1933

Kent Rhodes sounded spunky and vigorous when we talked with him one recent morning. And well he should, considering the activities which he still carries on. Although he retired as chairman of the board of Readers' Digest in 1978, he was immediately made full-time head of the Magazine Industry Trade Association to settle the squabble between Time and Readers' Digest, in which he succeeded. He has been a trustee of Upward Bound for 26 years and has just been honored by designation as that organization's first trustee emeritus. His real interest presently is his continuing work as chairman of the executive committee of the Institute of International Education, which is concerned with international student exchanges and manages the Fulbright program. Kent sees the exchange of people as an activity vital for international understanding. He is also involved with International House, the residence on Morningside Heights where students from all over the world are "mixed together," an important function in Kent's view. He and Christina sail out of Fisher's Island and hope to some day cross the Sound to visit the Spragues or the Nieblings.

In July our Hitchcock roommate, erstwhile tennis whiz and, more recently, canny financial executive Hal Smith hit the four-score mark and was feted in Waterbury with songs and stories devoted to his close-fisted qualities. Since moving from president to chairman of the board of First Federal, he and Copey have relaxed a bit and even take winter vacations, but the policies he inaugurated have helped keep his S & L on a reasonably even keel in the disastrous New England economy. Hal still negotiates the local links at a respectable (confidential) figure.

Buster and Athena Snow are enjoying the golden years at Falmouth on Cape Cod. Athena, who still displays the zip she acquired on the Hanover Plain, has devoted her leisure to a series of courses on art history. Buster gave up his role as a public utility tycoon fifteen years ago and has not juggled china or batted a baseball for some time. He had a slight stroke a year ago, but has recovered beautifully and is back on the golf course, with a limit of nine holes at this point. Their son is an endodontist (root canal fixer) in Austin, Texas. "When you need him, you need him," says Athena.

We talked with Bea and Jeff Davis a while ago and were delighted to find them comfortably ensconced as members of the '33 cell at Kendal at Hanover. It was particularly gratifying to find Bea so spry after the difficult times she went through prior to her heart surgery in Boston.

Hank and Helen Smith are proceeding at full steam as always. Hank has retired from heading the Association to Unite the Democracies and the couple are shortly leaving for a barge tour of the Trent-Severn waterways in Ontario. Except for "a slight list to the starboard," Helen has recovered completely from her fall of several years ago.

John S. Monagan, 3043 West Lane Keys NW, Washington, DC 20007-3057