1947
Sometimes when a deadline approaches for another ALUMNI MAGAZINE report a class secretary feels a touch of panic. He realizes space is reserved for his class notes but he has nothing to write. Somewhere out there classmates are performing noteworthy and even extraordinary feats, but the correspondent knows nothing of them. There is little to do but rush to the phone to scrounge up some news.
I was thinking of this when an envelope arrived in the mail from an old friend, Paul(Hank) Spiers, who is doing very well as general public-relations supervisor for New England Telephone.
From his Franklin Street office in Boston, Paul forwarded a copy of the Class of '60 notes in the — you'll pardon the expression — Yale ALUMNI MAGAZINE. In the first 850 words or so the class secretary analyzed other class notes, praised a punchy style here, a clever phrase there — but never mentioned another classmate.
What made it more interesting was that the secretary who filled his designated space so adroitly was A. Bartlett Giamatti, who has been tapped to be the next president of Yale. The Moral: Don't laugh. There may be college presidential material lurking behind innocuous alumni notes. ... But don't bet on it.
By the time this appears in print, many '47s may know that Frank Weber, our class president for the last five years, has been transferred to Houston by the Shell Oil Co. He will be overseeing the development of broad new applications for polymers. Frank is making the shift reluctantly — Ursula is staying in Connecticut for the time being — but the company feels he's the one man they want for the job.
Those of us around New England who get to see Frank fairly regularly are going to miss not having him around. We're pleased for him that he received a promotion, but it could mean that one of the Class's hardest workers will be sitting out Dartmouth business for awhile. He will be back for reunion, however. (Incidentally, the Webers' daughter Heidi is doing well as a junior at Dartmouth and spent a semester at the University of Edinburgh.)
Speaking of reunion, our genial and able chairman, Ham Chase, is hard at work rounding up his charges for the get-together marking our 30th on June 12-14. From Bardonia, N.Y., John Bill says he hopes to be back. (One of his sons graduated from Dartmouth, another is in the Class of '80.)
Paul Henegan definitely is returning, according to Ham, and he's determined to get his old roomie, Ron Schiavone, back, too. I understand Bill "Red" Scollard is helping to lure Ron back. (I haven't seen Bill since my White Plains days.) Ron, by the way, reportedly has a very successful contracting-construction business in New Jersey.
Frank and Penny Wuerfel plan to fly up to reunion from Houston. Ed Ajemian first sent his regrets from Kalamazoo, Mich., but now says he might try to make it in his '49 Cadillac. Roy Murray in Miami thinks he'll return for his first reunion.
From California, Ham expects to see TomChace and Leroy "Bear" Davis. BillBuckingham and George Spinney are trying to entice John Murray from St. Clair Shores, Mich. George is busy as president of R. D. Kimball Co., which he now owns.
Cyrus Helm, Bud Nossiter, and DickWetherhead are all in England and Ham received a card from that fair land on which was written "will make it." But the card was unsigned, so you'll have to go to reunion yourself to see which one shows up.
Ham stresses two points. Classmates are urged to bring back to reunion a sample of their hobby or craft work — a painting or whatever. These will be auctioned off as a reunion event.
And remember — the reunion fee will be $10 less if paid in full by April 30. That's a saving of $20 per couple.... It all shapes up as a fun gathering, beginning June 12.
64 Sylvan Place Longmeadow, Mass. 01106
