CLASS OF 1877
The celebration of our forty-fifth anniversary was in one way disappointing, for it had been hoped that a larger number of the scattered members of the class would find their way to Hanover. The catalogue shows 68 graduate members of '77. Of these 37 survive, and 11 sat around the table in College Hall for our class dinner, together with one who failed to graduate but is of those always to be counted on for such occasions. If the reunion was not all that could be hoped for as to numbers, it lacked nothing in solid enjoyment for all that were present.
The roll of the company comprises Adams, who for many years has been a substantial part of the old College; Smith, sometime of the College faculty and now a historian of high standing; Chase First, in active practice at the bar; Deane, civil engineer, until recently in the service of the state of Massachusetts; Gile, civil engineer in the North Country; Hopper, civil engineer and contractor, who had a share in the building of the New York subway, and had a notable record as register of New York County; Owen, master of a public school in Boston; Sewall, who has just closed a long service in the Congregational ministry; Temple and Thombs, practitioners of medicine in Boston and Portland; Comstock, long a teacher and always secretary of the class; Morton, our one non-graduate, successful inventor of textile machinery. Gage, another non-graduate, who finished his course in '79, was with the "boys" through the day, but was not able to stay for the dinner.
At the dinner, Thombs presided as toastmaster, and called out each one present. Noteworthy among the responses were those of Smith, who spoke of the remarkable changes which our generation has been privileged to see; of Hopper, who described some of the features of his extremely valuable work as register of New York; of Temple, who hinted at a benefaction which he hoped soon to make to the College; and of Adams, who brought before us clearly and convincingly the splendid present condition and prospects of the College. We adjourned in hope of an equally good and better attended reunion in five years.
