1937
Our first order of business is to report on the long-heralded annual fall reunion and class officers' meeting in Hanover October 18/19 on the Brown game weekend. Gathering day, Friday, was akin to mid-July, enough so that we automatically tossed bathing suits into our suitcases and took off, fully sport-shirted for the event. And because this is New England we thoughtfully added rain gear and topcoats. You guessed it - we used all three. On arrival in White River at the brand new Howard Johnson Motor Inn we quickly learned of their indoor heated swimming pool with adjoining Sauna bath, all included in the modest $16.50 fee for a luxurious double room. Our swimming paraphernalia did double service as the Luttrells forgot theirs.
The cocktail party Friday night at the Inn Motor Lodge had good attendance followed by some 50 for a private dinner at the DOC House. Doc Dey '52 was the speaker. Then Saturday morning the class meeting showed 12 members of the executive committee and 8 classmates in attendance. Treasurer Frank Robin indicated our increase in class dues produced a modest $300 addition to our treasury that is keeping us solvent in the very low four figures. Most of our income goes to support our 100% circulation of the ALUMNI MAGAZINE and so far this year only 264 classmates have coughed up dues. Agent Fred Asher reported a new record dollar total in the Alumni Fund of $39,324, up 7% over last year. This dollar total is a respectable figure but our main weakness is participation. A few who have been regular givers for years failed to show citing annoyance with recent College publicity. Granted these are controversial times for educational institutions in undergraduate relations the world over but hopefully transitional and hardly a logical reason to withhold support from our own alma mater. Don't lose sight of the fact that Dartmouth has done a magnificently creditable job for 200 years and despite a couple of minor incidents the overall perspective is for continuing pre-eminenCe in her field.
It was decided at the meeting to tentatively select the weekend of October 11 for our 1969 fall reunion but please note one important change - accommodations will be up to each individual. Russ Stearns willingly took upon himself to make reserva- tions in the past for us but wore out his slide rule trying to uncomplicate all the complications. Well deserved applause for him by a grateful gathering was at least partial compensation for his tireless efforts in our behalf.
The football game was just plain wet, about 50% of the crowd sought dryer quarters at half-time. Being higher up one now gets a better view of the field in the new stands than from the stadium side. The sun might be a problem ordinarily but certainly not that day.
Saturday evening two other classes joined with ours for a roast beef buffet followed by dancing in Alumni Hall at the Hopkins Center. All in all the weekend was extremely enjoyable.
A few personal notes. Rog Graves came on from Toledo, Ohio, as a new member of the executive committee. Carole and CarlErdman flew up from Pennsylvania bringing Jean and Bill Breitinger as passengers taking less than two hours. Al Mayer also flew in as usual but this time bringing his attractive new bride, Rita. Another pair of newlyweds on hand were Park and JackieJohnston. Steve Cochrane's son, Rob, played in the band and joined us for a while after the game as did Dana Prescott's son, Craig. Dana has another year to go in the Army and is now mulling over retirement plans. Ilene and Crawf Hinman were up for the game but rushed back to Boston. DaveTaylor has fallen in love with Bermuda and we get the impression he and Dody practically commute there from his job in N. Y. with Time magazine.
Next on this agenda is the annual Peerade to Cambridge for the Dartmouth Harvard game. It is now well established that our class gets together for the tail-gate picnic in the parking lot directly across from the WBZ radio tower on Soldiers Field Road under the sign of a bed sheet flapping in the breeze painted with a giant 1937. Parking is ample so look us up next year, no formal announcements needed. 1935 customarily shares that area with us. This time we mustered the Gib Reynolds, Monk Ainons, DanaDouglasses, Bob Rosses, Bill Browns, Hal Putnams, Dick Sawyers, George Roewers, and John Latchis with daughter, Jane. We also had quite a turn-out in Section 2 at the stadium noting nearby us the Jim Luttrells, Fred Mayos, Stan Berensons, PeteMcLanes, Win Tafts, Bob Aylwards, WillBrowns, and Gene Jones. We're sure we missed many others.
Following the game we Bankarts held open house again and were extremely pleased that several groups,, joined us including three with teen age progeny, namely, the Rosses with two, Douglasses with three, and Latchis with one. We would again like to put in a plea that more of you who are coming to the game anyway plan to gather at the tail gate picnic under the 1937 banner. With so many classmates attending this popular occasion it's a natural, and even if you come with your own party it's strictly an informal meeting place but where the '37 action is. We also want more people back at our house, too. You can play our slot machine all you want!
News from the game. Dick Sawyer plans to retire to Pocasset on Cape Cod next year from his teaching job in New York. He owns land there and wants to build. Contrary to a recent report in this column as related to us by Julian Leslie, GeorgeRoewer is not retiring for another five years and still lives in Syracuse, not Washington. (That must have been some party you people had in Fort Lauderdale!) Hal andGlendora Putnam, husband and wife law team, are spending much of their time now working with the office of the Massachusetts District Attorney, Eliot Richardson (R).
We're sorry we do not have the space here to give a full report including attendance in Hanover at the fall reunion but Ginny and Rog Allen were taking notes and will no doubt have excellent coverage in the next Mint Bag. We've got a real good bunch of people in our class and the only trouble with reunions is they're too short and not enough time.
Secretary, 10 Colby Rd. Wellesley, Mass. 02181
Treasurer, 11 East 74th St., New York, N. Y. 10021
Bequest Chairman, FRANCIS T. FENN JR.
