1939

We start this column off with an element of confusion. This past August, we read a piece on Art Larkin in Forbes magazine. It talked about how Art had doubled the sales of the Keebler Company, headquartered in Chicago since taking over the reins of that firm in 1973. And it quoted him as saying, "I'm a Mid westerner and I spent 15 years in the East paying my dues. It's really a delight to be back." It also stated that he had stepped down from chairing the Keebler board to take over its parent company's (United Biscuits Ltd.) finance committee. And then, one month later, we got a message from Art that as of October 1, he was settling in at P.O. Box 961, Pauma Valley, Calif. 92061. Maybe Art will write and give us the lowdown.

From our splendid West Coast correspondent Moreau Brown, we learn that Harriman Jones has taken the semester off from his professorial duties at St. Lawrence to study social developments in France from 1789 to 1914. Brownie and his wife Sisi have been commuting all summer between their home in San Francisco and Reno, Nev., where they were doing an inventory and appraisal of Harrah's Pony Express Museum. The museum apparently has the darndest collection of Wild West memorabilia and curiosities, reputed to be valued at over a million dollars, that anyone would care to see.

In case you have been wondering what GusZitrides has been up to of late, he retired from the now-infamous CIA in 1973 and formed a partnership with his children in the ownership of some properties in Ocean City, N.J. Gus keeps busy on the upkeep and management of same to while away the hours.

Lou Highmark was recently elected to the board of directors of Indianapolis Power and Light Company. This adds to his similar duties for American States Insurance Company, General Automotive Parts Corporation of Dallas, Tex., and Overmyer Corporation in Winchester, Ind. Lou is also a member of both the board of trustees and the executive committee of Hanover College in Indiana.

The Daily Transcript of Dedham, Mass., had a recent feature article on Rit Wallace entitled "The Wimbledon Beat." It reviewed Rit's long line of athletic accomplishments, with emphasis on some recent tournament victories at the Westwood Tennis Club and Wimbledon 109, where good tennis is played.

Bob and Ev Kaiser spent a week's vacation last August in the Twin Cities, which area, they say, greatly impressed them. They were attending the annual convention of the international Psi Upsilon fraternity at the University of Minnesota. Bob is, of course, the campus advisor of the Dartmouth chapter. Bob said he also fit in a bit of golf with Dave Lilly, who, Bob reports, played the first 12 holes in even par. Dave hasn't lost his touch!

There is a school in Clinton, Conn., called the Lewin G. Joel Jr. School. This is, of course, in honor of our Lew Joel, who just this summer completed a 40-year career in education, the most recent years of which were as superintendent of schools in the Clinton area.

The Darien Review carried a picture of JunieMerriam, along with some other locals, in a September issue. Seems Junie was appropriately named treasurer of the Darien Library.

Colby Howe has a business card which lists him as a consultant of Retirement Advisors, a service of Cox Broadcasting Corporation in Tiburon, Calif.

Hank Merrill, a former dairy farmer and building contractor who has also dabbled in meteorology, recently shed his post as vice president of the Northeastern Vermont Development Association in the St. Johnsbury-Lyndonville area to become that agency's economic specialist. In this capacity, Hank assumes the responsibility for NVDA projects such as an industrial park and how to gainfully build and fill it. Hank is quoted as saying that he looks for success and points out that one reason for locating in his area of Vermont is that "the work ethic is better here than other places in the country. People give a day's work for a dollar's pay."

It seems almost impossible, but it is the time to wish you all the very merriest of Christmases and a healthy and happy 1980! We would hope you might include among your New Year's resolutions the matter of dropping this correspondent a line to enhance his chances of keeping the column newsworthy and lively.

777 West Street Pittsfield, Mass. 01201