1942

Some discussion about oldest and youngest classmates led me to go through the roster. According to the records, our oldest member is MerrillMcLane in Bethesda, Md., who was born on

May 7, 1917. (He entered Dartmouth after four years as an enlisted man in the U.S. marines.) Next in line, and the only other classmate born in 1917, is Bob Temple in Jackson, N.H., born on June 1 of that year. The youngest is the Rev. Bill Bishop up in Nova Scotia, born on May 10,1922. Second in this category is Dr. Harry Kramer in Holden, Mass., who was born February 21,1922, preceded by five days by Art Stukey of Chardon, Oh., on February 16, 1922. Of course, if you believe the list, Armand Guarino in Ayer, Mass., was born on August 30,1956. And there is our adopted son, Bob Keeshan of Norwich, Vt, born on June 27,1927.D0es anyone want to jump in and dispute these dates? Let's hear from you.

Just by coincidence Mac McLane wrote from Bethesda, Md.: "About Bob Searles's retirement in 1974 (see March column). My guess it that there are a few who retired earlier, and perhaps one or two who never found it necessary to start a career. My retirement was also in 1974. The afternoon of the day I retired, I was on a plane to Spain to continue my research on the Gypsies, which I had begun four years before. It has led to several scholarly published papers and two books for the general reader. With luck, at age 82 I hope to have another on Spain. Have also written on the history of my hometown, Rockport, Mass., and a long piece on my experiences in the marines in WWII, which has been quoted at length in two books."

The largest turnout of his Florida tour greeted President Jim Wright in Sarasota in February. I counted eight '42s (plus wives) in the luncheon crowd of over 175. At our table were Nan and Bill Russell, who live in Brandenton to the north, and Millie and Jack Corwith, who came up from Venice in the south. Bill, incidentally, says that since moving to Florida over 20 years ago, they have enjoyed attending reunions in Hanover every five years, and look forward to the 60th. We also saw AlexHooker and Harrison Rollins, who, with Sandra, has been enjoying Sarasota since 1994. Also listed as present but not spotted were Rumsey Ewing and Jim Ingersoll.

President Wright spoke of current college issues, particularly the trustees' decision to improve student social and residential life. He said fraternities were too restrictive and alcohol abuse was still a serious problem on campus. Late in our stay we had dinner with Maggie and Warren Kreter, who had just arrived in Venice for a month's stay, and the Corwiths.

Edith and Dave Allen celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last December at a family party of 70 people at the Inn at Sugar Hill, Mays Landing, N.J. Congratulations!

Sandy Green, who was Allan Dingwall's longtime secretary and very helpful to '42 in many ways, died late last year. Our condolences to her family.

P.O. Box 1302, Redding, CT 06875; (203) 938-8485