1923
On November 1, 1966 Paul McKown retired as resident vice-president in San Francisco of the St. Paul Insurance Companies. Among my papers I found a newsprint picture of Paul which evidently was not clear enough for reproduction so I wrote and asked him for a better copy. Hopefully you will see it in this or a later issue. My letter brought more news of Paul as follows: "I lost my wife, Josephine, in January 1967. Last September I remarried. The new Mrs. McKown was formerly Priscilla Blesch. She and her husband had been close friends of ours for 25 years and I can assure you it is a happy marriage. Following our wedding we spent three weeks among the islands of French Polynesia (Tahiti) and another week in Samoa and Western Samoa. She loves to travel as much as I do - we hope to spend some time in Africa next fall.
"My four sons are scattered across the country. Paul Jr. and his wife live in San Francisco; Jim is in Missoula, Mont.; Joe in Topeka, Kan., and Ted '53, his wife and two boys live in Charlottesville, Va. I visited all of them on my cross country drive last year en route to Hanover and our 44th."
Paul encloses a brochure entitled "Pacific Seaweed Originals" by Priscilla Blesch McKown which includes a picture of Priscilla - charming even in hip boots and wind breaker. Priscilla's artistic endeavor evolved from a hobby of collecting and pressing seaweed to the perfection of using marine algae as a painter uses his brush. She attended special courses at Stanford University Hopkins Marine Station and has exhibited her work extensively throughout the California Bay Area. Paul and Priscilla are now living at 1640 Floribunda Avenue, Hillsborough, Calif. 94010.
Babe Miner reports receiving a fine letter from Wade Kepner from whom we haven't heard since 1950 when he and Truman Metzel compared notes on flying their own airplanes. Wade continues to be the leading citizen of Wheeling, W. Va., where he and his son own and operate an undertaking establishment and a dairy farm. Wade is also a director of the Security National Bank and Trust Co. and of the National Cattle Breeders Association, president of the Wheeling Automobile Club, and a trustee of the local YMCA and the Methodist Church. Some years ago Wade was elected Grand Exalted Ruler of the Elks. During his period in office he visited some 1400 Elks lodges throughout the country and traveled over 200,000 miles - an experience which apparently induced him to learn to fly.
Also from Babe comes welcome news of Joe Houston. The Houstons have just moved into a town house at 923 Westerfield Drive, Wilmette, Ill. 60091, a step south of Winnetka where they had lived since 1939. Their two married daughters, Cynthia and Sally, and their families keep the Houstons young. Joe says he and Selena hope to travel more now and renew old 1923 friendships.
Having long favored the telephone as the most productive means of communication I am not at all surprised that many of you are reluctant letter writers. At reunion I discussed this tendency with Ruth Billings who admitted that Roger hadn't written any but business letters in twenty years and offered to pinch hit for him. I took advantage of this kindness last month with the following pleasant results regarding the Billings' menage: "We came south in October and have had a wonderful winter. Roger plays golf two or three times a week and I just run to luncheons, bridge, etc. - a very unproductive life but after all the years I was busy with the different organizations at home it is a welcome relief. We've been over to the east coast for a few days but couldn't wait to get back here in Sarasota which we love.
January 31 we are leaving for the Virgin Islands for a little trip. The change will be good after three months. We plan to come back to Wellesley Hills in May and in July go back to Chatham for the summer."
If any others of you wives have similar responsibilities with regard to your husbands' correspondence I'll be delighted to hear from you.
Chet Bixby forwarded me a letter from Hip Conley inquiring about Frederick GailFellowes whose picture appears in our 1923 Aegis. Ted's name is not listed in our new 1923 directory and there may be several of you who are also interested in learning about him. Ted entered college with the class of 1920 and obtained his degree in 1923 after a period in the armed services. He lived in Exeter, N.H., for a time where he taught school and then moved to Tucson. Ariz., where he passed away on April 9, 1954. He is survived by a son, Frederick Gail Fellowes Jr. who is now living at 115 Catalina Road, NAS, Lemoore, Calif. Ted Sr. preferred to be listed with the class of 1920 which explains his absence from our class records.
Hip, retired vice-president of Continental Illinois National Bank, is now chief deputy treasurer of DuPage County, Ill. The county seat is in Wheaton, Hip's home town, which minimizes the commuting requirements.
Bunny and Truman Metzel, wintering in Scottsdale, have visited with Helene andTaylor Smith who are about to leave Sun City for Carmel Valley, Calif. Truman writes: "Tay was an ex-Marine freshman with us in Hanover - as was Bill Gratz who also became a banker - and was for many years an officer of Valley National Bank in Phoenix until he retired awhile back. He looks real good and still has that Marine Corps posture. Both he and Helene have been mixed up in all kinds of worthy doings of a civic nature in these parts. Both the Smiths spoke about the good get-together they had with Jean and Charley Rice a year or so ago. Probably the Smiths and the Jerry Werners, who are long-time Carmel denizens, will be seeing something of each other."
Babe Miner confirms a note to me from an unidentified correspondent in Vermont to the effect that George Weston has now returned home from a five weeks' session in Springfield Hospital following a heart attack. Babe offers the informed opinion that Prof. Herbert West's ('22) book called the "Coronary Club" is required reading for anyone who has had a heart attack. George loaned the book to Babe for his approval.
Hartley Caldwell is again on the move and regrets that the records department has been unable to keep up with him. Hartley left Norton AFB in September 1966 and is now in Japan. Formerly in the information end of the USAF, Hartley and Virginia so enjoyed Japan in 1958-61 that he applied and received a transfer to the Historical field. Hartley also reports a son. Hartley 111 graduating this year from Citadel and planning on taking a Master's in engineering before starting his tour as an Air Force officer. The Hartleys, who incidentally now have ten grandchildren, can be reached at Hq. 41 AD, Box 4266, APO, San Francisco 96328.
Pem Whitcomb writes what seems to me a timely letter deploring the uncertainties of the room reservation situation at Hanover. I'm not quite sure how the class should approach this problem, which I am sure is a common one, but it does seem that some way could be found to improve our lot. I suppose the issue is whether we are satisfied to continue our present more or less uncoordinated scramble for rooms or whether there are enough of us who are interested in a long-range approach to lining up suitable accommodations at one or two preferred locations. I'll be interested in your opinion. In the meantime I am passing Pem's letter along to our Hanover delegation for their comments and suggestions.
On January 1 Prof. Howard P. Emerson relinquished his post as head of the University of Tennessee's Department of Industrial Engineering. Howie will now devote his entire time to teaching and promoting new programs aimed at developing local Tennessee industries.
After leaving Dartmouth Howie taught for a while at Robert College in Istanbul, Turkey, and later earned an S.B. degree in electro-chemical engineering at M.I.T. His industrial experiences have included engineering staff and consulting service with DuPont, Western Electric, Union Carbide Nuclear Company, and Norfolk Naval Shipyard. He was also a director of the Tennes- see Valley Authority for 14 years and served as regional vice-president and national president of the American Institute of Industrial Engineers.
Howie's wife, Fanny, who is a native of France, is president of the Knoxville Alliance Francaise. Their daughter, Mary Ginette, is a teacher in the Knoxville school system.
Paul F. McKown '23 ended over 40 yearsof a career in insurance with his retirement as San Francisco resident vice president, St. Paul Insurance Companies.
Secretary, Box 2, Francestown, N.H. 03043
Treasurer, 960 Longmeadow St., Longmeadow, Mass. 01106
Bequest Chairman,
