1920
As I write these notes it is a drab and dreary day here in New York - cold, rainy and foggy, and to make a bad matter worse there is very little grist for this mill this month. I think most of the brethren went into hibernation for the month of March and I can't say that I blame them too much. It certainly has been a mean winter here in New York and everybody is cheering lustily for the approach of spring. A note from the caretaker on our farm in the Litchfield Hills in Connecticut indicates 100 inches of snow this winter! We haven't been up there since last Thanksgiving and on this basis it will be quite a few weeks yet before we undertake a trip up there.
I have had a thoughtful letter from PaulRichter and another one from Sherry Baketelboth bringing up the matter of setting up anannual class get-together in Hanover at oneof the football games in the fall or else inthe spring. Other classes do this very successfully, notably 1918, 1919, 1921 and 1922.I'll get to Sherry's note in just a minute asI think it is very provocative and interesting. Paul writes:
In some ways there is too little Class spirit and one thing I feel we should do is to have some sort of an annual affair either before one of the games in Hanover in the fall or as an outing or dinner in the spring. It will help to cement interest in the years ahead, and another reunion - our 40th, is not too far away.
Here's an extract from Sherry's note:
Reading George Rand and thinking about your Brown game comments puts this in mind: How about using the Canaan Inn which is not a bad little hostelry, and certainly nearer Hanover than is Woodstock, as a Penn game headquarters for next October? Possibly we could arrange our own picnic lunch before the game some place in Hanover, and use the Canaan Inn as headquarters, but after the game stop by Stone House for a little conviviality. We can handle quite a gang, as you know, and we would, what's more, enjoy doing it on a very informal basis. You might give that a little thought.
If you think well of this idea of having an annual informal get-together you might drop me a note and if there is enough interest perhaps we can do something about it.
Among other things Paul Richter writes: "I think the Class has an interesting military record and wonder if you might not prevail on someone to dig out the facts and write what could be a most interesting story of 1920 in two wars. How many full colonels do we have? I would guess at least seven or eight. How many wore a uniform in both wars? Don't you think this might be worth while doing as a project? Perhaps Jack Mayer would tackle it." Are you ready Jack?
The Chilcotts have just returned from Sarasota, Fla., to these precincts and a note from Chillie this morning indicates that of the last two weeks only one day could be rated as Florida weather. That's not a very good average, but it's consistent with the general pattern this winter!
Charlie Youmans, who until very recently was professor at the University of Santo Tomas in Havana, Cuba, and who is an author in his own right, now holds forth at 908 North Iverson Street, Alexandria, Va.
The U.S. Review for February 8 carried a very interesting and laudatory article concerning our Bequests Chairman. The headline reads "Presidents' Cup Award Goes to H.S. Baketel Jr." The article, illuminated by Sherry's handsome features, is much too long to quote, but you'll be interested in the following extract:
The presidents' cup of the Philadelphia Association of Life Underwriters, awarded annually to a member for sustained and meritorious service to the institution of life insurance, was presented at the Philadelphia sales congress to H. Sheridan Baketel Jr., general manager of the Union Central Life Insurance Co., for eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Delaware.
The selection of Mr. Baketel met with popular response of the large audience since Mr. Baketel has long been a leader in the work of the Philadelphia Association and the Philadelphia CLY Chapter.
Among Mr. Baketel's memberships are the Beta Theta Pi Club of Philadelphia of which he is a past President; the Union League of Philadelphia; Sons of the American Revolution; New England Society of Pennsylvania; Historical Society of Pennsylvania; Newcomen Society; Pen and Pencil; Orpheus Club; Military Order of World Wars; Merion Legion Post, etc. A first Lieutenant Medical Supply Corps in World War I, he was a member of the Volunteer Port Security Force, U.S. Coast Guard, in World War II.
Last Saturday Eddie and Ginny Bowen, down from Albany to do the theatres, dropped in for a quick one. Item for the ladies: Virginia looked divine in her Hattie Carnegie sheath! As for the Baron, he still retains the air of being one of the younger set. It was good to see them, but unfortunately they brought no news for this column.
A note from Freddie and Dorothy Hamm brings us up to date on their doings:
Hello and behold two exhausted grandparents! Shirley and Brad, who is as cute and smart as he can be, have been here for nearly three weeks. They leave next Friday and we shall miss them, especially the cute little feller. Fred and his grandson have been having a wonderful time and Fred hasn't laughed so much for a long time.
The Hersh Chandlers, all the way from their "Fruitless Acres" in Lutz, surprised us a week ago Sunday. They had had a rash of visitors and decided to take off themselves.
Since I started this Bill and Alberta Embree '21 have been here. They came up from Palm Beach for the day to visit Ed and Florrie Sharps '22 who live here. Fred certainly enjoyed seeing Bill who is as entertaining as ever. Bill said the Hopkins dinner was quite a party!
Florida finally has decided to act like Florida. I sat in a bathing suit today for an hour trying to recapture some tan.
This morning I was shocked almost out ofmy senses by a telephone call from my fresh-man year roommate Harold C. Day '18. Wehave made arrangements to get together. Ihaven't seen him since 1920 and that's along time in anybody's book.
Karl Hill, Dean of Tuck School, is coming in tomorrow and we are going to wrangle with our mutual committee problem concerning the long range planning for Tuck School. This is a very challenging assignment and I think a most important one. I might add that it also is time consuming.
By way of conclusion there are one or two items that need attention. As you know, the College is under way with a Capital Gifts Program and at the same time the Alumni Fund continues. The details of these drives are spelled out elsewhere and everyone will receive information through the mails. Certainly our Class should not be found wanting and I hope this squib may serve as a reminder to get it out from under the mattress and put it on the line!
As a final word, it is tough to write these notes without news from the members of the Class and I hope as time goes on that more and more of you will share in the responsibility for putting out an interesting column by sending in information about yourself and your family and your classmates.
Lyman Worthington '21, world traveller andlecturer, who resides in Westport, Conn., butrecently reported himself in Cortez, Fla.
Secretary, 600 Fifth Ave., New York 20, N.Y.
Class Agent, Consolidated Paper Co., Monroe, Mich.
