1935
Remember those funny Virginia signs and place names which I faithfully reported to you? Well, they turn up in Long Island, too. Not far from the haunts of the Haussermann, the Herbs and the Hale; the Sammis, the Wertheim, the Stem and the Howe, the potato farms have been turned into industrial developments. The potato farmer is now worried about capital gains taxes and the traffic has multiplied on Sunrise Highway. One young man is stemming the tide for a better life, however. On his shiny new aluminum truck is lettered: J/C Coffee Break, C. Idler Jr., Farmingdale, L. I., N. Y.
In other tycoon areas there is a little news to report. Bunky Knudsen, vice-president of General Motors Corporation, is one of three newly elected executive vice-presidents of this giant company. He will head the Dayton, household appliance, engine, overseas, and Canadian group. I have followed his progress by dutifully buying a Pontiac, and then a Chevrolet. He'll have to be more specific before I can go along with this new deal. Meanwhile, I'm going to patronize the Federated Department Stores Inc., a company which has become something of a General Motors in its own field with sales from 88 stores in the last fiscal year expected to reach $1.3 billion. The dramatic growth of the company really dates from 1945 when Ralph Lazarus' father, Fred, became president. In that year, profits were reported as $4.9 million. In twenty years they have risen to $66.6 million. In the last ten, Ralph and his father have operated as a two-man team. Now Ralph has been vested with the full responsibility himself as president and chief executive officer of the company. It primarily reflects the fact, -as Ralph says, "that Dad is 81 and that I am 52. Where we have disagreed on matters with long range implications," Ralph continued in remarks to a press conference, "he went along with me because I might have to live longer with them than he would." That is a father-son arrangement which I enjoyed too, for many years.
Apparently it has also worked in the International Paper Company, for it is now officially announced that Eddie Hinman, son of John H. Hinman '08, long time president of IP who retired as honorary chairman last May, has been elected himself president of the company. The news articles state that Eddie started in 1935 as a laborer in the Gatineau, Quebec, mill of IP's subsidiary in Canada. His father started as a timber cruiser. It is a great family tradition in a great company.
Returning by degrees to us common folk, there is the reverse English story of DickUpton's turning down the bid for Republican nomination as governor of New Hampshire. The headline in the Concord paper bannered it "Upton Turns Back on Governorship." Apparently this has the party in a real scramble and boosts the probability that Democratic Gov. King will seek an unprecedented third term. It is said that several possible GOP candidates had pledged privately that they would withdraw from the race if Upton decided to run. He decided against running because of obligations to others which were not elaborated upon.
One of the obligations, which can be quite time-consuming but also a lot of fun, is accompanying the young hopefuls as they reach junior and senior year in high school on visits to various colleges which they might deign to honor with their eventual matriculation — or vice versa. Besides Dartmouth, Brown figures rather prominently in our family, so this father waited patiently outside the Pembroke admissions office while other fathers were doing the same. One rather distinguished specimen, accompanied by three girls from Concord Academy, turned out to be a Harvard '35, a good friend of Charlie Sewall, now Captain Sewall, USNR, who was married about a year ago to Lt. Cmdr. Jean Otilia Casanova, USN. Who said rank has its privileges? Anyway, Charlie nearly persuaded his friend (the father, not Jean) to' go to' Dartmouth 35 years ago. Alas, parental prejudices intervened in the nick of time.
Hugh Wolff confirmed the above matrimonial information on stationery from the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense and included the unclassified information that a goodly number of local '35-ers were routed out of their Washington eyries with the help of Karl Dollak and Frank Specht for the Bob Blackman luncheon at the Mayflower. Frank provided a display of Schenley products, some with loose corks, before the lunch thereby attracting Benton, Berkey, Bury, Carpenter, Couper, Dinneen, Dunn, Hupper, Libbey, Neff, Bob Reich, Shortell, Wilks, and Wolff. Doilak and Alex Schnee planned to come but couldn't make it. Others who sent regrets were Krieg, Offutt and Congressman William Minshall. Indicative of the drawing power of the Washington scene, 29 '35-ers were invited, including, in addition to those already mentioned, Ames, Bonniwell, Flynn, Hannoosh, Linson, McClean, Sousane, Spingarn, and Waterman. If you are not on this list and are in the Washington area drop me a line and I will let Hugh know.
Incidentally, another Bob Reich, son of Ed Reich, continues to make headlines at Dartmouth as an outstanding member of the sophomore class. He and Frank Couper '68, Dean's son, were recently chosen among a small group of student tutors to work with Dartmouth's Project ABC in its third summer at Hanover.
The February concert of the Dartmouth Glee Club held in White Plains, N. Y., had many overtones of interest to the Class as "Dartmouth's Singing Ambassadors" put on a fine performance. Three of the ten Injunaires, Stu Ley, John McPherson, and John Steinle are sons of '35. Stan Brown, Sandy Brown's son, not only sang but wielded percussion in the instrumentalist group. At the performance I saw CharlieBrown, Frank Cornwell, Greg Karch, BobKugler, Ed Mitchell, Yank Price, and Al Sherwood.
Charlie Brown left the New York Times and is using his long years of foreign experience in the administration of the Businessmen's Peace Corps, which is quite rapidly now getting off the ground.
Of miscellaneous interest: Al Van Leuven has been appointed manager of group accounts at the Pittsburgh district group office of Connecticut General Life Insurance Company. Van has been with Conn. General since 1937 and has been manager of the Pittsburgh group office since 1941. Don Hagerman has been elected to the Headmasters Association. This national association is limited to 100 members (75 independent schools, and 25 public schools) and is a real honor. Biddy Chase, now out of broadcasting, is becoming a stockbroker. If you have any spare money in Lebanon you will know where to go. Fred Haley has been elected president of the Tacoma Symphony Orchestra. Don Cameron was defeated as a selectman in a rip-roaring political campaign where five people ran for two spots on the Hanover Board. If you are in Hanover in early April plan to go to Ray Moulton's wedding which is expected to take place in Rollins Chapel.
See you all in Hanover for our reunion June 13-16.
1935 Class ReunionHanover — June 13-16, 1966
Harold J. Kennedy '35 (r) and Jim Goldsmith '65 at Palm Beach's Royal Poinciana Playhouse after opening of "Good-byGhost" of which Kennedy is author, director, and star with June Allyson. Theplay goes on tour and is aimed at NewYork in the fall. Goldsmith is the playhouse's assistant press representative priorto Army service as an officer.
Secretary, Room 2303, 521 Fifth Ave. New York, N. Y. 10017
Class Agent, 5 Locust Lane, Wallingford, Pa.
