1915

Bequest Chairman,

With both Christmas and New Year's falling on a Sunday this year, thus making Monday a holiday, some wag suggests that Monday after Easter also be made a holiday!

Inasmuch as this is being written during that vacuum between the holidays, I trust its perusal will not reveal too much of a similar condition (vacuum, that is)!

Echoes from hither and yon: ChinkChamberlain reports an exciting celebration of his mother's 100th birthday on Dec. 16 "quite a span from the Civil War era to the space age, much of which may now be read in the history books." Bill and JeanetteReynolds come up with an emphatic "Wah Hoo!" for Holiday Season. Bags Wanamaker is back home recovering from 10 weeks in East and South Africa - "a rough, tough tour of 25,000 miles in 17 countries - and you can have all of them!" Matt Gray reports from "Paradise of the Pacific Coast' that Joe Harris is practically back to normal in health although Matt hasn't been able to get Joe out in a boat yet, "but is talking about it." The Ralph Browns spent Thanks giving with their oldest son and family in Fredericksburg, Va. Ralph says he's "still ambulatory, but creaking a bit at the joints." The Howie Fullers were sailing from New York on January 19 "on a long journey around the Pacific Ocean on the Norwegian ship 'Sagafjord' to visit some of the places where I was 25 years ago with the U.S. Army." Duze Lounsberry, reporting their brand new winter address at 124 Highland St., West Newton, Mass., comments "Wasn't that a good issue of the Frontiersman!" - to which we echo "Amen." Geo. Martin, after a second cataract operation just before Christmas, expected to spend a few weeks in Coral Gables and Sarasota in February and March. Elliot Sharp gives us quite a picture of their present-day activities. Starting off with: "Birthdays are like Homebrew - you don't get the effects until you've had a number of them." He tells of an interesting experience he and Hazel had in a Greenwich Village night club. Most of us know he and Hazel are a dance team par excellence and, after giving a bit of an impromptu demonstration there, the manager wanted to sign them up. "We didn't take him up," says Elliot, "so I don't know whether he had in mind coffee and doughnuts or a S100,000 contract - probably the latter"! Since selling the Chinchillas, Elliot has more leisure time and so took an exam at the FCC in Boston, which he passed to his surprise - not having operated a ham station for some 30 years. So he has purchased a receiver and transmitter and is getting it adjusted to go on the air. We'll all be interested in knowing the result. In passing, Elliot hopes we'll have an Interim Reunion every year - which, according to Jack Bowler, seems to be the consensus of many classmates.

Further gleanings: A December gathering at Purcell's in Boston where the 'Elite Meet t'Eat' made up in quality what it may have lacked in quantity with Eben Clough, Geo. Simpson, and Dale Barker on hand to do the honors. It is rumored that Dale had lost some 9 lbs. to the flu bug that is apt to be an uninvited guest that time of year. The Dick Wymans were reported in Hawaii along in December taking pictures. It seems that Sid Crawford got stymied with a seat on the 50-yard line at the late, lamented football game in Cambridge last fall - but on the Harvard side where the 6 ft. 3 in. Harvard squad insisted on standing up in front of him throughout the game. Sid says he's taking it up with the League of Nations! Dick Clarke, laid up for a while, reports he's temporarily "confined to quarters, but my mess sergeant still mixes a good one on the rocks"! Even though Bob Fredericks was supposed to have retired, they evidently couldn't get along without him, as he's back on a part-time basis. Pete Pray phones in from Philadelphia to ask what's new and the best I can tell him is to read this column. Carl Gish had a good trip out to the West Coast where he checked up on his daughter and got in a good visit with Chuck Ingram up in Tacoma, Wash. The flight back was delayed enough by bad weather so they had to finally land at Washington, D. C., with only 40 minutes' fuel left. "So we made it home twelve hours late," says Carl. A later note from Sid Crawford says that Doris finished knitting eight crewel seat covers for Christmas and that, because seaweed has replaced the umbrellas on the Kennebunk Beach, they won't insist on visitors taking a swim! Sid also enclosed a Free Ticket - compliments of The Great Society - on which is printed: "This is not good for anything - it's just free." Thus do "Maineacs" enjoy life! And someone else sends me a quote from lames Thurber - "Woman is soft, soft as snow, so thinketh Man - but wait 'til he gets hit by a snowball!"

A December letter from Ray King says he just returned from the hospital. "I had what the doctors were pleased to call a circulation interruption. I was sent home with a male nurse who is now acting as trainer, houseman, and general handyman assisting me in re-learning how to walk. However, I'm planning to meet two of my children, the son and my third daughter and their children - ten grandchildren in all - both families are located in Philadelphia." Which would indicate that Ray is well on the mend by now.

Here's a slant on "Living on Welfare" from Fletch Low presently with the Job Corps in Tennessee. A youngster was kicked out of his home because his mother wanted to make room for another child (to-be-born) —so she could collect additional Welfare money. The kicked-out youngster, arriving at the Job Corps haven, was sullen, ugly and resentful. Three months later he was smiling, cooperative, and reactive to kindness and training. Worthwhile?

With which, wintry weather being what it is, this quote seems timely: Medium: "The spirit of your late wife is ready to speak with you." Widower: "Ask her where she put my winter underwear."

Secretary, 245 Avenue C New York, N. Y. 10009

15 Webfoot Way, Yarmouth Port, Mass. 02675 Treasurer,