1920
I've often wondered if. it's "true what they say about Dixie," but I can assure everyone that it's true what they say about winter in Florida. Jerry Stone and I are about to start packing up for our cruise to the West Indies and I can say truly that I shall never again spend a winter in the North if I can help it. Jerry goes right along on that sentiment. For one thing, Florida is a great winter crossroad for Dartmouths. There are more of them scattered around this state than you could shake a stick at.
George and Marion Rand '19 gave another of their earth-shaking Dartmouth parties at their place in Boynton Beach. 'Twas quite surprising how many of the boys and their wives were on hand. This party was preceded a few days earlier by the Annual Dinner of the South Florida Alumni Association. A goodly throng was on hand and President Dickey made a very interesting address as the high spot of the occasion. Yes, Florida is quite a spot.
Wally Schinz was down this way, too, but we didn't know that and he didn't know we were here. He plans to retire this spring.
I had a very nice visit with Nate and Mildred Whiteside. They stopped overnight and together we called on Guy and Muriel Cogswell '19, our near neighbors. Nate is the picture of what the enterprising young businessman should be - Mildred, of course, is a doll.
Dick Watts came down from Adrian, Mich., visited his daughter in Winter Haven and then came on to visit with Jerry and me. Dick is a golfer of parts as Jerry and I learned to our sorrow - a hole in one is old stuff to him. While Dick was here we drove up to Delray Beach and paid a surprise visit to Norm and Doris Richardson. We had a most pleasant visit and from all appearances I would say the Richardsons are very happy about escaping the winter snows of New Hampshire.
I rode up to Vero Beach with Dick Watts on his way north and stopped off to visit Dorothy flamm, her daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter Kathleen - the latter, four months old, stole the show and added a perfect fillip for a very pleasant visit.
Jack and Kay Brotherhood were on hand at the Rands' sometime ago. He has lost none of that smooth aplomb which marked him in his undergraduate days as "the idol of the ladies and the envy of the men." Jack is retiring from business and henceforth may be found at Watch Hill, R.I., in summer and at Delray Beach, Fla.. in the winter. Both he and Kay are top golfers.
Mel Merritt was to have joined us in Florida but took a house in Bermuda instead. He doesn't realize that Jerry is a well behaved, early-to-bed type, regardless of what he may have been back when.
Jake Gorton came by a few days ago and we had a grand old time reminiscing. He promises to make the reunion next year and to have Dan Bender in tow. His son, an Air Force Fighter Pilot with rank of captain, is to be married in June in California and Jake plans to be on hand.
On March 10 a wonderful guy was taken from our midst. After an illness of two years following a stroke, Stan Newcomer, Class President, passed away. This sorrowful occasion will be mourned by all Twenties, and on their behalf I send very sincere sympathy to Grace, their children, and Stan's sisters. In the latter pages of this or a subsequent issue you will find a formal In Memoriam.
The Wall Street Journal ran a newsworthy article not long ago which I am happy to quote below:
The Kennedy Administration, which warred with U. S. Steel Corp. last year over prices, shortly will employ a U. S. Steel vice president to help push through Congress the President's transportation program.
E. Grosvenor Plowman, traffic vice president since 1944 for the nation's biggest steel producer, will become deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Transportation (policy). The 63-year-old executive has long been active in groups that speak for shippers, and in recent months has been a consultant to the Commerce Department. He retired from U.S. Steel on March 1, 1963.
The guy with his chest stuck out these days up in Concord, N.H., is, of course, Paul Richter, as his son Alex, co-captain of the Concord High hockey team, continues to pop the old puck in the net for winning scores.
While we are working over the New Hampshire territory, here's a nice quote from the Concord Monitor and N. H. Patriot:
All state institutions have had supervised diets and improved meals for a dozen years, or since ex-Gov. Sherman Adams reorganized the state government in 1950 and established uniform standards for their operation. Food costs have soared heavily in the intervening dozen years, from spiraling inflation, but the Adams reorganization continues to pay substantial dividends, even while meals have steadily improved at the institutions.
So, if you wish, when you think of ex-Gov. Adams, give him a bow for this $600,000 yearly economy, among other hallmarks of his 1949-52 State House stewardship.
Those who came to Concord for the 1920 annual roundup dinner included John and Edith Amsden, Sam and Marion Center, Charlie and Elsa Crathern, Dal and Marguerite Dalrymple, Lee and Ann Hodgkins, George and Hazel Macomber, Ralph and Elinor Steinholtz, Paul and Lillian Richter, Eben and Ruth Wallace, Jim Robertson, Hibb Richter and John McAllaster. After dinner Charlie and Elsa Crathern entertained with a showing of slides from their recent European trip. Despite a real New Hampshire snowstorm, all went well and the gang managed to fill the bowl up and drink to Eleazar.
Phillips Hood (Bung) Roland writes that he now takes long walks alone, talks to himself - best guy in the world - no back talk!
There is something cooking in the way of a party to celebrate Tommy Thomson's retirement come June as Head Track Coach at the Naval Academy. More details later.
Tom (Thomas F.) Smith of Fresno, Calif., writes that he is still working as an Employment Security Officer for the State of California's Department of Employment with about eighteen years of service. He and Anne are home alone since their daughter is married and lives down south. They have two grandsons.
Chet (Chester L.) Smith, Sports editor of the Pittsburgh Press, has something more than a passing interest in football. He writes as follows: "There's nothing to report in these parts, Dartmouthically speaking, except that Bob Blackman was in town on February 2 and 3 for the Coach of the Year Clinic. Our Curbstone Coaches - a group of professional second-guessers - had the eight members of the teaching 'faculty' for lunch at the Press Club on Sunday and a batch of Old Greens, including Nate Parker '26 showed up. There were no speeches, just gab. It was most successful. Naturally we were delighted with the football season and since there is a Yale man on my staff I profited to the extent of 25 cents weekly. For this reason alone I think the Ivy League should remove the ban on post-season games."
A reminder before I sign off - start thinking seriously of our reunion in June 1964!
Secretary 350 East 57th St. New York 22, N.Y.
Class Agent, 90 Iron Mine Dr., Staten Island 1, N.Y,
