1923
Vince Baldwin has suggested that the Class consider a policy of establishing an annual gift to the College in honor of all of our deceased classmates. He recognizes that a listing of all names would be impractical but makes the point that a separately designated classmate memorial gift would be most significant. Additional individual gifts would of course be in order. This year the number of classmate memorial gifts declined to only 57, most of which were from widows.
At Vince's suggestion I plan to offer his plan for consideration at the May class officers meeting. Your comments and suggestions will be very welcome.
Vince goes on to say in his letter that he's still trying to "fight the good fight" but with a little less "might and main." He was recently awarded a bronze plaque by the Metropolitan YMCA of Chicago to commemorate his 15 years of service as a member of the board of directors of the Chicago YMCA Hotel - incidentally the second largest hotel in the city. In 1974 he was elected a member of the Chicago-Kent Honor Council composed of distinguished alumni of its law school. A member of his church choir for the past 35 years, Vince says he still enjoys singing but that his "range gets deeper and deeper."
Vince and Connie are apparently well adjusted to the rigors of Illinois weather and "have no desire to retire to Florida or any other warmer climate." Incidentally, if it is of any comfort to them, another of my long-standing historical truisms was shattered the other day when I learned that New Hampshire is more windy than is the Chicago area.
FLORIDA REPORT, THANKS TO CHARLIE Z.: On St. Patrick's Day Miriam Home graciously hostessed a 1923 cocktail party at her home in Delray Beach. Among those present were the Art Everits, Ken Qtiencers,George Scammons, Bob McMillans, Chet Bix-bys, Charlie Zimmermans, Bob Maxwell, and Ted Swartzbaugh. Miriam had tried to contact other Florida classmates but was unsuccessful.
Charlie Zimmerman goes on to update me re the Alumni Fund - an updating I'm hopeful will be seriously outdated by the time you see these notes. As of the first Fund interim report which takes us through March 21 we have had 101 gifts totaling $19,708 which is 42.9% of our objective. Last year at the same time we had $17,092 in hand from 72 contributors. To date we have earned $589 from challenge gifts vs $55 last year, namely from classmates who had increased their giving this year over last. A number of classmates, particularly among the larger givers, have increased their gifts. The largest this year so far is $4,400 and we have five additional $1,000-plus gifts.
By the time you read these notes class officers will again have convened for a couple of days in Hanover. I'll give you a more complete report in June on a program which is most innovative and seems to be beamed particularly toward greater exposure of class officers to the classroom scene.
A minor but important consideration at this meeting will be a proposed change in the Alumni Magazine publication schedule providing us with a mid-September issue which would anticipate the many Hanover fall events we now learn about only after the fact.
My ever faithful correspondent Dick Kershaw writes: "Seems to me one of the lads asked for the address of Johnny Allen's son. The return address on the card he sent around Christmas time was - Preston Allen, P.O. Box 140, JFK Airport, Jamaica, L.I., N.Y. 11430.
Late (very late) news: I had a welcome call from Charlie Rivoire last Thanksgiving weekend. He was visiting his daughter and her family who live here, and we had two very pleasant evenings at that time, one at his daughter's house and one here. We even located ourselves in our old cap and gown class picture taken at graduation time.
Win Weser is back home again after a short stay at the Veterans' Hospital in Albany, and seemed in good spirits when he phoned one evening last week.
Recently I enjoyed a pleasant afternoon with Ruel and Marg Smith at the home of mutual friends in Wilton. We three fellas all had backgrounds in the publishing business, so found plenty to chat about. Ruel and I forbore any lengthy Dartmouth talk, as our host was a Colgate man.
One evening this month John Moore called up and we had quite a visit. I could wish each of us felt better able to travel between here and Summit, N.J.
A day before his sister's letter appeared in your class notes in the latest Alumag, I had written a long-delayed letter to George (Looder-dool) Plant. It seems that two of our number, George, and John Moore, now have heart pacers. I guess we all want to say to them and to our other troubled '23s,' "Take care of yourselves; good men are scarce."
Clarence and Priscilla Goss had a good letter recently from Alice Flanigan. Alice had the flu last winter but is better now and looking forward to spring. Says she had a recent card from Mary Booth who spent the winter at the Gulf and Bay Club on Siesta Key.
In early March Babe Miner had a cataract operation - originally scheduled for April but pushed ahead because of the surgeon's schedule and Babe's wish to be in top shape for class officers meeting in May. I'm sure Babe will be embarrassed by my mention of this but I can't help suggesting that the many of you whom he has consoled and advised through a variety of family and personal ailments send him a note of good cheer.
I am sad to report the deaths of three more of our classmates: John Coonley who had lived in Honolulu since 1934 died on March 23, NatAustin who, together with Wood Gauss, was my junior year roommate died in California on February 21, and Sam Yaffe, a prominent Brockton, Mass., attorney died on March 19. To the families of these men the Class of 1923 extends its deepest sympathy in their great sorrow.
Secretary, Box 2 Francestown, N.H. 03043
Class Agent, The Country Club of Florida Village of Golf, R.F.D. 755 Delray Beach, Fla. 33444
