1921

In one of my most interesting English classes, Professor David Lambuth, who was also my adviser, quoted this gem: "Literature the most seductive, the most deceiving, the most dangerous of professions." I believe he was serious because Professor Lambuth was quoting Edmund Burke. Was he warning me to stay out of "literature" as a profession to follow after graduation? Even at that age, I had learned that "man is nature's sole mistake" (William Gilbert, 1836-1911), so why spend a lifetime writing about him? Looking backward, there was no chance that "literature" was going to be my profession.

My grandson is teaching physics and biology and coaching the lacrosse team at the Belmont Hill School (Belmont, Mass.). Very fortunate young man for his first year out of Yale.

Saturday nights we watch "The McLaughlin Group" on television, hosted by National Review editor John McLaughlin. Amongst this group of five men is Morton Kondracke '60. They are a bunch of feisty, witty, but highly intelligent news commentators.

In Palm Beach, we have an organization called "The Round Table" 53 years in existence a group of probably the most aware people in Florida.

The January 23 discussion had a conservative, Ed Feulner, of the Heritage Foundation, versus Morton Kondracke, Washington bureau chief of Newsweek, who represented the liberal point of view. Both speakers presented their views of our present political problems and what should be done. If you ask who won the debate, the prize goes to Mort, and my wife, Martha, agreed. He was the most reasonable and flexible of the two. It was a stimulating afternoon.

P.S. Just phoned Ort Hicks to ask what he knew about Mort Kondracke, and Ort wishes to report that as an undergraduate Mort was a very lively, capable editor of The Dartmouth and left behind an excellent record. Ort also hopes that I tell all classmates that he is very enthusiastic about Mort's performance with the McLaughlin Group.

Sometimes I read an item which seems to fit the members of 1921. Cicero must have been thinking of Bob Burroughs, Ray Mallary, Jack Hubbell, and G. Harry Chamberlaine, and all the members of 1921 approaching their 85th birthdays, when he said: "As I approve of a youth that has something of the old man in him, so I am no less pleased with an old man that has something of the youth. He that follows this rule may be old in body, but can never be so in mind." Doesn't Cicero express perfectly the philosophy of all 1921ers!

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