1934
Disregard November message.
Once again the Old Soothsayer has goofed with the sooth - about Dartmouth's 1973 football prospects. The Big Green, a three-time loser on October 13, has now confounded Nostradamus and me by winning four straight and getting a lock on at least a tie for the Ivy League title. (That's nothing. Back in '33 or '34, when Esquire published its first issue, my crystal ball revealed inevitable failure. How could they hope to make a go of it - at the rip-off price of 250 a copy?)
Speaking of football - and we were, we were - the word from AI Jacobson is that the Penn game in Hanover was a "great time" for the score of '34s who held a preview that weekend of our Fabulous Fortieth. "And when you mention Hanover," Jake urges, "you must give a real rouse for the Ed Browns, whose hospitality is beyond words. I spent the weekend with them and my room-mate was none other than RayHulsart, the mogul [secretary] of The New YorkTimes. In addition, we all owe a vote of thanks to the Lyles for offering their home for our '34 cocktail party, which was great."
Hospitable Ed has also directed some largesse my way: news notes which accompanied Class Dues checks. Taking them alphabetically:
Dr. Herman Chase reports from Rumford, R. 1., that whereas he plans to retire in five years to his home in New Hampton, N.H., he's "still at Brown University, as I have been for the last 25 years, and I am the Robert P. Brown Professor of Biology and Director of the Institute of Life Sciences. Last year I spent another sabbatical leave in Australia, this time with my new family - wife and boys aged three and one."
Charlie Cotsworth reports from Carmel, Calif., that he joined the early-retiree group June 1.
Paul Ebbitt informs, from Newport, R.I., that this is his "third year of retirement from Rogers High School, where I taught for 34 years. I taught two years in private school. My wife has left teaching after 18 years in the classroom."
Bill Ramsey, out there in Omaha, keeps his own counsel about what he's doing, but reports: "Perk Bass has a new bride." (Another bridetaker: John Murphy. According to Bill Emerson, John - who lost his wife early this year - was scheduled to wed again in November.)
And more news still, this batch from Jake. Our Head Agent reports lunching October 31 with Carl Hess, "the most travelled man in the Class, and a member of our Reunion giving committee. Carl looks just great, has kept his trim figure, and seems fully to enjoy his work with American-European despite his travels both domestic and foreign. He and his wife spent August in Iran."
Bill Emerson - Jake reports - was leaving November 1 "to give lectures at the University of Arizona in Tucson. He has been doing considerable lecturing since his retirement last year."
The Jacobson file also discloses that FrankHeath, a longtime member of the Advisory Council of Cornell University Law School, is now president of its Alumni Association. "As if that weren't enough," Jake points out, "Frank recently assumed the presidency of the Cleveland branch of the American Cancer Society."
It wasn't easy, but at a November 13 luncheon meeting at the Dartmouth Club here in New York, I finally managed to get Jake to divulge some information about himself. My notes read: "I retired a year ago from J. P. Stevens and Company and can heartily recommend retirement to everyone - if you find something to keep you occupied. In my case, in addition to the Alumni Fund, I've gone on the Board of Adjustment in Ridgewood, N.J., and also joined the Transportation Committee. Feeling that I could do more (and still get in a little golf), I decided to take a crack at industrial real estate. I love selling, and on this job your time is your own. If you produce, you make money. If you don't, you keep busy and don't have to commute, as I had to all my years with Stevens in New York."
Our luncheon was an intimate affair - just Jake, me, and 11 other other guys: Stu Anderson,Brad Applin (now consultant to Pittsburgh based Whitney Communications). Jerry Danzig, Moe Frankel, Len Harrison, Al Hewitt RayHulsart, Bill Morton, Bill Scherman, HarryWallace, and Hank Werner. Chief topics versation: Dartmouth football, Reunion, and Reunion giving.
About football, you know what I know (ok you know a lot more). About Reunion, the good news is that over 100 of our group, have already advised co-chairmen Harry Gilmore and BillWilson that they'll be there for the June 10-13 gathering of the clan. (My apologies to Luke Wilson for confusing him with Bill, and vice versa, in previous columns. Bill's the one who plays tennis - right?)
About Reunion giving, the word is that gifts and pledges already received seem to reflect full awareness that this is a once-in-a-lifetimeappeal - and opportunity. Pledge after pledge has been accompanied by statements like: "Many a time, in former years, I've reduced or even skipped my gift to Dartmouth because of demands from my church group or a local charity or civic organization. In those cases, I've said 'Dartmouth will have to wait until next year. Well, this time, the others will have to wait. 1974 is Dartmouth's year - and I'm giving every dime I can spare."
In their November 9 letter to the class, Tom Beers and Jake noted that some 368 of us took part in the '73 campaign, and that our target for '74 is 400 contributors - many of whom, hopefully, will give substantially more than ever before to this one-time-only appeal. I hope so too - but I hope even more that many of the men of' 34 who have dropped out on Dartmouth through the years will decide to come home again in '74. We've missed you.
And now, God rest ye merry, gentlemen - and your wives and children and grandchildren too. A joyous Christmas to all, and to all a glad New Year!
Secretary, 340 East 51st. (14-A) New York, N.Y. 10022
Treasurer, Box 867, Hanover, N.H. 03755
