1919

News is practically nil these lovely spring days. And what there is indicates that everyone is scurrying home from fascinating places ventured to this winter and early spring. Windsor C. Batchelder announces that he is scurrying home from three days (whatever do you suppose he was up to all that time?) in New York City. The only thing he reports is attending the New York City alumni dinner at which President John Kemeny was the principal speaker. There, as well, were Nick Sandoe, Ken Huntington,Ray Legg, and Bill Smith. After the inauguration dinner in Hanover, it took Nick four pages to tell us his reactions to the events on that program. Batch with his fine sense of brevity which keeps his Smoke Signal down to no more than 14 pages per issue, says tersely, "that guy is hot stuff." Batch adds that he has not heard from Charlie Biddle for several weeks which is a new record. He is worried. We think he should be worried all right for our guess is that our Charles is scurrying back from Paris where he goes at the drop of a hat. George Rand seems to be scurrying back and forth most of the time to St. Croix. Right now, home briefly, he speaks of many visiting firemen and some of Marion's family. "Good swimming," he says, "but practically no golf."

Spider and Bea Martin, sounding in fine spirits on the phone, have just scurried home from Arizona and have plans to be in Hanover soon. Fred and Eleanor McCrea have scurried back from the California desert where they enjoyed themselves, and plan a trip east soon. Jessie and Eddie Fiske scurry home from England with a couple of weeks stop-off in Madeira and a week in Lisbon. They arrive in their beloved Kennebunkport, Me., late in April. San and JaneTreat scurry home from Escondido according to a post card Rand sent. In case you don't know the place, it is a swimming pool, a putting green, two palm trees and a red umbrella all sitting in the middle of a giant sand trap. Our guess is that it's the California desert. Stu and Jane Russell scurried back from Hong Kong and later from Florida. A program sent to us would seem to indicate that Stu sang his way home on the "S.S. President Cleveland" as a member of a group called the Camp Grover Quartet. Once a song and dance man always a song and dance man.

A recent visit to Sarasota (our wife has relatives too) revealed that Bunny and MadCollins and Champ and Adelaide Clements were not scurrying at all. They were comfortably at home where they had spent an extremely satisfactory winter. The Collinses are both in fine health and playing golf three or four times a week. They have had no new great-grandchildren since last August. Mad faces another 50th Reunion this year; this one at Miss Smith's school for young misses. She complains that the date of this affair is so early she will have to leave Florida by mid-May, a thought that disturbs her considerably. Champ gave us a reassuring report on the State of the Clements Union. He says Adelaide seems to be quite well and that he has not been so fit for years. He still bemoans the infirmities which kept him from our 50th last June — as do we all, Champ. He and Adelaide plan to come north in July - not to their old favorite, Nantucket, but more likely to Cape Cod near one of their sons. It was real good to talk to the Clements again.

Cotty and Kitty Larmon are not scurrying either. They are coming home from the Adriatic coast of Yugoslavia by steamer out of Trieste. This is the kind of transport that appeals to us. This steamship in the old railroad days would have been called a local. In fact we can hear the station announcer as the passengers stagger aboard. He calls out, with no need for megaphone, "Venice, Piraeus, Messina, Naples, Malaga, Lisbon, Halifax, New York and points west." At that they'll be home long before you see these observations. As we were saying, the news is practically nil.

Meanwhile, back in the big sand trap by the 7th green, we ponder a golf ball encased in a deep footprint. Serenely we review our recent reading on how to hole out from a footprint in a sand trap. Our recollection is faded and does not seem very reliable. We waggle a few times bravely. And from the corner of our eye we see George McPhee getting ready to count. When this problem is resolved, we shall start scurrying too; packing up all of our trivia, readying to start for the north country. Our worldly goods, which came down in 12 pieces of luggage will need 14 going back. And since the car holds only 10, a good deal of magic is called for. Our wife, Mary, who is otherwise quite sensible, even sensitive, interjects casually, "you might leave that big golf bag down here."

And now we are back in Wilder and the wonderful New England springtime. Late items to report: a thoughtful letter from Jimmy Jewett with details of Bunny Lodge's death ... attendance at the Class Officers' Weekend in Hanover where we saw Nickand Dorothy Sandoe, Fred and GertrudeDaley, Howie and Doris Cole, Win Batchelder, Ray Adams, and we all worked very hard at becoming more proficient at our jobs. And may we remind you that by the time you see these lines the Alumni Fund Drive will be drawing to a close. Be sure to send Fred Daley a check. Secondly, on June 24 in Kennebunkport, Me., we shall have a golf match. Save the date. Also, if you have not already done so, let Stu Russell know that you are coming to the Annual Fall Get-together - dinner, luncheon, free football game - Friday and Saturday, September 19 and 20. And finally we'd like to profess our best wishes to the Class of 1920 at their 50th Reunion. May you all have as fine a time as we did.

Secretary, Box 122, Chandler Rd. Wilder, Vt. 05088

Class Agent, 63 Perry Hill Rd., Shelton, Conn. 06484