1912
After Newsletter Editor Armes' play by play description of our 51st reunion whatever your Secretary might add would be superfluous. Suffice it to say, 1912 gathered together the largest group of any off-year reunion and twice the size of any previous "informal." To Quech and Bertha French goes our heart-felt appreciation for a wonderful finale at Scrabble-In. Snapshots have been gratefully received from Joe Doe, DocWorcester and Lyme Armes, a valuable addition to our archives. We heard from several who couldn't make it: Jogger Elcock tied down in Georgia with a bad heart; Elliott White living the life of a lonesome widower in the hills of Norwich; Chet Newcomb celebrating a 50th wedding anniversary in Florida; Bob Belknap out in California restricted because of a physical handicap; Husky Farnum who just couldn't; SydClark at Koblenz am Rhein; Mark Reed in Egypt; Joe Paul in Norway; George Walburg thinking it too late in life to leave Cape Neddick, Me., for Hanover; Harry Barnett in Michigan planning to make the trip in July to Newbury, Vt.'s bicentennial; HalBelcher at a meeting in Clifton Springs, N. Y.; and Lee White recovering from a serious operation plus a setback. To all these and other absentees, our sympathy.
Then there was Dorothy and Bill Shapleigh's lobster party at their delightful abode on August 3. This brought together Margaret and Eddie Luitwieler, Boss Geller, Grace and Art Burnham, Lyme Armes, Katherine and Connie Snow, Pike Childs, Jo and Ben Adams, Ruth Norris (a Shapleigh niece), and Frances and Stan Weld. You should have seen Bos Geller on his first trip to Maine dissecting a lobster! After that tryout Boss spent a weekend on Chebeague Island with Fran and Stan.
Syd Clark is home again after one of his travelogue jaunts which included a firsthand look at the Berlin wall and a depressing visit to East Berlin. Dutch Waterbury reports his Edith successfully passed the gall bladder operation and that he is now occupied teaching his 12-year-old granddaughter that intricate game of golf. "The Journal of the American Concrete Institute" pays fitting tribute to Sam Hobbs' recent election to its National Board of Directors. What has not been generally known by his classmates is that Sam is the author of numerous technical articles and has lectured widely in Southern California and the Southwest. Mae Brooks, "Honey's" widow, has moved to Taylorville, Ind. (P.O. Box 43), to be near her daughter Ann.
The party tendered Bos Geller and briefly referred to in the June issue of the MAGAZINE was a community-wide affair, characterized by the "Owego Owl" as "long overdue in view of Mr. Geller's many substantial contributions to this village and its inhabitants during the 43 years he has resided here. He certainly is entitled to his bouquet of 'Red Roses to the Living.'" The tributes were brief but sincere and every one present in Legion Hall knew they were deeply appreciated by "this great little guy." Boss came to Owego in 1920 as executive secretary of the Chamber of Commerce and now finds himself one of the firm of Stackmore Company, flourishing manufacturers of tables and chairs, many patterns of which he designed himself. Boss is a leader in Boy Scouts, a devout communicant of St. Paul's Episcopal Church and associated with more community enterprises, fund raising drives, youth movements and civic projects than he can remember. He told the assembled guests, "I'm glad I came to Owego and I'm glad I stayed, it has been a wonderful rewarding experience." This was a real birthday party for Boss, in every way a surprise to Owego's leading citizen.
Your Secretary acknowledges the receipt of of the 1913 Fabulous Fiftieth Reunion Book from the tireless Secretary, Warde Wilkins. It is replete with illustrations of the class in freshman year, at Commencement, and at each of the official reunions. Class and individual member data complete the volume. Particular features are the State Index, the In Memoriam list, and the names and addresses of Class Widows. Warde has done a fine job, laborious but rewarding.
Many a Dartmouth alumnus, has supported Ken Turner '28 in Tomkins Cove, N. Y., in his struggle for existence by channeling magazine subscriptions through his agency. Paralyzed for years, Ken has bravely persevered but on a lovely summer day last year one of his leather straps snapped, pitching him to the floor and resulting in five fractures and five months of enforced inactivity. Need I say more? Ken is brave and has plenty of that Dartmouth spirit which refuses to give up. 1912 might well support him. Your Secretary can testify to his reliability.
1912 has lost two more members, news of which only recently reached the Alumni Office. Blanchard Preble died June 6, 1944 in New York City and Ernest R. Patten passed away at Brownfield, Me., on December 3, 1961.
New addresses: Robert B. Baird, Bi-Lateral Fire Hose Co., 20 North Wacker Drive, Chicago, Ill.; Alvah S. Holway, Apt. 2609, 330 Diversey Parkway, Chicago, Ill.; Alfred L. Smith (until Nov. 1) Box 193, Truro, Mass., in the winter, 17011 Dolphin Drive, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Secretary, 136 Steele Rd. West Hartford, Conn.
Treasurer, 4 Bank Building, Middleboro, Mass.
