1927
The biggest '27 event in these parts for some many moons was the annual winter dinner held at the N.Y. Dartmouth Club on January 23 under the very able direction of Don O'Hara, N.Y. Regional Chairman. Fifty of the class including three ringers - one a Welty of '56, son of Al; another that loyal Cornell tenor, Lou Martin, who makes a real quartet with the Weltys and DocGreener. The third was a '27er but from Washington University, Spike Chamberlin, Dean of the summer program. He gave a very exciting report of what is due to hit the campus this summer, and the program goes beyond - yes, it's possible - the presence of women. Several of us were so interested we inquired as to age limitations (open) and entrance requirements (the only college summer school requiring transcripts of grades). Lest this blight any enthusiasm, they will enroll "auditors" of courses. Spike gave us all a real feeling that Dartmouth, as is her wont, is pioneering in this new endeavor and without turning the campus into a vacation resort, for her academic standards are being maintained. You will hear much more of this and the best.
All of which leads this scribe to the focal point of the dinner, Charlie Gibson, vice president of Burlington Industries and president of BI Cotton Mills with mills in South Carolina and Texas, who was the honored guest. Charlie came to Hanover from Rockland, Mass., did a lot of pitching for the Big Green ball club and saw the south for the first time on the spring trip in '26. He pitched when North Carolina State was defeated 7-4 at Raleigh. Apparently as a result, he went south and became a very successful and articulate full-time Southerner and resident of the state of South Carolina. Charlie gave the group an entertaining and most interesting evening. Ask him to tell you the one about the unsuccessful candidate for admission to Georgia Tech. The class plan of honoring a member annually in New York is gathering momentum and stature.
Doc Milliken of Annapolis writes: "If you want to get something done, ask a busy man." In evidence he submits a lengthy article from the Baltimore Sunday paper reporting the election of a new chairman of the board of the Baltimore branch of the Federal Reserve Bank. The article is flanked with a picture of a tall, dark, handsome, familiar face - yes, it's our Gus Cummings. Congratulations, Gus! Looks like our class funds are in very good hands. Please see the next Speak for full details of Gus's many business and charitable activities in Baltimore.
Charlie Huntley from Austin, Texas, reports on activities of '27's Southwest Regional Chairman, Bo Head. Looks like a '27 round-up for these parts in the making. Fred Fellingham is moving to Dallas for his company, International Harvester, and is being tapped by Chairman Head to find a corral. More later on these doings, we hope.
Gordon Hope still in Hingham, Mass., surviving the rat race to Boston every day, he reports. Vera Whitney got to New York in December, a little early for our '27 dinner which he has made in previous years.
Josh Davis in person and Dinty Gardner in a note both furnished names of the '27ers back in Hanover as members of the '25 undefeated team at the dinner honoring the '62 undefeated team - Bill Fryberger, lawyer from Duluth; Sykes Hardy, Ryerson Steel, Chicago: Hooker Horton, Schlichter Jute & Cordage, Philadelphia; Art Keleher, N.Y.C. Board of Education; Bill Prescott, Prescott Co., Boston; Lambert Van Aalst, Long Island; Johnnie Wood, lawyer, Gloversville; Charlie Bartlett, lawyer, Boston. When you add Jack Holleran, Herb Rubin and Abe Cohen, deceased, - '27 had a right fair amount to do with that previous undefeated season. Nice long letter from Coggy Broer also gives much additional detail concerning the Hanover affair in January - '27 had quite a reunion. Cog and Bob Funkhouser were with the '27 group mentioned above. Will send excerpts along to Mike.
Now to more notes as space will permit gathered at New York dinner.
Marsh McGough, in from Washington, Pa., for maybe his first New York dinner, says on remembering '27ers he hadn't seen since - "I broke even."
Stu "Slim" Ensinger, just as tall, just as slim, and almost as young-looking as in Hanover, entered his first grandchild in the '27 sweepstakes. Born November 17, 1962; eight pounds; name, Bruce Carl Elcock.
Confusion in New York: Ken Murray almost got tangled with the '28 New York dinner night before ours. Was saved with that flash of recollection that he was one year earlier and should come one night later. ,
Jack Sheldon on from Muskegon says despite the sale of his company last month he will still be around running the resulting division.
Brick Stone (G.M. Overseas South America) indicated in a brief word that Castro isn't the only problem facing us to the south'ard.
Ken Ballantyne, ardent summer sailor, has softened this winter - admits his ruddy complexion is a result of committee boating for the weekend frostbiters. Quoting WillShaw, "It was great to be at the dinner and see all those shining heads." (And more surprising was the amount of real non-dyed brown and black hair. - Ed.)
Stew Schackne says nothing unusual since his trip last winter to India, Pakistan, Ceylon, and Thailand.
Al Welty with Al Welty Jr. 56, look-a-likes if you ever saw any, with Doc Greener and that very fine spy from Cornell, Lou Martin, put the program in the proper setting by their fine singing, so good in fact that none of the barroom baritones dared join in, winding up with that finest of all college songs "Dartmouth Undying."
Les Battin, that most faithful of all '27ers, got himself out of a sick bed, trekked all the way down from Boston to be with us, and received a great welcome from all the gang.
Larry Scammon Jr. '56 provided our Larry with the first Scammon grandson August 14, 1962. Larry came all the way down from Boston to add much to our dinner.
One of the quieter members of the class, Josh Davis, ended the day with a delicate tale of a retriever. Ask him.
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