1940
Like the crocus coming out of the springsoft gardens, quite a few classmates came out of their winter hibernation for one or another of the class agents dinners which have been held in various parts of the country the end of March and early part of April. I made it to two of them - New York and Boston - where it was good to chat with some classmates in each place.
At the Hotel Commodore in New York three familiar faces appeared on the scene - Sam Williams, Earl Kochersperger, and Jim Thomas. Another who was expected but couldn't make it at the last minute was Chal Carothers. Sam has been hopping around the country pulling strings on one side of an impending railway merger. When he's in town he hangs his hat in an investment counselloring firm on lower Manhattan. Sam and Lorraine are just getting settled in a new-old house in Short Hills, N. J., not far from where they have been living. Earl's infectious smile now beams out from under a pate almost as bald as mine and poor Jim was about blinded from the glare when the three of us got our heads together over a night cap after the dinner. I wonder if the Florida sun has anything to do with Jim's curly stock of hair? Earl lives and works in Greenwich, Conn., so he s got the morning and evening commuting problem licked, except he travels all day selling business forms. Jim just happened to be up north on company business, and saw a chance to enjoy a meal that didn't include orange juice. He and Hugh Schwarz, our new Class Gifts Chairman, have it made down in Winter Park, Fla., guiding the destinies of both Minute Maid and the local Dartmouth Club together.
The dinner in Boston produced a few more 40's so our table was bigger. Swapping tall stories over cocktails and dinner were Gordie Wentworth, Stet Whitcher, DonRainie, Cliff Holmes and Larry Cate. Here, also, one we expected to see and didn't was Joe Burnett. Cliff, who has a freshman son here in Hanover, was giving advice on the subject to Larry who has a boy coming in next fall. Don had knocked off unpacking boxes and crates after their recent move long enough to drive down from Concord. They now have a big old house, two blocks from their former home, which boasts an old stable made into a play room for their six kids to horse around in. Don and Ruby had taken the brood over to Vermont for some good skiing at Killington and stayed with Lois and Jack Moody. Gordie and Stet, both looking very much the successful bankers, were discussing plans for a class dinner or picnic sometime this year. The fun of last June's reunion suggests we should try to repeat a portion of that each year for the families in the New England area and any others who could use a vacation or business trip as an excuse to come. Any volunteers to organize it?
Speaking of clubs, the Denver Association will be hard pressed to fill the shoes of Seymour Wheelock, their club secretary, who after July 1 will be hanging out his shingle here in Hanover. Sey has been appointed to the pediatric service of the Mary Hitchcock Clinic and Hospital where he will be working with another classmate, Bob Storrs, on the same service. This means that 1940 has a virtual monopoly on the Youth of Hanover with Jack Schleicher the leading obstetrician in town. Now if we can only get a classmate who is a mortician to come here to live 1940 would really control the population from cradle to grave. It will be good to have Sey "in residence" here and I know he and Janet will add much to the Hanover scene.
From Phoenix comes word of a nice promotion for Coleman Ross who has been with General Electric since graduation in various capacities and in various locations. He has recently been appointed Manager of Administration in Advertising and Sales Promotion of the Computer Department. Wow! that ought to rate two Bigelow's on the floor having that much of a title on the door. He will be responsible for forecasts and measurements, policies and procedures, and budget analysis and preparation as G E expands into new marketing areas with their computer promotions. Collie and his family, consisting of Dorothy and three boys, have been in Phoenix four or five years and last spring when our family took a vacation trip to Phoenix we ran into them at a real western square dance. They looked like pros swinging and turning through the intricate steps that left us dudes from the east hanging on the ropes. Bob and Trotti Marshall had just moved to Phoenix before our trip there last April so we introduced them to the rigors of western square dancing and by now they are probably as smooth and untiring as the Rosses are at the sport.
A newspaper picture of Don McMaliou, director of area development for Colorado Interstate Gas Co., receiving the 1962 ' Service to Youth" award in Colorado Springs proves that the passing years and the problems of raising seven 'children have rested lightly on his shoulders. Don rated this accolade for his fine work with the Junior Achievement program, Boy Scouts, and the 4-H Clubs. With such a large brood at home he would have to be active in a variety of things just to keep up with them!
Since this is an election time of year I've gotten several clippings about classmates who are running for elective offices in their communities. Derwood Frost was running for Selectman of Maynard. Mass., where he is an orchardist, a co-operator of Marlboro Hospital and co-operator of the Hudson Savings Bank. He has been a past president of the Nashoba Fruit Growers Association and of the Massachusetts Fruit Growers Group, as well as a member of the Stow School Committee. I hope he was elected because his campaign platform certainly had an appealing logic about it.
On "a Sunday not long ago Bob Skinner whizzed down the downhill course at the Dartmouth Skiway to tie for first in the annual Alumni Championship. Bob's prowess on the slopes is well-known in skiing lore in the East where he usually wins several races each year. The fact that the guy who tied Bob was a mere youth from the class of 1956 makes Bob's time of 48.9 seconds all the more impressive.
That does it for now. Good luck and keep in touch.
Secretary, 5 North Balch St. Hanover, N. H.
Class Agent, 2634 Haddam Rd., Cleveland 20, Ohio
