1934
Musings for May: Just what constitutes the "spell" that Dartmouth casts over us earth-roamers has never been quite clear to me, but I'm persuaded now it does "remain." On April 5, as an honorary subagent, I attended a dinner-meeting at New York's Hotel Commodore for this year's Alumni Fund campaign, along with Class Agent Al Jacobson and ten real subagents—Clarence Davies, Marty Dwyer,Harry Gilmore, Dick Gruen, RollieMorton (member of the Fund's campaign committee), Bill Scherman, Stan Smoyer,Joe Swensson, Harry Wallace, and KarlWeber. It's safe to say that we 12 represented at least four different shades of opinion on coeducation at Dartmouth; opportunities for blacks, reds, yellows, browns, and whites, and the new year-round operational plan—all of which were covered, brilliantly, in President Kemeny's address. But whatever our differences, we seemed of one mind in being able to accept the changes decreed by the Trustees after months of debate, and to work together, through the Fund, to help implement them. That's some "spell," fellas!
One highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Alumni Council Award to Dwyer, for his services through the years to the Class, the College, and his community (Pleasantville, N.Y.). (The 12 of us, he Dwyer abstaining, voted unanimously that he had it coming to him.)
Another highlight was Dr. Kemeny's explanation for the financial plight of many of our private colleges. Some of the reasons are common knowledge—increased costs of maintenance, administration, plant repair and expansion; the drying up of governmental and foundation grants, etc.—but one was news to me. Dr. Kemeny asserted that until very recently, college teaching staffs in effect have been subsidizing their institutions by several millions of dollars a year—by working at far lower salaries than their education and skills merited. A case in point: when the 13th president of Dartmouth came to Hanover in 1952, his salary as a full professor of mathematics was $6,000 per annum! (Seventeen years later, one announced objective of the Third Century Fund was to be able to pay full professors $25,000 annually.) All of which helps to explain why the 1972 Alumni Fund goal is $2,750,000—almost triple the 1934 target. We hope—for the sake of what Dartmouth is trying to do for this college generation and those to come—you'll give as generously and as promptly as you can.
Time now to get out of New York for news from around the country. Our Pittsburgh spies report that as of April 1, Merrill Heald took over as secretary and general counsel of U. S. Steel. A graduate of Harvard Law (in Ray Hulsart's class, I believe), Merrill has been with U. S. Steel since 1938. Next out of Milwaukee comes word that John Randall, since 1968, president of Kearney & Trecker Corp., machine-tool makers, is resigning to become a management consultant. John will remain with K & T, however, as a director and member of the executive committee. Then, from New Orleans, scene of the 1972 convention of the International Newspaper Advertising Executives Association, we are advised that Laurie Herman of St. Petersburg has received the INAEA distinguished service award for his "zest, dedication, and imaginative application" of service to the newspaper advertising industry. And, finally, this from the Boston Herald:
"Robert Offenbach of Quincy has recently been honored at the National Convention of Management Recruiters International in Tampa, Fla. by his selection as National Account Executive of the Year over some 800 executive-search professionals across the nation. The award, presented annually by the Cleveland headquarters, is based on such factors as professionalism and exceptional performance in serving the needs of the local business community. Bob has been associated with the Boston office of Management Recruiters in Copley Square for five years."
We have just had word of the passing, at his home in Tuxedo, N. Y., on February 9, of Robert W. (Bob) Smith; and on March 29, in Waban, Mass., of Frank Soule. We have also been advised of the death on February 19 of Katherine Bass, beloved wife of Perkins Bass. To their families and friends, the heartfelt sympathies of the Class of 1934.
On another note, your Secretary is pleased to report his marriage, on April 14, to Mabel Nowark of New York and Louisville, Ky.
On still another note, some further word now—as promised last time—on Johnny-Spiegel's new book, "Transactions: The Interplay Between Individual, Family, and Society," which was reviewed in Psychotherapy & Social Science Review for March 3. That issue of the learned journal carried a cover picture of a grim-faced Spiegel, looking suspiciously like a M-f-a "hit man," complete with carrying case for a subThompson machine gun. That's not just my opinion; John himself describes the photo (and his book) this way:
"The man on the cover is, sad to say, a Dartmouth graduate who became a prominent underworld figure. With his gangster background, the F.B.I, figured they could pass him off as an expert on violence and hired him to infiltrate the Brandeis University faculty. The book, which he claims to have written, was actually composed of tape-recorded interviews with graduate students conducted secretly in such out-of-the-way places as Las Vegas, the Bahamas, Mexico, and Boston's 'Combat Zone,' supplemented by print-outs stolen from the Harvard computer center. With the money advanced by his publisher safely stashed away in his briefcase, by the time you read this he will have holed up in a little-known Caribbean island where he plans to write his autobiography, relentlessly exposing details of his sordid past, not excluding the truth about his former friends, classmates, and colleagues."
But there goes the bugle for lunch. Write when you can.
Secretary, 340 East 51st St. (14-A) New York, N.Y. 10022
Class Agent, 369 Gray wood Terrace Ridgewood, N.J. 07450
