1933

John Rockwell dominated the Virginia news on the fourth day of November last. Under a headline "90th birthday at work in the Northern Virginia Daily" he was touted by the Strasburg paper for celebrating his arrival at nonagenarianism by turning up at the National Center for State Courts in Charlottesville to perform his normal duties. He was not permitted to escape unchallenged, however, and, as the ac photographs show, he and his wife, Barbara, witnessed the presentation of a National Center company blanket at a party to mark the anniversary, and John performed the traditional rite of blowing out the candles on a birthday cake. From the photograph, one cannot see whether they numbered 90, but the smiling honoree appeared hale enough to perform this feat.

The center is a resource center for providing information about court administration, where John applied for and was granted a "temporary" job 21 years ago and where he has worked up from a $4.50-an-hour "student assistant" to the lordly post of "research associate" at $10 an hour. He works patt time and contributes $1,000 a year to support the work of the center. This is a vital facility for maintaining the standard of state courts and Johns volunteer assistance nobly supports the permanent staff.

Not to detract from John's recognition, your correspondent begs leave to announce that he too has been active, although reaching 90 in December, and that, as a result of his activity over many years, has completed an autobiography, APleasant Institution, which was published in February by the University Press of America. Of course, the book includes a chapter called "Dartmouth in the Thirties" that details, perhaps inadvisably, some of the skullduggery engaged in in the Hanover of those days.

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