1931

Changes have taken place in our officership. Jim Swift stepped down after three illustrious years as Head Agent, garnering $53M, $58M and $55M respectively in the years '66 through '68. It is interesting to note that he increased the participation index each year. Truly a tremendous job and one upon which I know he spent himself prodigiously. Words cannot entirely express our appreciation, but they do help. Why not drop Jim a note and say something nice to him?

Johnny Cogswell, our incoming Head Agent, writes to me as follows (condensed version): "Thanks so much for your letter and your offer to help. I'm sure I'll need all the help I can get to fill Jim Swift's shoes. He is a tough act to follow. Frankly, I was delighted when Johnny Benson called to offer me the job. I guess the reason was, in large measure, to develop and re-develop friendships with old acquaintances. Lucy has been hounding me about my failure to send along news, but I now have a feeling that situation will change rapidly. For instance, Ralph Charlton told me the other day that he was on top of the world. His son, Doug, has been accepted in the NROTC program at Dartmouth and will start in December." Johnny C., you're in the right spot, and good luck to you.

Jim Swift and Fred Slaughter are plugging the '31 Chicagoland Dinner Party on Tuesday, October 8 at the Chicago Athletic Association, 12 South Madison Street. Please go if you can possibly do so. You won't regret it.

Dave Loveland, who can't write, conned his wife Alice, who can write, into apprising me of the following: "It's a small world! Tonight David and I bumped into TowerSnow out at a Framingham (Mass.) steak house. We only go out there six or eight times a year so I seldom expect to see anyone we know, let alone a big D '31er! Tower is back East after a trip around the world, to talk to his home office for the purpose of negotiating a London, England, office which would be headed by Tower." Thanks, Alice, and say hello to Dave. I don't know how else we can keep in touch.

George Stevens wrote a long letter to JimSwift about his experiences in attempting to upgrade a law school in the Northwest. George finally felt he could not accomplish ABA approval of the school, even though this was the goal for which he had been hired. He felt his usefulness to that college had ended, and so submitted his resignation. Three days later the president of the college called him in and fired him - said George's standards were too high! George had tried hard to bring that little law school up to minimum standards. As he says "perhaps my leaving will convince them that there is no compromise with good sound educational policy." George will be back at the University of Washington and then at Texas Tech in the future.

Bill and Edna Wilson went West this spring and had a reunion with Dick andPeg Holbrook in Phoenix. Bill also defeated Tower Snow in a golf battle by fast betting. Tower got the lowest score though! Bill says Chubby Hetfield. Mayor of Plainfield, N. J., was elected a director of the New Jersey Conference of Mayors at a meeting which Bill attended. Bill looked for Chubby but could not spot him.

Just like I looked for Doug Morris on Chebeague Island (Maine) two or three weeks ago and couldn't spot him either. He lingered at the golf course too long, and Trudy and I were due to go sailing. I did talk with Laura Morris, however, and eventually will catch up with G. Douglas, who now lives in New England, and has a route with the Hood Milk Company, or maybe he's handling their advertising, or something. I get my information at second hand in this instance.

I have a communique from Boeing, via Jim Farley and Jim Swift, which reads as follows, in part: "Mr. James W. Rice has been transferred to Division Materiel, will take part in division-wide procurement audits and participate in procurement board meetings throughout the division. He will continue his support of training on the subjects of the improvement curve, negotiation techniques, and others." I do not understand this kind of talk, albeit I majored in English. I always thought Ernie Moore was supporting training on the Improvement Curve with his Jantzen line. Maybe I'm slipping behind.

Bill Hayden wrote to Jim Rice, and again I quote in part (The letterhead states "Oswego Country Store, Lake Oswego, Ore."): "I bought this nice little store ten years ago and take it easy by working a seven-day week, at least 12 hours a day. But after 36 years in this business I feel that at long last I am learning something about retailing. In 1965 we opened our first branch at Salishan Lodge on the coast, and this July we will open branch #2 at the Dunes in Lincoln City. So each Thursday, the 8th day in my week, I load my station wagon and take my little 100-mile trip to keep in touch with personnel there and fill in their stocks." EdHutchinson, please note.

I've got more, but it will have to go over until next month. Johnny Boermeester made a beautiful start as Newsletter Editor. With material like that, I don't see why we can't keep this creaky old class right up to fever pitch. See you later.

With the July 1968 issue, the 250th hehas produced, Charlie Widmayer '30 (l)completed 25 years as editor of the DartmouthAlumni Magazine. At a gatheringof colleagues, Vice President George H.Colton '35 (r) presented him with an inscribedchair from the College.

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