1954

Thanks to all who have responded to my impassioned plea for copy, some of which I have passed on to Herb Hillman, who can do jus tice to your news in his notso-limited-for-space class newsletter.

Skip and Lucienne Abbey wrote in January from Sapphire Lakes, N.C., where they are building their permanent retirement home. They have sold their first house there and their condo in Florida and plan to live in North Carolina and spend some time in Palm Coast, Fla. Does this sound confusing? Well, they are just reversing their routine of the last eight years since Skip retired. "All goes well, but you have to adjust to 'mountain time' when it comes to building a house. Hopefully, we'll finally get in before the end of March, but don't make book on it (did you make it, Skip?). We really wanted to join in the fun and games at Harbour Ridge, but don't dare to leave here even for a few days."

Ralph Destino's name popped up in The New York Times in February. He was mentioned as chairman of the new Fifth Avenue Business Improvement District. He welcomed the Warner Bros. Studio Store to the northeast corner of Fifth Avenue and 50th Street: "It's great for the neighborhood. Fun is always welcome on Fifth Avenue. There's always room for wit and whimsy."

Dick Leary writes that he has been inducted into the Maiden (Mass.) Catholic High School Athletic Hall of Fame. He has been town administrator in Brookline since 1969, "a record of sorts in Massachusetts." His questionnaire for the Hall of Fame reveals that he was hockey captain in 1949 when Maiden's undefeated streak was extended to 43 consecutive games. He also was captain of the Catholic League All Stars and all-scholastic in hockey that same year, as well as leading scorer in the whole state. Dick, of course, went on to captain Dartmouth's undefeated freshman hockey team in 1951 and played three years of varsity hockey.

Accolades to Don Brief, who was honored by the American Cancer Society's Essex, N.J., unit at its annual ball. The ACS donated $300 a month to Don's medical studies from 1961 to 1964, and it proved to be a good investment. Don went on to become chief of general surgery at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, and he has volunteered his professional and personal skills in the fight against cancer for many years and is president-elect of the Essex unit. In addition to his duties at Beth Israel, Don is attending surgeon at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston and clinical professor of surgery at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in Newark. Don says, "I believe everyone should give something back to the community.

Ed Horton, currently chairman of the Department of Medicine at the University of Vermont and chief of the medical service at the Medical Center Hospital of Vermont (isn't that enough to do?) has been named the new medical director of the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston. In his new role, Ed will oversee the clinical and educational activities of the world's oldest freestanding institution dedicated solely to diabetes treatment, research, and patient and professional education.

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