1959

Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year. My December column has been turned over to the very inspirational Howard Greene. As my gift to you, his letter is printed in its entirety—I know you'll enjoy it. The occasion was a celebration of the 25th wedding anniversary of Fred Davidson and his wonderful wife, Mary, which the Davidsons arranged from Melbourne, Australia, for their friends in the U.S.

"The true advantages to skiing came to light in the course of an evening of celebrations and confessions. Fred met Mary, who is a Canadian by background, while skiing in Zermatt. Love of ski site apparently turned quickly to love at first sight, as Fred recounts their encounter. After several years of working in the corporate world in Canada, Fred, with Mary, moved to Melbourne, and he has never looked back. He is an Australian citizen today with a subtle trace of an Anglo-Aussie accent. Fred left the security of the corporate structure to develop his own consulting business in out-placement counseling. From sources that cannot be divulged, I have learned that he is considered the top consultant in his field in Australia. His handsome profile recently appeared on the cover of a major business magazine because of his work. We should be somewhat wary, however, since even Woody Allen gets his picture on the front pages of magazines these days.

"More seriously, Fred has created a wonderful life down under. He would argue that he does not quite deserve the fantastic woman whom he married and now celebrates a 25th anniversary with. They have two terrific daughters who have grown up in Melbourne.

"Here's a personal example of our classmate and friend: several years ago my oldest son graduated from college on a Saturday and was on his way to Sydney on Sunday to begin working for Citicorp at the ripe age of 21. Fred, Mary, and their daughters became his family throughout his two-year stay in Australia. Fred and I share the same picture of the two of us in rugby outfits in Palmer Stadium in Princeton. My son quickly grasped the strength of the relationship over distance and time when he saw this picture hanging in Fred's study.

"Also present at the festivities in New York was Dick Press, whose relationship with Fred began when they were at Loomis-Chaffee School together. Dick and his wife, Veda, are at the 31 -years-of-marriage stage and still talking to each other. Dick left the venerable family business of J. Press Clothiers to assume the presidency of J. Tripler, a rather elegant men's clothing store in Manhattan. So it's time to trade in all those natural-shoulder, slightly baggy tweeds and hie to Tripler's to develop the sleek and elegant look. Dick and Veda left the noise and grit of New York for the peace and beauty (never mind the commute) of Greenwich, Conn. They have two wonderful kids and are grandparents of a girl, Sara, whom we can expect Dick to spoil rotten.

"Over some of the nicest wine I have had in a long time (Fred always had the finest taste of the Phi Gams), Dick, Fred, and I came to realize that we all had Herb West watercolors hanging in our libraries. Those views of New Hampshire and Vermont that he painted trip many memories for us.

"As the tooth grows longer and the days shorter, I become ever more aware of the special quality of the relationships all of us (I would hope) established in Hanover. To see the classmates after long absences and be able to pick up the friendships and the stories as easily if we were meeting at Lou's for lunch after class is not easily replicated at this stage of life."

Thank you, Howard.

III, 1135 Ridgeway Road, Dayton' OH 45419-3032