1937
With the advent of the annual alumni fund drive in April a new wrinkle has been added. Sister colleges have found success in a telethon approach wherein calls to classmates ahead of time have actually improved final results. We were vaguely skeptical — considering it a form of high pressure against which our conservative nature told us to rebel.
Yet, dutifully, we joined a legion of dedicated fundworkers from numerous classes at the brand new First National Bank in Boston for dinner and phoning which proved interesting, enjoyable, and for this department, newsworthy. Monk Amon was unavailable but Albie Chester and yr obt. svt. had a marvelous evening of chit-chat with classmates around the country. Our results at this time are intangible but it was fun to surprise people and the reception was excellent.
Judge Dick Cooper spends a couple days each week on juvenile cases and since neighboring Vermont reduced the legal liquor age to 18 while New Hampshire continues with 21, there has developed a lax attitude on the part of youthful skiing enthusiasts who have become entrepreneurs in the art of distributing empty beer cans etc. (modern American art-form design) all over Dick's jurisdictional highways. At this writing he has invited 20 out-of-state offenders to return April 20 for a pick up party to rebeautify his roads or suffer the Cooper wrath in devalued dollars. He has given up his position of vice chairman of the vice commission but continues as chairman of the State Board of Probation.
Russ Bishop's only news was that Pat Doherty had had a tour of Greece. Gus Farwell lamented that industrial real estate was slow in the Bridgeport area. Loring Stinson did not think it was newsworthy but he and Margot had just returned from a months visit with friends in New Delhi, India. They saw the Taj Mahal, of course, and found the country very interesting. No more skiing for him since his daughters grew up and left home; one teaches in New Mexico and the other is an LPN at Saranac.
Charley Pingree recently spent two weeks in London putting together an investment trust deal or British citizens as engineered between his Old Colony I rust and the Samuel Montagu bank over there. Another London-bound classmate was Ed terns on insurance business, something to do with a nuclear pool deal. He and Peg got bombed out on a sküng trip north so visited Hanover to investigate the Eastman project.
Jim Emerson is now semi-retired from the Stoneleigh-Burnham girls school but has added a small real estate intertest in Vermont called Hyla Brook (from frequent references by Robert Frost in his book). This is a sub-division of Strafford Associates who advertise in this medium and they buy and sell land from the Hanover area up to Rutland. His newest project is the old family homestead in Danvers, Mass., an historical landmark built in 1648 and the original birthplace of Israel Putnam, second in command to General Washington. Jim is dealing with the government to declare this home a national landmark in view of the U.S. 200th anniversary in 1976.
Shel Wagner has been reelected for the umpteenth time as "Hizzoner" the mayor of Hastings, N Y. Charley and Ginnie Collis are again on an extended buying trip in Europe for his Princess House enterprise. We also caught Jackand Peg Costello taking off next day for Nassau thence to Florida for a few weeks.
Brice Sheets moved. Having lived in Rockford (Illinois) all his life the city got too big so in 1964 they bought 20 wooded acres 15 miles west near Peeatonica. Last year they built their dreamhouse plus a utility building which Mary Jane calls "Brice's Hobby House." In it they store their camping van while the second floor is strictly devoted to his train collection. Travel time to his office remains at 20 minutes but no traffic.
With recent government changes Hal Putnam has departed his job as Regional Director of H.E.W. after some three years on the job. His future is still undecided but he has a number of things in mind from resuming law practice to writing to even producing sound-color movies which he did years ago for the Boston Globe.
Dave Camerer rented his home to a British couple for two years and left on a world trip in quest of off-beat sports items for magazines as well as a book to be called "Travels Without My Aunt." Itinerary generally reads: Tokyo, Bangkok, Burma. India, Jerusalem, Greek Isles, France, Spain, and home about August 1.
Secretary, 10 Colby Rd. Wellesley, Mass. 02181
Class Agent. Hancock, Estabrook, Ryan, Shove & Hust 1400 Mony Plaza Syracuse, N.Y. 13202
