1912
Syd Clark sent this bit of humor before leaving for the Caribbean to be gone till mid-May. Mardi joins him for a fortnight in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands right after Easter. It seems that Syd attends the monthly gatherings of the Cape Cod Dartmouth Club at Mildred's Chowder House in Hyannis when home on leave from his travels. At the January session he fell in with a bunch from the Class of 1921, all retired and all "talking chummily about Florida, boats, tropical hideaways and what-not, nice old-men talk." When he admitted his class, age, occupation, and that he was still going strong, as he was leaving one called to him, "Well, good luck. Bring your father next time!"
From Al Eiseman, two tickets to his musical comedy, "Salty Pair of The World's Fair." Al wrote the lyrics for sixteen songs and takes the part of Robert Dozes, the head of the Fair. In addition to rehearsals for the past four months, Al continues to read to the blind once a week, paints, and drives to Westport, Conn., to visit Al Jr. '40. Aline and Al are counting on our 52nd in Hanover.
Doc O'Connor has given me the lowdown on Head Agent Luitwieler's accomplishments. Read this and then send your check for 1964 to Eddie. In the 16 years that Eddie has called the plays, 1912 has contributed a total of $141,247.19 to the Alumni. Fund which is almost 50% more than 1912 raised by a succession of class agents over the previous period of 33 years. There are only four other class agents now active who have served in that capacity for a longer period than Eddie. Doc is right, Eddie has done a magnificant job! Don't fail him. And from Eddie himself comes a note telling me how good it seemed to be leading a charming young lady to the altar again after three previous successful trips. This time it was his brother's daughter Ann. Eddie says his handwriting has grown so bad that he has brought Gertrude a portable typewriter to do his writing for him. Frankly, I don't think his handwriting is any worse than some that comes out of our education process today. Hazel and Doc O'Connor entertained Mabel and Ralph Tackaberry for dinner on February 17. The Tackaberrys spent five days at the Dartmouth Club of New York en route from Chicago for a cruise of 41 days in the Mediterranean. They are still talking about Hanover in June.
Those who were fortunate to be on hand at our 50th will remember Russ Wylde with dark glasses, guided about by his clergyman son. Russ points with pride to the fact that this son now is rector of a parish in Idaho. But Russ is having his troubles with emphysema, cataracts, and arthritis and has had to relinquish his five to six mile daily walks, automobile driving, lawn mowing, snow shoveling, and even a bit of cooking. Russ's wife Mina was one of the famous Lebanon (N.H.) twins, Mae and Mina Cotton, neighbors of the Lewis twins, Roy andGuy. Bill Shapleigh, having just completed 12 months as Commander, local barracks, Veterans of World War I, is now setting up detailed plans for the Maine State Conference of Congregational Christian Churches to be held in May. Alvah Holway missed the February 10 Chicago Dartmouth Club luncheon (so did I even though I was in Chicago) due to the wedding of his grandson in Minneapolis. He says he is still working and enjoying it.
By now the Florida trekkers are either back North or thinking about it. We had news in February that Chief Wheeler had left Bridgewater, Mass., for Clearwater Beach, that Marian and Hal Belcher left on the 24th for four weeks in the Orange State, and that Gladys and Dick Remsen were at the Highland Park Club in Lake Wales for six weeks, including a few days at the Belleview-Biltmore in Belaire. The Remsens leave by air on May 20 for a tour of Scotland and England, this to cover a full month and include some golf, so we'll have to write off these two good folks from our 52nd.
Vera Wells writes that in addition to her invalid husband Kelly spending his days in nursing homes, she has been the victim of two major bouts of surgery but still keeps going. A cordial note has come in from Beatrice Averill, Porter's widow, who by the way has not even been on the Alumni Records Office list. Porter, better known as Fat, was a high school teacher from 1918 till his death in 1951, and never able to return for reunions, yet Beatrice says he was very proud of his Alma Mater and took great pleasure in seeing several of his boys from the Elizabeth schools make very good records at Dartmouth. There are four Averill grandsons in Brandywine, Del., some if not all of whom should find their way to Hanover.
Two more of our Classmates have passed into the Great Beyond. On January BillWobbecke died suddenly of a heart attack in Newark, Ohio. Bill was semi-retired but fairly active. Then on February 4 Sonny Buell passed away in the New England Baptist Hospital after an illness of several months due to hepatitis. Sonny's happy smile will be greatly missed at reunions. Obituaries on both Bill and Sonny appear elsewhere in this or a subsequent MAGAZINE.
Luitwieler calling! Remember the Alumni Fund and send your check in NOW.
Secretary, 136 Steele Rd. West Hartford 7, Conn.
Class Agent, 184 Commercial St., Maiden 48, Mass.
