1927
Cug Daley reports on the first '27 class dinner in Boston December 11: "Our two speakers were really terrific, and the idea of having classmates as informal speakers is a great idea. These two doctor classmates, Tom Anglem and Joe Kelly, are distinguished men in their fields, and those attending were deeply impressed by their dedication, sincerity, and hard work in medicine. The Competence and Conscience goals of the College were visibly demonstrated."
While in Boston for Christmas weekend, we dropped by to check on Bill Prescott and spent a very pleasant hour with him and Kay. Bill is eleven weeks beyond his coronary and if appearances count is making a remarkable comeback. His doctor is letting him drive a little, and Bill is looking forward to returning to his office, and quite pleased to announce that his son Bill Jr. is to join him in his investment business after the first of the year. Bill asks that all those who wrote him during his illness understand that absence of acknowledgments are a result of doctor's orders.
A note to Bill from Fritz Kortlucke reports some ticker trouble while in the Orkneys last May. Fritz swam the 100 yards, however, in October while in the Barbados. Hope this means both that it was mild and that Fritz is a good doctor, even to himself. Maybe we are ready to formalize the '27 coronary club limited- to pre-'63 cases, since it is our fervent wish that the New Year provides no new candidates for membership.
Had a nice Christmas letter from EvanWilder. Evan, a hydraulic engineer, has been in the Division office of U. S. Army Engineers in Waltham since January 1957. Full details are being passed on to Mike for the next Speak.
Had a brief chat over the phone on Christmas Eve with Doane Arnold and Charley Bartlett while acting as an advance man for the January New York dinner. A note from Don and Kay Gardner from Hanover on December 22 reported all the Gardners there for the Christmas skiing; then off to Switzerland in January and February. This is how an advertising man keeps his ulcers cool, or better, avoids them entirely. Trust it's the latter.
The Gardners' Christmas in Hanover prompts the recall of our New Year's weekend a year ago at the Inn. A fresh snowfall covered every tree limb with an inch of pure white. The sky was the blue that only comes with the atmospheric clarity of the New Hampshire Hills. A bright sun turned the whole scene into the same beauty we all remember as undergraduates. The Burys are no longer skiers, but a hike through the snow and up the Tower before breakfast generated as much appetite as a run through the vale of Tempe did too many years ago. I think you would have enjoyed it too.
At home among tall buildings or tall timbers, Manhattanite Don McCall has been named manager of marketing for the pulp division of International Paper Company. Don has been associated with the paper industry ever since graduation. Before joining International Paper in 1960, he had served for some years as vice president of the Simpson Timber Company with headquarters in Everett, Wash. Don will be responsible for development of marketing programs for the various grades of pulp produced by International's United States mills.
Hitch Hitchcock reports: "I have moved my business into a fancy new building, 'The International Headquarters of Hitchcock Shoes,' with an open door to all alumni - web-footed or not (quote)." "In summer we provide a free lunch at the Yacht Club of which I'm Commodore." All this is in Hingham, Mass., or environs. Let's call him on the free lunch, hoping the price of the beer is the same.
Paul Revere O'Connell is already hard at work on 1963 Fall Reunion and assures us of the kind of accommodations in Hanover which will give us a gathering place, a meeting room, a breakfast room, a B. Y. O. L. room, which, as Howie Mullin writes, provided the spirit of the Jolly Roger meetings.
This newspaperless area was relieved by our Boston Holiday trip where in the Boston Herald we read of the marriage of BobFunkhouser's daughter Gretchen to Lt. Ryan Ostebo, U. S. Marine Corps, class of '60. A lovely portrait of the bride accompanied the news story.
Hank Murray: "Since I haven't seen it in the Class of '55 notes where it should be if the father, Alan P. Murray, was on his toes, I will announce my first grandchild, Thomas Emerson Murray, born 26 May 1962." Hank headquarters at 920 Pelhamdale Avenue, Apt. B2F, Pelham, N. Y., in the winter and Dorset, Vt., in the summer. '27ers have his cordial invitation to drop in.
A brief note on a Christmas card says that Frell Owl and his wife Gladys are moving in June of 1963 from Idaho to Cherokee, N. C., where they will operate Piney Grove Camp in the Great Smoky Mountains. Will try to smoke out more signals from Frell re this move East.
Bob Stevens provided a very pleasant opportunity to say Happy Holidays to DukeCoulter and Sonia, Fred Page (I am informed of the New Hampshire Pages - not Vermont, as erroneously credited in these columns), Ken Murray and Ruth. Received a clipping from Carl Allen '26 reporting in the Grand Rapids Press of December 21, 1962, the sale of Jack Sheldon's E. H. Sheldon Co. to American Seating Co. Also was informed of Andy Rankin's trip to hospital for surgery, but no details. Will get more data, but in the meantime, we all hope the best for Andy.
Bill Laighton, in response to the not-so-subtle prod on the birthday card, says the only reason he didn't get to the 35th was the illness of his wife Mae. He promises, however, to get out of his shell one of these days and make one of the class doings.
Spence Cook has new digs in Rochester, N. Y. - now at 1698 Creek Street. AveryKeenan has moved to 19 Lawrence Road, Wellesley, Mass.
Chuck Field's annual Christmas note comes to me now rather than to Coggy. It is a habit that would be helpful to your secretary if more classmates would emulate. It is a newsy note we are passing on for Mike's use.
One paragraph from our advocate of simplified spelling - or poor typing, Joe Russakoff, is repeated here: "this yr too, i hv 2 sons at collg - Andy is a junr at Columbia, & Mark is a sophmr at Clark (Worcester, Mass) - Dave the eldest, went to Queens Cllg & finshd Tufts Med last June - he's now interng at the VA Hospital in Dallas, last yr ws a big 1 for me - all 3 of m, were away at collg or grad skool - i would hv typd this on our IBM mchn - but the ribbn ran out - & i dnno how 2 put new (carbn) ribbn in 2 oper8n."
On New Year's Eve as I close this, may I speak for all '27ers to all '27ers: "A Happy New Year - Peace and Health."
Meek Slotnick took this photo of the Class of 1927 Boston get-together in December. On hand were (I to r, back row) Joe Kelly, Cug Daley, Tom Anglem, AndyRankin, and Bill Elliott; (front row) Ed Batchelder, Ding Heap, and Hank Vietor.
Secretary, Orchard Hill Rd. Westport, Conn.
Treasurer, Apt. lOC, 3908 N. Charles St. Baltimore 18, Md.
