1923
1923's Early 45th June 12-13-14, 1967
Ken Quencer is really on the ball. He and Jeannette were in Hanover in early December ironing out some of the loose ends of the reunion. Here are the highlights of his report to the reunion committee: Class tax will be somewhere between $25.00 and $30.00 per person. There will be a cash bar with a flat 75$ per drink. There will be a few rooms at the Inn available to our class. Breakfast will be eliminated due to its high cost; coffee, juice, and doughnuts will be available in the "Hop" snack bar and the Inn dining room will be available as a coffee shop between 7 and 10 A.M.
The initial response to the first mailing indicated 126 are definitely coming. This is very encouraging. Watch this column for reunion news in the months to come.
Recently I received a picture showing Wally, Bobby, Martha, and Walter Rahmanop. Wally happens to be your secretary's godchild and I am very proud of this responsibility and privilege.
Lyman King joined the architectural firm of Outcalt, Juenther, Rode and Bonebrake in 1964. This firm specializes in college, university, airport, and industrial work. Lyman was with the W.P.B. in Cleveland and Washington, 1941 through 1946. Since then he has been associated as V.P. and Director of Trundle Consultants Inc., in charge of their New York office. His specialty has been operation programing, space analysis, space and site evaluation studies for many of the larger corporations.
In the December 2, 1966 issue of The Insurance Field we read that Paul F. McKown, resident vice-president, St. Paul Companies, San Francisco service center, has retired after 43 years' service. Paul has been active and a leader in many insurance trade associations. Currently he is president of the National Automobile Club. Paul is a member of the Stock Exchange Club and Commonwealth Club of San Francisco.
Your secretary recently received a newspaper clipping describing an auction which was held in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in which the Lucius S. Ruder art collection was sold. Amongst the articles sold was Napoleon's abdication letter as emperor of France which went for $15,000. The document is believed to be the only copy signed personally by the emperor. Another article was a signed telegram from President Abraham Lincoln to Civil War Major Gen. McClellan urging him to "either attack Richmond or give up the job and come to the defense of Washington." This went for $4,200.
We have had a number of good letters from the grass roots and are glad to dish up some of them in this issue leading off with a very welcome letter from Lloyd Fitts who is now suffering from a severe case of arthritis — mostly in the hips.
"Guess you remember I went to Thayer School and became a Civil Engineer. Well, today I am celebrating 33 years spent with the Highway Department, State of Connecticut, designing highways, in addition to ten years of some wonderful engineering experience after I graduated, spent around New York City, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Delaware, etc. Among my accomplishments was the laying out of the East River Station of the New York Edison Company, New York City, at that time to be the largest steam power plant in the world. Queen Marie of Roumania (whom I saw with Prince and Princess) turned on the first generator. It sure was a big job and I was lucky to get it. These years also included construction of a gas plant, small hydro station, a 10-mile high pressure gas line, etc. As to my highway work —if you have driven through Connecticut, you have driven over some of my jobs."
Babe Miner writes that the Springfield area 1923 reunion was the best ever. The following were in attendance: Judge Howie Alcorn, Herb Behan, George Ferguson, Bill Gates, Jim Hennessy, Hull Maynard, Den Pope, Gus Ryan, Howie Sammis, Len Truesdell, George Weston, and Babe Miner.
Everett Lyon is retired from the Congregational ministry but he is still a very busy roan. Instead of making ministerial calls in his town of Shelburne, Mass., he is writing poetry, which from time to time is published in book form. The following poem is his most recent creation:
Traveling To The Moon
Before you plan to go to the moon And make a reservation - You'd better ascertain the facts With some investigation.
There'll be no welcome wagon For you when you arrive; And I hope you will remember - You'll be lucky if you survive.
You won't need your umbrella - There won't be any rain; But you'll need special footgear For that grotesque terrain.
You must take water with you - It's dry there as a bone; And you can't call up Mother - There isn't any phone.
Another thing to consider, That should cause you some concern - There isn't any guarantee Of your sure and safe return.
You won't be playing any games - Not even solitaire; Your stay there will be very brief - There'll be no time to spare.
Everything you see on the moon Will be very strange and queer; But you can't send any postcards Saying: "Wish that you were here."
So if excursions to the moon Begin their perilous round; You'd better travel nearer home With both feet on the ground.
Instead of traveling to the moon Or to some distant star; I must confess that I prefer To view them from afar.
Major Bird, at long last, has ample time to devote to his many hobbies. In June he retired from active law practice. Railroading is one of his hobbies. Not only the history of this industry, but also the building of freight cars, diesel switch engines, and locomotives which he builds from blueprints on a scale of a quarter inch to a foot. Major has lived alone since his mother's death in 1960. His home is most comfortable and convenient and he hereby extends an invitation to any Dartmouth men coming to Adrian, Mich., to visit him.
Secretary, 170 Washington St. Haverhill, Mass.
Treasurer, 960 Longmeadow St., Longmeadow, Mass.
Bequest Chairman,
