1937
Among the unusual benefits of a class reunion is one pertinent only to a secretary, a 100% captive group, and if a secretary can soberly balance a pencil, paper, gin, and tonic he can have a field day. We got our usual C plus. It's amazing how reunion people disappear in a small town like Hanover. The golf course claimed some, that's for sure; others spent time with friends in 1935 and 1936 but we're convinced some just plain poked around town reviving scenes and familiar haunts. We had a wonderful and busy time, later sadly realizing we had notes on only half the attendees. Once returned home we found scraps of paper containing voluminous scribblings, the quality and legibility of which indicated a descending standard throughout the evenings spent in the reunion tent. As Bostonians might say it, here's a codification.
We arrived in the afternoon just as graduation was over and immediately ran into Rugbug and Marj who were waiting impatiently for son Terry, alumnus of one hour, to perform the miracle of packing up, selling his pick-up truck, and coordinating with a family exodus. Graduation and reunion was too much for them but they'll be around for our next one. Next is Mort Berkowitz and family pulling up to the Inn where they plunged head-on into a reservation snafoo. From then on people began showing up from everywhere.
Now for the scribblings. Al Sutter with NASA living in Arlington, Va., but practically commuting to Huntsville, Ala. Bookie, Gib Reynolds, must have stepped up his physical pace, he's trimmed his weight down to a pamphlet and looks great. Reminds us of the summer vacation when Ed Perry lost his robusticity and no one recognized him when he came back that September. BillStorck retired from his Navy career in 1964 moving to Annapolis, Md., last year where he now performs as a business and tax consultant for small business. Annapolis? Retired? Probably carries a pair of oarlocks in his hip pocket. Don Chisholm, first time back for a reunion and enjoyed every minute. No apparent changes in the iron ore mining business in Duluth with Pickards Mather & Company. John Detlefson, another first timer, has been heavily involved with Dupont in their development of textile fibres and corfam, that newest leather for shoes and probably many other uses before long. Bill Donaldson has one son flying for American Airlines and another at Tuck School who will be joining Bill's Art Metal Company following graduation. Back in the old days where you'd see Bill Donaldson you would quite likely see Tom Veling, and here at our thirtieth no change, both at their first reunion and not entirely by chance. Tom is in the lumber business in Buffalo, three children, one at the University there.
Chuck Hotaling, we hear, sold out his boat yard in Tom's River, Md., and has opened the largest and most modern marina in northern Florida located in harbor number one Miami. Dick Sawyer presently teaching at State University, New Paltz, N. Y., coordinating a basic course in psychology. Ruth did not attend and we understand she is still mending a leg broken a year ago while skiing. Paul Wentworth and family were a walking ad for Hathaway shirts, ma, pa, and the four gremlins all outfitted in our matching reunion shirts. He's running an antique shop in Bucksport, Me., and incidentally has a 26-foot cruiser and a 40-foot ketch to sell in case your boat breaks down in his harbor. Our notes became a little bent at this point and we can't decipher what happened to his 100,000 chickens and then there's something about the Thurston Company (his middle name) and we think it's a real estate enterprise in which wife, Ernie, is involved. With all that activity centering around two Wentworths wait till you see the town when the four kids grow up and take over.
If you want to see a fast talking farmer go connect with Art Hislop. Seems Art's Pacific Tel. & Tel. being a monoply of sorts runs along fine so he spends his doting hours touring his 75 acres of apricot trees in Los Altos, Calif. He and Kitty grow 'em, dry 'em, and sell 'em to Sunsweet, 150 tons last year. Also, by gosh, they brought along free samples to reunion to prove it. Try dried apricots with your beer sometime. Another note says Kitty won the Kelso Water Prize which was a month's trip to anywhere on the globe for two so they picked India and the Far East. Whatever Kelso Water does or is it sounds benevolent.
Al Mayer couldn't get to Hanover fast enough so he flew his own plane to Lebanon. He warns any other flyers that Leb Airport has instituted a one dollar "tie-down" charge and is probably the only airport in the country that does and dammit how come they do such a thing? Al managed to talk HowieLongley into joining him for an air view of Hanover and then went looking for GeorgeRoewer on the golf course hoping to swoop down and snatch up his niblick at the top of his backswing. Negative. Couldn't find George. Al solved Jim Luttrell's problem of how to stay through reunion and still make that telephone company meeting in New York by dropping him off in Hartford in time to catch the right train. While we're on Jim he worked like a madman during a recent telephone workers' strike in Boston helping to install phones on the "U.S.S. Wasp" when it came in for an overhaul. He also reported there was a private twin-jet passenger plane also committed to that grisly tie-down charge which he understood brought in the Carl Erdmann contingent but this needs verification.
Bob Terwilliger says he spends his time for the past two years as a jewelry appraiser which leaves him plenty of leisure time to pursue any and all hobbies. Still in West Hartford and this sounds like the ideal way to avoid ulcers while eating regularly. ParkerButler has expanded his rose growing business by opening retail shops, most recently finishing one in South Hadley, Mass., close to his Northampton HQ. He says everyone seems to want roses. We saw Em Brightman fleetingly at the big Leverone Field House supper but when we later tried to track him down we understood he had departed back to New York. Such must be the case for busy people. Sey Ochsner had his bevy of beauties in tow and took the easy path from New Orleans by flying commercial jet to New York there renting a car for the balance of his time and trip.
Well, sir, we've run out of space and have to shut up. There's more. Back next month.
Secretary, 10 Colby Rd., Wellesley, Mass. 02181
Treasurer, 11 East 74th St., New York, N. Y. 10021
Bequest Chairman,
