1955

The more the economy gyrates, the more we become bemused/amused/terrified with the economy. There are those, I suppose, who would solve the problem by forgetting the economy, hoping the whole' thing would go away. But then what would Alan Murray do? A 1 is vice president and senior economist at Citibank, where he has been divining the future for the past 18 years. As A 1 has indicated, one of the fascinations of the job is that it is constantly changing. A 1 is obviously a typical classmate full of talent recognized even by his peers, for he has completed serving as president of the New York Association of Business Economists. To have 350 of your peers select you is a nice compliment. A 1 does feel that the economy will continue to grow but not rapidly rather, lacklusterly. The good side of all that comes from low in- flation, which, combined with low inter- est rates helps a steady growth. The decline in the value of the dollar is bound to have some effect, but not in a hurry. As for the federal budget, A 1 feels it looks good on paper, but there is a very good possibility of its coming apart, worsening federal deficits, which are pretty intolera- ble. As for the tax bill, he feels there is too much of a load on business, particu- larly capital-intensive industries, which are in the process of trying to recover. He does feel that figures may not add up, that the revenue necessary may not be realized. He has his "fingers crossed" (obviously one of those economic skills)! A 1 spoke to the Boston Treasurers Association, having been invited by Jack Cogswell.

But you don't have to be a banker to be involved with a bank. Dan Musser was recently elected a director of the Detroit Northern Savings in Hancock, Mich. Situated on Lake Superior, it is one of the most northern of all banks in the U.S. Dan is the owner and president of the Grand Hotel Company on Mackinac Island. Dan indicated that no one has challenged their claims that they have the longest porch in the world, complete with 150 rocking chairs. A horse and a wagon will take you from the boat to the hotel, where, in addition to the obvious, they also have a golf course, tennis courts, and all the accompaniments for a complete resort. The Mussers have three children, two of whom work in the hotel just like Dan, who worked for the hotel for three Dartmouth summers before serving two years with the army in Japan. (The top is more fun when you know what the bottom is like.)

Ray Woolson serves as the president of the Souhegan National Bank of Milford, N.H. When the Amoskeag Bank Shares, Inc., of Manchester, acquired Souhegan, Ray was made the new director of the bank holding company.

Wes Bruner probably takes equal billing with Dan Musser for longevitity with a single company, for Wes has spent 30 years with Westinghouse, a firm he joined just before serving in the air force and came back to immediately after his tour of duty. Wes is manager of the radar systems engineering department for Westinghouse in Baltimore, coordinating a lot of brain power to design radar systems for such projects as the B-l, Awacs, and the Fl6. Of course, when Wes was in the air force, he ended up in Rome, N.Y. at, to be sure, a radar base. Wes has two children and is getting ready to start looking for a college. (Good luck.) Wes andhis wife, Libby, have spent time in En gland and Scotland, and Wes has traveled all over the world selling Westinghouse systems to the Japanese, the Australians, and before our recent falling out, the Iranians. Wes said this has been a big year, for he helped celebrate the anniversaries of 100 years of the Westinghouse Corporation, 30 years with the company, and his 35th high school reunion. Tuck-Thayer really was useful.

Dick Hogarty reports that Bernie Fulton is thinking about running for mayor of Atlantic City. Dick hopes that Bernie remembers what the muckraker Lincoln Steffens advised about the mayorship "get in and out fast." We all wish Bernie well if he decides to throw his hat in the political arena.

And then there is Joe Herring, director of Christ Episcopal Church in Newtown, N. J., since 1983. Newtown is the county seat of Sussex, still with its own unspoiled beauty not dissimilar from southern Vermont. Joe is writing a book on the parables of St. Luke and writes regularly for a diocesan newspaper. He has a daughter and son at Randolph Macon in Virginia, and a wife, Bonnie, who is involved in relating fabrics to interior design.

So, A 1 Murray, if all else fails, call up Joe Herring. It can't hurt and who knows, it might help.

Phil Anderson and Bob Baehr, both of the class of '57, celebrated their 50th birthdays by traveling inEurope. See the '57 column for details of their jaunt.

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