1940
My, how quickly the days and weeks do pass. Scarcely has the ink dried on the last column and the next deadline is upon me. I cannot say that I have adjusted fully to this new respon sibility, but I am making the bold attempt.
Those of us married to the upper-Midwest climate have had little to complain about weather-wise, so long as our livelihood or extra curricular activities do not depend on snow. "Open" is an understatement in describing our winter. To have seen so much sun since the end of fall has given a real psychological lift to the spirit. Not to be envied are the kids back in Hanover endeavoring to produce Winter Carnival, the sculptures, and events with so little help from the heavens. Or those classmates of ours who are involved with the Winter Olympics at Lake Placid. Or the likes of Bob Austin, whose lodging and ski enterprise has to be suffering.
One of those whom you may have seen on television, applying himself busily at the Olympics, is Gary Allen. Gary was in direct charge of all jumping facilities and equipment for both the 70- and 90-meter jumps and was second-incommand to Gus Raaum, the chief of the ski jumping competition. Obviously planning for the unforseen and unexpected, Gary conquered the weather vagaries with equipment new to his segment of the sport. He had snow-making machines producing the man-made stuff more than two months in advance of the games's start; then, to remove the human element involved in packing the hills, brought in a behemoth said to weigh 14,000 pounds which does the job mechanically. We have not heard if the pattern developed looks more like a sitzmark than a herringbone. Gary had to fight for the innovations which, in retrospect, could very well have been the savior of the jumping competitions.
If you haven't already done so, put 40's 40th on the front burner, plan to send mother-in-law to one of her other kids, and make firm arrangements to be where your friends and classmates expect to be June 9-12 in Hanover. For whatever reason, if you are unable to make it, it is becoming evident as this tome goes to press that you will be in the minority. Gordy Wnentworth indicated that the positive responses as of January 31 are a tad under 200, with the mails bringing more daily. Another 60 are hopeful that they will make the scene. Chap Wentworth will be vying for distance honors, returning from San Francisco along with Ostrander. Space limitations won't permit listing the names of all planning to attend, but a few names mentioned may induce you to have yours added. For example: Hi Belding, Joe Bird, Doc Darnley, Fred Fuld, Bu Hayden, Creight Holden, Dee Jones, Walt Kelley, Lam Kerins, Bill Kieckhefer, Jim Kuhns, Stu MacPhail, Cec Moore, Les Nichols, Will Pitz, Bob Rodday, Beezie Smallwood, Bill Squier, Jim Sullivan, Jules Wachs, Sey Wheelock, and John Willetts.
The package of events continues to take more and more positive shape. Bumsted has the golf tournament planned and the inquiry/registration ready for mailing. The same can be said for the tennis competition being put together by Rogers. The auction has been recast as a raffle. Dave Dance's panel of "experts" has been bagged to help guide us into the good years ahead. You'll hear more and in greater detail through the mail.
Hugh Dryfoos, from his point of vantage at New York Campaign for Dartmouth headquarters, related that the class is barely a quarter of the way towards its reunion goal of $400,000. Two beautiful gifts have been recorded from classmates yet unnamed, one a $5,000 living trust, another property at Lake Placid valued at upwards of $40,000. How beautiful!
Joining the ranks of retirees was Harry Midgely after 34 years with Worcester Bancorp. Midge had been executive vice president of the bank holding company and its principal subsidiary, Worcester County, Mass., National Bank. He had joined the bank in 1945 after service in the Navy, from which he was discharged as a lieutenant commander.
Life continues to be busy and interesting for Dave and Carol Davenport, whose year-round home is at Sanibel Island, Fla. Dave recently sat for his U.S. Coast Guard captain's license and is now certified for power or sail on crafts up to 25 tons. He joined a partnership formed to develop moderate cost condominiums near Ft. Myers and takes an active part in the project. Carol is a member of the board of the Island Water Association, Sanibel's water utility, and is involving herself actively with the problems of mastering its desalinization techniques. Son Nick has joined Simpson Forest Products in Seattle, while daughter Lyn is a recent grad of Case Western Reserve Law School and is joining the firm of Graubard Moskovitz in New York, where she hopes to specialize in international work.
Not all the news is of the pleasant variety. On December 18, Syd Craig succumbed to a lengthy illness in Winnetka, Ill. In early January, Richard (Bud) Weil suffered a fatal heart attack. Their obituaries will appear in this or the next issue.
To complete the column on a pleasant note, Gordy Wentworth heads for England in midMarch to give his daughter Edith in marriage. This is the first of his family to reverse the migration from the "old land" since his ancestors arrived on this side of the pond before the Revolutionary War.
20100 Fairmount Blvd., #202 Cleveland, Ohio 44118
