1923
Ruel Smith has a few surplus copies of The Golden Review he would like to dispose of: 5 copies of issue #1, none of #2, 4 each of #3 and #4, 8 each of #5 and #6, and 16 of #7, which Ruel says "may be the best issue of all." He also has 12 copies of our 50th memorial program. He hates to throw them away, so write to him at 16 Seir Hill Road, Wilton, Conn. 06897, if you are interested.
New England media reports of Florida weather are likely to be suspect, but Ted Caswell; says it really has been cold, cold down there. The Naples Hospital opened up a 50-bed addition recently. It filled up right away — reportedly mostly flu cases. Ted has played some golf with Charlie Rice, who with Jean is at Fort Myers Beach.
Nate Whiteside, 1920 head agent, sent us a recent news clipping about Hip Conley, who is still very busy as Du Page County, Ill., finance director. Hip is responsible for the investment of some 45 million of county funds in 56 Du Page County and Chicago City banks. He has been on this job in the county treasurer's office since 1967, when he retired as vice president of the Continental Illinois Bank after 44 years' service.
We asked Joe Pollard for more information about the picture in the January issue showing him writing up trail condition notes in the cabin at Skyline Farm. Joe says, "I had not decided on medical school until 1924. Another good member of my medical school class was JimTaylor. I became occupied in the summer months of 1925 and 1926 working on the cabins and trails of the Outing Club. My assistant in 1925 was Ken Cuddebuck '28. In 1926 Hal Leich and 1 were on the job. In those days the Outing Club did a great deal to maintain the chain of cabins and trails, and this was work in an environment that I particularly enjoyed."
Babe Miner's recent letter says that 56 of George Weston's Springfield area friends made memorial gifts in George's memory totaling a thousand dollars. In Babe's words, "George had many friends in this area. He was referred to as 'Mr. Dartmouth.' He was especially known for his loyalty to his family, his friends, and to Dartmouth. A truly fine man who will be missed."
In response to my enquiries about his family, Babe goes on to say that daughter Virginia's daughter Lisa is a sophomore at Middlebury College, where her uncle Rich is secretary to the college. Virginia's older boy, Jay, is the No. 1 skier on the Longmeadow High School team, consistently winning his events in the slalom and giant slalom.
The other day I saw a sports news picture of a modern pole vaulter hanging on to the correct end of a U-shaped fiberglass pole. Immediately came memories of Sammy Sammis and his feats with the old time bamboo pole. I wrote Sammy for his comments with the following result:
"In regard to a comparison between vaulting today and 50 years ago, the fiberglass poles make all the difference. My weight in '19 was about 135 lbs. That was too light for most sports so I tried vaulting. My form was horrible at the start, went over the bar sitting down. My sophomore year I had improved and could get my feet up, pull on the pole, turn at the top of the arc and go over (sometimes) facing the bar. I was pretty regular at 11'6", made 12' once, won gold medal in Penn meet. Good vaulters were going over at 13' and 14'. Today, with a fibergalss pole, a vaulter should weigh 170 to 175 lbs. That weight causes the pole to make a "U" and gives a catapult action when it straightens out; then the vaulter makes his pull, turn, sucks in his stomach, straightens up so that arms and upper body clear the bar. Now leaps of 17' to 18' are common. The pits had sawdust, not inflated bags as at present. Watching the vaulters on television gives a much better idea than my description above."
Sammy's much-appreciated letter continues: "I didn't see any writeup about the Carnival. The ski team did poorly at the Williams meet, but maybe it wasn't the varsity. The snow conditions are perfect down here and must have been in Hanover. I wonder if the females are diluting the quality of the male athletes? At least, the girls seem to be doing better than the boys.
"Leif Norstrand has had to have another operation. The poor guy has been in and out of the hospital all of '78. Right now he is in the Greenwich Hospital, Conn., and he would appreciate any notes from his friends. Had a letter from Jim Taylor, and he seems to be much better."
Connie and I made our usual after-the-fact trip to Hanover to see the Carnival snow sculptures. The week previously stayed below freezing, and except for a little normal deterioration and friendly vandalism, the display was impressive, particularly the campus centerpiece, which was nearly as tall as the Hanover Inn.
The highlight of the trip was lunch with IkePhillips and Frank Doten at the Inn. Both seem to have wintered well.
Tru Metzel and Chet Bixby continue to make excellent progress with the Class of 1923 Funding Association. This reunion project, designed to perpetuate our annual giving to the Alumni Fund through endowment gifts and bequest provisions, reached the $750,000 level in early March with a total of 58 members. If you haven't taken any action yet, remember that you can become a funding association member by making an outright endowment gift of $2,500, by creating a life income trust of $5,000, or by including the College in your will or life insurance. Tru and Chet have all the details, or you can write directly to Frank Logan '52 in the Bequest Office in Hanover.
Sorry to hear via Pudge Neidlinger's daughter Mary Kilmarx that Pudge is in the Cape Cod Hospital. He has been "awfully sick but is now slowly on the mend."
I have just heard from Elizabeth Gauss the sad news of Wood's death from cancer on February 10. It is always most distressing when word comes of a classmate's death. This news is particularly so. Wood was my junior year roommate.
Beatie Adams, 1924 widow extraordinaire,not only keeps in touch with all theClass's widows, but also serves onits executive and fund drive committees
Box 2 Francestown, N.H. 03043
