1936
When the old Dartmouth Hall burned down in 1904, the Boston alumni led the rebuilding campaign with the slogan, "This is not an invitation, it is a summons." This phrase applies today to the Capital Gifts Campaign, now in the final two months of the two-year drive. Every '36er who has any interest in either the College or the class will make some response to this summons. Kirk Liggett, our head agent writes, "There is no Alumni Fund, as such, this year, but the College has asked the Alumni Fund Organization, with its savoir faire, to complete the Capital Gifts Campaign. Thus classmates who have not sent in their pledges for this most important step in Dartmouth's development will soon be contacted by a class agent not for their usual participation donations, but for a realistic gift. Classmates should not wait, however, for the class agent, but should sit down at once and think over how much they can really give over a thirty month period, and send that pledge in to Hanover."
These notes are being written with a ballpoint pen sent to me by Bob Ireland who represents the Constitution Life Insurance Co. in Lawndale, Calif.
The chairman of the class of '36, PeteFitzherbert, says it will be "open house" for all classmates and their wives this year in Hanover on May 15, 16 and 17 for the '36 class officers' weekend. Have a wonderful time, and go up there then if you can for the whole weekend. I understand eight '36 couples have already made reservations.
Putting a shamrock in his buttonhole for a double purpose on March 7, Dr. Thomas Monagan took his twelve-year-old son, Tom Jr. (he has nine daughters) and drove down from Waterbury, Conn., to New Haven to see the play-off between Dartmouth and Princeton for the Ivy League Basketball Championship. Because Dartmouth fans had crowded early into Yale's Payne-Whitney gymnasium, where the event was being held, Tom had to sit in the Tiger stands. He observed the contest with doctoral dignity while Dartmouth ran up a healthy lead in the first half. However, as this lead slipped away and the Tiger forged ahead at 14:10, the good doctor was on his feet. He was cheering wildly when the game ended with a score of 69-68. Rudy LaRusso had sunk a field goal in the final second to win the Ivy Crown for Dartmouth.
Wedding bells rang on March 28 for George(Pinki) Conklin and his bride, the former Miss Carol Stewart Szecheney of Hollis, L. I. Pinki is a vice president of the Guardian Life Insurance Co. of New York. The wedding was held at the Syosset Congregational Church on L. I. Ferris Mack and Walt Mosenthal were ushers. Man of honor was Pinki's son, George Conklin '62, and maid of honor was his daughter, Sandra D. Conklin, a senior at Goucher. Art Toan and Dave Fox were among the wedding guests to wish the bride and groom a happy five-week honeymoon in Spain.
Joe Cunningham, who is with the Dairy Industries Supplies Assoc. in Washington, D. C., is directing the Sandy Spring (Md.) Theatre Group in their eleventh annual show to be presented in May.... Coley Judd, who is a big real estate operator in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., writes, "Clark Sorensen visited us in our office about a month ago. He is one of the very few I have seen from the class of '36 in a good many years and I certainly enjoyed the meeting."
An advertisement using Dave Putnam, president of the Markem Machine Company of Keene, N. H., in a testimonial for McGrawHill publications was sent to me by RayBuilter. Ray writes, "No doubt you have received many copies of the enclosed advertisement which appeared in 'Business Week' recently; however, as I was reading the magazine, Dave Putnam's picture fairly jumped out at me. In case it hadn't been passed on to you, I didn't want it to go unnoticed." Ray Builter is the assistant controller of Columbia Records in Bridgeport, Conn. He writes further, "Everything else seems to be going along smoothly and not much change in the local picture. I did ride to New York on the train with Don Robbins Wednesday morning and he informed me that he was leaving for Africa the following day. He and his entire family had spent Washington's Birthday weekend in Hanover and had a fine time.
"I just talked to Frank Kappler (City Editor of New York World Telegram and Sun) on the other wire and he was up to his neck in copy. He was lamenting the lack of snow in the Southern New England region but managed to do some skiing in the north."
A classmate who has chosen his mate from foreign lands is Hank Dearborn. Hank married an Ecuadorian girl whom he met during his counselor service for the U. S. Government in South America. Hank is now attending the National War College. He is foreign service officer in the State Dept. specializing in South American affairs.... I hear Bill Talman is producing a big-time movie in Hollywood. He's been writing Perry Mason and other T.V. scripts.. .. Reports come in from many places about Jack Smith who is a popular speaker on the topic of "swimming pools and diving facilities" as might be expected of this former Dartmouth diving champ and current architect... . Chuck Harrison from Milwaukee visited the Hanover Plain this winter for a vacation.
We all know that Buster May is president of the store chain founded and developed by his father and grandfather in St. Louis. Bus is the very active president of this firm which is now nationwide with 45 stores, 23,000 employees and 22,000 stockholders. Buster recently sent me a brief and pleasant note, but it is his extracurricular activities that I'd like to bring to your attention. These are best described in a clipping Charlie Hoffman sent me from "Women's Wear Daily." The article says in part:
Mr. May encourages the participation of his employees in local civic and cultural affairs. In this respect he has set an example difficult to follow. At the present time, he is vice president of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial Association and Civic Progress, Inc.; vice president and chairman of the Music Committee of the St. Louis Symphony Society; member of St. Louis County Bond Issue executive committee, and board member of United Fund, Clark-Smith Memorial Scholarship Fund Committee of Washington University, American Legion and American Collegiate Retailing Association.
As chairman of the Boy Scout Camp Development Committee here, he was active in a campaign to raise funds for development of Beaumont Reservation and was awarded the Silver Beaver, Scouting's highest award. At one time, he was vice president of the St. Louis Council.
Three years ago he received the Big Brother organization award and the City of St. Louis certificate of Civic Merit. He has been active in a number of other civic projects too lengthy to enumerate.
His collection of paintings and sculpture, a large part of which is devoted to German expressionism, is his main hobby. He also is interested in photography and French wines.
Freshman Father's week-end at Hanover early in March brought out Brint Schorer,Harry Coronis, George Cappell and Bob Keller to visit their sons David, Lewis, George and Bruce respectively; and a good time was had by all, especially, at the Dartmouth-Brown hockey game when Dartmouth won the Ivy League title.
My challenge in the March notes to you to identify the man pictured with Brint Schorer on the cover of the 1936 Aegis has not gone unanswered. He has been correctly identified; but he's a long shot. I'll buy two drinks to one, as many as you can go at one standing, to any classmate who writes me the correct identification by June 1. Bets will be paid off in the Dartmouth Club of New York at your convenience, or in your favorite bar almost anywhere in North or South America or Europe within a year. Tip: my guess last month of Bill Frick or Roger Watson was wrong.
Dr. Hopkins visits with Marge and Brew Towne '36 at their ranch near Tucson, Arizona.
Secretary, 16 Hickory Lane, Darien, Conn.
Class Agent, 135 Glen view Ave., Wyncote, Pa.
