1952

If you saw an article in The New York Times recently about the vanishing all male college, you saw a picture of Jack Uncles giving moral support to Jim Toffey as Jim was shoveling snow in front of Theta Delt. The caption was: "Dartmouth crew members in 1953; camaraderie (of all male colleges) was remarkable." (The Times had the wrong year).

Not too long ago I was watching "Sixty Minutes," and who hove into view onto the screen but Marsh Meyer. Marsh was being interviewed about the disappearance of thoucivilians when the former Argentine government was in power.Shortly thereafter, I received a copy of a news release announcing that Rabbi Marshall Meyer had been awarded Argentina's Order of the Liberator of Saint Martin, the highest honor and most prestigious award given by that country. The release states: "During the military fascist regime that governed Argentina since 1975, Rabbi Meyer became one of the most involved and outspoken leaders of dissent, attacking military rule, civil disorder, and human rights abuses." Congratulations, Marsh, on another prestigious award!

Harvey Kelly took time out to write a long letter, bringing me up to date on his peregrinations since his last missive some years back. Harvey lives in Manhattan with his bride of two years, the former Gail Warner of Baiting Hollow, N.Y. He said that not too many people know where Baiting Hollow is, and I suspect he is right. It is at the eastern tip of Long Island on the "North Fork." It consists of one store, several farms, a church and "a large supply of Warners."

Gail and Harvey are representatives of Penn Mutual Life. Their extracurricular activities include supporting The New England Society in the City of New York, which was founded in 1805 and raises scholarship money for local students to attend New England schools. Harvey is on the board of the society. Another of Harvey's activities is the Kane Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, of which he is master. The lodge is named after Elisha Kent Kane, a 19th century polar explorer. Over the past 125 years many members of the lodge have been active explorers, including Admiral Peary, Admiral Byrd, Ad miral MacMillan, and Lowell Thomas Sr. (Harvey, you always did keep good company!) In the Supper Room of the lodge are many artifacts of polar expeditions.The lodge foundation makes an annual gift in furtherance of polar exploration. The meetings are black tie with officers in tails and the master himself in a top hat. (Obviously, you wouldn't want the penguins to be better dressed.) Harvey either has a lot of energy or an abundance of time because in the past year he helped revive two old (18th and early 19th century) Masonic bodies in Manhattan, which had almost become defunct. In the course of their revival Harvey presided over them. (Well, as long as you've already got the tails and top hat. . .) Harvey reports that these lodges are now thriving. In a spare moment Harvey signed up as a clerk of the vestry of an old Episcopal church in midtown Manhattan and is the chairman of the committee searching for a new rector. And as nearly as he can figure out, he thinks he is on the membership committee of the Church Club of New York City, a club of laymen who help the Diocese of New York in various ways. (I am sure the members of the New England Society, the many lodges and churches are proud possessors of whole life policies which keep Harvey in tails, top hat, and patent leather shoes.)

Harvey reports that his clutch of children are all doing well; Alison is studying special education at City College and Brad is entering Fordham (he was the first ranking indoor high school miler in New York State with a timing of 4:19, so we'll probably be reading about him at Fordham). Hilary is studying music at Music and Arts High School in Manhattan.

Among the '52ers that Harvey sees how and again is John Susen. They have kept up their friendship and manage to have lunch fairly often. Harvey signed off saying that he and Gail were off to Bermuda.I hope you have a great trip, Harvey. Thanks for the letter. Without it, it would have been a dry month!

The other evening I was at a black tie dinner in Chicago as one of perhaps 2,000 attendees when I recognized a familiar face at the very next table. It was Steve Lazarus. We had a chance to chat afterwards. It certainly was a pleasant coincidence!

By the time you read this you will have raked the leaves, stored the screens, put on the storm windows, gotten the overcoat out of the cedar closet, put on a few pounds at the Thanksgiving table, ordered the Christmas cards, put on the snow tires, put a bag of sand and a snow shovel in the trunk of the car, and wished you had moved to Arizona. Have a happy holiday.

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