1939

Normally when we're in a mood like this we go away for a long weekend and forget it, then things look happier on returning. To- night we're too close to a deadline to escape. Furthermore, we think it's time to make out- annual accounting of the fiscal facts of life; how they affect you, the College, and, strangely enough, me.

Jocko Vincens resigned in February as Class Newsletter Editor apparently because someone at the College proclaimed eight to ten newsletters a year as a goal to shoot for, and Jocko said there just wasn't that much time or that much news to create that many letters aimed at the camaraderie of trying to loosen up all your purse-strings for the Alumni Fund. So, therefore, if that many letters were a requirement, said professional, paid by the College, could jolly well write them himself. (Editor's Note: He won't have to, because Walt Darby, stalwart that he is, has accepted the job of newsletter editor for 1939 and promises to wrestle with this frequency problem.)

Now, before we move on, let's examine the implication up .to this point. If our class newsletter editor will only produce a lot of green, newsy editions of " '39 Out" concentrating his frequency during the stringent months of the Alumni Fund campaign, it is assumed that the 589 living members of our class will pleasantly succumb to the bombardment of emerald tid-bits, will rally around their check books and unhesitatingly clog our green derby records with the $13,360 designated as our quota for this year. Oh, great wings of Zoe, would it were so!

The truth is, if we wrote the complete biography of each member of our class, bound it in morocco with his name imprinted in gold and shipped it to him in a Father Flanagan box, we'd be damn lucky to recoup the cost of postage. (I warned you I should have gone on a long weekend.) Since Jocko's resignation in February to present writing (May 1) I have not seen an issue of " '39 Out." I have seen, on a twice weekly basis, the cumulative results of the Alumni Fund campaign from our class as reported by the central campaign office in Hanover. I can assure each member of our class, the lack of the newsletter has made no difference whatsoever. With it we were the last hair on the tail in last year's derby. Without it we enjoy the same dubious position of glamour this year — so far. Last year only two classes looked lousier than ours on combined raring points - the class of '58 and the class of '46. Let's don't lose that booby prize again!

All of this has had a profound effect on our Head Class Agent. On Easter afternoon Junie became the father of L. T, Merriam III, first son and fifth child issued to Martie and the Head. The kid weighs five pounds and already is asking for skates and a stick. After the strain of the Alumni Fund drive is over, Junie will move all troops, including dog and cat and nurse, to Martha's Vineyard for six weeks of fog.

Ned Redman '06, whom I've never met, but who must be a good guy, sent clippings from the local New Canaan, 'Conn., paper with a pretty picture of never-aging old Dusty Rhode as the new president of the New Canaan United Fund. Then the Alumni Records office sent us some clippings about Hank Glovsky having the same job in Beverly, Mass.

Louis Oberdorfer, a practicing lawyer in Washington, ex-Army captain, ex-law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black, has been appointed by Harvard's J. F. Kennedy as Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Justice Department's Tax Division. Lou, I imagine this will renew a lot of old acquaintances.

On February 12 of this year the Baltimore American announced that Miss Jane Burch A they would -wed Colin Churchill sometime in May. We're keeping our fingers crossed.

Armando Chardiet is still on the circuit, and well he should be. He was last heard in Wellesley reporting the "Betrayal o£ a Revolution." Meanwhile, in the same area, Tom Brooks, father of four and husband of Susan Spencer, has been made general sales manager, industrial products, of the Kendall Company's Fiber Products Division.

Ray Anderson is now president of American Sisalkraft Co., Division of St. Regis Paper Co. Further details, a list of company products, next of kin, etc.. seem to have been withheld at this point. We would appreciate a letter from you, Ray, and bring us up-to-date on the specifics.

Perched high on a cliff overlooking Norman's Woe outside Gloucester harbour lives Bob Brown, department store magnate, vicepresident of the Cape Ann Historical Assn., and member of the Civic Art Commission, which in Gloucester is a big hunk of their local color. This spring he hit the news because he was a judge in the Gloucester Garden Fair poster competition! It is obvious that Bob Brown has done something more newsworthy than this. If not, he has at least something more to communicate to his classmates. But I don't hear about it, so I can't pass it on. So, let's hike back to the first paragraph. Let's talk about the facts of life - and after three years of this being class secretary business, how they affect ME. (I'm tired of writing about you all the time.)

In three years as class secretary I've received 42 letters from classmates (not counting Christmas cards, but counting repeat letters from the same person). I have written 27 columns in the ALUMNI MAGAZINE aimed at two ideals: (1) Increasing the cohesive esprit de corps through questionably witty commentary about a variety of classmates' activities gleaned mostly third-hand, but hoping that Jim would be happy to hear about Bill, and George might again write Pete now that he knew where he was. (2) And more important; we have mentioned a lot of classmates' names reminding them that they are still a part of the class - and the College. The needs of the College are voracious and ever with us, and therefore a gnawing obligation on your part to continue to help echoes out of past memories into your present charitable plans.

Today it's mighty difficult to get a boy into what is popularly called a "well-rated" college. I'm awfully proud of what Dartmouth stands for. I'm glad I had the opportunity to go there. I don't mind grinding out these columns nine times a year with practically nothing to say, and very little help from most of you. I don't think half the class reads them anyway. I try to give what I can to the Alumni Fund every year because I feel strongly the obligation. I notice a lot of you feel the same way. Some of you could give a lot more - I'm fairly sure of that. Some of you could at least give something whereas you conveniently "forget" it now. One way or the other I hope you're doing what you think is right. If you're not, then I have failed, Junie and Jocko have failed, and so has your entire executive committee.

Secretary, 1908 Coolidge Drive Dayton 19, Ohio

Class Agent, 70 Pine St., New York 5, N. Y.