1939

It is with sadness that we record the death of classmate Gene C. King of Pluckemin, N. J., last September 23, at the Somerset Hospital. Gene is the fourth of our classmates who have passed on this year.

Although we shall leave the festive end of the fall reunion in the capable hands of Walt Darby's Newsletter, it is our job to pass on the official events that transpired at the meeting of the Executive Committee, held early Friday morning before a robust game of golf. Sam Thurm, our busy Treasurer, was on hand and reported a balance of $12,618 in the class treasury which is very much on target for the 40th Reunion Class Gift Project upon which we have been working over the years. Dues were coming in a bit slower than usual, but reminders were out and Sam hoped the pace would pick up.

Bob Kaiser had an encouraging report on his Class Bequest Program which indicated that $8,107 had been received or one matured bequest, 19 classmates had made outright bequests to the College, 15 had made contingent bequests, ten inter vivos provisions, one a life income trust and 42 classmates had indicated they hoped or planned to make bequests. This is a big step from Bob's last report, which might be an indicator that we're reaching the mature age, and might just come up with some football tickets on the 50-yard line in a year or two.

George Hanna was reconfirmed to head up a committee that will recommend project to be underwritten by the Class at our 40th Reunion. Dusty Rohde was given a vote of thanks for the outstanding job accomplished this year on the Alumni Fund where he reached 99% of our dollar quota. He asked to be relieved of his duties for the ensuing years, having been hampered by the lack of secretarial help. Robb DeGraff has graciously accepted the post of Class Agent for the completion of the term, and Bill Green was elected to replace Robb as Chairman of the Class Widow and Memorial Book Committee. A good part of the conclusion of the meeting was spent in discussing ways and means of assisting DeGraff in his new duties, and trying to increase participation and size of gift in the campaign fund. One final note of Executive Committee business: we have been remiss in not officially advising the Class that Junie Merriam had been duly elected as an additional and most welcome member of the Executive Committee by a mail vol earlier in the year. We thought Junie would be with us in Hanover, but a last-minute business trip to Japan scotched the Plot.

A final note on our fall reunion which we can't resist, because we see big handsome happy Bob Lougrhry much too seldom to miss the opportunity. Bob is a retired Lt. Colonel in the Air Force living in the Virginia environs of Washington D. C. Turns out that he has always been a nut on fixing old clocks—the granddaddy Kind, and those handsome Seth Thomas and other fine makes from the Bristol-Waterbury area. He started out doing a few neighbors a favor in his early retirement days, and now finds that he has a whole new fascinating business filled with oldworld charm and considerable challenge, By now he's ducking a few orders so he can find some time to relax, and smooth out the old golf game, which we can personally attest is moving ahead in high gear.

Another class author has published again. Jerry Beatty's latest and very funny "Double Take" is just hitting the stands out of the Stephen Greene Press in Brattleboro, and features a picture of the author in full beard on the back cover which gives credit to the photographer, one W. O. Webster 39.

We're not sure what to make of an article received from a Stowe journal recounting the trials and tribulations of Hank Hastings, of whom little has been heard in these columns for some few years. Hank is billed in the article as a "Stowe (vt.) Gadfly," and something of a wellknown character in the north country. His address, they say, is "nothing too permanent," but apparently at the moment is the Vermont State Hospital in Waterbury where he is reputedly receiving psychiatric observation. They describe his profession as making bird calls. The article does attribute one recent triumph engineered by Hank in the 1950's when he "picked up the cudgel and rattled the cages of the establishment" over utility rates in a one man fight that proved fruitful in the courts and reduced Stowe's electric rates by 30%. Currently in some hassle with the authorities, Henry is quoted as saying that the charges are nonsense" and he pleads innocent to them all. We tried to drop Hank a note to get the straight scoop, but unfortunately our letter to the hospital bounced back unopened without explanation.

Noting that Shag Hatch had island hopped his address from St. Thomas Island in the Virgins to St. Croix, we dropped him a note of explanation. He writes he is still teaching music and school but now at the Claude O. Markoe School in Friedricksted, and can be reached at a place called The Living End, 217 Customs St., Zip 00840. He's the leader of the School Band. Bill Webster talked John Davenport out of his application for the Yale game and reports that John is aiming toward making his first reunion visit to Hanover next fall for certainty. Talking about Davenports, Hack D. has moved from Paradise Valley, Ariz, to 108 October Dr., Camp Hill, Pa., 17011. And talking about address changes, our new Class Agent, Robb DeGraff now officially lists his preferred address as 2508 Nemours Bldg., Wilmington, Del. 19898.

Hope Santa is good to you guys. See you next year.

Secretary, 777 West St. Pittsfield, Mass. 01201

Treasurer, 390 Park Ave., New York, N. Y. 10022