1942

As I told you last month, this column was written in early October (nothing like fresh news!) so if you think I was reaching for something to write about last time ... well, this one will really be a pip (and I don't mean one of Gladys Knight's).

First off, let me wish you all a happy holiday season. May the wind always be at your backs, may the rains fall softly on your fields, and may God hold you in the palm of.his hand! .. . (And may your class secretary find another 600 or so words for this issue).

OK, here's a few from Seattle, Wash. We have out there Gordon Brown, Dave Skinner, and Mel Figley. Stu Finch left me a few notes on these fine '42s before he went to Japan, and I'll quote them as he wrote them: "Telephone conversation with Gordon revealed that he now is in the field of interior design. Of major interest, however, was the fact that he recently has had a showing of his paintings which are based on various aspects of primitive culture. Gordon occasionally sees Walt Daggett who started with the Class of '42 but eventually ended up as a '43.

"Dave Skinner now is president of Skinner Corporation, an investment company. Dave's son David III graduated from Dartmouth in 1968 and now operates a farm in Oregon ... son Paul represents an Arabian investment corporation in the U.S., and youngest son Peter is pursuing a career in the theatre, having appeared in several Off-Broadway shows and recently directed a Beverly Hills repertory production.

"Mel Figley is a full professor and chairman of the dept. of radiology at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Back east some news about Jim Mulligan, currently general manager of the Industrial Hardware Division of the Stanley Works in New Britain, Conn., has been named to the additional position of president of the division."

Jim Ingersoll has a new position at BorgWarner Corporation; he has been named vice president, external affairs, a newly created position in which he represents the company on community, civic, and industry boards and committees, and as a company spokesman before outside groups. Jim had been vice president, international, since 1969. He was managing director of Borg-Warner in Australia from 1966 to 1968, and was on leave of absence to serve as U.S. minister to the Philippines and director of USAID from 1962 to 1965.

From here on I'm riding on my battery. I may not have any fresh news to report but I have a few thoughts that may produce some. Like ... how many of us have moved into the Hanover area with a second home - or, for that matter, with your only home? How many have retired? I can remember back in my newsletter editor days when I used to get all steamed up about who had the most kids . . . OK, so now steam me up with who has the most grandchildren. It may sound cornball, but I know it would produce interesting reading to your classmates if you write me about the single most exciting accomplishment of your life. See what I'm after? You! That's what I'm after.

But, before I end this column I am compelled to remind those of you who bought Occidental Petroleum at 10, or Colt Industries at 14, or American Medicorps at 2 that now would be a good time to sell and make a year-end gift of the stock to the Alumni Fund. (When this was written those three particular stocks each almost doubled those prices I quoted above. What they are when you read this may be another matter). As a matter of fact now is a good time to make any kind of gift to the Alumni Fund and especially if you need some kind of tax deduction. I can tell you this - in addition to the attention we must give to the College's constant and increasing need for our realistic financial support - we are deeply worried about the declining performance of the Class of '42 in the past ten years of Alumni Fund campaigns. As I've said at least a half dozen times, this column was written in early October, so I don't want to steal any thunder from what Class Agent Buzz Cassidy or Class President Warren Kreter may be planning in this direction, but my own personal viewpoint is one of horrified disbelief when I look at the Green Derby results of the past 10 years. Especially the last three years, when we ended up in 4th place in 1973, 5th place in 1974 and 6th place in 1975. Once we were the leaders of the pack. Now we're just a bunch of also rans. We're not "The Great Class of '42" anymore and it makes me sad.

Secretary, 1001 Livezey Lane Philadelphia, Pa. 19119

Treasurer, 100 Springbrook Drive Silver Spring, Md. 20904