1935*
For once I have no complaints to make about not receiving letters. This past month has been a good one in that respect, and I can only suggest that more of you follow the example of the faithful. The interest of this column will be increased immeasurably by having more individuals contribute to it.
Last month I made some remark about the scarcity of Dartmouth men in Baltimore, and I was promptly forced to eat my words. Only a few days after the column went to press I discovered Hall Colton was in town, and soon after that Art Flinner put in an appearance. Hall has been here since graduation, first with Montgomery Ward, and now with Butler Bros., where he is an assistant buyer in the lamp and glassware department. Art went with Mackubin, Legg after graduating from Tuck, as a research man in high grade securities, and has now advanced to the post of specialist in railroads. We went up to the Princeton game together last week-end, and among the many interesting things that came of the trip was the information that Roy Shattuck, who was here in Baltimore for a time, is now teaching in Hanover. I guess he must have started with the right idea.
I received a classic letter from Jack Gilchrist the other day, and while I haven't the space to use it verbatim, it it so good, and mentions so many of the fellows that I never contact, that I think it should be used to as full an extent as possible, so here goes:
"After two weeks of law school exams, and a quick trip to Pittsburgh to see about my job, I drove up to Hanover with one of the graduating seniors who had returned to Cleveland to pick up a new car. We arrived in Hanover in time to find an available bed on the ill-famed third floor of the Deke House, and just in time for the President's Reception, where I embarrassed the hostesses by making a supper of large quantities of sandwiches and punch.
En route back from Prexy's I dropped into Baker to see if Orozco's murals had withstood the ravages of three years. Entering the east door I encountered Larry Summers and wife, the former looking much the same, and the latter an acquisition of much merit. (Larry is running the Inn Coffee Shop. Ed. Note.) Later that evening I joined in the festivities down in 1933's headquarters in New Hampshire, where one of the first to be encountered was Charlie Evans, holding forth in the tent out in back of the hall. Still later I ran into John Davis, who had run over from Rutland, where he's still teaching. "Gus" had very definitely left his best pedagogical manner back in Rutland, so that we had quite a nice time of it, as the saying goes. He reports that Jim Dickinson is still teaching down in Maine somewhere, but I can't vouch for that.
".... Back in New York a few days later, I had just stepped out of the Dartmouth Club to have dinner with a Cleveland friend, when a cry of 'Hi, Gilly,' brought me face to face with Fritz Beebe. He was down from Yale Law, studying for the New York Bars, and ready to start work for another of those long-named New York firms.
"The next night was spent back-tracking east for Bill Clark's wedding on Saturday, June 25. I can recall, from the days when we roomed together, having seen the mighty Clark in an excited state, but never to equal that day; his face carried a crimson hue from the moment I first saw it until Bill and his bride drove down that hill late in the afternoon. Dartmouth was represented among the ushers by Otis Mudge, Bob Hill, youngest brother of Jack '35, and just now entering Dartmouth, Don Hagerman, and myself. After the usual antics of putting pebbles in the hubcaps of Clarkie's car and reversing the license plates we confettied them on their way. I drove back to Boston with Don and Ibba, rang up Bankart and joined him and his Babs in the Statler bar, where during the course of an hour or two we picked up considerable class news. We hadn't been seated long before Oscar Josiah Cahoon walked in. Bud was up from Harwich and was looking for Fred Depinet; we were not long in finding Fred, for he had been sitting: just around the corner of one of the pilasters next to me. Bud reported that he has been studying law at Boston University along with Phil Wilson and Bud Wright. As I recall they were all getting ready for the Massachusetts Bars, and Bud spoke of his own intention of running for the state legislature from down Cape Cod way. Cahoon further reported that he often goes to the races with Jimmy Aieta, who is 'selling insurance and really selling it,' to use Bud's phrase. He repeated a few colorful episodes from Jimmy's trip around the world on the Dollar Line, adding that it was well worth an evening to hear Jimmy tell of it. The last time Bud saw Aieta, Jimmy had just sold a policy to Bob Giarla, who is working with his father in the clothing business. Depinet's comments on himself were too mild to bear repetition, but I deduced that Fred was doing very well with a leather concern out in Worcester.
"Back to New York, where I called up Jim Hughes, having heard that he was coming out to practice in Cleveland, and we had lunch together. He is now established with a firm in the Terminal Tower here, and after days spent wandering around the water front and local wharfs, Jim seems well started on his work in admiralty practice.
"That afternoon I took a train out to Spuyten Duyvil to have dinner with Joe Knap. He was in as fine a fettle as ever, and still just as keen about tennis, only a wet court preventing play that afternoon. He is still working with Ross Federal Research there in New York, and still liking it. Through Joe, I heard that Homer 'Admiral' Dewey is now in Boston after quite a spell in Newark, and still with Prudential Insurance. From the same source I learned that Ed Brunner, momentarily sailing down on the Cape, is studying economics and business administration at Columbia after working under Tugwell in Washington, and out in the West helping the farmers. Just how Ed helped these farmers I was unable to glean from Knap's story, but I am still curious as to whether it was with shovel or with pencil, having my own opinion as to which might have been the more helpful method.
"Before I close there remain one or two previously misplaced items, just now coming to the surface and very definitely still awash. That intrepid aviator, Tom Foley, was in Hanover to see his brother graduate. While walking upstairs in New Hamp that first night I met Cramp Carrick on one of the landings. He seemed quite unchanged, and I regret that I am unable to report what he is doing. Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning, my memory isn't quite clear on the point, I saw Bud Steinle and his wife getting out of a car in front of the Wigwam. Another recent benedict, Hank Hawkins, was in Hanover with his wife, having driven up from Claremont, where he is working in the bank and in an insurance office.
"Bill Crouse was down for two weeks in June, when I saw a bit of him between exams; he's still running the Yankee Food Stores in Lansing. I see Steffens, Smith, and Petrequin occasionally; haven't seen Hawgood since his marriage last March. Lou Weitz is still in law school with me, and Dan Close graduated with high honors last June and is now working in the office of the president of one of the local railroads, Wheeling and Lake Erie, I believe. Dave Johnson finished Harvard Law, spent the summer on the Cape, and is reported to be doing graduate work this year. Bill Minshall, who was with us for a while freshman year, received the highest number of votes among the eighteen Republican candidates for state representative in the August primaries."
I have cut Jack's letter ruthlessly because of space limitations, and I certainly regret the necessity, for there were many things of great interest in his account of Commencement and his "Third Reunion." I think I'll save them and use them next year to whet your appetites for that BIG FIFTH—or should I start beating the drum so soon?
A few more items and then we'll have to close up for another month. We don't lack for lawyers, and two more fullfledged barristers have just come to light. Ty Carlisle graduated in June and is now practicing in Detroit, while Harry Deckert has announced the opening of his office with Ely and Derrick in St. Louis.
Saw Al Brush at the Princeton game, and while he was as modest as usual concerning his doings, I have heard reports that indicate he is doing even better in the Financial Division of General Motors than he did as a student at school—which is saying a lot. There was a definite scarcity of '35ers in my vicinity at the game, but I did see Cal Black and Ernie Hedler from some distance. Here's hoping that the usual fall reunion at New Haven will produce a whole column of interesting items.
Secretary, Spool Cotton Co. 2604 Sisson St., Baltimore, Md.
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