1930
On the date of this writing, the Governor of New York, our classmate, announced his decision to seek the Republican Presidential nomination in 1964, emphasizing the need for public discussion of all vital issues and of knowing where each candidate stands on each, without equivocation. Needless to say, we will be with him all the way, and if his endeavor is successful, as we hope it will, it would bring great honor to our College and a tremendous feeling of pride among Thirtymen in the accomplishments of their distinguished classmate. A rugged course is ahead for Nelson, who attended the Class picnic at the Bema in mid-October, which requires endless stamina in participating in one function after another with scarcely a pause. If you read your Life magazines dutifully you will have seen a further exhibition of stamina by Nelson and Carl Haffen-reffer who indulged in an impromptu pushup match. This observer happened to be on the outskirts of the push-up arena, but can nevertheless vouchsafe their prowess, and would venture that, except for Red Gould who somehow didn't compete, few of our other fellow men could have reached the 15 or 16 ups that went into the record.
But that is getting a bit ahead of myself in telling you who missed the interim, informal, and inspiring Woodstock reunion, of the really delightful weekend in perfect, even though tinder dry, weather. We held a picture picnic before the game in the relative privacy of the Bema, we watched Dartmouth, by approximately the skin of its teeth, take Holy Cross 13-8, and the remainder of our activities took place in Woodstock. Ed Butterworth, our newly appointed reunion chairman, put his heart and soul (and some would say that he must have at least two of each) into his work; the most sincere appreciation of the Class is certainly Ed's due, for he kept things jumping throughout, at times beyond the activity capacity of gentlemen of our age, but no heart attacks were recorded from strenuous endeavor, and all agreed that a wonderful time had been had, that a similar affair next fall and the 35th in June 1965 would indeed be something to look forward to. From the Class, Ed, many, many thanks for your hard work and the fine program you delivered.
On Friday afternoon, October 18, the Executive Committee met at the Inn to transact matters of business, including receiving and accepting the reports of the various class officers, approving the printing of a new handbook directory of the members of the Class, confirmation of the chairman's appointment of Harry Condon to serve as interim treasurer until our next class meeting in June 1965 (here the usual plug — if you haven't already, please send Harry your check for those six bucks now, help him keep his postage expenses low, etc.). The committee decided to return to Woodstock for a similar committee meeting and informal reunion on whatever weekend would seem most propitious in the fall of 1964, and adopted a resolution upon the death of Hank Embree to spread in the Class records its deep appreciation of his abiding love for Dartmouth, for his many efforts for the College and the Class, and to express its sorrow to his family upon his untimely passing.
Ben and Louise Benson ran a registration and lapel name tag desk; furnished your secretary with an attendance list, showing 56 Thirtymen counted during the weekend. That surely shows the spirit of the Class, for I have compared it with the recorded attend- ance of contemporary classes at their formal 30th reunions last June, to wit: 1932—81 men, 1933 - 96, 1934 - 67. Add to our 56, the 53 wives, and Ben's more or less unverified count of 39 children, for a total of 148, and you see what a job Ed did in getting us out!
On Friday evening, John and Ellie French entertained the group for cocktails at their home high above Woodstock, always a beautiful spot where, over the hills, one can visualize an inspiration for the line in "Dartmouth Undying" - "Who can forget her soft September sunsets?" Then for many, dinner at the Inn, its dining room decorum slightly unended by that table-hopping guitarist, Red Gould, coaxing songs from various groups, and particularly at our own table from Frank Doherty, in his rich tenor. Later an enterprising local boy turned up with a 1911 Stanley Steamer in full steam and a number of us took his personally conducted evening tour of Woodstock; our's was punctuated by his being stopped by the local constable for driving without lights, whereupon he relighted them with an old fashioned kitchen match, and off we steamed again.
Saturday noon a tailgate picnic at the Bema, warm sunshine, conviviality, and plenty of McFate's bourbon soup, which baffled this correspondent who never did decide whether it was or it wasn't. Someone said the recipe had been discovered one day at the Hanover Inn when a kettle of potato soup was burned and, to save it, a potion of bourbon was thrown in. Anyhow whatever was in it, it was good. Breaking away from their, round of scheduled activities, Nelson and Happy picnicked with the Class, still the target of many classmates' cameras, but for an hour relatively free from the übiquitous press.
That evening a cocktail party, followed by dinner, practically no speechmaking, and square dancing to wind it up. Well, there weren't so many who indulged in the latter, but quite a few of the younger generation did. If we could all step around to the caller's chants as Louise Keene, Carl and CarolHaffenreffer, Ed (himself) Butterworth, HertnSander and some few others did, we might be all the healthier for it. Also included, a short exhibition of the Limbo, at which Cupe and Elveta Harris's daughter Ethel was far ahead of anyone else who tried.
Our classmate traveling farthest to Wood-stock was Capt. Jack Smith, M.D. from Annapolis, who is still ministering to the ills of the midshipmen. Jack reached normal retirement age, but instead of accepting the rank of rear admiral, retired, chose to stay in active service as a captain, in fact he ventured that he might now be the oldest captain in active Navy service. Not having space to list all who showed, we will mention only a few who have not been usual participants, for instance, Glenn and Mike Bartram, Bill and Doris Blais, Merle Kimball, Jack and Lola Keating, Dick and Gladys Parker, Bob and Dorothy Pratt, and John and Natalie Whipple. Carll Buhler introduced his lovely bride Carol for the first time, they having been able to leave their year-old son with a competent baby sitter.
So, — if you weren't there, you missed a royal good time, and you should plan to join the fun next fall.
Eggie Smith, president of Albert Trostel & Sons of Milwaukee, was elected president of the Tanners' Council of America, the national association of the leather industry, at its 47th annual meeting in Chicago in late October. Eggie is also a trustee of North-western Mutual Life Insurance Company, and a director of the Maysteel Company, the Badger Meter Company and the Energy Conversion Systems Corporation. Stu Seidl, executive vice president of the Rahr Malting Company, has been elected president of the Minneapolis Grain Exchange. Dick Squire has been appointed director of general services at Overlook Hospital, Summit, N. J., which he has joined after 25 years with Hahne & Company in Newark, where he was vice president and general superintendent.
Another item to bring one up with a start, that one of our classmates, an inveterate golfer, won a senior golf tournament last summer, none other than Hank Ekstrom at the Oakley Country Club, Watertown, Mass.
And now, before we run out of our space allotment, to all in the 1930 family, our most sincere greeting of the season:
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Nelson Rockefeller '3O and his wife Happy at the 1930 classpicnic held in the Bema on the day of the Holy Cross game.Huge crowds cheered the Governor before and after the game.
The Governor and Carl Haffenreffer '30 in their. famedpush-up duel. Press reports that it was a 15-15 draw drewa heated charge of managed news from Haffenreffer.
Secretary, 30 Boxwood Dr. Stamford, Conn.
Treasurer, 6 Emerson Rd., Wellesley Hills, Mass.
