1917

Probably no class, as a whole, will regret more than 1917 the passing of President Emeritus Hopkins, "Hoppy" to all 17'ers. We were members of his first graduating class after he became president in 1916, and we have all followed his most successful career ever since. When news of his death first came via radio, the writer immediately phoned Gene Towler, knowing that he had been closely associated with "Hoppy" as a secretary in the very early days. Gene and Lucile headed for Woodstock the next morning, and on Saturday morning Gene, Lucile, the writer and Helen went to Hanover and attended the funeral service in Rollins Chapel. You will read about that elsewhere in this issue, so I will simply say that it was one of the most impressive services of its kind that I have ever attended. I am sure that all 17'ers join in extending the most sincere sympathy to those who survive "Hoppy," and particularly to his daughter, now Mrs. John R. Spahr.

The writer is reluctant to start off the new publication year with reports of the deaths of classmates, but for the benefit of those who failed to note the In Memoriam notices in the July issue, I feel duty bound to tell you that both Fred Husk and Tom Cotton passed away during May, Fred on May 5 as the result of a heart attack suffered in his office; and Tom on May 24 while staying at a nursing home in Connecticut, following a long period of ill health.

In a happier vein, let me report that Al Hickmott recently was advanced to chairman of the board of the State Savings Bank, Hartford. He was elected a trustee of the bank in 1942, a vice president in 1950 and president in 1954. Al, a retired vice president of Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, has been prominent in the financial life of Hartford for many years.

Since early July Harry and Helen Fowler have been vacationing at Loch Lyme Lodge at Lyme, N.H., and, according to Harry, they have been taking full advantage of the summer program at Hanover.

Sumner and Charlotte Emerson have been summering, as usual, at Pocono Lake Preserve, Pa. They will be at Hanover for the Princeton game and, while there, will be house guests of Prof. Hugh '26 and Charlotte (Ford) Morrison. A day or two after the game they plan to head for their winter home on Siesta Key, and, for the first time, they will be unable to be with us for the fall party at Woodstock.

Like the good soldier she was, Belle Black, Angus' wife, just faded away at the Brattleboro Memorial Hospital on June 9. She was loyal and devoted to our Class and to the College. A funeral service was held on June 11 at St. Michael's Episcopal Church, Brattleboro. The service was attended by ButchSherman, Julius Kuech, Bob and Gail Boynton and Don and Helen Brooks.

On June 22 Russ Fisher set sail aboard the President Jackson, a 12 passenger freighter, from San Francisco. The ship's first port of call was to be Yokohama, then on to Kobe, Okinawa, Keelung, Hong Kong, Saigon, Singapore, Penang, Colombo, Bombay, and Karachi, through the Suez Canal with ports in the Mediterranean. Russ was to leave the ship at Marseilles and fly back from Paris where, as past president of the 5th Engineers Society, he was to look into the condition of the monuments built by the 7th Engineers.

Getting back to Sumner Emerson for a moment, he recently was elected to the New College board of trustees for a three-year term. The chairman of the New College (Sarasota) trustees said that the trustees would "greatly benefit by the rich experience of Sumner Emerson in both educational and financial affairs." Sumner also is a trustee of Rutgers University.

Sally Shea was at Hanover about a week ago and the Brookses had the pleasure of entertaining her and her sister for dinner at the Outing Club.

And Gil Swett also has been at Hanover for the past couple of weeks taking part in the Alumni College program which turned out to be even more interesting than he had anticipated.

Ed Smith, who retired as head of the English department at Classical High School, Springfield, Mass., in 1959 after 40 years as a teacher there, was the speaker at Classical's commencement on June 11. Ed and his wife, Florence, now make their home on Key Biscayne, Miami, Fla.

The following I must give you in the words of the writer, none other than NormMcCulloch: "On the 20th, came Mosey's birthday card, though I doubt if he realized this was the big one - 70th. Mary had planned a Wing Ding - 70 people and 70 bottles. Mostly local friends and family, and 74 showed up. They had me play the fool with a crooked cane and my Scotch tam-o-shanter hat and shawl. Dot, our daughter-in-law, baked a cake, and had found some new fangled gadget for candles where you blow them out and two or three keep lighting up again for five minutes. It is very pleasant to have good friends in this transitional period."

Early in May Gene and Lucile Towler joined Harry and Helen Fowler for cocktails at Riverside, Conn., where Harry and Helen were living temporarily. This get-together led to subsequent meetings, both on Cricket Lane and on a picnic in the hills of northwestern Connecticut where they visited old New England unspoiled villages, and the woods, lakes and country lanes of the area. They showed Harry and Helen some of the Long Island Sound shore front, and dropped in at the Hobey Fords' commanding location where Five Mile River enters the Sound at Rowayton, and luckily caught Betty and Hobey for a chat.

In his letter, Gene told of the move last spring of his son, Tom '49, Sue and the four little ones from Arkansas to Bethesda, Md. Gene and Lucile visited them over the Memorial Day weekend and while there gathered together a few friends, thus enabling them to have grand visits with Ralphand Evelyn Britton and George Ernest ("Creeper") Hartshorn and Essie.

On August 12, the Towlers announced the engagement of their daughter, Jane, to Mr. Richard Henry Smily of New York and Nerja, Spain. Lucile is now in the throes of preparing for their wedding at Darien on September 19. As many of you know, Jane is the fashion and retail advertising consultant of The New Yorker Magazine. All who know her will join, I am sure, in wishing her and her husband-to-be much happiness in the days to come!

Ed Healey '18 was presented with thisaward by friends in the Indiana Club,South Bend, expressing pride in Ed'selection to the Football Hall of Fame.

Secretary, R.F.D. 1, Box 27 Woodstock, Vt.

Treasurer, 315 Oxford Rd., Havertown, Pa.