1952

I gotta say one thing. You guys came through with the cards. So many, in fact, I haven't had time to sort out all the pearls. So patience, please. If you're not in this month, try January or February.

And wasn't that a beautiful day we had for the Yale game? For those of you in far parts, there was a heavy rain all morning which extended well into the second half. A cold rain, too, with gusty wind. Took just about all the Early Times I had to stave oil pneumonia.

I think the D.C.A.C. must have a grudge against '52. Seems to me the whole class was perched up there around the fortieth row where that cold wind could really get a crack at us. We drove up to New Haven with Larry and Betty Schiffenhaus and sat up there in the stratosphere surrounded by such as Bob Ringstad, Don Meyers, PeteMcSpadden, Charlie Benisch, Steve Mandel,Hugh Lefkowitz, Harry Bingham, with all the wives. And nary a one of us left before the final gun.

But the Green won and made it worth while. And after the game we enjoyed some good fellowship made possible by the hoapitality of Jack and Dodie Boyle. At the Boyles we saw Gene Teevens, Jack McNary (I hope you caught that last plane home, Jack), Chet and Judy Wiley, Don and PatMacleod, Hal Morse, Rog and Ann Pierce, along with assorted Greens from assorted other classes. I hope all the rest of the games this season are as successful as that one, rain or shine.

The one card I received so far that takes the prize for distance comes from Jim Branch. He's up in Anchorage, Alaska. Jim's General Manager of the Alyeska Corporation up there. He describes the nature of his work as "You name it - construction, finance, personnel, production." He's a member of the State Chamber of Commerce, Alaska Travel Promotion Association, Governor's Tourist Advisory Board. Just what are the winter tourist rates up there, Jim?

In July, Dick Dalbeck took a new job with A. T. Kearney & Company, Management Consultants, out in Chicago. Dick's living in Hinsdale, Ill., and under civic responsibilities he's written: "New town, new state, new job - have to start this anew." Being in much the same position I sympathize.

On the other hand, how do you like this list of civic responsibilities from Hank Waters up in Buffalo? United Fund; Advisory Council of Erie County Technological Institute; Nichols School Alumni Board of Managers; Trustee of Elmwood-Franklin School; Deacon of Westminster Church; past Chairman of the Board of Christian Education of Westminster Church; and add to these a vice presidency of the Dartmouth Association of Western New York! Why is it, Henry, that you just can't seem to find your niche?

And then there is the cruelest card of all. It comes from Jack Collins, who is a brand manager at Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati. (My good client, if you please.) Old "Honest John" owns up that the nature of his work is "beating on agency finks like you." Though I can't hold Jack directly responsible, those scars around my head and back do indeed come from "client finks" like him.

I am happy to see from my correspondence that Dort Bigg is still maintaining his boyish figure with an active interest in sports. Strenuous one, it seems to a seden- tary elbow bender like me. Dort was on the 1962 American skin-diving team, which competed for international honors last summer. He doesn't say where the competition was held, but I seem to remember that someone at reunion told me it was down in the Caribbean. Dort's left the Attorney General's office in New Hampshire to go into private law practice in Manchester.

Chuck Liddle is some kind of a sport, too. He tells me he's very interested in curling and will look for other '52s on the bonspiel circuit. Are there any other '52s on that circuit? Chuck also writes of his unsuccessful candidacy for President of the Common Council of Albany, N. Y. He ran on a reform ticket and though defeated vows to fight on against the entrenched power of a corrupt city boss.

One of the most interesting switches in occupation in the annals of the class must be the one made by Dugald Mac-Arthur. After he got his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School Duke took a turn at the nineto-five routine with Kordite Corporation. Now he's gone into drama. He's Instructor of Drama at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, and the subject of a front-page feature article in the entertainment section of the Waco Sunday Tribune-Herald. At the time of the article Duke was busy producing and directing a 40-minute motion picture, for which he had written the story and script himself. His wife, Charlotte, was one of the principal actresses. Duke also advised me that he was going to direct the first production in the U.S. since Broadway of Eugene O'Neill's play, "Long Day's Journey Into Night," sometime this fall. I trust it was a great success and our Mr. Mac Arthur is embarked on a satisfying career.

I had a nice letter from Bob Lord who has also changed positions. Bob's still teaching music, but he's moved from Davidson College to the University of Pittsburgh. There he is Associate Professor on the Graduate Faculty in the Department of Music and also the University Organist. He's also organist for his church and settled in a new home with his wife, Martha, and their four children.

Speaking of children, from a quick perusal of the cards, I've found a few new ones in the class, and further search will probably uncover more. Out in Minneapolis Jerry Kelly and wife Jo had their fifth in August. They called her Janis and thus managed to continue the example of Lyndon Johnson in having an entire family with identical initials. There's Jerry, Jo, John, Joni, Jill, Joy, and Janis. I hope for the sake of accuracy that the middle initials are all D.

In Rochester, N. Y., Henry Williams and wife Edith had their third in October. They must be Republicans, though, because LBJ's example meant nothing to them. They have Edith, Margaret, and the new baby is Sarah.

And in Old New York Ed Greenberger and wife Joan added young Neil to the roster last June. Neil was number two, joining brother Robert. Ed reports that he's "selling giant brains" for IBM, that his civic responsibilities include "paying taxes," while his other interests are "not paying taxes." Let us know if you succeed, Ed.

While on recent births, those of you who might recall that Jack Foster's wife, Sally, couldn't make reunion because of the arrival of five new kittens in the house will be glad to hear that Sally reports all the little ones are sold and the families who bought them are most happy with them!

And also a special reassurance for BobBinswanger. Binsy, we do believe you when you say you are a card-carrying Republican. Even though you worked for Harvard before accepting your current post as Peace Corps Training Officer for all of Africa. Even though you list as other interests: touch football, impromptu swimming, and spending. Binsy, we're proud of your vigah and the way you are helping to get this country moving again. We believe you, Binsy!

There's a group this month that can't be grouped into any category. John Hunger ford, who's been elected secretary-treasurer of the Bridgeport (Conn.) Gas Company. Chuck Keenan, A.B., M.A., who's now guidance counselor at the Lincoln-Sudbury (Mass.) Regional High School. Brock Lewis, of Fidelity Union Trust, Newark, N.J., who's assistant treasurer of the Edna Allen Miller Foundation of Norfolk, Va. "Chev"Haskell, assistant to the New England Manager of IBM. And Bill Ford, who reports from my home state of lowa, that he's senior warden of one of the Masonic Lodges in Sioux City and will be master next year.

Before I leave, I have one admonition. John Tucker reports that he spent some time with Al Reich in the hospital in Boston. He says Al is progressing and his morale is good. But a hospital can get pretty boring, and Al still has a long haul. You can make it a little bit easier with a note of encouragement now and then. So how about it? Drop Al a note. The address again: Mr. Alan Reich, Massachusetts Memorial Hospital, Robinson 7, 750 Harrison Avenue, Boston, Mass.

And now, as the other fat man, the one with the white beard says: "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night."

Secretary, 168 Riverside Ave. Riverside, Conn.

Treasurer, 221 Maxson Rd., Lancaster, Pa.