1950
Spring is not come, only coming - reluctantly. Easter was early, an accident of the calendar, not the season. In this region the last traces of snow vanish before Easter, but patches still linger this year. In New England snow abounds, and the wooded swamps are choked with mush ice.
Everywhere the hint of reflowering burgeons. The last vestiges of winter will pass.
Several months ago these notes recorded that shoveling snow is arduous. Another chore is more onerous, especially in the early spring when the residual leaves of autumn are matted into the dead grass: raking the lawn. The chill winds of March accentuate the burden.
The early returns for the 1978 Alumni Fund are in and Joel Leavitt, our dedicated and intrepid head agent, is blue. Results are running significantly behind last year's, with a deficit of approximately 30 per cent in contributors. Time runs out, more quickly than you think. So why not attend to your part by mailing your pledge or your check (or both) to Hanover now. Tonight.
The highlight of the month was a visit by the Glee Club, whose president and offtimes conductor is Paul Lena's son Mark '78. Filling out the roster were Fred Mitchel's daughter Pam, Aaron Steven's daughter Hannah, both '81s, and Jim Lyons' son Jim '78. All were delightful, enthusiastic, and engaging. Fellow Ridgewoodites Ken and Jill Edelson were hosts for Dick and Florence Echikson for the evening of music and nostalgia. At the rollicking reception that featured song, dancing, and dancing students, we had a long chat on a variety of topics with Paul Zeller. The sad news is that this year is Paul's last; he is retiring. Another era ends. Any future appearances, and we hope there will be many, will be as director emeritus.
The board of directors of the Newmont Mining Corporation recently announced the election of Harry Van Benschoten to vice president, accounting. Newmont explores, operates, and manages domestic and foreign mining properties. Harry joined Newmont as an assistant treasurer in 1967 and was elected to comptroller of the corporation in 1969. His prior experience, after receiving a master's degree from Tuck, was with Price Waterhouse and Pogson, Peloubet, both independent public-accounting firms. Harry and Mary Lou live in New Canaan; son Tom was a '74.
Louis Wolfson II of Wometco Enterprises, Inc., has announced that Dick Hollands was appointed vice president of the broadcast staff. Wometco operates WTVJ in Miami, owns broadcasting properties in several states, and operates CATV systems in a number of franchised communities. Dick's new responsibilities are broad: assisting Mr. Wolfson in establishing goals and objectives, expansion and acquisitions, regulatory and legislative matters, license renewal, and special projects. He will continue to supervise the operations of WTVG, which is expanding over-the-air subscription-TV rogramming to the New Jersey/New York metropolitan area.
Despite the fact that he earned an L.L.B. from N.Y.U. and was admitted to the bar in New York, Dick has spent his entire career in the broadcasting industry, including domestic and foreign assignments with NBC. He joined Wometco in 1964 as an administrative assistant and in 1969 was appointed assistant general manager of WTVJ. Active in civic affairs, he is a past president of the Dade County Citizens' Council. Dick and Betty reside in southwest Miami with four sons in plenty of sunshine.
Tidbits here and there: Fred Laird (Lt. Col, USA) has returned to Satellite Beach, Fla., after an interlude in Virginia and the Pentagon. The Potlatch Corp., a forest-products company based in San Francisco, recently elected George(Fritz) Jewett to the newly created position of vice chairman of the board. A sudden and dramatic change in scenery for Bob Jordan: from Mt. Washington via St. Louis to Santa Fe, where Doc John Talley has lived for years (John is on Canyon Road; Bob, on Upper Canyon). George Woodwell tackles the problem of "Recycling Sewage through Plant Communities" in a recent issue of American Scientist.Graham Bailey works for the Federal Paper Stock Co. in St. Louis. Another move for Chuck Gardner: this time, perhaps for a while, to Westport. George Harris, still swinging a mean tennis racquet, earns his living with Johnson Envelope Co. in San Diego. Dick Ribble recently emerged in Studio City, Calif.
The annual bout with the IRS (who said the forms were simpler?) is over, early this year for a change. There remain only good things to anticipate: the blossoming time, the warmth of lengthening days, the chance to run on the courts. The good days come none too soon. Enjoy them. Cheers. And peace.
510 Hillcrest Rd. Ridgewood, N.J. 07450
