1951
As a balding, bespectacled, potbellied old bachelor, I have neither beloved wife nor bedeviling children to dote over me this holiday season. Yet I'm still looking forward to someone filling my Christmas stocking, specifically, classmates to send me news.
Almost three weeks ago as of the time of writing, I finally launched the first of several news solicitations. To date, I've heard from 13 of the 86 recipients, whose responses make up the bulk of this column. As for the remaining 73, I'm counting on them to fill up my Christmas stocking. I wouldn't object to a few bonuses from the unsolicited, too.
I don't know whether you take the time to read postmarks on your mail. (If you do, you may have noticed that your Class birthday card was mailed from other than my home base, which I haven't seen too much of recently.) In any event, I was recently drawn up short by an envelope with a New Zealand stamp, Auckland postmark, and stringer reading "Visit New Zealand/ Sunny Healthy/Pacific between a large "N" and a large "Z."
Inside was Fred Swanson's reply card to my news solicitation. Fred reports that he is "still single and likes it, work for nobody, doing nothing," and holds the title of "black sheep." He is "on a tour around the world on freighters or whatever will take" him. Shades of Paul Gauguin!
The '51 wit did not stop there. Irwin Lonschein reported that he was "hardly" still single in light of his marriage two years ago to Yvonne Uran and their 9-month-old daughter Lisa Ann. He works for the "family business" doing—"a good question ' with the title of Treasurer.
Switching to the press releases and news clips, Parke Sickler was recently named Executive Vice President of Hoague-Sprague Corp., an affiliate of United Shoe Machinery. A resident of Topsfield, Mass., Parke joined HoagueSprague in August 1962, became manufacturing superintendent in 1963 and assistant vice president in April 1964. He became manager of the firm's plants in November 1965 and a vice president in - this year.
Bob Byall of Rocky River, Ohio, is now an assistant vice-president of Broadview Savings and Loan Company. With the company for seven years, Bob is manager of the Rocky River office, having previously managed the Bay Village office and been an assistant secretary. He and wife Mitzi have three daughters. Bob belongs to the Rocky River Chamber of Commerce and Exchange Club of Bay Village.
Ken Way is the new Dean of Students at Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield, Mass. Ken was formerly Dean of Men and taught psychology, which pursuit he will continue. Before coming to Berkshire, Ken earned a Master's as well as an A.B. from Dartmouth, was a research assistant at Stanford, served three years with the C.I.A. in the Far East, spent a year as assistant to the Dean and instructor of psychology back in Hanover, and ten years in private indus- try.
Formerly fabricating department manager, Paol Hodgson has been named special projects assignment engineer by Spaulding Fibre of Rochester, N.H. He resides in Milton, N.H., with wife Joan and one son. Illini law prof Jeff O'Connell is back in the news again because the Chicago-based Kemper Insurance Group has retained him and his co-author, Harvard law prof Robert Keeton, as independent consultants to conduct a series of workshops on automobile problems.
Jule Olney is in investment banking with F. Eberstadt & Co. in New York City. After three years of examinations, he is now a Chartered Financial Analyst, of which Jule says there are only 1,333. "Pete" Cummings is Manager of Corporate Development for Gerber Products Company in Michigan. He and wife Gay have three children: Andy, 4; Elizabeth, 2½, and Sam, 8 months.
Among our medicine men, Gil Merrill is assistant professor of Radiology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He and wife Margareth have five children: Gwen, 12; Caroline, 11; Laura, 8; Susanne, 6; and Diane, 2. Unless I read the signals incorrectly, they're all girls.
Bill Peavey, of Eau Claire, Wise., also has a brood of five. He and wife Ramona have Mark, 14; Melanie and Stephanie, 11 (twins?); Kit, 9; and Tom, 1. Bill is president and general manager of Bill Peavey, Inc., Wiscraft, Inc., and Corydon Water, Inc., which have to do with real estate, construction, public utility and manufacturing. He is also president of the Hillcrest Golf Club.
Back to our medicine men: Bachelor Jack Pace apparently has his fingers in more than pill bottles. After graduation from medical school, he spent several years doing drug research for American Cyanamid. Now Jack is back in Pensacola, Fla., where he is the Chrysler-Plymouth dealer and also vice-president of a land development company.
Bob Gatzert is in securities with Mesirow & Co. in Chicago. He and wife Mary Denisori, Smith '53, have three children: Amy, 11; Chip, 7; and Susan, 5. Rod Vetter is assistant treasurer of L. B. Foster Co. in Pittsburgh, Pa., doing cash management, credit and collections, and insurance management. He and wife Jane Ellen have a brood of two: Judith, 10; and David, 7.
Bill Woolner of Olney, Texas, is a seismologist with Taylor Exploration Company, engaged in oil exploration. He and wife Jodie have two children: Connie, 12; and Jodie, 13. Bob Lyon of Jacksonville, Fla., is a sales representative for Mannesmann Export Corp. His family includes wife Lillian; Cheryl, 15; and Cathy, 12.
Paige O'Brien of Ridgefield, Conn., is a senior consultant with Union Carbide. His is the third family of seven in this month's column and includes wife Marilyn; Valerie, 12; Melanie, 11; Philip, 7; Allen, 5; and Jennifer, 2.
Andy Jones is with Dwight Catherman Construction Company in Salina, Kan. In 1964, he earned an M.S. in theoretical nuclear physics from Wichita, Kan., State University. He and wife Glenda Sue Sparkman apparently have a son, Scott, 6, and are momentarily expecting what they hope will be a daughter to be named Laura.
For some months, I've been keeping in my files a photo of Minneapolis Judge Jim Rogers shearing what are allegedly Christmas trees on the Judge's Christmas tree plantation. He wanted me to print it to prove to Al Karcher that this wasn't a myth, but I don't think Al will believe that those are actually Jim's Christmas trees. After all, Al doesn't even believe in the Great Pumpkin.
Even though Al Karcher may not be able to swallow the Great Pumpkin, I think that we can all manage to ingest the spirit of Christmas - and feel the better for having done so. So to all 672 '51's and their families in 43 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and 18 foreign countries on four continents, the merriest of Christmases and the happiest of New Years.
Judge Jim Rogers '51 shears trees on hisChristmas tree plantation. His pumpkinpatch, a sincere one, is obscured.
Secretary, 2107 Fidelity-Phila. Trust Bldg. Philadelphia, Penna. 19109
treasurer, 24 Cherrybrook Dr., R.D. 4 Princeton, N. J. 08540
