1942

A recent newspaper story announced the plans of Harte-Hanks Communications, Inc., to purchase the Town Crier newspapers. BobSchutte, Town Crier publisher and principal stockholder, said, "We are confident that Harte-Hanks will maintain our commitment to our communities and employees. It was very important to me that the newspapers would be operated by people who believe in editorial excellence and community service. I am pleased that Harte-Hanks shares that commitment."

We immediately put in a call to our old roommate to find out what was really going on, only to learn that Bob was vacationing in Las Vegas. We remember when he started his first paper, the Wayland Town Crier, from absolute scratch right after he came back from the South Pacific. Hard work and native genius turned Bob into a major factor in the Boston suburban newspaper business.

Received a nice note from Bettie Fuller (Mrs. Clifford J.) which follows: "Just a note to send along this news: Two '42 families were joined last fall when Linda Fuller Malsberry, daughter of Bettie and Cliff Fuller, became the bride of Rob Roy Carruthers Jr., son of Mary Carruthers and the late Rob Roy Carruthers. The wedding took place last October in Hanover in the Church of Christ at Dartmouth. Rob and Linda are living in Reston, Va., where they own several flower shops, but visit us often here in Hanover."

Driven by mid-winter angst, your secretary and spouse tried something new this winter and loved it. We took our bicycles to Barbados and rode around and over that lovely tropical island for a week. We say "over" with some feeling, for every time one goes over Barbados one climbs the island's spine, some 800 feet above the start at sea level.

In fact, one day we pedaled and walked up 850 feet in a mile and a quarter, ascending a road whose average grade was 11 percent. Add a 90-degrees-in-the-shade temperature, clear tropical sunlight, and high humidity, and you may get some impression of what some of us will do to get away from a New England winter.

Barbados was English, so the biking is on the left. Other hazards in the countryside are hurtling trucks of sugar cane on narrow roads surfaced with potholes and crumbling asphalt. In the city these risks are compounded by heavy traffic; Barbadian drivers are all in a hurry and blandly assume, as they swirl past by inches, that every cyclist is as steady as a rock.

Unlike some of our other cycling vacations, this time we were on a tour. There was a leader in front (the "point man") and one in back (the "sweep"), so we couldn't get lost. And if a chain came off or a tire went flat, there was always someone there to fix it. Our gear followed in a truck which would also carry the pedaling wounded if necessary. And every night the hotel accommodations were perfect - good food, lovely beaches, and every poolside luxury one could wish.

We were of course, the "golden oldies" of the group, but no one held our unmistakable maturity against us.

15 Indian Springs Way Wellesley Hills, MA 02181