1951

Thank goodness for September, after those humid summer days and those heated political conventions! With the summer hiatus in the usual monthly round of reporting, a number of items are here presented, some less than timely but nonetheless worthy of notice. I had occasion to see Ted Corsones in May; he tells us that after a stint as Vermont's Attorney General, he's out of politics to spend more time with his family. Bill Brooks from Connecticut drove up to my home in Holyoke to meet his mother Helen, who drove down from Woodstock, where she lives. After a brief visit, they went back to Bill's home in Madison for the wedding of Bill's son Don. It was grand seeing Mrs. Brooks again. Some of you will remember her from our reunion in 1986; I also remember her from reunions in the late 1930s, as Bill and I had dads in the class of 1917.

Dick McFarland has been elected president of the Minneapolis United Way campaign, in which he has been active since 1976. After getting his M.B.A. from Tuck, Dick held executive positions in investment banking, culminating in being named president and CEO of Inter-Regional Financial Group in 1982. Well, what else would you expect of a guy who lives in Excelsior, Minn.?

Jim Keegan has recently retired from his position as surgeon at the Milford (Conn.) Hospital, where he has served for 25 years. Jim says that he has enjoyed the intimacy of a small hospital. Like some of us, he plans to do those things he likes best: sailing, traveling, reading, and being with his family. Another classmate who understands that small is often better is Aldan Markson. In Kenilworth, N.J., Aldan concentrates upon legal matters in real estate and taxation in "a small law firm" because he believes that it has significant advantages for small businesses and for individuals. In addition, Aldan has served as Kenilworth's zoning board attorney, its municipal prosecutor, and now as its municipal court judge.

Scott Olin, secretary for 1950, has sent along a New York Times clipping about Pinky Pfaff, who has been rewarded by a relationship with a Fresh Air Fund youngster he befriended 21 years ago. As Batch will publish the entire article in our class newsletter, I'll say no more, but I'm sure Pinky's experience will interest all of you.

And this just in from Joe and Donna Welch: John and Marcia Clayton, at their Eastman community home, and Joe and Louise Baker, at their Woodstock condo, hosted a two-location golf outing in late June for a bunch of '51 thwackers Dick and Peggy Price, Charlie and Sarah Breed, Joe and Rosalee Boissy, Dave and Babs Hall, Amos Gile, and the Welches. Joe reports that "the weekend started with a great steak cookout on Friday evening at the Claytons. On Saturday, we played the Eastman course, rated the finest in New Hampshire by Golf Digest. For some of us it was a humbling experience, but for others—namely, Clayton, Hall, and Boissy it was a piece of cake. John took honors with a 76. That evening we met at the Baker's condo for cocktails and then dined at the famous Woodstock Inn buffet. On Sunday, we mounted an assault on the Woodstock course, where most of us were taken hostage by a übiquitous brook which made its presence felt in 14 of the 18 holes. Boissy throve as he brandished his ball-retriever, holding it as a knight would his lance and charging down the fairways on his E-Z-Go steed. The day was marred only by some malevolence when my team asked that I be traded and set me adrift as a free agent; however, Dick Price interceded on my behalf, insisting that I be retained, "if only for comic relief." Joe explains that he would have sent pictures, but one of the grandchildren there dropped the camera in the pool!

Stay healthy, be good to yourselves, and keep in touch.

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