1931

Thus begins my fifth year of having the opportunity of chatting with you via this class column. This one is intended to be brief because of the very special contents of the issue - i.e., "the coverage to be given to the death and career of Ernest Martin Hop-kins." 'Nuff said, we'll be brief!

First of all, our congratulations to SherGuernsey, all the fund agents and GeorgeNickum for the outstandingly good collective job they did whereby 1931 wound up winning the Group IV (1928-34) Green Derby and being one of the three classes in the drive to exceed $50,000!

This summer's correspondence and personal contacts have been fruitful and enjoyable. Captain Eliot "Peanut" Winslow and I had a good-between-the-trips-chat at Southport Harbor, Me., last weekend. (August 30 and my 56th birthday) His "Argo" looks in tiptop shape and by golly so does the captain! He's seen Bill Benger, BunceClarkson, and Jim Godfrey and you can bet he swapped stories.

Jack Warwick came out of the wilderness with a three-page typed letter full of news and subsequently along came a publicity release about his "doings" from the Carpet Wool Council. He's been in contact with Charlie McAllister, Charlie Simonson, DutchHolland, Doug Morris, Skip Hall, Si Leach, and and heard Billy Alton deliver a Christian Science lecture. The letter indicates that he's been around a lot, in his new job as chairman of Wool Carpets of America, including a pleasant "holiday" with Nini in Jamaica. Thanks very much for the letter, "Snooks."

Billy Alton certainly is getting around with his lecturing and news of his activities has come in from many sources including other helpful class secretaries such as reliable Wally Blakey '30. Congratulations, Bill. Wally also sent a little squib regarding the announcement that Alvaro G. Torras has been elected executive vice president of Consolidated Cork. Good goin', Al! I always remember the fact that you came to Hanover from nearby Staten Island when Ted Harms and I came from Brooklyn.

Vic Rockhill got quite a play in the August 15 Chase Manhattan Bank Stockholders News which pictures him greeting directors of the Nigerian Industrial Development Bank. It's mighty hard to believe, Vic, that the directors of anybody's bank could wear the clothes these fellows wore and get away with it in this day and age!

"Beany" Thorn came across with the news that George Frankel was elected a director of the Fidelity National Life Insurance Company and that Bill Sleck's good wife, Elizabeth who is Alumnae Fund Chairman of Smith College just couldn't let Bill's Class of '31 out-do her so she and her organiza- tion produced the College's record high fund drive total this year. Apparently this fund drive work gets in your blood - let's hope it stays in ours and that Sher and his co- horts can keep us on the top each year from now on - anyhow, Elizabeth, congratula- tions on your noble effort for good old Smith!

Len and Bottie Clark were in town in August and Harriet and I surely had a wonderful evening with them. Ernie and AngieMoore were "fishing" for some information the other night and in the process of getting it for them we had a dandy telephone chat. Sam Groves has been named to a five-year term to the Corporation of M.I.T. Like so many others in our Class Jack MacKechnie is busy getting elected to Boards of Directors. Charlie Dwyer has been re-elected a director of the Boston Life Underwriters' Association. George Conklin was appointed chairman for the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Memorial Library appeal for his town in Connecticut. Basil Austin has been elected to the executive committee of Dartmouth College's General Association of Alumni. "Hank" McCarthy likewise was elected as a member-at-large of the Alumni Council. '31 is getting to be a very important cog in the Dartmouth machinery.

William B. "Jim" Swift got out to Tucson, Ariz., and had dinner "at the lovely home of Bob and Molly Hale" and had lunch with Ben McMillan "whose business in Buckskin appears to be not only great fun but sufficiently rewarding so that he can go to Hawaii next month."

From the above "bits" you can see that classmates have been busy and are very much alive - and I sincerely hope you all stay that way! Very, very best to all of you and start now getting ready for the 35th.

Secretary, Apt. 6, 290 Beacon St. Boston, Mass. 02116

Treasurer, 96 Fair Oaks Park, Needham 92, Mass.