1950
In a month the class will be convening in Hanover for our 45th Reunion, along with the classes of '48 and '49. If you've not sent in the stuff indicating that you're coming, better do so right away. It's not too late, but don't dawdle any longer:
As happens all too often, I'm facing a deadline for this column with no news from classmates. Nada, rien, nichts, niente, nil. Since I have no new news, I dug up some facts and figures that may interest you.
The average income is $3,216, a new car costs $1,511, and the price of a new house: $8,450. At the grocery store a loaf of bread costs 14 cents, and a quart of milk is 24 cents. A gallon of gas goes for $0.18. Gold sells for $35 per ounce and silver for $0.90.
The stock market index is at 216, the minimum wage is $0.75 an hour, and life expectancy is 68.2 years!
The recently announced Academy Award winners are Jose Ferrer in "Cyrano de Bergerac" and Judy Holliday for "Born Yesterday." The best picture is "All About Eve." The top hit songs are "Goodnight Irene," "Mona Lisa," and "Music, Music, Music." The top Broadway show is Guys and Dolls.
In sports, the Yanks win the World Series again, the Cleveland Browns win the NFL, and Ben Hogan is the U.S. Open champion. Ezzard Charles knocks out Freddy Beshore, Nick Barone, and Joe Louis! CCNY is the NCAA basketball champ, and Ohio State's Vic Janowicz is the Heisman Trophy winner.
Joe McCarthy launches his anti-Communist crusade, a one-piece windshield is offered on a new Cadillac, RCA announces a threecolor TV picture tube, and scientists produce electricity from an atom. President Truman orders the hydrogen bomb to be produced. General Motors reports the largest income ever made by a corporation: $656 million. The U.S. Census count is 150 million people.
On the world scene, the Soviet delegation walks out of the U.N. Security Council, London recognizes Communist China, and the Russians down a U.S. bomber over Latvia. North Korea launches its invasion of South Korea, Seoul falls and is recaptured by U.S. troops, and 16 U.N. countries are fighting in South Korea.
The year, of course, is 1950. See you in Hanover.
2 Central Green, Winchester, MA 01890
5ifty The Class of 1950 45th Reunion June 13-16, 1994
