1931

Here we are with summer behind us and football directly ahead of us and still there are pleasant repercussions from the fantastic 40th reunion all the way back in June, which has been mentioned by many as the best reunion the Class ever had. Having had such a smashing reunion and such a smashing fund drive, your continuing secretary hereby sheds all modesty for all of us and declares that we must really be the best around—even better than the legendary Thirtyers who started whacking, us 44 years ago this fall.

Our mail has been sprinkled with flattering comments and I would like to quote from Chuck O'Neill's remarks to Hank and Rose McCarthy, copy of which fell into my hands, "At one point close to midnight in the '31 40th tent, EdStud well may have spoken for us all. Johnny Boermeester at the piano—after patiently and skillfully taking us through some three choruses or so of 'Mack the Knife'—knocked it off a little abruptly, probably to accede to a new request. Ed looked over at me not so much in complaint as in hurt surprise. 'I hadn't quite finished yet,' he said. Neither had I. It was by no means Johnny's fault then or later, or Rog Burrill's at any other time. Nor was it Charles and Marge Winslows' fault that they couldn't keep that matchless and riotous love story going for say two or three hours more. Nor Doug Morris's that we couldn't still be recalculating the decathlon results. Renewed thanks to yourselves, Harriet and Shep, Lucy and Johnny and to the valiant dozens who worked so hard to set up things for the scores of the easier-riding rest of us. May the ranks of those not quite finished flourish on and on, may the artillery of time keep miss rig oftener than it hits, and may the trails cross again before too long. "Slaints, and to all hands and wives meanwhile, a minimum of hill winds in the veins."

I must interject—can anyone tell me why '31 cornered all the proseate characters? We are indeed a proseate crowd, and if the adjective is illegal, sue me.

From Reunion Chairman Hank McCarthy to Shep Wolff, copy of which well into my hands, "While in Maine this summer we spent an evening with the Winslows. We also saw Jim and Janet Frame and Ward Thompson and his wife in Boothbay. We were swimming off the boat in Busk's Harbor and the Chases, Dick andBarbara, rowed out and gave us quite a start. Didn't expect to see anyone we knew. Again (Shep) many thanks for the fine job you did, and to me yours was the hardest ..." I say to all that, amen.

Dave Borkum is cited in Boston papers for his work with the aged. He is a trustee of the Hebrew Rehabilitation Center for Aged, also a leader in the affairs of Brandeis University and Maimondes School. I also work with the aged, but unlike Dave, I do it for money. I believe both of us are trying to keep young by helping older folks.

George Nickum is now president and general manager of Nickum and Spaulding Associates of Seattle, a firm of naval architects, one of the strongest naval architectural teams in the country, most notably in the area of ferry-boat design.

Dick Holbrook encountered Ben Hardman who was in Phoenix chairing a session of the International Communication Association. Dick writes: "Doubt if many in the Class know what Ben has been doing in recent years. Not too far back he got his Ph.D. degree which ain't bad at our advanced age and natural inclination to monolithic sloth. Ben still teaches English and Speech at St. Catherine's College, St. Paul, Minn., and is growing rich from sales of first biography, 'Everybody called him Cedric.'"

The following are your officers for the next five years: President, John Cogswell; Secretary, Roger Burrill; Class Agent, BillMinehan; Treasurer, Shep Wolff; Reunion Chairman, Ernie Moore; Bequest Chairman, George Nickum; Bequest Chairman (East), John Benson; Newsletter Editor, Doug Morris; Regional Chairman, Dave Borkum.

Be nice, resist your impulse to do nothing about it, and write me a few lines about yourself.

Secretary, ROGER H. BURRILL 23 Coughlin Rd. North Easton, Mass. 02356

Treasurer, w. c. "SHEP" WOLFF Dogford Rd., Etna, N. H. 03750