1933

A report from the Boston cultural front comes from PaulZamecnik and records his attendance with Mary as guests of Walter Bezanson and Gail at a concert of the Czech Symphony Orchestra of Prague at Symphony Hall. The reason for their presence was the inclusion on the program of Clarinet Concerto No. 3 of the noted American composer, William Thomas McKinley. According to the program notes, the concerto "was commissioned by Gail Coffler as a gift for her husband, Walter Bezanson (the eminent Melville scholar), to celebrate his 80th birthday."

The notes go on to reveal that, in comparison with other McKinley concertos, to the particular work was added "a somewhat darker, more obsessive vein in which the melodic lines (were) more fragmented and the influence of jazz and other vernacular music more highly distilled." Nonetheless, all hands seem to have survived without incident, since Paul adds that the Bezansons and Zamecniks are well and that he has been invited back by Massachusetts General to continue laboratory work, this time on drug-resistant malaria. He justifies his continuance of his labor with a quote from Carlos Fuentes that might apply to all of us elders. "It is better," said the old gringo, "to die in battle than to lose one's memory or fall down the cellar stairs."

Writing to express her pride and that of her children on receiving the notice of the memorial book donated by the class in memory of Art Oesterheld, his wife, Gwen, also reveals that Art's passing terminated an historic 1933 friendship. In her words, "Johnny 'Swede' Branson, Tris Metcalfe, and Art (or Eri) attended kindergarten and three Yonkers schools together and subsequently became Dartmouth roommates and fraternity brothers." Somewhat of a record, we'd say. And a boost for dear old Yonkers!

Some time ago, Leigh Stanley sent us a note implying that someone had listed Dorothy Weeman and Marjorie Hicks as "missing." As we told Leigh, it wasn't us, and a check of the 1933 address printout showed that both were correctly included. So, all is well and greetings to all three!

Leigh also added the interesting information that she had "gone to dancing school with Kent Rhodes, who made a fortune as an officer at The Readers' Digest." An achievement doubtless reached in part due to his early inspiration by Leigh!

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The wife ofWalter Bezanson commissioned a concerto to celebrate his 80th kirtktlay. JOHN MONAGAN '33