1920
Thank heavens the holiday season has come and gone! Now we can all get back to a normal existence.
I was delighted to have a very pleasant note from one of our real oldtimers, RussCotner, way out in San Francisco. Russ has been on the job for 33 years with the Fibreboard Company and is facing up to retirement in another eighteen months or so. For the past ten years he has been General Credit Manager and apparently a good one. Having had some bouts with our own Credit Department in years gone by I know that it takes a good man to run that particular operation. Russ, his wife and daughter have recently moved into a new home. He is a color photographer on the side and leads a quiet, comfortable, happy existence. His pet phobia is communism and, of course, he votes the Republican ticket. He has forsaken golf for chess, good books and pro-football, the latter as a spectator, and reports that his health is excellent.
Gugger Fiske reports talking with JimRobertson by way of telephone at Jim's Country Store in Centerville, Cape Cod, Mass. They didn't talk for very long because Jim was so busy tending his shop that he simply couldn't spare the time to reminisce. Gugger also reports that MelMerritt is the "Skip" of the curling team at the Country Club (Brookline). For the uninitiated, the "Skip" of a curling team is the equivalent of being "Commodore" of a Yacht Club, "Captain" of a football team, "Master of Hounds" and so on.
Sherman Adams was the principal speaker at a Loyalty Dinner in connection with the fund-raising campaign of the Church of The Transfiguration, Episcopal, at Derry, N. H. early in December. Approximately 200 parishioners and guests attended.
According to Clint Johnson international banking gets more interesting day by day what with the Cold War, exodus of gold and revaluation of currencies. He is still holding forth as head of Chemical Bank's International Division with 500 people on his staff. His job involves a great deal of travel which gives him the pleasure of seeing many old friends. Clint says it won't be long before the old pension starts to roll in, but he has a hunch that he'll still be active after that.
A note from Henry Hayes to the effect that he has no earth-shattering news from his quarter other than the fact that he has nine grandchildren - eight of which are the right sex for Dartmouth — as students. He is still engaged in aerial survey and mapping work and keeps very busy. I sincerely hope I'm here to greet you, Henry, the next time you come to the big city.
In New York City on January 17, Grover (Dr. E. Grosvenor) Plowman, Vice President-Traffic of U. S. Steel Corporation, received the 1961 Seley Awards for Distinguished Service to Transportation. Grover was the unanimous selection of the Transportation Association of America's Board of Directors for the Awards upon the recommendation of a selection committee composed of leading transport executives and educators. He was cited for encouraging and promoting transportation research, dedicating his efforts to improve the professional caliber of those engaged in the field of transportation, working effectively with private and government groups to better the relationships between the councils of government and the transportation industry, and consistently furthering the best interests of the transportation industry through his sound and thoughtful recommendations in many areas of national transportation policy, to the consequent benefit of our Nation as a whole. The Seley Awards, made possible by The Seley Foundation, Inc. of New York City, include a gold medal, a $1,000 transportation scholarship to be administered by the university of the recipient's choice, and an additional $1,000 grant to the same institution to be used at its discretion. Incidentally, if I failed to mention it in the past, Grover received the Department of Defense Award for Exceptional Civilian Service in 1952 and the Salzberg Transportation Medal of Syracuse University in 1955. Quite a guy, our Grover! His Alma Mater and All Twenties may well be proud of him!
Bing (Howard W.) Whitaker saw the Brown, Harvard and Yale games this fall, and parked next to Paul Kay at the Yale game. Bing expects to retire in 1963 and, as he puts it, "have time to do more unimportant things that are fun doing." He has no idea where he will spend most of his time, but at the moment it looks as though he'll spread it between Vermont, Connecticut and Florida. Their son Howard '52 practices law in New York City and lives in Mount Kisco, N. Y., where Bing visits often. They have two grandchildren and the boy, Sam, says he is going to play football for Dartmouth. Bing says he hopes to be around for that. We hope so, too, Bing.
Dean Travis' Christmas card carried a picture of his lovely new home in Bozeman, Mont. It is the only Cape Cod cottage in that area and the countryside around it looks more like that of our farm in Connecticut than Montana. Dean writes that he and Gladys have become quite adept at fly-fishing and bird shooting. He says their freezer is well stocked with pheasant, duck, grouse, and trout, as well as vegetables from last season's garden. They even have venison and elk shot by their son and son-in-law. Their two youngest children live in Bozeman and Dean and Gladys have become expert at baby-sitting and related activities. Can't you just picture Dean in high-heeled boots, levis and broad-brimmed Stetson, to say nothing of clanking spurs and so forth!
A card from Al and Emilie Palmer reports that they have just moved into a new home in Eustis, Fla. Al keeps himself occupied with golf and fly-fishing. How I envy him!
On November 27 the Laymen of Fairfield County, Conn., held a dinner meeting in the Newtown Congregational Church House. The speaker of the evening was none other than our old classmate the ReverendDr. Francis Philip Frazier, who has served as a missionary among his fellow Indian-Americans in this country for nearly forty years and now serves as supervisor of the Standing Rock Reservation in McLaughlin, S. D. In 1958 Phil was awarded the 25th Annual Indian Achievement Award by the Indian Council Fire, a national organization devoted to Indian interests. In June 1960 Oberlin College conferred on him the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters.
A note on the Jack Lappin's Christmas card to the effect that Jack is coming along fine although not back in full stride. He wishes it were spring instead of winter approaching. Me, too!
Dick Hayes writes that they have moved into an apartment in Brentwood because Helen hasn't been feeling too well.
Bun and Dorothy Harvey have forsaken the ice and snow of Wellesley for Delray Beach, Fla. Look us up when you come through on the northward trek next spring.
Mel and Helen Merritt came down from Boston to join us and some friends for dinner at Sherry's, following which we heard "Cosi Fan Tutte" at the Metropolitan Opera. This is one of Mozart's lesser known jobs, but nonetheless a delightful airy rendition. For the benefit of the distaff members of the Class, the title means "All Women Are Alike" and the way the opera works out it is no compliment to the gentler sex.
Al Frey reports that dues have come in very well and that he is most appreciative. Have you sent in yours?
Secretary, 350 East 57th St. New York 22, N. Y.
Treasurer, Graduate School of Business University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh 13, Pa.
Bequest Chairman,
