1931

Last month's report to my class constituency ended with the announcement that the Chicago Alumni Association would have as its guest speaker at the January luncheon Gale Freeman, vice president of the First National Bank of Chicago. Because the luncheon meeting took place today, I will begin this month's chronicle by recording that Gale gave the Chicago Alumni group an exceptionally fine talk in which he painted the business picture for the first half of this year. As I listened to Gale I had a strong inner wish that many of you classmates could have heard him - for two reasons: first, that you might have heard at first hand from a senior vice president of a major banking institution his predictions for a strong six months of business activity, and second, that you would have been proud in the realization that this solid appraisal was being delivered by a classmate. Sandwiched in with Gale's preparation efforts for his six-month business predictions was the marriage of his daughter Nancy during the holiday season. Oz Bliss and I heard Gale's talk and although Dr. Sey Burge had planned to attend he had to miss because one of his maternity clients had reached the point of imminent delivery. Sey reported that Dr. Swede Nelson, Denver pediatrician, was in Chicago recently attending a meeting of the American Society of Pediatrics. Continuing in the maternity field, permit me a personal item to the extent that my daughter Ann, who is married to Anthony Newey, Dartmouth '56, is expecting and is under the care of Dr. E. Seymour Burge. Certainly when Sey and I first met as members of the freshman soccer squad in the fall of 1927 neither of us had the remotest idea of this latest family relationship.

From Harry B. Johnson, secretary of the class of '04 and a resident of Pittsfield, Mass., comes a thoughtful personal note accompanied by a clipping about Rex Fall. The article covers Rex' abundant civic activities and includes a picture suggesting that he is still as lean and lithe as in his undergraduate days when he captained the varsity tennis team. Rex, who parlayed his English major into newspaper work immediately after graduation and is presently news editor of The Berkshire Eagle, is, in Harry Johnson's words, "your distinguished and very public spirited classmate, highly respected by his fellow townspeople and held in affectionate regard by his Dartmouth associates in Berkshire county."

During the recent holiday season Ruth and I attended a party given by Doug Keare, Dartmouth '56, to introduce to his Chicago friends his fiancee Virginia "Ginger" Clark, daughter of our Len Clark. Ginger is a Skidmore senior and by an interesting coincidence she and her Dartmouth man are following the same matrimonial pattern as her parents, for her mother Dorothy is a Skidmore graduate.

A couple of months ago in this column I quoted Johnny Johnson's report that Beany Thorn was "quietly hibernating." A substantial rebuttal is now at hand from Mr. 100 Yard Dash of 1927 to 1930 inclusive, reporting that affairs are quite otherwise than previously recited. Beany clears his record by reporting that he and Eleanor have been in New Orleans for the National Convention of Insurance Agents; at Crawford Notch as guests of the New Hampshire State Insurance Agents Association; and that Craig 4th, their third grandson, arrived three weeks ago - all of which clears the record and proves again that Beany is not yet to be classified as a Catskill Rip Van Winkle. Beany reveals an impressive statistic in the direction of Johnny Feltner who at this writing is the father of eight children of whom five are boys, including twins. Their oldest is attending the University of Rochester and their youngest was born last May. John and his wife Barbara were at Lake Placid recently with four of their tribe for a week of skiing. Johnny is an orthopedic specialist in Rochester, N. Y., and we all remember him as manager of Winter Sports and a genuine DOC enthusiast. Beany remarks that he remembers Johnny as a very serious guy - from the above record there is no evidence that he either has or dares to change at this stage. In all seriousness, Johnny, congratulations to you and your spouse on heading up such a great cadre.

A recent announcement reveals that DougMorris, whom we know most recently as a tireless class secretary as well as an indestructible 25th Reunion auctioneer, has been named senior vice president of Lambert & Feasley, advertising agency. In addition, Doug is chairman of his company's planning board.

Nothing could have pleased me more during this winter solstice than the letter received from Chuck Mendell, written from the salubrious environment of Winter Park, Fla., where he has been a member of the faculty of Rollins College in the department of English for the past 23 years. Armed with a professional lifetime in English literature, Chuck and his wife Phyllis spent three months last summer driving all thru England and Scotland. The full text of Chuck's fine letter will appear in a forthcoming issue of Russ Beckwith's Wah-Hoo Wampum.

And now, gentlemen of the Class of 1931, I urge you to send me a bit of class news about yourselves, your families, and classmates you see frequently, or rarely but recently — written in longhand, in pencil or in- visible ink, on butcher paper, scratch paper or filter paper. Give it a try — now!

James D. North '32 has been promoted to the newly created position of assistant general manager, marketing, of the Birds Eye division of General Foods Corp.

Secretary, . . 734 Keystone, River Forest, Ill.

Treasurer, The Elms, 2701 S. Dort Highway Flint, Mich.

Bequest Chairman,