1946

"Spring has sprung" in Hanover, but with it came two or three minor and completely aggravating snow storms. This area likes to hang on to its snow and ice as long as possible and then make it impossible to walk the streets and paths without benefit of duckboards. But I really can't complain about my first year of residence here in the hills since the natives say we had a very mild winter. I just hope that the spring is mild also — at the moment it is. below freezing.

Quote ... I grabbed the two children and we staggered and crawled out of the house. Looking back from in the snow, I saw our home disintegrate. It seemed like a scant three seconds ... unquote.

This was the start of a report from Tay(Mrs. Lowell) Thomas Jr. on her frightening experiences in the recent Alaskan earthquake. Thanks to Nancy and Reg Pierce, who sent us the interesting article from one of the New York papers, we have an excellent but frightening account of the catastrophe. The article is too long to quote in full but much too interesting not to quote in part. It goes on to say, "Mr. and Mrs. Thomas ... lived in Turn Again Place in Anchorage, a residential district of 100 homes on a high cliff. Mr. Thomas was away on a speaking engagement in Fair-banks. ... At 5:30 p.m. on Good Friday, she and their two young children were resting in their home. ... When the earthquake suddenly came, and the house started to shake and weave, she recognized it as such immediately. ... The entire residential section of 100 homes on the cliff was wiped out by the earthquake. The cliff disappeared. ... Mr. Thomas, learning of the earthquake while in Fairbanks, chartered a bush pilot's plane and they flew over the site of his home. He saw it was leveled. ... Yesterday, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas returned to where their home formerly stood and found that, miraculously, a portion of one bedroom remained. Inside they found some of their clothing and were able to take it with them."

Lowell and Tay certainly have had a tough experience but happily they all survived the catastrophe (including their dog and two cats). Our best wishes go to them, with sincere hopes for a speedy rebuilding of their home.

Back in New England, it appears from an address change that the former scourge of Texas natural-gas millionaires Joe Donahue has bled the worthy Texans as far as he could and has now returned to the old homestead in Lowell, Mass., where his new address indicates he has rejoined his family law firm. If the above is true, it is good to have you back up north, Joe — how about confirming the news and adding some details?

Elaborating on the announcement in the Wah Hoo Wah column, Bob Sandoe has recently been chosen as new headmaster of the Cranbrook School in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. This means a northward move for Bob and Nancy who have been living in Texassince 1961 where he was headmaster of the Texas Military Institute. Bob started his teaching career as a history master at the Choate School and in 1957 went to the Philippines where he was principal of the Upper School of the American School. He stayed in Manila through a second assignment as headmaster of the 1000-student Manila School prior to his return to the States. During the war, Bob was a technical sergeant in the Marine Air Corps and flew out of Bougainville, the Philippines, and China and was recalled to the Corps as an officer during the Korean War to serve as executive officer of the Navigation School in Cherry Point, North Carolina. All of this adds up to a very full life since Dartmouth days. Congratulations on your latest fine honor, Bob, and we hope that you, Nancy and the three children will enjoy life in Michigan.

A hot flash from the world of finance reports that Knox Phagan has been named a vice president of the Security Trust Company in Rochester, N. Y. Knox had been a partner in a brokerage firm and also had a tour of duty in a bank in the Big City as well as being an officer of a bank in Binghamton prior to his joining Security Trust in 1961.

Paul Lux has been moving fast in recent months. In November we reported his election as assistant vice president of Robert-shaw Controls Company and a recent news release upgrades his position to vice president. Paul is also general manager of Robertshaw's Lux-Time Division.

We recently received notice from Republic Steel that Jim Shue has been named assistant manager of sales for this corporation in their Chicago office. Jim joined Republic in 1947 in the Boston sales office and was named office manager in 1953. He then was assigned to the Company's sales training program, upon completion of which he was transferred to St. Louis as a sales representative. In 1961 Jim, his wife and two children were transferred to Chicago and now reside in Winnetka, Illinois.

Bryan Battey, a career Foreign Service Officer, has been appointed Chief of the Agency's Training Division. He joined the Foreign Service in 1952 and was assigned to Tokyo as Regional Public Affairs Officer. Bryan returned to the U.S. in 1958 for a post in the Agency's Washington headquarters. In his new position, he will plan and conduct orientation and training programs for all Agency employees, including language and area studies for USIA personnel heading overseas. Bryan and Jean and their four children live in Chevy Chase.

Thanks to John Berggren of the Class of 1951 we have a report on Dick Esperon who is also involved in overseas duty but with the Kodak Company. Dick is general manager of the Kodak installation in Spain. Company headquarters are in Madrid where Dick, Mary Jo, and their two young daughters live! With the growth of the Spanish economy Dick has been busy rebuilding this plant from top to bottom, including the installation of a Kodachrome processing laboratory. (Dick, when are you going to erect a panoramic picture such as the Grand Central display?) Before going to Spain, Dick was manager of Kodak's plant in Lisbon. Life certainly sounds interesting and we would appreciate more reports from this area.

As final news, a brief report on the late winter meeting of the Class Executive Committee in New York. In attendance were Tom Adams, Jim Barnet, Gene Bokor, Chip Coleman, Fran Cox, Frank Ettari, Andy Murtha, Reg Pierce, Jack Whitman and yours truly.

Class affairs are going along quite normally, with the treasury in reasonably good shape and the newsletter in the very capable hands of Ralph Smith, a clever writer you won't want to miss.

Most of our discussion centered around the Alumni Fund. I am sure you do not need further exhortation from this department, but the time is now and the need is greater than ever. The mailings from the Alumni Fund Office give you a complete story of the College's needs but they do not tell you of the need of this Class to show its mark. In this regard, it comes down to a matter of pride and that's why 108 men in the agents' organization are going to work very hard this year to make a great showing. Won't you join them?

Secretary, 33 South Park St. Hanover, N. H.

Class Agent, Box 655, Devon, Pa. 19333