1923
The University of Wisconsin recently sponsored a conference on winter sports injuries, featuring an address by Joe Pollard. Joe reported in illuminating detail on the injuries sustained by 387 varsity players who were on Dartmouth hockey squads between 1934 and 1966. He noted that in this fastest moving of all contact sports there is a high injury potential and in spite of the many improvements in player protection there has been an increase in the number of hockey injuries.
The New York Times begins a fine article, also on Joe, with: - "There is a quiet modest man in Hanover, N. H., who wears a gray felt hat, carries a black satchel, walks with a slight limp, and has seen every Dartmouth football game since 1934." The article goes on not only to describe Joe's medical services to Dartmouth teams over the years but relates also his personal athletic feats as a football linesman and wrestler.
A recent annual report of the Clearwater, Fla., Morton F. Plant Hospital Association memorializes Loosh Ruder. Loosh, who passed away in 1965, had given many years of service and had been one of the chief financial supporters of the hospital.
My recent comment on the size of the 1923 Newton, Mass., high school delegation brings a reminder from Bob McMillan that Brookline provided the College with an equally distinguished and accomplished group. Our Freshman 'Greenbook lists the following: Les Gutterman, Bud Morgan, Sherm Baldwin, Phil Bowker, Lester Stevens, Jack Stanley, Carroll MacPherson, and Bob.
Bob's letter sent me on a further search of the Greenbook to determine other schools that had contributed large numbers to the class. Some of them surprised me. Hartford led with 17. Andover and Exeter had 16 and 13 respectively, Newton, Mass., and Manchester, N. H., 10 each, New Rochelle, DeWitt Clinton, and Worcester Academy 9 each, Blair Academy and Brookline, Mass., 8 each and Scott High in Toledo 7.
Babe Miner during his 1967 busy period collected many dollars and many personal notes of greeting. It is to the newsworthy portions of the latter that I am indebted for the following:
From Rog Wilkinson in St. Croix: "Our daughter, her husband and three children were with us over Christmas. Their home is in Avon, Conn. Plan to stay here until the dogwood blossoms." Rog retired in 1961 from Socony Mobil where he was manager of the gasoline and fuel department.
Dob King served on the Race Committee for last summer's Storm Trysail Club's Block Island Race Week. He was also chairman of the Larchmont Club Regatta Committee and spent three weeks cruising the Maine coast in a 68-foot yawl. We were particularly glad to have word from Don whose doings haven't been reported in this column since 1942.
Sol Cohn, now retired, will be at 9971 West Bay Harbor Drive, Bay Harbor Islands, Fla., until June. He spent three months in Spain and Portugal last summer. After many years in real estate and insurance Sol became associated with Cohen Simonson. New York Stock Exchange members. His son and daughter both graduated from N.Y.U. and have jointly presented him with seven grandchildren.
Phil Deßerard, enjoying retirement and orchid raising in DeLand, Fla., brought us up short with the news of the birth of a great-grandchild on October 14. None of you has admitted to a similar distinction so I assume Phil has established a 1923 first.
The Bub Eatons are still working hard - and successfully — at golf. Bub breaks 80 now and then and Virginia in a similar score bracket is again women's champion at their club in Rye, N. H. Their daughter, Virginia, is married to a University of British Columbia economist professor and has two children. Their son, Austin Jr. '62 and Tuck School '63 was with Price Waterhouse for three years during which time he became a C.P.A. He is now in Coral Gables as treasurer of a land development and real estate corporation.
From John Farnham in Papeete, Tahiti, the following on the French Polynesian economy: "You may hardly believe that it was only this year that the French government withdrew the Exchange Controls that have acted as a very real restriction on money transactions within this overseas territory of France, - restrictions we have had during World War II and all the time since. Now, through the benevolence of President Charles de Gaulle who has a warm place in his heart for Tahiti, it is reported, these Exchange Controls were taken away but replaced by sending to this island group a large part of the Armed Forces to test France's atomic devices first, and the more powerful combinations next year. These islands are now a-buzz with Foreign Legion, Navy, Aviation, Army Construction engineers, firms, etc., etc. Economic Boom, and all that, but too crowded in Papeete - New Intercontinental Hotel abuilding (Pan Am.). Amazing Polynesian architecture - rooms on terraces like steps down to sea.with elevators running at about 90 degrees from plateau down to seashore beach."
Warren Cook, Professor of Industrial Health at the University of Michigan, is the only 1923 man of over a hundred Dartmouth alumni and one alumna (M.A.) in Ann Arbor. Warren serves as secretary of the "Dartmouth at Michigan" Club.
Jim Broe sports a particularly cold winter in Boston and asserts he knows whereof he speaks, having seen Portland harbor freeze over in 1917 and Long Island Sound in 1942. We agree with him and yet as we try to recall objectively our years in Hanover it seems to me we contended with some pretty low temperatures up there. I remember a minus 48 degrees on the big brass dial thermometer that hung on the northwest corner of the old Inn. I wonder what became of that ancient recorder?
With planes that get us almost anywhere in a few hours long-distance travel is a commonplace thing today and no doubt some of you are long bored by the travel reports of your classmates. I am still naive enough however to get a little thrilled by the likes of the following which combines word to the and the Walter Millers '22 from Chet Bixby in Nairobi, Kenya. "We are enjoying this photo safari tremendously. Have driven 3000 miles in Land rovers. Keep an extra safari suit in my bag as the red dust is terrific. My hair is as red as Eric's. Tree Tops and Victoria Falls are the highlights so far. So. Africa with Durbin, Cape Town, and Johannesburg are fast growing cities with beautiful buildings and flowers all over. They are boom cities as the Suez Canal closing sends all cruise ships and freighters around So. Africa. Shipping is ten times a year ago. Just back from an eleven-day safari in Kenya Game Reserve. Now headed for seven days in Uganda. Tree Tops is a fabulous hotel built high up in the branches of a huge chestnut tree. Went to bed in a double room, the size of a peanut, only to hear the ranger announce the arrival of a herd of rhinos at the illuminated water hole. A half hour later the buffalos sauntered in. They are deadly enemies of rhinos and after a skirmish rushed them out. Shortly the elephants arrived and made quick work of the buffalos. Asleep at 4:45, awakened at 6:00, tea at 6:30 and on to the 'outspan' lodge for breakfast. Then to the Safari Club where we slept for 13 hours. This followed by bowling on the green, a swim in a heated pool, and a luxurious cabin with living room and sunken Roman bath!"
So this is a safari! — and Walter Miller adds: "How Roman British can you get?"
A neighbor loaned me a recent copy of the Yale Alumni Magazine. I found it similar in many ways to our ALUMNI MAGAZINE, both in general content and in the treatment of class news. The Yale 1923 Class Secretary apparently is statistically if lugubriously inclined and he listed some figures you may find interesting. Yale's 1923 entering class totaled 763 of whom 512 or 67.1% are living. We started with 698 of whom 471 or 67.5% are now living. The Yale Secretary claims his percentage of living classmates substantially exceeds the national mortality figures which makes our own statistic the more reassuring. He goes on to say, however, that there are only eight Yale 1923 men whose addresses are unknown. Our figure is thirteen.
Secretary, Box 2, Francestown, N. H. 03043
Class Agent, Dogford Rd., Etna, N. H. 03750
