1949

Back on January 17 you might have come across this stock-market prognostication in The New York Times Business Section: "A respected market strategist, Michael Metz of Oppenheimer & Co., doubled his model stock allocation to 40 percent from 20 percent yesterday, halving his cash allocation to 20 percent.

"Mr. Metz.. .said that in contrast to 1994, when many stocks made their gains for the year in the first few months, 'all of 1995's movement may come in the next few weeks.'" Because of DAM deadlines, several months have now passed, and the window Mike described has closed. If he was right on the money this time, as he usually is (hence the title "respected"), chalk up another victory for this Wall Street star. If not, well that will mean investment opportunities still prevail, and that's pretty good news too.

On the new job front, Beth Griffiths has moved her place of employment a couple hundred yards in Hanover, having left her position as senior secretary in the ILEAD office to become the local-advertising manager of the magazine you are holding. She will be putting to work skills she learned when she and Bill lived in Connecticut. If you're still working, perhaps you should give Beth a call and advertise your product or service to the Dartmouth community. ILEAD, the Institute for Lifelong Education at Dartmouth, will go on without her, stimulating the little gray cells of some of your classmates in the Hanover area. Among others.

On the old job front, would you believe that Bob Alden has held the same job for more than 41 years as a time salesman for WOR radio in New York? In fact, some of his associates have recently been lobbying to get Bob a well-earned spot in the Guinness Book of Records. Bob and Persis probably still have Bob's original crystal set at home in Riverside, Conn.

Jay Evans has passed the word that the Led-Yard Canoe Club, of which he continues as an advisor, is marking its 75 th birthday this month with a program of celebratory events. Tay continues to paddle his own canoe.

An e-mail communique tells us that the peripatetic Samuel Smith has made it to Manchester, the destination reported in last month's column. Write him at P.O. Box 579, WY 82839. The best part of an otherwise uneventful cross-country drive was spotting red-tailed hawks and kestrels and eagles decorating the big sky.

Some '49ers are retired, of course, but a number of others refuse to use the "R" word and remain very busy. For example, it's hard to imagine Mike Gish passing the time in a rocking chair. A recent clipping from the Westport (Conn.) News reported on his appearance as a guest lecturer at the Weston Library. "Veteran helicopter pilot and combat artist Peter Michael Gish," said the article, talked about his work recording the drama and tragedy in Somalia in on-site paintings. Mike's a colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve.

RR #1, P.O. Box 215 A, Fairlee, VT 05045