1940
One of the nicest weekends to enjoy in Hanover comes in late February and is especially designed for a select group - Freshman Fathers. For those lucky enough to be twice blest as an alumnus and the father of a Dartmouth freshman the weekend takes on a double glow. This year I enjoyed the chance to catch up to the five classmates who played this enviable role as they recaptured (in this unique way) the ways of an undergraduate at Dartmouth. To be sure, the ways differ from the ways of our freshmen days, but I'm sure you would agree that improvements are evident. The five I saw here, out of the eight classmates eligible, were Morgan Spencer, Dan Feldman, Don Rainie, Jim Moore, and HalWonson. The Chief certainly qualified for the prize for coming the farthest and I had visions of a snowy dog-sled ride from Minneapolis until he told me of the private jet some friend and he enjoyed - making it from there to here in less time than it took Don to drive from Concord. This was Hal's second trip for the same happy event - his older boy is now a junior.
Dan was being squired around by son Joel who convinced him to stop managing Hartford's biggest and best department store for the weekend. Bud Spencer is also a Hartfordite where he's an actuary with Traveler's Insurance Company. Jim Moore was here for the second time around also and his older boy is a junior. I had seen Don several times this winter, either in Hanover or Concord because we both have hockey playing sons on teams which frequently oppose each other.
Sam Williams sent me last December a priceless snapshot that had great relevance at the time of the twenty-fifth anniversary of Pearl Harbor. But since it missed the MAGAZINE deadline I returned it to him with the hope that he would include it in one of the picture sheets of the Indian Drum he does so well. It showed a group of Dartmouth guys, including three from our class, who were midshipmen together on the "U.S.S. Prairie State" in New York as part of the sth class. When he prints it see if you can identify Herb Heaton and JolmHarley, besides Sam himself.
Speaking of Hartford a few lines back reminds me of yet another classmate who toils in those vineyards. Dave Gibson was recently promoted at the "Hartford Times" to suburban editor. Since joining them seventeen years ago he has been a special supplements editor, labor, aviation, and science specialist. His previous experience was with McCall's and as a staff reporter on the Greenfield (Mass.) Recorder-Gazette.
It was great to get such a line, newsy letter from Howie Wriggins, which rank's him as letter writer of the month (the fact that the competition was pretty slim notwithstanding). I learned about his exciting and high-level work for your Government as a senior member of the National Security Council, staff operating out of the White House no less. I'm sure that Howie's long experience in the Southeast Asian area is being relied on heavily by those making momentous decisions these days. And. you think you've got responsibilities! Columbia had named him to be Director of a new Graduate Institute of South and Southeast Asian Studies, but was persuaded to give him a year's leave in advance so he could work with Walt Rostow in Washington. When they do leave for the academic life, hopefully this August, they will be found at 5249 Sycamore Avenue, New York City 10071, just up the Hudson from Columbia in Riverdale. Howie and Sally's eldest, Diana, is immersed in change-bell ringing with its special language, international society, and rites. She spent last summer in England at Coventry Cathedral, bell-ringing in many churches in the Midlands. Christopher and Jennifer are musical too - the former drams in a band and Jenny plays the recorder. How's that for a unique family combo! After twenty years, Sally is at school again, taking a few painting courses which might lead to some teaching. She tried her new techniques out on some children's classes last summer.
By the time you read this the Alumni Fund will be open and the assistant agent assigned to you should have made his first contact. Help him out by responding promptly so he can concentrate his efforts on the dilatory ones who wait until the last day. There are still too many of us who are in a giving rut and come up with the same gift year after year. That isn't to say that the gift is not welcomed and appreciated, but merely to suggest that a dollar does not buy as much as it used to. If the Big Green is going to count on our little green we should remember to add in a yearly increment just to stay at the same level. However, the important thing is for each of us to contribute something as evidence of how much Dartmouth has contributed to our lives.
If we are to have another informal fall reunion I should start making housing plans. The Penn game on October 14 will be the weekend and I would appreciate hearing from anyone before the month is out if he wants me to arrange sleeping space here then for him.
Fred Porter stopped by the office for a quickie visit last week. His ruddy countenance bespoke all the time he has spent on the slopes this winter. Incidentally he has decided to sell his ski chalet at Stratton so if you're in the market call him for some late spring skiing and a look at his place.
It's big news around Connecticut that Eddie Miller has just been elected secretary of the Fairfield County Trust Company in Stamford. Congratulations! Eddie and Pat's second daughter, Anne, who was the 1966 Carnival Queen, has deserted the Hanover Plain to announce her engagement to a Yalie.
That's it for another month. See you at the same spot next time around.
Secretary, 5 North Balch St. Hanover, N. H. 03755
Class Agent. 200 Fifth Ave., New York, N. Y. 10010
