1939

It is with deep regret that we record in this column the passing of Walt Darby, one of our most devoted classmates, newsletter editor since 1961, and the one guy that you could always count on to show up in Hanover on almost any casual pretext, and certainly for every reunion. Walt shall very definitely be missed by his many classmates and Dartmouth friends.

We have a copy of a letter penned to Bert MacMannis from Skip Morse in which Skip refers to a medical visit to Atlanta for a diagnosis. We could not learn the nature of Skip's concern, but we can happily report that he says, "My prognosis is all good, so I'm optimistic." Skip and Penny had hoped to touch base with Jim and Kay Donovan during their trip to Atlanta, but because the hospital stay went quicker than planned, they did not make connections. The Morses have in the interim headed down to Florida, where they were looking forward to warm sun and a relaxing recovery for Skip.

Having reported the above, we must now confess that for the first time in our rather protracted term as secretary of your class we must admit to being plumb out of any further news, even secondhand gossip to flesh out this piece. It is, of course, a fact that Math and your correspondent have just been blessed with a third grandchild. This edition-or is it addition -or both-is named Benjamin Richard Jackson, presumably after his paternal grandfather. He is a native of New Mexico and predestined to be a cowboy if his father, who presides over the family ranch, has anything to say about his future. Math and I expect to take off for the Western plains to review this new specimen within the month. We're toying with the idea of taking a U-Haul truck packed with various discarded but useable furniture and other bric-a-brac, promised to the ranching branch of the family, all the way from little old Pittsfield, Mass., heading south and west across the breadth of this great country of ours. But you can bet that we'll dispose of the U-haul and haul our youknowwhats back east at the end of the trip by a comfy first-class airplane transport. Oh yes, we'll pack our camera gear, which will culminate in an hour or two of a travel slide show calculated to put the feistiest of audiences to slumberland within the prescribed time. It's really hell to stay awake when we switch off the lights, particularly if we've treated the audience to a first-class din-din replete with schnapps beforehand.

As pleasant as it was to learn of our new grandson, we might as well record the fact that the Lord giveth and He has been known to take. We lost our nine-year-old golden retriever the other day to an advanced case of cancer. Poor fellow spent his last four days with us in what must have been considerable pain, and his response to our sympathetic ministrations with an appreciative thumping of his tail was difficult to assimilate. His mother, who is but a few years his senior, is still with us, though greying and grieving but none-the-less sound of body. She is a lonely lady, having lost her steady companion of nine summers.

The above few introspective paragraphs have been thrown in as filler, with the express purpose of showing you rascals who refuse to write in news of yourselves just what is in store for this column when the old mailbag goes empty.

So if you've read this far, we will give you just a bit of news of a more catholic nature in the form of a few fairly recent address changes. From Framingham Center, Mass. to Hunt Rd., Windsor, Vt. 05089, goes Jim MacPherson. BillMartin moved from Baltimore to Box 284-H, Sopchoppy, Fla. 32358. Bill and Kit Mason have made the jump from Darien, Ct., to P.O. Box 388, 9 Sawmill Rd., Stratton Mountain, Vt. 05155. Charlie Nichols left North Salem, N.Y., for Hibiscus Dr., Ponta Gorda, Fla. 33950. Bob Hall, who, as a military man, is hardly new to packing his bag, has left Houston, Tex., for 1305 Millstream' Court, Raleigh, N.C. 27609. Bill Hurley skipped out of Weston, Mass. for P.O. Box 117, Sunapee, N.H. 03781. Doug Beasley left Dennis, Mass. for Wyckoff, N.J. We suspect that some of these moves are seasonal meanderings, but not this last. Ace Bailey moved out of Euless, Tex., for Durham, N.C. 27705. And there you have it. Write when you get work or you retire.

The executive committee of the class of 1939 was caught by the camera down inWilliamsburg, Virginia, last October: from left, President Bert MacMannis,Betsy Wyman, Bob Kaiser, Joe Batchelder, Bob Davidson, Sam Hird, Jim Corner, LouHighmark, Hugh McLaren, John Steele, Skip Morse, Dick Jackson, and Jack Coulson.

777 West Street Pittsfield, Mass. 01201