1939

We look forward with great anticipation to our 50th reunion coming up next June, but are saddened to report the passing of five classmates who will not be with us. Tom Vent died on March 19; Dan Webster on March 22; Monty Gray on April 5; EarleStevenson on April 7th; and John Mearns on April 8. (Obits appear in this or subsequent issues.)

Bob Davidson has sent along a bunch of green cards with a promise to continue. This means that your scribe has inherited some French language postcards with warm greetings to Davidson from "Mavie" and "Eliot." also included is a card from Gene Weeks to Davidson on which is pasted a cartoon depicting two members of the French Foreign Legion, one suggesting that he joined the Legion to escape his alumni newsletter.

George Hanna reports having a brief meeting in May with Howie Pratt, with whom he roomed freshman year. Howie, who came from Keene, now lives in Hopkinton, N.H., has retired from his practice as an orthopedic surgeon, and is now doing some consulting. "He was on crutches with an arthritic hip, but otherwise looked great," said George.

Dick Woodward, that's Richard W.of Seattle, Wash., passes along a clipping from the Desert Sun of Desert, Calif., about JimFeeley, looking resplendent in his bib and tucker greeting guests at the President's Ball at the club in Rancho Mirage.

Ed Searles writes that "Dartmouth's new president is worse than the previous two." He suggests that unless things are reversed in the near future he will withdraw his support from the College.

Ev Woodman challenges the suggestion that John Page was the last classmate to see Jim Mathes alive (March issue). Ev spent 20 minutes chatting with Jim at the little port of Dinard, Bretagne, just a few days before Jim's PT boat was blown apart. Ev was preparing for an assault on a German held island a few miles offshore, but the Kommadant surrendered on the eve of the thrust. Ev had his fill of assaults, having participated earlier in the amphibious operation of Omaha Beach on D-Day.

Al Loberg, reelected Maryland state president of the Navy League of the United States, was also elected a national director. A1 had served two terms as president of the Eastern Shore Council prior to his election as Maryland state president.

The sports pages of the Hartland (Conn.) Courant featured a picture of a handsome Jay Cottone, son of 1939's Jumping Joe Cottone. Jay was appointed coach of this fall's Hall High School football program, following in Joe's footsteps. Joe had a most successful and memorable career as coach at Wethersfield High in the sixties.

See you at the mini on the weekend of September 17 in Hanover, or in Charlotte September 30?

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