1942

May 1942. Fifty years ago! College Trustees host class of 1942 at Thayer luncheon. Nelson Rockefeller is elected Trustee. Al Dingwall gets the Richardson Cup for "best serving the interests of the Glee Club." Five more of the class are elected to Phi Beta Kappa, making 36 in all. Ted Arico, already class treasurer, is named class agent by the class executive committee. Bob Myers is class poet; Stub Pearson, Valedictorian; Jim Farley, Sachem Orator; Jim Erwin will address the Old Pine; and Walt Elcock will deliver the Class Day oration.

In the first wartime Commencement, 444 receive degrees in the Bema ceremony. Hoppy hails "more and greater opportunities to live importantly." His injunction: "With all thy getting, get understanding. For you I would wish understanding as of greatest value." AndyWood is graduated with Valedictory rank while Bob Blood gets Salutatory. Honorary degrees go to War Production Chief Cyrus Ching, Doctor of Laws; Chinese Ambassador Hu Shih, Doctor of Letters; New Hampshire Chief Justice John Allen '94, Doctor of Laws; Frank Sanborn '87, Doctor of Science; and Harvard Professor John Lowes, Doctor of Letters.

With which, early in May 1942, we dispersed to World War II and the four corners of the globe. May 1942. Only fifty years ago!

From Merrill McLane in Bethesda, Md., comes a letter and a Gloucester, Mass., newspaper clipping showing Merrill with other Rockport, residents surveying damage to that community's public landings and rights-of-way from an October storm. Some years ago, when concerned about the continuing loss of public access to Rockport's seacoast, Merrill, a summer resident, started talk and action that lead to a town committee which in the intervening years has researched, reconfirmed, and re-established public rights-of-way and paths along the Rockport coast.

From Fennville, Mich., comes a letter to Dave Heald and me from the Reverend GutzCurtis. Gutz wrote to Dave that he would not be attending the 50th next month, saying there is no intent "to ignore you good guys nor to have forgotten the happy memories." Gutz says the church continues to keep him busy and active so he won't have time to train again for another Iron Man Triathalon. We'll miss you, Gutz.

Dick Lippman recorded in the February newsletter the death of Lt. Col. Dick Wilson in April 1991, and Bob Kirk sent along a note that Jack Witter passed away in West Hartford, Conn., late in January. We send the sympathy of the class to the families of these departed classmates.

And finally, as I close out my stewardship of this column (although I'll probably be reporting on Reunion events in the Summer issue), I think it fitting that I report on a conversation I had in early March with the last member of the class (alphabetically speaking): JackZimmer. Jack, the former outdoor advertising king of Central Florida, has long since sold his sign business and now, with the assistance of a son and son-in-law, devotes his working hours (occasional and not a heavy load) to managing the real-estate interests he acquired early on when he was buying Florida swamp lands (pre-Disney) on which to locate his signs. Jack is playing tennis and golf and spending some time at a New Smyrna Beach home. He and Nita celebrated their 45th on March 7.

And with this I say "So long." You've been great and it has been a pleasure. I'll be looking for most of you in Hanover next month.

P.O. Box 504, Burlington, VT 05402

50th Reunion