1924
Secretary, 2 Brewster Rd., Hanover, N. H. 03755
This is our "spring" report; as I said last year, spring comes hard to Hanover. I'm writing on April 7, and the trees are beautiful with a wet snow that lasted over night. Fairyland, for sure. It will be slush by nightfall; the rivers are high and make lovely pictures, but seemingly no danger of serious floods ... just a few inches on the route 10 road above Lyme one day, gone the next.... But those frost heaves!! You better believe the red warning signs. Margaret and I went down one route and back another to have a pleasant overnight "downcountry," and the bumps were everywhere. But they all iron out, with some patching too. The snow this time of year, with frost out of the ground, is called "poor man's fertilizer."... Maple syrup isn't "fancy" grade so much this year, thanks to our cold spells in late March-early April. But all in all, even Spring in Hanover is better than.... I don't dare finish the sentence.
Retirement news keeps coming in, and thanks to various sources of information. No further details, but our J. Belden Sly is reported as having retired from the American Optical Co. (Dana Bent had already preceded him in retirement.) He retired Feb. 28, by company policy, as their General Counsel. In Hanover, our Les Sycamore, chief of the X-ray unit at the Hitchcock Clinic, plans on retirement very soon. He was given recognition as having been the first President of Blue Shield in New Hampshire, from 1944-1954, and as having "made a substantial contribution toward development of the plan as an effective medical care program." Nice words, but they only scratch the surface of what ought to have also been written in our local paper (and wasn't) for his pioneering in his specialty and also for setting up a very good News Letter for the Hospital-Clinic, Hitchcock Highlights. This is my personal Wah-Hoo-Wah on behalf of the Class.
Still more: Ash Castle will have more time to sail his sailboat to Catalina Island when he retires in June from managing the Jonathan Club in L. A.; no plans to move. And, just in today's mail, Brad Walker, who is well past the rigid time, writes he is semiretired from Interpublic, Inc. (your 40th Yearbook doesn't include this), where he is senior vice president. He describes a home in Palm Desert glowingly, "enjoying some magnificent weather the likes of which have not been seen in Hanover for centuries," and plans to move to a new home near Sharon, Conn., close by his son's dairy farm. (Brad Hersey and son Elliott '55 please copy.) Speaking of which, we were happy to have a short visit with the Herseys and also the Tuppers, who live nearby down in the New Boston-Greenfield, N. H., way. Brought back our first pussy willows from out back of the barn on Tup's Hid-A-Way Farm. Devotees of Haydn Pearson's column in the Boston Herald will have seen several references to Tup and Louise; happy to have been made a member of the exclusive coffee club at the general store in Greenfield, a modern version of the old cracker barrel days.
And still they come: another '24 Aegis is available (I now have two) to the first asker; this one from Walt Vom Lehn '25 - he hasn't the foggiest idea why or how he came by it. Also I have just received SamStickney's 40-year Class Book from Beatrice. Write me if you lack and would like it. Happy to have found a good home for Jeff Adams' Aegis recently, thanks to Beattie.
Harriet and Butts Lamson will have been in Portugal for about three weeks, flying April 18, by the time you read this.... That's on our agenda, too, when retirement means that. One pal asks for some hints: how does one "keep busy in formal retirement?" That has no simple answer, but come up to the fall reunion at Bonnie Oaks and you'll hear several versions - most of them are variations on the basic theme of "Have some consuming interest or skill, and let it go at whatever pace suits your temperament and health." I'm afraid my friends get tired of my saying what is the truth: I'm busier than ever now.... So I won't inflict you here. When you're here, make sure you get up five miles farther north to Put and Charlotte Blodgett's fabulous collection and display of Americana of all kinds: latest edition is a good collection of cooper's tools, "quite complete." They have the virus of antique collecting, but they do it so much better than many with a log cabin, barns, etc. in which to properly display their treasures. You shouldn't miss this. Put tells me of seeing Clif Blake fool the panel on CBS' "To Tell the Truth," as an antique dealer from Reading, Vermont. Also reported by others.
Perry Moody, listed in the 40-Year History as "Official Assistant, First National City Bank, bank real estate administration," is now manager of the Lexington Avenue office of Horace S. Ely & Co., in charge of sales, rentals, and management of midtown property.
Bill Buettner's son, Ted, is in Vietnam - word from Helen says. We send many personal thoughts with him there, and prayers for a safe return. Ted is the younger of two sons; Bill Jr. is '49.
Trial balloon: would a pocket-size (perhaps 8 X 4") Directory of the Class of 1924 interest you, now or for our 45th? 1926 did a good job last year for their 40th. Two lines only, apiece. Write me or any officer if you have thoughts. This one also lists "In Memoriam" with dates; a page of those "lost-strayed ..." (and here I want to interject my happiness to take the names of two Classmates out of our own similar file as formerly "not interested." Welcome home.); and finally a very useful geographical directory. Shall we plan such, now or later? You tell us.
It's natural that in such a complex business life as Ted Lamb runs there is much that might be said for others to read. We know in his "No Lamb for Slaughter," now in The Nation, April 3, you'll find a commentary on his visit to Vietnam entitled "Country Fair." Personal word tells me that Ted got right into the fighting areas and he tells an interesting story. He went to see what may happen after the shooting stops, a matter which should be of great concern to us all. (Also written up in the Santa Barbara News-Press, March 25, where some of you saw it.)
Finally, many of us in the Class are or have been teachers. One of the very rich dividends is to share the success, often far greater than our own, with former students. It is in that vein that I review (elsewhere here) the latest book of one such.
Class Agent, 5 Deerhill Drive, Ho-Ho-Kus, N. J. 07423
