Service summer trip and lived in Istanbul. The Clarks, in turn, have adopted for a year a Turkish exchange student, Ayşe Erçetin, and are enjoying her and the experience very much. Charlie regrets that distance prevents frequent contact with '33ers and sends his regards to all.
We sure appreciate Charlie's thoughtfulness in writing and hope that many of you will follow suit. The mail bag is empty. No, it isn't necessary to send us Christmas presents to receive mention in this column, - just letters. And, gals, have no fear of repercussions from our wife if you take over the correspondence duties for your leaded husbands — of which the class has quite a few. Forgot to thank Jack Robinson for his "donation" of Mexican fortune cookies to the gang at the post-Brown-game gathering at the Mecks. Some wag referred to them as "Mecksican" cookies. No one was more surprised than Robinson to find that the slips of paper inside indicated how fortunate the eater would be to ride on American Airlines.
Latest address changes:
George P. Drowne, Box 32, Norwich, Vt.; Dr. Kimball Flaccus, Teacher of Creative Writing, Community Arts Center, Wallingford, Penna.; Edwin W. Humes, 6911 Louise Ave.; Van Nuys, Calif.; and Dr. Ralph S. Keyes, 1919 N. 41st St., Seattle 3, "Wash.
The Merriest of Christmases and the Happiest of New Years to you all.
Secretary, 80 Mooreland Rd. Melrose 76, Mass.
Treasurer, Young and Rubicam, Inc. a Park Ave., New York 16, N. Y.
