1927

Here is a surprise. This is being dictated on April 10 to my wife, Ruth, since your scribe suffered a very minor stroke in late March. I am coming along fine except for minor difficulties with speech, reading, and writing and hope that all will be resolved in due course. I am indebted to Ruth for taking over the letter writing and the mailing of class birthday cards, especially since, being cochairman of her own 50th class reunion at Radcliffe in June, she has plenty of problems of her own.

The class of 1927's annual mini-reunion was held March 17 at the Sarasota Country Club under the direction of Doc andVera Harvey. Those who joined them were: Bert and Ruth Gustin, Bob and Alice Tobey, Cam and Sarah Clokey, Frankand Evelyn Strong, Ben and Mim Bell,Guy Bostwick, Wil Shaw, and Don andDodie McCall. This year the affair was held in connection with the Dartmouth Club luncheon, and Ted Leland was the main speaker. He spoke about the controversy in connection with head football coach Joe Yukica. In reporting the event to us, Doc Harvey noted that he thought Ted explained it to the satisfaction of most of the audience.

Among the regulars who didn't make it were the Blisses, who were vacationing in the Bahamas, and the Longs, who were in Hawaii. Roger Bury, generally a mainstay at these affairs, sent his regards from Pitcairn Island in the South Pacific, on his way around the world with his bride, Laura.

We are delighted that class president Paul Hannah has appointed Chuck Baker to the post of class bequest chairman and that Chuck has decided to accept the post vacated by the recent death of Paul Revere O'Connell. We wish Chuck success with this important job.

We are indebted to Steve Tracy for a long, descriptive article (with pictures) of Barbara Cotton, widow of Mert Cotton, in the Manchester, N.H., Sunday News of March 23. The headline was "Barbara Cotton's Life Is Perfect Fish Story," and the story goes on to describe her activities at the Opechee Trading Post in Laconia, N.H.

Bunny Smith wrote from Hilton Head Island in South Carolina that he had no new news. However, anyone who reports, as Bunny did, that he enjoys good health sends us a lot more than "no news."

We had a call the other night from BudWesselmann in Winter Haven, Fla. It is always a delight to receive calls in response to class birthday cards, even though in Bud's case the reason is that he has difficulty in writing. Bud's health continues to be fair to middling as he tries to make do by himself after the death of his wife, Dottie, a few years ago.

Dow Mills wrote that he was departing for a trip on March 20 to Australia and New Zealand. He also wrote that SydHarris had made satisfactory progress from his surgery in early March. Dow spoke of several interesting meetings with Lowell Wormley's widow, Olivia, and was intrigued with the Dartmouth memorabilia in Lowell's study.

You may recall that a year ago we reported to you that Charlie Huntley in Austin, Tex., had sent us a packet of a dozen beans from his garden that were purported to yield pole beans up to 36 inches in length. We did plant them in our backyard garden last spring on two different occasions, and none came up. We told this to Charlie and have just received another packet which we shall try once again. If nothing happens this time, we'll have to assume that Charlie was spoofing.

We are saddened to report the deaths of B. Jordan Pulver on February 15, 1986, Harry B. Milner on December 14, 1985, Alan McKean Welty, April 11, 1986, and William B. Fryberger, March 4, 1986.

At Class Officers Weekend in May, Gywnne A. Prosser '28 was honored with the Dartmouth Alumni Award. For 36 years he had a career in personnel administration. Upon "retirement" he became president and trustee of Canaan College; trustee of Alice Peck Day Hospital in Lebanon; chairman of SCORE, the service corps of retired executives; town selectman; and director of the Upper Valley-Lake Sunapee Association. He helped found Somerset Country College in New Jersey. For Dartmouth, he has been secretary and vice president of the Dartmouth Club of New York, secretary of the Alumni Association of New York City, class head agent, and assistant class agent. He has been active in reunion and mini-reunion committees and fund-raising campaigns, helping to raise more than one-half million dollars for Class of 1928 scholarships.

11 Rolling Lane Wayland, MA 01778