1926
Frank Poor recently reported that Wesleyand Dorothy Ford visited them in Paradise Valley (Phoenix) as the Fords were en route from Florida to Illinois via Phoenix and the Grand Canyon! Since we had not had any word from Wes Ford for a long time, I asked him to bring all of us up to date. Here is his reply:
I have worked for Illinois Bell Telephone Company since leaving school in 1926, having been located in many places in the state, and on various jobs. I have been involved in numerous civic activities as is the normal role of the utility man. Since I will be eligible for retirement this year, although compulsory retirement is five years away, we have been spending recent vacations looking over various sections of the country to determine where Dode and I would like to winter. On such a jaunt last fall, we had the real pleasure of seeing Frank and Claire Poor in Phoenix. At present we don't plan to give up our home in Lombard (Ill.). We would like to keep it as our permanent home, but would like to find somewhat warmer weather for a few months each winter.
Our two sons, John Alden and Gerald Willard. graduated from the University of Illinois. Incidentally, John Alden gets his name from family tradition, being the first male child in his generation - eleventh direct from John Alden and Priscilla. Both our boys are married. One lives in New Orleans and the other in Northbrook, Ill. We have three grandchildren - the newest one being a girl. She is the queen of the family as you can well imagine when I tell you that she is the first girl born into the Ford family in 87 years!
A major piece of industrial news from Boston in late March was the announcement that Hal Marshall has been elected president of the Kendall Company, for which he has been executive vice president since 1957. Hal joined the company as a textile sales trainee immediately after graduation in 1926, and climbed steadily to become general sales manager of the textile division. In 1950 he was called to the Kendall executive offices in Boston as director of merchandising, then became vice president and director of sales, Chicago divisional manager, and executive vice president back in Boston. Hal is also a director of the National Shawmut Bank and recently was nominated to the board of the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. He and Marion live in Dover, Mass., and have three sons and a daughter.
Just received a snapshot of lovely Leslie Kimball Henry, eldest granddaughter of Bill and Ruth Forrest. Does anyone challenge Bill's claim that she is the oldest grandchild of the Class of 1926? Born December 27, 1948 Leslie, now 14 plus years, is an ardent horsewoman. She lives with her two younger sisters and her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Richard A. Henry, in West Lafayette, Ind. For the past six years, grandpa Bill has been associated with Handy. Associates, Inc., International Management Consultants, at their San Francisco office.
Hap and Pat Johnston may not claim the oldest grandchild, but they may claim honors for having five granddaughters, and two grandsons, the latter already registered for Dartmouth. Hap has been active in public school affairs in Wantagh, N.Y., for more than 25 years during which time he has served as President of the school board, and now Vice President of the Board of Trustees of a new library just opened this winter.
George S. Kenney, for more than 28 years with Sears Roebuck and Company, is making tentative plans to retire near the end of the year to Cape Cod where he and his wife have spent many summers. They promise they will then be able to attend class functions which they have missed the past 30 years!
Trevor (Red) Boyce, now a dignified whitehaired Texan, is the general manager of Trevor Boyce Associates, Inc. For a number of years his company has been applying corrosion resistant linings and coatings to all kinds of equipment which handles corrosive liquids, gases and vapors. Trevor Boyce Associates, Inc. was recently honored by B. F. Goodrich Company in an article which appeared in their December house organ "Merchandiser." Trevor's company has become a member of the Goodrich Honor Society for the excellence of its workmanship as an independent applicator of rubber linings. Using 30,000 pounds of rubber, the Boyce company recently lined the four huge tanks of the largest oceangoing chemical barge just completed in a Texas shipyard. The barge will now carry up to 150,000 gallons of and other chemicals to East Coast ports without even a twinge of indigestion. Perhaps some of us would have less trouble with ulcers if we had our own stomachs lined with Triflex rubber.
Jim and Betty Traquair report that they have recently sold their farm and have forsaken the life of a country squire and his lady for a smaller and more convenient location in the city. Their new address is 2 Madison Lane, Cincinnati 8. Jim is Director of the Fiscal Division of Hospital Care Corporation. with which he has been associated since 1946.
Correction — in February we reported that Charlie Starrett had moved from Laguna Beach to June Lake, Calif. It is only a half truth because Charlie lives in both places! He writes from Laguna Beach, Mary and I have been commuting between here and our 'voting' home at June Lake for the past ten years. We are fortunate to enjoy the High Sierra country and this beautiful coast line of Laguna Beach - really the Riviera of the West Coast. Our twin sons are both married - David, the artist, lives m Los Angeles; his brother Charles (with Mutual Funds) lives in Lancaster, Calif The latter has two children - a pert blonde of six (headed for Smith) and a boy 'the Bruiser' is four. I hope I can visit him in Hanover some day."
AUGUST REUNION
Special features for our informal reunion August 16-18 have just been announced. At the Hopkins Center Friday evening Wycherley s The Country Wife"; Saturday afternoon Shaw's "Devil's Disciple"; that evening in Spaulding Auditorium a choral and orchestra concert; Sunday evening Shakespeare s Richard II." In addition to these there will be a Pops Concert (primarily for summer camps) Saturday morning. What a wonderful opportunity to see the Hopkins Center and Hanover in action during an academic term! Have you made your reservation? Better write the Hanover Inn, or elsewhere, without delay.
Secretary, Box 305, Elmwood Branch Hartford 10, Conn.
Class Agent, Apt. A4L, 281 Garth Rd., Scarsdale, N.Y.
