CLASS OF 1870
The class of '7O held its forty-fifth-year reunion on June 19-23. The attendance reached its maximum on Tuesday evening, the 22nd, when fourteen sat down to the class supper. This is precisely one half of our living graduate members. The following is the list of those present: Ira A. Abott, Haverhill, Mass.; Francis Brown of Union Theological Seminary, New York; Addison L. Day, St. Louis; Irving W. Drew, Lancaster, N. H.; Channing Folsom, New Market, N. H.; John H. Hardy, Arlington, Mass.; Lemuel S. Hastings, Hanover; Hermon Holt, Claremont, N, H.; Robert H. Parkinson, Chicago; Charles E. Putney, Burlington, Vt.; Sanford H. Steele, New York; Ethelbert Talbot, Bishop of Bethlehem, Pa.; Charles E. Woodbury, Acworth, N. H.; Franklin Worcester, Hollis, N. H. Of wives and children present in Hanover at one time or another there were Mrs. Day; Mrs. Drew and her daughter, Mrs. E. K. Hall; Mrs. Hardy; Mrs. Hastings and her son Harold R., and daughter Myra; Mrs. Steele; Mrs. Talbot and her daughter Annie (Mrs. Donaldson).
Up to Sunday morning only five of the class had arrived. Sunday evening brought a number of us together at St. Thomas's church to hear Bishop Talbot give the address at a memorial service to the Rev. James Haughton, rector of this church in the' '70's. Added significance was given to the service b,y the presence of our New Hampshire bishop, Edward M. Parker, who spoke briefly of Mr. Haughton, and Rev. Victor M. Haughton of Exeter, who participated in the service. The present rector, Dr. Waterman, was in charge.
Monday evening there was a most enjoyable social hour at the house of the secretary, on Rope Ferry Road—better known to the older alumni as "Stump Lane." Wives and children were present at this, gathering, making the whole number sixteen.
Tuesday brought Folsom, Hardy, Holt, Woodbury, and Worcester; and much delightful visiting of a casual sort was had, up to the hour of 8 p. m., when we sat down to our class supper, around a family table in an upper room of College Hall. We had no formal speaking, but much informal talking; and how much there seemed to be demanding utterance and how enjoyable it all was is indicated by the fact that day was breaking as we left the hall for our several lodgings. We had been sitting around the "family board"—it seemed most like that seven hours, and I can safely say that every man of us felt that much that would have deeply interested us had been left unsaid for lack of time. There was much of reminiscence, of life history, touches of tragedy now and then, something of eulogy for one and another of those who had "passed on before", reports from three who were unable to be with us on account of serious illness, and finally not a little of discussion on large public issues in connection with the professional activities of certain of the members of '70 who hold, or who have held, important positions in church and state.
The fourteen attending our reunion, almost without an exception, showed the full vigor of life's prime. This was most gratifying.
Our all night meeting was the last occasion on which many of us met together. Several left town before the alumni luncheon. At the latter, however, seven of us met, and enjoyed again a social hour.
Tuesday afternoon we had a group picture taken, the scene being the portico of Webster Hall. Wives and children were included in the group.
The mortality record of our class may be of general interest. The whole number of graduates as enrolled in the general catalogue of 1910, is sixty. Of these seven died in the first decade, four in the second, five in the third, seven in the fourth, and in the last five years nine. A striking contrast appears in the case of the class of 1905 of Smith College, my daughter's class. Out of two hundred only one has died in the first decade. Smith 1905, ½%; Dartmouth 1870, nearly 12%.
I believe the impression left on the minds of my classmates was that the reunions have become more and more interesting as time has elapsed. There was perhaps a vague sense that interest and enjoyment had culminated in this forty-fifth anniversary—a lurking fear that lessening numbers and increasing infirmities would make our next reunion too pathetic. But we will hope that time will deal kindly with these "incipient veterans," and that they will all be able to make quick response to their secretary's call five years hence.
