1939

The long days of waiting are gone. Life is worth living. I spring from my bed, bright eyed and eager, for I know that once again I may write my beloved column.

Well, leave us face it. Actually, things aren't too bad. I have a letter. Jerry Beatty writes of a visit from Whit Cushing, our itinerant Rembrandt.

"A few weeks ago, Whit asked me to come over to see a couple of his paintings at The Little Studio, which is run by Dorothy Kilgallen's husband, and that has no bearing on the story whatsoever. I went over, but there were so many paintings around they couldn't find Whit's. However, he came out home to dinner and as a result the whole family got to see the art he had with him' and also to hear the story of his trip to Mexico, the portrait painting business, and how it feels to be a bachelor.

"Whit says he'll go anywhere to paint a portrait. That isn't as remarkable as it sounds, because it's like saying you'll go anywhere to get work. He charges a minimum of 40 per cent (he'll correct you if I'm wrong) for a portrait, and if you are sore about it he keeps the painting. If you like it, you pay the rest. Don't ask me what the price is - I don't remember.

"The paintings he showed us that night were of Mexico, mostly, and I liked them....Some day Whitney will be rich and famous." (And the Alumni Fund will get him. Ed.)

Jerry, of course, knows somewhat of art himself. He is cartoon editor of Collier's, which is a way of saying that he gets paid for reading the funnies. However, he does perform some honest labor as author of the sprightly column, Collier's Credits, and as author and editor of a monthly newsletter, Roughly Speaking ... Rumors and humorsfor Collier's cartooners. I'm no cartoonist, but found myself reading it with interest from stem to stern. That shouldn't be surprising because, after all, it was the same Jerry who wrote those marvelous Newsletters which tickled our ribs, 10, these many years past.

In addition to the letter, a nice pile of clippings has accumulated. (And I must say that you scholars have developed the knack of getting your names and faces before the public.)

Here, for example, in the Oklahoma City (Okla.) Times is smiling Sam Powers. At first glance, I assumed that Sam had been sampling gorgonzola. However, upon reading the cap- tion I discovered that he had been granted a Fulbright scholarship to do graduate work at the American Academy in Rome during the past summer.

In the Schenectady (N. Y.) Gazette the vivacious J. Moreau Brown seems happy about his promotion to manager of educational grants for General Electric Co., while in the New York Times the suave and polished Harvey L. Rohde smiles urbanely over his promotion to vice president of J. M. Mathes, Inc., well-known Manhattan advertising agency.

Decorating the pages of the Caldwell (N. J.) Progress-Verona Nexus is attorney Lor en T.Wood, of the New York firm of Wood, Werner, France and Tully, and new vice chairman of the West Essex Community Chest campaign. Not having seen Mr. Wood, Esq., lately, I am unable to state definitely that he is sporting a mustache. It may be only that the Progress-V. N.'s photoengraver left a shadow 'neath his nose.

From such diverse places as the Lowell (Mass.) Sunday Sun, and U.S. News and WorldReport, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for manpower and personnel, Dave Smith, fastens a cold and acquisitive eye upon me. Up in Lowell, Dave addressed a jam-packed Memorial Auditorium at the first annual Distinguished Service Award dinner of the Junior Chamber of Commerce. In U.S. News, Dave's picture appeared in a feature story on the new code of conduct for American prisoners of war, which he helped to draft.

From the magazine section of the BostonSunday Post (Indep. Democrat, Circ. 230,930) beams Les Smith, in possession of all of his teeth and some of his hair. In the words of the Post:

"His versatility is amazing - he's adept in newscasting, sportscasting, quiz-mastering, conducting round-table discussions — or even emceeing a fashion show for servicemen.. After six years with independent stations, he joined Yankee network in 1944, racked up numerous firsts in local TV sports coverage (high school and college football, hockey, basketball, boxing, wrestling). He lives in Newton with wife, two children (Deborah, 6, and Mark, 4), a rock garden and fine collection of classical records. He may be seen on "Call the Play,' Wednesday at 7:15 on Channel 7."

In the Valley News (Lebanon, Pa.), what appears to be an elderly acolyte turns out, on closer examination, to be Master Bob English of Holderness School, upon the occasion of his receiving a Ph.D. in music from Boston University, where he was president of the Graduate School Class of '55.

And here in the American Banker, Don C.Wheaton Jr. looks out on the world with soft and soulful eyes. And well he might, for, as the Banker explains, he has taken over as assistant vice president of the Empire Trust Company, leaving the Irving Trust Company to shift for itself.

The New York Times is authority for the good word that Dr. Charles T. Davis has been appointed assistant professor of English at Princeton University, which is in New Jersey. Charlie took his Master's at the University of Chicago in 1942, then served in the Army in this country and in Europe, rising to the rank of captain. After the war, he was personnel consultant at Frankfort and Bonn and also served in the Information and Education Division of SHAPE. In 1950 he received his Ph.D. from New York University where he has been an "extremely popular" assistant professor of English for the past several years. An authority on Walt Whitman, he is coauthor of Walt Whitman's Poems, Selectionswith Critical Aids, which was published last May. He is also co-author of Anthony, 4, and Christopher, 2.

Far and away the sweetest story of the month is that of the election of Danny Dyer as president of The Sugar Club of New York. For your information, Rodger, the Sugar Club is not a rock-and-roll joint. It is the educational and social organization of the New York sugar trade. Its new president is a partner of B. W. Dyer & Company, Sugar Economists and Brokers, and a director of the Cuban Chamber of Commerce in the United States.

We have a salty story, too. (I'm killing myself!) Mr. R. G. Achorn has been appointed head of the West-Central Division of the Morton Salt Company, at Kansas City, Mo. Formerly manager of the firm's Salt Lake district, Bob gets to eat his cake and have it too, for the West-Central Division has been expanded to include the old Salt Lake district. And where did I learn all this? From the Salt LakeCity Tribune of Salt Lake City, of course.

Secretary, American Bankers Association 12 East 36th St., New York 16, N. Y.

Treasurer, 3 Allendale Dr., Rye, N. Y.