1915

I feel somewhat like the harassed housewife whose voice comes over the air occasionally (in a commercial): "What'll I get for dinner!" With a scarcity of news, what'll I put in this column (written just before New Years) for reading in February!

To put us all in the right mood, here's a random quote lifted from the Rotary Club Scandal Sheet: "Pappy says an optimist is a man who whistles at a girl through false teeth." Hey, what am I bragging about?

The Ralph Browns certainly have an attractive looking home up in Maine where he has retired and it would appear their first winter up there is a real snowy one. Ralph and Esther are sailing from New York in February for a couple months' trip that will take them East to Greece and home via Ireland:

Kay Mason's home in Woodstock is quite inviting seen through the trees in the distance.

John Healy writes that he and his sister enjoy their new home down in Kissimmee, Fla. - more house and less land and nearer to town. No need for a power mower now, John?

Shorty Gray says there is still no news from the Pentagon except what you see in the papers. (In case you didn't know, Shorty, we haven't seen a newspaper here in New York for 20 days!)

Charlie and Susan Griffith strike a familiar and nostalgic musical pose in their Christmas picture. Can you fiddle in Spanish, Charlie?

The Potters down in El Paso write: "Hooray for the Ivy League Champs."

All our hearts are filled with sorrow at the passing of Kell Rose. Never was a classmate more universally loved, admired and respected. His activities in behalf of College and Class were many and varied and carried on with the same highmindedness that became characteristic of his accomplishments out in his chosen field. The heritage he leaves us is one to be cherished. Our heartfelt feelings go out to Helen and the family.

Paul Gibson sends thanks for being remembered on his birthday even though he's out of touch down there in Richmond, Va. Says he hasn't seen a '15er down his way since World War I, although some probably go through on their way to Florida. They have a Dartmouth Club of 25 members and he was chairman of a luncheon held during the holidays for local schoolboy prospects and undergrads home for the occasion. He and his wife were in New York in October to see some shows, et cetera, but time went too fast to look anybody up. Paul is still in real estate but is toying with the idea of retiring.

Pete Pray pays tribute to "the tickler file and extra effort you must have to use" and says it's appreciated by many like himself who see classmates all too infrequently. Pete says Johnnie and Jean Mullin, with Jean's attractive daughter Bobby and her Dartmouth husband, Dick Olmstead, were at their house for cocktails the day before Thanksgiving. Johnnie and Jean were in fine fettle on the start of their 6-month trip around the world - "why wouldn't they be?" Both were so enthusiastic about the Interim that Pete was all the more regretful he didn't make it. Pete saw the Dartmouth-Princeton game and was particularly gleeful as he sat on the Princeton side with two Princeton men.

George Martin says he too hated to miss the Interim but that things were just too hectic in his business to get away that early in the fall. He and Mae had their daughter Eileen down from Portland for the Harvard game, though more for Kike Richardson's party than for the game - they all look forward to that famous party! Marty says they also enjoyed the Chan Fosters' hospitality at its finest - "enough food to feed an army." After the Princeton game they stayed over in New York for the Giants pro-game. When they quizzed Bob Blackman about some of the penalty-calling, he flashed that big smile and said: "You know, we were lucky to win some of the earlier games!"

Rumor has it that String Downing did a swell job promoting the North Shore Dartmouth Club dinner at the Hawthorne in Salem, for there were over a hundred there.

The Patten Chowder gang in Boston scrambled 'round at a pre-Holiday luncheon and sent a box of goodies to Stick Parnell via S. S. Pierce Co.

It seems to be the consensus that New York Dartmouthers are responsible for putting Nelson Rockefeller in the Governor's chair. Be that as it may, we all wish him well!

Marv Frederick advises that he and Marian were scheduled to fly from New York on January 5 for a two-month trip to Hawaii.

I still say: "New York's a great place to live, but I wouldn't want to visit there!" After piloting a couple youngsters over the sight-seeing roads of the Empire State Bldg., Macy's, 5th Avenue's shops, United Nations, Rockefeller Center, Radio City, Times Square and the Statue of Liberty, I'm sure they slept blissfully all the way back to Maine. Once in a lifetime is enough! P.S. — I quit on the last two spirals up Miss Liberty!

And so — on to next month - with its spring around the corner!

Secretary, Apt. 7-G, 245 Ave. C New York 9, N. Y.

Treasurer, 60 Stevens Rd., Needham 92, Mass.