1930

We had intended to begin this column with a resume of a delightful winter visit to Hanover, with about 400 other freshman fathers, but a more newsworthy event in the form of a very serious fire in the executive mansion at Albany takes precedence. When first we heard of this calamity we thought that the composure shown by Governor Nelson Rockefeller during the conflagration might have traced back to his having been a member of the 1930 "Emergency Fire Squad," but reference to our Aegis demonstrates that this is not so. We wonder if there is a "Fire Squad" these days? In our class its membership included such stalwarts as Al Marsters, Bob Bottome, Herm Schneebeli, Tex Cole, Win Hatch, and FredSchmidt.

But resuming all seriousness, we all are truly thankful that Tod and Nelson escaped, and apparently not by a very great margin, the fire which devastated the Governor's residence. Nelson has taken his personal loss of paintings in good spirit, and as to the mansion itself, was heard to quip: "that this should happen! Just as we had the budget balanced."

One evening recently we heard Jack Paar, that insidious m. c. who keeps our family up until all hours of the night, recount that his program was promoted by Pat Weaver; and this makes us pause to think about what must be another sign of our age, for it seems as though we have known of this program only a few weeks, and on the other hand, we would say that it must be four years since Pat left television.

Have any Thirtymen curled this winter? Not hair (obviously), but on ice. We hear much around us of the fun of curling, but nothing in this sport from '30. If any do, please send us something newsworthy.

Bill Truex is now assistant secretary in the New Hampshire Fire Insurance Company's group of companies. Bill has been in this field and with these companies for years, but we had not known of this promotion until recently we read the annual report of these "sound, solid, and successful" insurers.

Our class was poorly represented at the Boston Dinner February 23, and 50% of our classmates who attended wrote to say so. Why didn't some others join Les Godwin,Frank Doherty, Dick Barnard, and PeteDavis? Frank and Elizabeth sailed March 3 for a cruise to the West Indies, and thereafter Frank expects to resume his normal daily activities, completely well again after a kidney removal at the very end of 1960.

One might almost say that Dick Barnard had recently enjoyed a vicarious senior fathers' weekend, for he and Les Godwin attended the Swede Nelson good sportsman athletic dinner in Boston January 6, after which Dick drove the principal honored guest, Al Rozycki, back to Hanover with all his trophies, and thereupon was feasted and feted by Al and his close friends. We think Al has a warm spot in his heart for 1930, for you will remember he was our guest at the informal reunion dinner in Woodstock last October, and won our admiration with his very sincere remarks to our group in an impromptu postprandial talk.

Fred Scribner will continue to spend much time in Washington in his capacity as general counsel for the Republican National Committee, but will use Portland, Me., as his base of operations, where, we assume, he has rejoined the law firm of Hutchinson, Pierce, Atwood and Allen.

Herm Scbneebeli has been elected by the U. S. House of Representatives to membership on the Ways and Means Committee, a notable honor for a congressman in office less than a year.

Now to Freshmen Fathers' Weekend, a very pleasant winter interlude. Fortunately we did not feel as low as our son, who seemed to be suffering from the mid-winter post-Carnival syndrome so aptly described by the Dean of Freshmen in "Parents Letter #5," but we had not seen Hanover in winter in thirty years, and perhaps we had forgotten. On the way up a familiar voice hailed us on the platform in New Haven and we rode as far as Greenfield with Al Frey '20, that gentleman of enormous memory who knows the whereabouts and connection of practically every one who ever went to Tuck School. This chance meeting brought out that Dick Blun has transferred his activities from New York to Oakland, Calif. Once in Hanover we began meeting classmates and their sons; having contributed 2% of the freshman class, our members may very well have set a new record for attendance, with twelve registered, making it almost the equal of a minor reunion.

Soon we ran into Ned Grant, who nearly won the accolade as the father traveling the farthest to attend, but who was beaten out by two gentlemen from the Coast, and one from Paris, and his son Newell, DobbinGranger and son Dick, Lee Sturman and son Jonathan, Bob Pratt and Don, then FrankRath, Dick Temple, Ed Brazil, Lee Chilcote, whose sons are all namesakes, Jim Clark and his son Tom, Pete Lillard and his son Walter, Dr. Dan Hight and Sandy. At least three of these sons represent the third generation to attend Dartmouth. We also heard that Les Godwin was in Hanover during the weekend.

This correspondent was one of six in John Blakey's quarters for the weekend where he played a lot of bridge and drank a few beers with the boys, caught what sleep he could, and marveled at the constant flow of visitors. He also pondered how well that old quotation "Plus ça change, plus c'est la meme chose" fits these boys — about all he could notice had changed is that the record players are automatic, where formerly they had to be changed and wound by hand.

Across the hall a gentleman from Springfield, Vt., said that that city is not the same since the Bowlens departed it a couple of years ago, and reported that our non-communicative classmates, Steve Martyn and Pete Wilcomb, continue in their same capacities at Bryant Chucking Grinder Company and Jones and Lamson respectively. Now that you have made this column, fellows, how about some direct word from you?

We attended two classes, which didn't seem too tough a day's academic schedule, as well as the other scheduled events, including a talk by Dean Al Dickerson who was in his usual jovial good form. Many of you have attended this particular weekend, and this may read like old stuff, but forgive us our enthusiasm this time - three years from now it may be less of a novelty, when and if our second candidate becomes a freshman.

The baseball team is pinning many of its hopes on the sophomore candidates - among whom is Bud French's son David, a promising pitcher.

A card from Montego Bay tells us that four winter-weary Manchesterites, Billie andBoot Perkins and Betty and Bill Stearns, spent a three-week vacation last month in Jamaica, Haiti, and other warm Caribbean isles.

Finally, we call your attention to the Man of Distinction appearing in the Hanover Inn advertisement on the inside front cover of this issue. His modeling fee comes high, but considering what you get for your money, who wouldn't be willing to pay it?

In closing, we express the sympathy of our membership to our friend, Sam Stayman, upon the loss of his wife, Marjorie on February 15, after a very long illness, and to the family of George Violante, who died suddenly of a heart attack on February 7.

An early gift to the 1961 Alumni Fund would be most helpful. The need to keep Dartmouth strong is urgent. Please give within your means.

Secretary, 30 Boxwood Dr., Stamford, Conn.

Class Agent, New York Life Ins. Co., 51 Madison Ave. New York 10, N. Y.