1954
This article goes to press prior to club officers weekend to be held in Hanover October 3 and 4. You may rest assured, however, that anything noteworthy will be reported in the December column. In the meantime we will catch up on the doings of some of our classmates near and far.
As of this writing former Commander, Medical Corps, USNR John A. Blum is a civilian and has linked up with John Steel (former Naval aviator turned doctor) and four other medicos in the practice of urology in San Diego, Calif. John Blum recently completed a tour of duty aboard the "USS Sanctuary" off the coast of Vietnam, but he was able to get ashore several times, one exchanging places with Larry Kretchman '55 at a Danang hospital. John reports that by doing so he missed the dubious distinction of riding out a typhoon while he was able to gain some firsthand insight into war conditions. His wife Debbie was happy to get John home, though, notwithstanding the fact that they managed to get together a few times in such exotic places as Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan.
At about the same time John was mustering out, halfway around the globe Benjamin J. Bowden was appointed to the office of senior vice president of First National Factors of Boston, wholly owned subsidiary of The First National Bank of Boston. First National Factors is "one of the largest such operations in the country" and the move was designed to provide greater financial flexibility to the factoring organization. Estimated volume of the enterprise is in excess of $800 million annually.
In the same neck of the woods, Dorchester, Mass., comes word from Robert White that he is getting closer to his Ph. D. exams (in Medieval English) and breaking the monotony by cultivating his quarter-acre with a wide variety of flora. Apparently the counterbalance works wonders since Bob has now translated all of "Beowulf" at the rate of 500 lines per week. Bob also reviewed "Mr. Bridge," a new novel by Evan S. Connell Jr. '45, for the July issue of the ALUMNI MAGAZINE.
Moving west, to Deerfield, Mass., we pick up the trail of Bruce Haertle, an alumnus of Deerfield Academy back to attend a National Association of Independent Schools Workshop in administration. Bruce is now Headmaster of the Charles Wright Academy, Tacoma, Wash., having taken over the post this year after previously heading the upper school. He formerly taught English and History at Deerfield in 1957, and from 1958 to 1962 he was a faculty member of the Holderness School.
Bouncing back to the Coast we find the Pomona, Calif., Chamber of Commerce has traded the strong talents of Don DesedCombes, outgoing president, for his contin help as treasurer. Don is a partner in the insurance firm of Elwell Averbeck of Pomona and is heavily involved in local area activities. He and his wife, Elizabeth, and two sons reside in Claremont, Calif.
The May 4th edition of the Boston Herald Traveler carried an interesting article on the education page concerning the re-awakening of religious interest on the campus of Tufts University. Serving as the Newman Chaplain, Rev. George Fitzgerald feels that "liturgical services can appeal to the college student in terms of the things he is thinking about: love, authority, freedom, faith, institutionalism, parietal, giving, community." In practice Rev. Fitzgerald and three other chaplains serve these ends as counselors to students seeking ways of balancing current demands with religious precepts.
Some news takes longer to catch up, but we are glad to get it no matter when it arrives. Last October the Co-op Newsletter of Plymouth, N. H., announced that former Olympic Skier Thomas A. Corcoran and his wife Barbara were three and one-half years into a ski area project in Waterville Valley. The Mt. Tecumseh Ski Area, as it was to be called, was fast taking shape with construction in progress throughout the locale. Tom did much of the trail blazing himself and if his past laurels are any measure, Mt. Tecumseh ought to be the answer to a skier's dream.
The same month, the "Nashua, N. H., Telegraph" reported that James E. Coal in had been named director of labor relations for the J. F. McElwain Company. Jim's responsibilities will cover nine plants in New Hampshire and Massachusetts employing 2,800 people. He holds an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania, and is married to the former Elaine Granger. They, together with their four children, make their home in Hudson, N. H.
Secretary, James Talcott, Inc. 1290 Ave. of Americas New York, N. Y. 10019
Treasurer, 30 Juniper Ave., Wakefield, Mass. 01880
