1915
Make the most of it - "you-all" (with apologies to Jack Ferguson) - this is the last column until October. Jack hibernates in the winter — I take mine in the summer. Jack certainly emerged from hibernation with gusto in his March 30 Newsletter. And speaking of hibernation - and Oklahoma, Jack's emergence seems to have coincided with Oklahoma's new deal on the wet and dry issue. No connection, I'm sure!
The Roy Laffertys took off for the Florida Keys late in March and, in due course, a whopping bonefish (via Kodachrome) purports to be their claim to fame. Roy says Maude did a complete job of loafing while he fished.
And from Pompano Beach comes another color photo of what Bill Reynolds calls a Dartmouth fish, known as the "Wahoo" - a dark greenish monster known for its swiftness and strength. Bill says Chuck Ingram and Aida joined them for a week down there.
Beatrice (Mrs. Ernest) Boyd asks me to thank the Class for the lovely azalea plant sent her when Ernie left us, saying "None meant so much to me."
Boston's Patten Chowder Club, reinforced by Warde Wilkins' gang of five '13ers, rolled out the carpet for Howie Fuller during an April visit there. Howie was attending a conference at the Bellevue Hotel and Doc O'Hara enticed him away for the luncheon. Besides Howie and Doc, the clan included Chan Foster, Hal Claflin, Eben Clough and Dale Barker with his brother. (My roving informer reported it: - Dale and his handsome brother!)
Marguerite Priddy is actively promoting Operation "Melodies for Maladies" now under way at Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital, a long-term project which has the potential of being a very worthy cause in investigating uses of music for the betterment of medical and surgical patients. Donations may be sent to Dr. Richard H. Barrett, M.H.M.H., Hanover, N. H.
Casey Jones appears to be weathering his eye trouble and was one of eighteen past presidents of the Bangor Kiwanis Club to be honored at a testimonial luncheon back in March at the Bangor House.
Gib Campbell, returning from a couple months in Winter Haven, Fla., says he couldn't find those Red Sox that I mentioned in the March issue in connection with Marty Martin's sojourn down there. Sorry I misled everybody (including myself) - how'd I know the Sox gave up on Florida! Maybe the change in training area will accomplish what they've been trying to do for the past 'steen years! At this writing, they're doing all right.
Your Secretary and his good wife are flying to Hanover May 1 for the annual Officers' Meeting and, rain or shine, it'll be good to get back on the campus. A report on it will probably appear in the July issue (but not via this column!).
At last reports, Harry Ellms was still harping on that clam bake he was going to put on out in Denver. A good appetizer for the Boston Tea Party, eh Harry?
Newspaper accounts of the opening of the Sheraton-Dallas Hotel in Texas are fabulous. Among the Boston notables present were the Chan Fosters.
Sid Crawford reports an open but very cold winter up around Kennebunk - says he burned so much oil he now understands why Johnnie Johnson and Phil Murdock tried to get in on the ground floor drilling for oil down in Texas way back (yeah - we drilled a couple nice dry holes). Sid says it's nice to get away from high taxes, but now they've raised liquor 10¢ "which is hard for us fellows with falling dandruff." He and Doris are enjoying the Max Wilcoxes who have built a charming place near the shore. I wish we could reprint a couple enclosures from Sid - masterpieces - one "My get up and go has got up and went" and the other "A low calorie diet." 1915's archives are enriched thereby.
Dr. Arthur A. Tower was honored by the Meriden (Conn.) Public Health and Visiting Nurse Association at its annual meeting back in March for his 35 years' service as physician to the Well Child Conference sponsored by the association. Dr. Tower's service was called "exemplary and completely dedicated" and it was estimated that the number of children he has examined range into the many thousands. We all remember the fine showing of slides of Alaska Art put on at the Interim last fall, as well as the superb violin rendition by his good wife Marjorie.
Win Davis writes from Fort Lauderdale - "People always have more than I do - I've got two vacancies."
Nut Norwood was seen browsing through a National Store with his usual big smile in the middle of April. My rambling reporter says Nut was retired a couple months previously and lives in a big house trailer across the road from the house where his daughter lives in one end and his son in the other. Am afraid I can't pinpoint the location because my records show three addresses - Ipswich, Mass., Rowley, Mass., and Simsbury, Conn. Can you set us straight on this, Nut?
What this country needs is a good five cent compulsion - Back Bay Breeze.
Raymond H. Kendall, who served as Town Clerk of Sterling, Mass., for 25 years and as Town Treasurer for 33 years, was honored in March by residents of that town at a testimonial dinner at the Florence G. Houghton elementary school, Sterling Junction. On behalf of the many guests present, Ray was presented with a portable television set.
They say String Downing's pictures, taken while he and Grace were on their three-month trip to the West Coast last year, are out of this world. They put on an April Saturday night showing for some of the Boston folk and String's running commentary was on a par with the pictures. When one of the Cypress Garden beauties turned up in the showing, String commented "How'd that get in there." They even saw Herb Potter standing in the midst of Mexico - looking hot and thirsty! I understand Grace put on quite a spread that night for the Barkers and the Cloughs. The men folk were especially impressed with String's collection of motorized tools - presented when he retired from General Electric.
The Boston Tea Party, now simmering, is gathering a head of steam which will blow its lid for '15ers come next October. Jack Ferguson gave us preliminary plans in his March 30 Frontiersman and there'll be more in later issues. Eben Clough is concocting a brew (tea, that is) that threatens to out-Revere the original Paul. The aroma already wafting this way bespeaks Teepees on Boston Common (if necessary), free skating on the frog ponds, rides in the swan boats, steamheated sidewalks (if it's cold enough), soda for the Geritol (for those who take it), hot and cold running street cars, a carpet of green in the Public Gardens, and something about a couple lanterns in some belfry. Eben says Kike Richardson is getting set to take on all-comers for the Kikenpearl pre-game Brunch - even if he has to take his Saturday night bath Thursday afternoon. That's the picture at this sitting. Some have already sent in letters of intent. Opie Horton says "Count me in" and wonders what Jake Wirths will look like to him now! Bob Griffin says "I'll be there." And here it is - summer not even started. Of course, there can be "no representation without taxation" - but that'll come later. Keep your eyes and ears open and don't let that October date net cluttered up with anything else.
And now we go into hibernation. Pleasant summer, everybody.
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