1939
Regretfully we must start this column off with word of another loss. Herb Nichols died on August 16 after a brief illness. (More on this in the obituary section of this or the next issue.)
There was a healthy gathering of 56 at our mini-reunion. Despite the tears shed at the conclusion of the football match with Penn, we all had an excellent time of it. In attendance were: Curt and Bobbie Anderson, Wells and Betty Bates, George and Biddy Boswell, Dick and Bunny Brooks, Bob and Dale Bryant, Tom and Liz Burrell, Armando Chardiet and Lillian McGowan, Jack and Billie Coulson, Jack and Lil Comming, Mary Darby, Bob and Mary Dickgiesser, Wes and Anne Goding, Pep and Rita Gray, Jack and Pat Haverfxeld, Lou and Peg Highmark, Boots and Teddy Hoskinson, Dick and Math Jackson, Jack and Lois Kuhlke, Adeen Kalaidjian, Al and Silvia Lansberg, Bert and Sally MacMannis, Hugh and Trudy McLaren, Cornie and Janet Miller, Bob and Bunny Richman, Dusty Rohde, Endy Smith, Bob and Pat Thomas, Doc and Chip Tower, Ted and Betty Wolfe, Betsy Wyman, and of course our "in-residence" faithfuls, Bob and Evie Kaiser.
The fall executive committee meeting was attended by some 14 early arrivers at 9:00 a.m. on Friday. Reports were duly filed as necessary, but to keep things simple we'll highlight the agenda. The treasurer's report shows we have $21,720 earning interest in a cash fund and $1,285 in a checking account. At the rate we are going it was calculated that we should have $45,000 in the till by our 45th reunion in June of 1985, and there was some discussion of awarding this sum to the College rather than waiting for $50,000 or more for the 50th. The matter was tabled for further deliberation.
It was noted by our memorial chair that we had suffered three deaths in the class since our last executive meeting in April of 1982- Hank Bagg, Dan Hull, and Herb Nichols. There have been 35 memorial gifts to the Alumni Fund, totaling $3,500.
The bequest chair stated that two new life income trusts that total $30,000 have been received, and that one addition of $6,000 has been made to an existing trust. All the 1939 life income trusts now total $480,000 plus some $500,000 in assigned life insurance.
Betsy Wyman reported that there are 67 interested widows as part of our class. Betsy reported that she sends Christmas cards to all widows, whether or not they are listed as "interested," and that she frequently makes personal or phone contact with many when she is in their area.
The possibility of a mid-winter Florida reunion was discussed, but it was decided that oar number are so spread about the state that it would be difficult. However, the door was left open for anyone to volunteer to master-mind and organize such a gathering if anyone is interested.
A letter from the College (published in a recent "'39 Out") advising us of our new recipient of the '39 scholarship fund—Janeen Stone '86-was spread upon the minutes.
Special Projects Chair Dick Brooks was selling the new tennis shirts like hot-cakes at the gathering, and your secretary was asked to remind you that they are available at $15 per, plus $2.50 for mailing and handling. It was also voted to commission Brooks to arrange for some peaked golf caps with the class seal for possible use at the next reunion, if not before.
Kudos were heaped upon the heads of Jim Corner (who was not present due to a postretirement outing to Germany and Italy), Bill Tomkins (also absent due to a last-minute necessary switch in plans), Wes Goding (who was present), and the fine army of associates (some of whom were present) for the extraordinary job done in our record-setting $135,000 effort for classes 43 years out.
And, finally, it was voted, after some discussion, to hold the 1983 mini-reunion at Bonnie Oaks once again, on the weekend of September 17, for the Princeton game.
The feature of the weekend for the class took place at the Kaisers' residence during the pregame picnic. Our outstanding president, Bert MacMannis, finally received a well-deserved nod from his classmates and was awarded the 1939 "Classmate-of-the-Year" plaque and a suitable citation. And that formally finished the business of the weekend, so the troops marched off to Memorial Field and then retreated to Bonnie Oaks to lick the green wound suffered on the gridiron, or at least to bathe it in liquid and good fellowship.
A final postscript. Endy Smith, chair of the award committee, read the citation to Mac-Mannis only after a last-minute appearance from the U.S. seniors golf tournament played in Marion, Mass., at Kittansett. Also playing was Bill Kent.
Hector Sutherland'40 is surrounded with some of the fruits of his labors at the Rochester Institute ofTechnology's School of Printing. Excerpts from an R.I.T. publication elaborating on his 27-yearcareer there are included in the 1940 class notes column.
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