1927

Here it is August 10, and Ruth and I are sitting in the sun on the front porch of our cottage on the shore of Bustins Island in Maine, off the coast of South Freeport. In front of us several small sailboats are gliding along in the breeze and sea gulls are squawking overhead between their dives for fish. Owen Garfield's widow, Harriet, has been spending the summer a hundred yards down the road, in a cottage that they have owned for over 60 years.

Spread out on the table in front of me are copious notes from a number of 1927 faithfuls, and it is a pleasure to pass them on.

One of our most faithful correspondents, Doc Milliken of Sykesville, Md., wrote that he and Eleanor spent a week last April at the Black Water Falls in West Virginia which ended up unexpectedly in a raging blizzard. Doc had recently had conversations with John Machen and Norm Swift.

Also in April, Bob and Franchot Long celebrated Bob's 80th birthday, after which Bob wrote, "I understand that after 80 we are supposed to pick up speed. I am waiting to see whether this is true or not, and, if so, whether it is good or bad."

It was a pleasant surprise when BudWesselmann called from Winter Park, Fla., on our own recent birthday. He was looking forward to a trip north to Ohio to visit his two sons and their families.

We also had a fine chat with Nat Morey when he called a while back from Bloomington 111. We probably spent more daytime hours during the time from 1923-27 with Nat than any one else in the class. His voice sounded exactly the same as we remembered it during the days when we spent many hours together either rehearsing or performing with the Barbary Coast, the band, Players, and the Musical Clubs. He sounded well and happy except that arthritis now keeps him from enjoying his one love the piano.

A little nearer home, Max Shaw took time off from his chores in Atkinson, N.H., to write that he keeps busy caring for several acres of land on which he is still cleaning up debris left a year ago by Hurricane Gloria when it felled several large trees.

Jack Andrews' latest letter in June reported that three months prior he had his left hip completely replaced, and two months after that he had the same done to his right hip. When he wrote, Jack said that he was now walking with a cane and much easier than he had been able to do for a long time.

The word from Kenmore, N.Y., is that Bill MacKay is happy to be doing well in the health department as he continues to do all of the gardening, lawn mowing, and trimming of a 180-foot hedge around his property.

Bob Tobey, like many of us, did not want to make a big deal about reaching that now quite common age of 80. Notwithstanding, he had a great celebration with friends in Northbrook, 111., when his children flew on from California, Colorado, and Nevada. One of his grandsons, who is a graduate of the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, has been on the staff of Kampelman at the Geneva arms talks.

Father Time continues to take the toll of 1927 classmates, as the following have passed on since our last writing: ClarenceRuland on May 21, Harrison Dey on June 7, Alfred Bliss on June 14, Bertram Gustin on July 9, and Curtis Wright on July 31.

Keep healthy!

11 Rolling Lane Wayland, MA 01778