1924

Before this goes a line farther, I want to pay my respects and give thanks to the two who took over. for me while I was off around the world and working, with Margaret, in Korea. Dick Morin for the column and obituaries, and Phil Van Huyck for the birthday cards. Looking over their files today, I'm green with envy at the response both of them had. But now to old routines, starting with the summer term just ended; also the Alumni College has completed its sixth very successful term. Seward andDoris Bowers were here for their fourth year, and Lu White (with guest), her second. All three said the same thing: "Where are other '24s?" I intend to make a pitch for this at the Fall Reunion at Bonnie Oaks, but you'll read this a week before we gather for the Penn game, the foliage which will be super this year, and our every-year-better meetings on the Observatory slope, at the game, and up on the Lake.

I've added a note on Bonnie Oaks in the recent Class Letter, and so say no more than to urge you to get with it with a reservation ... better phone at this late date. Suggestion: bring your electric blankets (as one couple did last year)... especially if you like to be toasty.

Elsewhere you'll find more obituaries, regretfully. There have been twenty-one deaths of classmates (and three widows) since March 1968. The Memorial Books are up-to-date except for the last two - and all will have been appropriately memorialized by the time we meet here again, as I shall report to the Executive Committee at that time. Continuing this lugubrious note, we have not heard from three classmates in thirty (30) years and have some reason to believe that one or all are dead. Do any of you have any information of any kind regarding: Richard N. Marsh, Joseph C. Paige, or Ralph S. Wilkinson?

Finally, one of the three oldest classmates has recently died. Ralph Muzzey died September 15, 1968; that leaves Carlton Simonds still the oldest (4-25-97) and JohnBarlow still next-oldest (9-17-97). Other oldsters who have gone ahead are Cap Whitney (1898) and Otis Jackson (1899).

Now to pleasanter matters: I read that Charlie French is off again on a retirement project, but this time to Cyprus as consultant to the Salamis Carton Industry, Ltd. He is there for only one month and so will tell us all about it at Bonnie Oaks. Another who has found such short-term consultations worth while and pleasant is Earl Kees; he spent three months in Chile on an assignment with a spaghetti company, using his know-how from many years with General Mills as Director of Merchandising Grocery Products. In case some of you are interested, and I strongly recommend looking in to it, the place to write is International Executive Service Corps, 545 Madison Avenue, NYCity 10022. It's spoken of as the "Businessman's Peace Corps."

Another retiree who is doing things and going places is Joe Burleigh. He was in the New Hampshire Legislature, and that is a story worth hearing; he and Alice visit Paris in September where son Hugh is general manager for France of the Singer Sewing Machine Co., the motor factory for all products. Joe has lived in Hill, N. H., near Franklin, where he has manufactured crutches, been the local mayor, deeply involved in Rotary at the administrative level, etc.

Jim Reid, retired from Harcourt Brace after having been salesman after graduation, an editor in 1928 and editor-in-chief for college and high school texts, a director in 1936 and secretary in 1948 ... now he is a member of the board of directors of the Noonday Paperbacks for Farrar, Straus & Giroux, Inc. book publishers. We know of his 1963-65 writings ("Poetry: a closer look," and "100 Poems of the 20th Century" - now has a third, "An Adventure in Textbooks." A review will appear later in this MAGAZINE. Another autobiographical book is Ted Lamb's second: "The Manager, our Guide to Tomorrow" as he steps out of two slots (1968), chairman of Seilon and president of Lamb Communications, to become chairman of the executive committee of both - a "turning management over to the professionals." Many will remember that the former, Seilon, stems from Seiberling Rubber Co. which Ted acquired in 1962 after a "lengthy, bitter management fight."

It's good to hear that Doc Christophe continues to be honored by his associates: he has been chairman of the Needham (Mass.) Board of Health and a former president of the Exchange Club there; in May he was honored by being designated as "Exchangeite Extraordinary." For many years he was chairman of the Department of Orthopedic and Fracture Surgery (and team physician for B.U.'s football and hockey teams) and continues similar associations with Glover Memorial, Leonard Morse, and Hahnemann Hospitals in the Boston area. Present at the honoring were his wife, Ethel, their son Philip and his wife Carol and the grandsons, David and Steven.

The passing parade: Kendall Gordon Bridge, son of Gordie and Mary Bridge, was married on August 4, 1968 to Mrs. Janis H. Wormelle of Concord, Mass., and now lives in Natick. ... Ted and Harriet Nilsen postcard us from Alaska where they took the Inside Passage trip we'd also like to take....

Brad and Lois Hersey up on their ancestral acres at Shin Pond, Me., and surrounded with two daughters, one son-in-law, and ten grandchildren. ... Alison continues in sports as she tours Australia as captain of the US Women's Lacrosse team, together with an All-British team to interest those down under. Brad continues with his interest in antiques, and will talk to the Worcester Historical Society in November on "Early Tools" as well as other meetings in North Carolina, etc. But they'll be at Bonnie Oaks. ... KayStilling on Cape Cod for the summer; winters in Naples, Fla. where other '24s gather - George Anderson, for one. Having left Elkhart, Ind., the Andersons prefer Colorado in the summer. Les and Mildred Sycamore continue to shuttle between New Hampshire, Hawaii, and Haiti; there's a long story about Les's work with his expertise in x-ray and his work on Kauai Island again this fall before returning to the Albert Schweitzer Hospital for another volunteer term. . . . Loud cheers to have PhilVan Huyck back in harness, this time as our Head Class Agent, succeeding the noble work of Doug Craig. That's a job that takes time, patience, dedication ... and tolerance for disappointment, too. A tip-of-the-hat to both. ... Anyone living or getting close to Worcester ought to see the "museum-in-miniature" in recently completed rooms at the Paul Revere Life Insurance Co. and, of course, that means Frank Harrington. This is a wonderful display of the work of Paul Revere, namesake for this company. There are paintings and silver, furniture.... I know there are other copies of the writeup in the Worcester Telegram I have, dated May 21, 1969, but mine is available on loan if requested. ... Jim and Glenna Wheaton are retiring from the business world and turn to Miles College, in Birmingham, Ala., to do what he could on this frontier; it will be fund-raising of course, public relations and alumni affairs as Director of Development. This will be exciting in contrast to retirement to cruise on his boat and visit six children and their ten grandchildren. To all of the above-mentioned: wah-hoo-wah!

Secretary, 2 Brewster Rd. Hanover, N. H. 03755

Treasurer, Powderhorn Farm New Boston, N. H. 03070