1939

This pen-and-ink sketch of Baker and Webster was rendered by Whit Cushing, who sent it along suggesting that it might alleviate the look of "uninspired dreary sameness" in class notes. In the same theme, Whit suggests that perhaps the class might wish to convene each fall at different hostelries in the Hanover environs; he feels that settling at Bonnie Oaks each year is stultifying and tiresome. Perhaps some of you lads have a thought on this matter that you would be willing to share with the class. Whit's letter is a font of information he warns that Miami as it is now constituted is hardly a city that one should visit. Even his hometown. Palm Beach, he says, is feeling the impact of the exodus from southern Florida, being no longer the beautiful, tree-shaded village of 10,000, but rather a growing metropolis with night-marish traffic, Mafia connections, and mushrooming condos. He recommends reading Zeke Hill's "great book on Lake Champlain" and comments that Zeke is not only a fine writer but a real historian. A postscript promises a free pen-and-ink portrait sketch to any '39er who drops in at his Palm Beach studio.

Junie Merriam's daughter Julia has just announced her engagement to Kenneth Kamp, according to the Darien press. She attended Menlo College in California where the late Hank Welton was a professor for a number of years. She has since transferred to the University of California at Santa Cruz, where she will graduate in June with a degree in environmental studies and public policy and planning. Junie, as we have previously reported, is retired as a partner of Peat, Marwick & Mitchell, and is now president and chief executive officer of Revere Sugar Corporation of New York.

Hank and Dottie Conkle are back from a February trip to The Turks and Caicos Islands, below the Bahamas. Great beach and swimming, fair food, and only 12 cottages on the Island, was his report. Hank will miss the executive committee meeting of the class late in April because, by golly, he and Dot are off to the Channel Island of Guernsey.

Talking about trips, Bert & Sally MacMannis and .the Jacksons are planning a trip to Greece this coming October. All it takes to pull it off is good planning by Bert and lots of money.

Taking a page from the past, we are causing to be published a picture of a very courageous classmate of ours, the late Red Jensen, taken probably in 1960. The occasion was a Dartmouth Club gathering in Wellesley, Mass., where Red was taken in a chest respirator, a necessity in his battle for life against the polio which finally took him on December 14, 1961. We are indebted to Bib Bankart '37, who was clearing out his files and passed on the picture, together with some thoughts on how good-humored and courageous Red was during his long ordeal. Red's wife has since died also, but not too long ago we were in touch with his son Peter, who lives in Wilmington, Mass.

Jim Corner reports that as of December 31, 1980, our class had contributed or pledged a total of $1,498,510 to the Campaign for Dartmouth, putting us in a very strong 16th place among 79 graduating classes. His army of agents has been having a busy spring, working on 1981's effort, and we're off to a good start.

A final reminder that the old mailbag has been running thinner these past few months than ever before in our memory. We'd welcome a note from you guys, whether it be about retirement plans, new business accomplishments, family successes, or spare time antics. All are newsworthy and part of the big picture of 1939.

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