1925

Congratulations and best wishes to JackNorris on his marriage to the former Eleanor Marie McKay on September 22 in the Third Presbyterian Church of Rochester, N. Y.

Bob Canfield, after tapering off for the last few years, has now completely retired. He and his wife Thea have been building a house in Buena Vista, Va., for the last year and a half. He reports that the house is in the country and really nearer to Lexington than Buena Vista. "What we did was to buy a wonderful view—Blue Ridge Mountains to the east, Alleghenies to the west and Shenandoah Valley to the south—and then design a house to go with it. The house is modern to say the least and has startled just about everyone in Rockbridge County."

Dick Nye and son Richard '52 continued their outstanding activities in the yachting world. In the May issue of this Magazine there was a short history (in a full page article) of their achievements and this summer, following the Newport to Bermuda race in their 48-foot sloop "Carina," they were the over-all winner of the 2700-mile Bermuda to Bayona (Spain) race. A record 48 boats took part in this trans-Atlantic race.

A few months ago a change of address notice from the Alumni Records office to the secretary brought the information that Paul Hexter had moved from Miami, Fla., to Newberry Stud, Kilcullen, County Kildare, Ireland. An inquiry to Paul about this intriguing address brought a most interesting reply so he becomes, with the gratitude of the secretary, guest editor for the remainder of these notes.

"We bought an old broken down beat up Irish farm in 1965 after looking for a year. It's in County Kildare with a mile and a half on the River Liffy—that's the one that flows through Dublin and contributes to the goodness of Guiness. It had no roads, no water, no posts and rails—fences to you—but a magnificent view of the Wicklow Mountains, had never had horses on it, and Helen, who has superb taste, knew what she could do with the buildings, which had handmade nails in them.

"The building of Newberry Stud took three years. I have the history of the place going back to 1700, but it goes back much further than that. When the walls were stripped, they were all bricked-in arches, so we are fairly sure it was a monastery at one time.

"Helen bought the interiors of three old Georgian houses in Dublin that were being torn down and burned, so everything in the interior really came from Fitzwilliam Square and is authentic old Georgian.

"We hope to breed a Classic Winner here—the dream of all horsemen. We breed to race the get ourselves and train with Pete Walwyn in England and George Bridgeland in France. So far no Classic Winners, but the whole operation is most successful and keeps me from playing golf as much as I'd like to.

"We recently sold our home in Miami Beach as we are spending more and more time over here. I wish I were not retired so I could get a vacation!

"We are going to Saratoga Springs for the first two weeks in August, then back here for a week and then to Deauville. It all sounds so glamorous but it's work in horse business. It's a world of its own but we love every minute of it, never have enough time in any 24 hours to do all we'd like to do, and haven't had time to age properly.

"Have a Hammond organ and good Steinway over here and still play once in a while. My musical memory is far better than my regular one. Ted Donahue, Yale about Class of '50, has a farm not too far away and plays good drums. We bang away once in a while when the spirits move us.

"It's been a fascinating experience to live in another culture, speak almost the same language, and sort out the differences. The troubles here are the product of an archaic educational system. The answer—no one sees it yet, least of all Ted Kennedy. We are not near the troubles.

"P.S. For any afficionados of horse flesh I should add we have the first Nijinsky foal. He's a grand colt to be named "Standing Room" and will come to Ireland this fall."

A farm in Ireland, a modern house in the Virginia hills—has any classmate retired to a castle in Spain? If you have acquired or are creating a different home for the so-called leisure years, please let us hear about it.

Secretary, China, Maine 04926

Treasurer, R.F.D. 2, Box 71, Dover, N. H. 03820