1939

We are facing our computer screen with an empty news basket and equally empty head. The best we can say about this condition - and it is a very great "best" indeed - is that we also have no new deaths to report since our last. Of course, by the time you read these words, our fall mini-reunion will be history, the exodus to warmer climes will be in process, and some of the more prudent will be musing about what to buy their wives for Christmas.

We are writing these notes in mid-September (a week before the mini) on the second day of residence at our home basie in Pittsfield since the latter part of June. Most of the interim time has been spent in a summer residence in York Harbor, Maine, where we usually catch a number of classmates who break their travels north or south by dropping in at our oasis. This year few stopped by. We did host George and Ginny Neily and Billand Bunny Webster in late June, and we did see Dusty and Happy Rohde, who are also at home in York during the summer. In July we spent an evening with Jim Powers at the Rohdes' house. Jim had returned from Houston to a house at Rye Beach, N.H., where we thought he was inclined to settle in. But more recently we have heard he has returned to Houston. When he'll be back east, no one seems to know.

We spent Sunday night of the Labor Day weekend in Pittsfield packing and unpacking before proceeding on to Cedarhurst, Long Island, to tackle a National Grass Courts tennis tournament for guys over 65. Here we managed to move into the second round by outlasting a swifty from California in three sets. But this was the extent of our success. Then it was off for a weekend of weddings in Old Lyme, Conn., and Greenwich, Conn., before proceeding to the National Grass Courts Championships for guys who will be at least 70 in the calendar year, a condition that we regret to say we met. This affair was held at one of jack Cumming's clubs, the Agawam Hunt in Providence. And sure enough, we caught Jack and Lil loading up with a four-course business man's lunch in the club's lovely dining room.

By the time you read these notes, we'll have almost returned from a month's tennis tour through Tahiti, Fiji Islands, Australia, and New Zealand. So now you see what kind of fare you get when you don't write the old scribe and give him some interesting news to report.

We'll flush out the rest of this report with a rundown on some guys we've heard little from in recent years. This info comes from the postcard campaign which served as raw material for our 45th direct tory.

Mike Davis, who is at home at 10 Penny Road, Woburn, MA 01801, has a second home in Mogog, Quebec, Canada, where we suspect he spends his summers. Mike has three sons, two daughters, and four grandchildren. He is retired from the U.S. Government Department of Transportation, works at Red Cross, Choate Hospital Hotline, the Sterling Institute, and Rowe Camp and Conference Center. He enjoys sailing and swimming.

Sam and Ruth Dearborn, 12 Woodlawn Ridge Road, Concord, N.H., have two married daughters and three grandchildren. Sam, a lawyer, is retired, having last been employed by the New Hampshire Superior Court as "martial master." He is a member of the Pembroke Fire Department, a director of Durham Trust Company, and still has the courage to list skiing as his favorite sport.

Dave and Flo Dutcher live at 3465 South Moorings Way, Coconut Grove, Miami, FL 33133. Between them they have seven children and three grandchildren. Dave retired from United Airlines, where he was based in Chicago, and is now into Florida real estate. He is a member of the Greater Miami Aviation Authority and Quiet Birdmen (historical aviation). He lists sailing, skiing, and swimming as his participatory sports.

Tom and Tish Gist live at 11550 East Broadway, Tucson, AZ 85748. Tom is retired, a director of three (unspecified) corporations, and lists hiking as his special passion.

Al and Jane Gorman, whom we have always identified with Albany, N.Y., now claim 6701 North Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85253 as their primary home. They still have a home in Albany and one in Manchester, Vt. Al is not retired and is employed by Gorman Bros., Inc. He is a director of three family businesses and has two sons, three married daughters, and nine grandchildren at last count.

We'll be back in December with a report from the executive committee meeting, to be held at the mini-reunion, and anything else that we are fortunate enough to come across. We are hopeful that we'll have a "guest editor" for our January/February issue in keeping with the wishes of the executive committee. So stay tuned!

777 West Street Pittsfield, MA 01201