1948

While still discussing the '48 40th last June the contribution made by Pat McAllister, A1's widow, deserves special mention. As a member of the reunion committee Pat not only found the great little band of moonlighting businessmen that played "our kind of '40s music" in the tent one evening 'til the wee hours, but also made it possible for three other '48 widows to join some of their husbands' old '48 friends in Hanover. They were the late Don Briggs's wife Anne from Rochester, Walt Palmunen's Natalie from Reading, Mass., and Ken Schaefer's widow Gwyn from Washington State. They added spirit to our 40th.

The class made Gwyn's granddaughter Erica Simeon an honorary '48 at the class dinner, this to loud applause in that she achieved Ken's wish, expressed before he died, that she attend Dartmouth. She matriculates as a '92 this fall, the first '48 stepgranddaughter to do so, we believe.

Great applause was likewise generated at the class meeting for the work done by departing class officers Earl Chambers and Barney Hoisington. The newly elected president, vice president, and newsletter editor, per the nominations made by John Van Raalte's committee, are, respectively, Bud Gedney, John Hatheway, and Sam Wilkinson. Earl, who joins the Alumni Council, spoke of the successes achieved over recent years by '48 Alumni Fund head agents Ken Young, Bud Elliott, and Marve Axelrod as well as by reunion giving chair Jim McLaughlin.

Ax humorously responded in saying mailed chloroform had "doped" him into taking the job, while Jim cited his personal pleasure in finding latent loyalty in so many formerly "lost" '48s via his efforts in the recent campaign.

We 66 '48s who attended reunion were saddened that some classmates had to change plans at the last minute. Eddie Gingrich in Atlanta recently lost a kidney and some ribs he hopes they "got it all," as do we which combined with Ella's arthritis to prevent the trip. Sam Katz, of whom better news later, had to cancel due to sickness in the family, as did Foxy Parker. John McFalls of Seattle, chief'48 expert on gold, was preempted by his presiding over an international panel on the subject. Fritz McTarnahan said later in Tucson he won't miss the next reunion, and asked about old friends Dave Anthony, Dick Barlow, Ed Gingrich, Hank Mueller, and Howie Westney. We missed Dave and Ed at the 40th.

Who was the father of the first '48 offspring to enter Dartmouth? John Fenno opened the challenge in asserting his son Chris '72 qualified. Phil Ruegger responded that Phil III '71 was probably the first. At reunion John and Peg Barry of Stoneham, Mass., identified their John III as a '70, so they now take the lead in this history. Further challengers?

Jottings. The laughter caused by the Truman Metzel stories of life in Crosby during summer term of 1944 when ex-marine Jim Duffy was "father confessor" to the dorm. (Tru wants to see more '48s at his Great Expectations Book Store in Chicago's Evanston.) The wonderfully welcome surprise when Bill Hartwig's lovely sophomore daughter Karen stopped Joan and me on Main Street in Hanover, having identified us from our reunion dog tags. Said her father in Milwaukee had asked her to say hello. Reunion was fan.

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