THIRTIES
Howard Ferguson '31, a man who has coached baseball all his life, finds that watching millionaire athletes try to play the game distracts him from the more serious pursuits of life, like trying to answer a questionnaire. Howard is 87 now and lives at St. Joseph's Living Center in Windham, Conn. When he entered the facility last year, he had trouble walking, but with physical therapy and good care he is walking again and keeping fit. He only wishes he could move faster (how many of you wish you could move slower?), but he enjoys reading the newspaper every day and says he is working now at "cleaning out a bunch of files." Howard enjoys gardening and is able to have some garden space at his daughter's home in nearby Lebanon, Conn. He also has a son in Milford, Ohio. . . . Don '33 and Dorothy Gould Rhoades '36 sent their 1995 Christmas letter--single-spaced, both sides--as an efficient means of passing the word. (Dorothy is the sister of Marjorie Gould Shuman '37, whose encyclopaedic knowledge of Colby alumni gave this column an authenticity hard to match.) The Gouldses and the Rhoadeses are numerous, and their sheer mass distributed over the northern half of the North American continent may well account for the wobble recently detected by astronomers in the path of the Earth around the sun. Their letter leaves no doubt that they paid countless delightful visits to countless delightful family members, to the great reward and enrichment of all. . . . The worst mistake Evelyn Stapleton Burns '33 ever made was to buy a television set for the family. During her time at Colby, the banks were closed (remember?!) and she was lucky to have two pairs of shoes. Despite privation at times, Evelyn has always been super-active in community affairs. During spring break one year, she was in Rome personally to hear Mussolini addressing the crowds, a visit that was made possible by her Carnegie International Peace Scholarship. Says Evelyn, "Our age group has lived through a lot of history." . . . Ruth Stubbs Frazer '34 asks, "In the upcoming election for President, why can't I be enthusiastic about any prospective candidate?" She lives in a lovely retirement community called Friendship Village in Pittsburgh, where she improves her physique by walking half a mile (one way) to the dining room. However, she doesn't weigh any more than she did 50 years ago. . . . Robert F. Estes '35 wants to know what happened to Wallace Bates McLaughlin '36 and Larry Dow '35. Mr. McLaughlin is deceased. Mr. Dow's address is Route 3, Box 829, Belfast, Maine 04915. Mr. Estes has "two girls, two boys and nine grandchildren, all doing well and keeping an eye on this old man." . . . The Reverend Doctor Beth Pendleton Clark '35 donated a kidney to her daughter in February here in Boston (see profile on page 38). Personally, I am filled with admiration by Beth's courage and devotion. She has resumed her lifestyle of supply preaching, book reviewing, gardening and being active on several boards and committees. For exercise, she uses a treadmill. . . . J. Warren "Joe" Bishop '35 wishes he could have been a better person and have lived a better life. However, if you read about the modest Mr. Bishop, you wish you could have done as well. For 10 years he was chairman of the Department of Business Administration at Colby. From there he went on to be controller and then vice president at Union Mutual Life Insurance Company. He has two adopted sons and, by having been widowed twice, has acquired four stepsons, three daughters- in-law and swarms of grandchildren and greats--all doing well. . . . Nat Guptil '39 is "getting a little tired of being a Republican." He extends greetings to Sally Aldrich Adams '39 and Elizabeth "Ippie" Solie Howard '39. On August 28, Nat and Helen (Carter '39) will have been married 59 years. . . . During the Korean War, Lt. Col. Charles E. McLean '39 flew 88 combat missions (4,000 pilot hours in 12 different models of fighter plane). He says he would love, once again, to get behind the stick of a fighter aircraft, the gull-winged Corsair in particular--a most demanding and beautiful plane. (During World War II, your secretary worked in the Chance Vought aircraft factory in Stratford, Conn., where Corsairs were manufactured. At the time, I knew every nut and bolt in that plane and feel, as does Lt. Col. McLean, that it was a beautiful iron bird.) . . . G. Allan Brown '39 and wife Priscilla persevere despite grave problems of health. However, the retirement community to which they moved in the nick of time has provided wonderful help and support. Allan's main difficulty is loss of his sense of balance, which has affected his walking ever since the Guillain-Barré nerve disease hit him in 1993. However, a hip operation in November may help.

FORTIES
Wendell Starr '41 has about as brief a write-up (one line) as you'll find in any copy of the Oracle. Yet these days as a scientist (electronics) and crusading environmentalist, he merits large write-ups. He regrets that he is not much help around the house for his wife, Anna ("just taking care of the weeding and pruning is a big job"). In the fitness department, he has resolved to quit jogging because his knees are giving out, but he feels lucky to have kept jogging for so long. In February when he wrote, Wendell was looking forward to a seminar led by Norman Palmer '30. I am deeply saddened to report that Dr. Palmer died on February 21, 1996. Dr. Palmer and I maintained a lively correspondence centering on the errors of omission, commission, grammar and taste and the general ineptitude shamelessly displayed in this column. I shall miss him.
Class Correspondent: Fletcher Eaton '39