1949

The news hasn't exactly flowed in this month, so I guess I'll have to become a little more aggressive and play the role of reporter more diligently. I hope that you will all cooperate in answering my letters inquiring about your activities.

A nice letter from Bob Weber relates that he moved to Beverly Hills in June of 1975 with the intention of spending a sabbatical year from Wesleyan, where he was a professor of Spanish and also taught law. He planned to contemplate and write up notes toward a book on the comparative aspects of American and Mexican law, having just received his law degree from Yale Law School that June. He decided to take the California Bar exams and, after doing some "side-saddle law practice" (whatever that is), decided he liked California so much that he would stay. He was offered a partnership in the firm of Joseph Shemaria and is primarily concerned with the legal problems of middle-size businesses. His wife Vickie is in her third year of law school at U.C.L.A. and doing part-time work at the Los Angeles office of the Securities Exchange Commission. To round out the picture, they have three children, Jack - 8, Nina - 6, and David - 5.

Quent Kopp continues to be the key headliner in the Class. This time as a recipient of a chocolate bomb, which was mailed to him by one of his admirers. Fortunately, the bomb did not explode or was detected before it could. This is a very serious matter, so I won't make any smart remarks.

I talked with Bob (Deke) Jackson recently and was brought up to date on his activities. He is vice president in charge of the Installment Lending Division of the Exchange National Bank in Chicago. He called to get some information on the mobile home industry, as he was preparing a speech on the financing of mobile homes to be presented at a seminar in Texas. He indicated that he had recently seen Johnny Everatt in Jacksonville, Fla., and said that he is prospering.

A confidential source in Cincinnati reports that Tom Schwartz was seen at a World Series game last fall with an unidentified female companion. On checking further, we found that it was Clarke Church's wife Jane. It seems that Clarke was in Finland selling soap bubbles for Procter and Gamble in his new job as an international market manager. Tom made some weak excuse about being in Cincinnati selling infant sweatshirts and that he just happened to run into Jane on the way to the ball game. Clarke's son, Allen, will be graduated from Dartmouth this June. That sounds as though it might become another '49 reunion, for my daughter and Tom's son will also be graduating at that time. The Church's have another boy, Ken, who is hoping to be the No. 3 Church at Dartmouth. Jane is a candidate for her master's degree and is doing child guidance work.

A progress report on Bill Ballard. His Pleasant Valley Paddle Tennis Club in East Orange, N.J., is doing very well. In addition to managing the operation, he and Naomi are busy giving lessions at their own club and also at other clubs in the vicinity. Maybe we should hold a '49 Paddle Tennis outing at his place. The way that game is growing in popularity, I'm sure that we would have a big turnout.

Many of you have probably noted that Ray Rasenberger has been elected president of the Alumni Council. Ray is right in the middle of the male-female ratio question which is being studied in detail and should have some interesting viewpoints for us, which I hope I can gather by the time the next column is prepared. It's nice to see a member of our Class honored like this, Ray will do an outstanding job.

John Waugh has been elected to the National Academy of Science. This is one of the top awards given to chemists and comes on top of other awards recently given him by M.I.T. (reported several issues ago). I am sure that everyone in the Class joins with me in extending sincere congratulations to John for this honor.

I've saved the most tragic news until the end. Our leader, Gordon Thomas, was injured several weeks ago. It seems he slipped on some ice (probably an ice cube) and pulled some ligaments in his leg. This has limited his more active activities considerably, however, he expects to be back on his feet and on skis before the winter ends.

Secretary, 677 S. Forest Hill Road Lake Forest, Ill. 60045

Treasurer, 168 Lost District Drive New Canaan, Conn. 06840