1948

One of the pleasures of trying to write these notes is the resulting opportunity to learn, via newspaper clippings and an occasional classmate's letter plus word of m outh, of the accomplishments and triumphs of fellow '48s. One such pleasure was caused by a news item which appeared a few weeks ago in a New Hampshire North Country newspaper, whose identity is unknown to me but which was probably based in Manchester, or perhaps North Conway or Berlin or Laconia. The article was one of the nicest tributes to a solid citizen and good man I have read, and the subject was our own Gordon Mann.

Gordy, a math teacher at Kennett High School in Conway, N.H., a small town in the beautiful Eastern Slopes region of the northern half of the state at the eastern end of the spectacular Kancamagus Highway, is currently ending his 27th year as basketball coach of Granite State youth. It will be, by his own decision, his last. He has had a marvelous career, had some highly exciting teams (including one that went to the Class I state final against huge Bishop Brady, another that won 39 consecutive games), helped a great many boys develop into fine young men, but now feels that, to quote the article, "The time to stop is before you stop enjoying it. I still do."

One can imagine that quiet, bespectacled Gordy, in an area where the winter nights are long and travel not always easy, helped bring many an exciting evening to his enthusiastic rural community where winning was the fun goal but losing not a tragedy beyond the moment. Gordon will miss the coaching, but my guess is that he will continue to teach in pursuing that fundamental reward of "the enjoyment of working with young people and watching them make progress." Nice going., Gordy. We can be sure your school's future teams will miss your participation.

Concerning our 30th, it occurs to me that many a '48 reunion-goer and family this summer will take the opportunity to tour some of the gorgeous hill, mountain, and lake country of northern New Hampshire before or after June 12-14. As a native of the state who is truly fond of its natural, abundant beauty and who knows it fairly well, I'd like to suggest a few places not to miss if you should consider an auto trip out of Hanover to the north.

On a clear day I'd stop at the old farm known as Mt. Cube House on Route 25A east of Orfordville and take a good look over the wide valley to the north into the distant massif of wild Mt. Moosilauke. (The Appalachian Trail from Maine to Georgia crosses the road here.) I'd go east on 25 out of Haverhill through beauteous Oliverian Notch to sparsely settled Glencliff for a closer look at Moosilauke near its foot.

I'd drive completely around Mt. Washington and the Presidential Range, traversing beautiful Pinkham Notch and the highly spectacular Crawford Notch. And, if time and clear weather plus a little adventurousness would permit, I'd take the old Cog Railway up and down Washington for magnificent views and a sometimes exciting ride. I'd see lovely Franconia Notch and the awesome Great Stone Face, with Cannon on one side of the road and the line of Lafayette, Lincoln, Liberty, Haystack, and Flume on the other.

I'd run the length of the aforementioned Kancamagus, splitting the wildly beautiful Pemigewasset Wilderness between Conway and North Woodstock. Somehow, too, I'd see both isolated Dixville Notch far to the north on Route 26, and also the still gorgeous and extensive stands of white birch on Route 2 east of Gorham on the Maine border. Further, I wouldn't miss the oft-pictured Chocorua above Chocorua Lake on 16 south of Gordy Mann's Conway, and I would certainly explore the lovely, rustic Ossipee/Tamworth/Sandwich area north of the line formed by Lakes Winnipesaukee and Squam.

There are plenty of good places to stay overnight in all.the region, and some of the scenery can truly make one forget that he's anything but the lucky spectator of one of Mother Nature's fabulous shows. (I may be prejudiced in the above due to my great fondness for and nostalgic memories of the area. Admittedly, bad weather can take the fun out of such a trip and turn it into pure misery. Hope the opinions can be useful to some of you.)

Charles (Jim) Randolph is again in the news. This publisher of Business Week for ten years resigned from McGraw-Hill last year, where he was group vice president of publications, and recently joined Gruner & Jahr, the West German publishing firm. According to the an- nouncement forwarded by John Van Raalte, Jim will in New York publish a new magazine called GEO, the details of which were to be announced at a news conference at the 21 Club on February 15. (Some fairly regular patrons of this hostelry, such as Dirk Kuzmier and Jay Urstadt '49, may have been on hand in the establishment when the venture was launched; perhaps even participated.) Jim formerly also was chairman of the Magazine Publishers Association.

Another announcement informs us that Armstrong Cork has appointed Al McKee manager of special projects in the firm's research and development organization at Lancaster, Pa. Al, a chemist by training, has been with Armstrong since 1950. He and Vivien live in nearby Washington Boro, and their five children are for the most part; if not all, long-gone from the house.

So sorry to hear of the passing of Professor Al Foley '20, the very highly liked master of "Cowboys and Indians" and a noted purveyor of Vermont humor. He was a popular fixture on the Hanover/Norwich scene and among the Dartmouth family for many years until he quietly passed on in his sleep a few weeks ago. Some of you will recall that Al spoke at the first '48 freshman class meeting in the Alumni Gym back in July of 1944. Don't think I'll soon forget the friendly warm handshake and always-good humor so characteristic of this man whenever you met him on the main street of either community or had the good fortune to ride along with him on one of his trips to a speaking engagement with a local group in the Vermont or New Hampshire hills. The world's the loser if they don't make them like Professor Foley anymore.

Need news. Help! And get your reunion registration in! See you next month.

Gulf Trading & Transportation Co. P.O. Box .3726 Houston, Tex. 77001