1923

Ever since last fall Babe Miner has been laying plans and collecting 1923 memorabilia for the celebration of the 50th anniversary of our matriculation. Unhappily neither he nor Florence were able to join the party. George Weston's good letter following explains why:

On September 25 just 50 years to the day of our matriculation several '23 stalwarts and wives held a celebration party at the Longmeadow Country Club. It was our answer to the now popular "love in." The following attended: Howie and Berta Alcorn, Herb and Elsie Behan, Bill Catlin, Fred and Betty Davis, George and Sally Ferguson, Walt and Catherine Gates, Charlie and Jean Rice, Gus Ryan, and George and Jo Weston.

After cocktails and dinner, during which we toasted the College, the class of '23 and ourselves, we were shown a movie of the history of the College.

Babe Miner usually hosts our annual outings and he did a tremendous job in lining up the gang and supplying favors which included a brochure of pictures of "Hoppie," Craven, and John Dickey as well as Hoppie's address at the opening of the college in 1919. There were also letters from Pete Jones, Pudge Niedlinger, and Charlie Zimmerman.

Unfortunately Babe and Flo could not attend as Babe had a kidney removed that morning. Babe is doing fine and is at the Springfield Hospital Medical Center. He says - "Send in your dues!"

Conscientious and dependable as always, Babe sent me a long personal letter describing the plans for the party a letter written in his hospital bed and one that took much more physical effort to put together than he should have made.

I called Florence this morning (October 3) and found that Babe came through the kidney surgery fine but that purely as a precautionary measure they now have him in an intensive care unit of the Springfield Hospital. Florence says: "Tell the class Babe didn't have a heart attack, nor a stroke and he doesn't have cancer. He's just plain unhappy to be laid up at dues time but I'm afraid he will have to take it pretty easy for several months."

Also recently "in hospital" was Lou Wilcox. Lou had what he calls a "vascular accident" and spent eleven days at Mary Hitchcock, continuously undergoing the sort of sophisticated tests medical men seem to delight in these days. He's up and around again however and when I talked with him ten days ago he sounded fine.

I am happy to have heard frequently from Pete Howe during the summer months. His latest report on his job status follows:

News? Well, I retired on May 1, thoughtfully lining up four consulting assignments to keep the wolf at bay. And settled down to a comfortable sitting around the house in pajamas 'til noon, then lunch at the club, a nap and an afternoon of backgammon routine.

It lasted about two weeks. I went nuts with boredom, and acting as sort of social secretary to my wife, answering the phone a dozen times a day to keep her lunch and bridge dates straight. So I took on a new assignment - running the advertising for the local weekly paper. I love it, hustling all over the county, peddling space. It's not hard; it's a good paper and Garden City's a wealthy community, smug, complacent and well-heeled.

I can't give you news of any classmates because I haven't seen a one since the Princeton game last October.

Herb and Bee Home, Cy and Alice Gor-don and Truman and Bunny Metzel were in Hanover during August for the skull practice and good fellowship involved in participation in Dartmouth Alumni College. It was the first time for the Gordons, the second for the Homes, and the sixth for the Metzels. The over-all theme of this year's session was "Changing Values in a Changing World," and the lectures and seminars dealing with this broad subject were led by professors of biology, anthropology, political science, and English literature. In addition, there were plays and concerts, cookouts and bull sessions.

Truman Metzel proclaims the whole Alumni College package an exciting experience and a considerable bargain and wonders why more '23's don't take advantage of it. Some who have, in addition to the 1969 contingent, are the Dotens, Klarens,Martins, Bixbys, Landauers, and Irish.

Truman is constantly churning out worth while ideas for improved class unity and activity and ways we can most effectively serve the Class and the College during these later years. He has a couple of suggestions in particular which Pete Jones will review at our October 12 get-together.

Our deepest sympathy to Bud Freeman and his family. Bud's wife, Connie, passed away last July 5.

My recent letter to Paul McKown addressed to Hillsborough, Calif., was forwarded to Paul at Lake Tahoe, Nev., where he and Priscilla have been spending several weeks at their mountain cabin before the cold weather sets in. Paul encloses a beautiful picture of that lovely lake - deep blue - white topped mountains in the background!

Ted Barstow who has been busily lining up accommodations for the October 12 weekend has had a bad time with an accident to his arm. Some lumber fell on him and the blow was aggravated by a power mower backfire which badly complicated things.

Advertised to begin showing on September 29 is a new ABC television series called the "Survivors" featuring Lana Turner and also starring Spike Hamilton's son George. The Boston Globe recently devoted an entire page of its magazine section to George's TV and movie career. Starting with a minor role in "Rin-Tin-Tin" he progressed to star status and of course you all read about his well reported friendship with Lynda Bird Johnson. Life Magazine describes his part in the new TV series as Lana's "aristocratic brother."

For nearly thirty years, due to a lack of a correct address, the class has been unable to contact Farwell Maycock. Just this morning the Alumni Records office forwarded me one they obtained in September - 293 Roosevelt Place, Grosse Pointe, Mich. 48230. Hopefully this means we will soon be having more news of Far. Which reminds me - there are a lot of men on our roster I'd like to tell you more about. All are alive and apparently well and all are interested in the college and the class - if their financial support can be used as an indicator - but all seem to have a built-in modesty about news of their own and their families' doings. For example it is many years since these columns have included reports on Bill Catlin, Don Cobleigh, Tom Coughlin, TimmyCullen, Bob Smith, Dick Townsend, Pete Hurd, Ros Jorgensen, Sam Yaffe and many others. Forgive me if I seem to be pointing a finger. I don't mean to. I'd just like to add variety and interest to these class notes with some word from all of you.

Secretary, Box 2, Francestown, N.H. 03043

Treasurer, 960 Longmeadow St., Longmeadow, Mass. 01106