“Da Prez,” as Tommy Ruggles likes to call himself, offers two tidbits that I pass on for the benefit of those of you who are not in his e-mail loop. First, to kick off our 60th reunion, which will take place next year, he hopes to assemble as many musical ’50s as possible for a concert with the Upper Valley University Chorus to be held in Spaulding Auditorium.


Volunteers seriously solicited! He got the idea in June when he met with Punchy Thomas ’49, who “more or less” ran the ’49 60th. Wow! I first met Punchy in 1974 when I attended the ’49 25th to get ideas for our 25th in 1975. For more about the concert, contact reunion chairpersons Walt and Ro Lindenthal or Tom. Second, for 23 years Tommy has led the Gentlemen Songsters (a.k.a. the Singing Doughboys) in the Concord, Massachusetts, Patriot’s Day parade April 20—the day the “shot heard ’round the world” was fired. Dick McSorley and Jacques Harlow have been among the group on many occasions. The singers have numbered between 31 and 54. Tommy provides World War I uniforms to all who join in. Musical ’50s are invited.


On June 14, as planned, Dolph Cramer departed Manhattan in his Model T Ford headed for Seattle, Washington. If the planned itinerary holds, the 55 Model Ts will spend June 24 in Iolathe, Kansas. Some 3,856 miles from New York, they should have been in Seattle on July 13.


I am indebted to Ginny Sarno for a very nice note in which she expressed appreciation for my efforts in writing this column.


Jilly Harned has to be an extraordinary photographer. She sent us a photograph of Randi and me, taken at a dinner party we attended last winter. If we felt as good as we look in this picture, we would try out for mixed doubles in the U.S. Open. Among those we saw at the party were the Fauvers, McIlwains, Joan Mauk, Harneds, Hoods and others who are noted on notes that, I am sorry to say, I have lost. Apologies. Let me hear your news.


—Nev Chamberlain, 1835 N. Garden Grove Circle, Vero Beach, FL 32962; (772) 569-2893; ranevero03@aol.com