CLASS OF 1882
Twenty men of the class of '82 were at Hanover for their reunion in celebrating their fortieth anniversary of graduation. They were: Rev. W. A. Bartlett, Boston; Charles S. Clark, Somerville, Mass. ; Rev. Philip W. Crannell, Kansas City, Kans. ; Dr. Mott A. Cummings, Winchester, Mass. ; Charles M. Davis, Northfield, Vt.; Rev. William F. English, Hartford, Conn. ; Former Governor Samuel D. Felker, Rochester, N. H. ; Dr. Arthur V. Goss. Taunton, Mass.; William E. Harlow,. Montpelier, Vt. ; Walter S. Kelley, Boston; Rev. Fred H. Knight, Boston; Irwen Leviston, Clayville, Va.; Luther B. Little, New York; David B. Locke, Bradford, Vt. ; Frank A. Pease, Fall River, Mass.; Dr. Frank B. Pierce, Haverhill, Mass.; Dr. Herbert L. Smith, Nashua, N. H. ; Rev. William E. Strong, Boston; Dr. John F. Thompson, Portland, Me. ; Charles R. Webster, Chicago.
Leviston, Locke, Pease, Strong, and Thompson were accompanied by their wives, and m the Leviston party were his daughter-in-law and a beautiful grandchild, who was at once unanimously voted a fit representative of the class. Thompson's two daughters were in Hanover, the older one the wife of Harold Fuller of 1912, attending the reunion of that class. She wore also the '82 badge. Kelley was accompanied by his stepmother, Mrs. Charles Kelley, and she, with the wives mentioned above, attended the class dinner.
Headquarters was in Crosby Hall. Some members of. the class reached Hanover early on Friday, and nearly all the others were there by Saturday night. They did about the usual things. They visited the Old Pine stump, and swore new allegiance to the College. It was agreed that this stump will have to be attended to if future generations of Dartmouth men are to have opportunity of seeing it. Suggestions were made by H. L. Smith, who some years ago undertook to have it preserved by treatment, that the stump should be taken away and kept as one of the valuable relics in the trophy room or elsewhere, as, in spite of what may be done, the Hanover weather, now that the juice has gone out of the stump, will inevitably in time cause it to disappear. One member of the class suggested that if Prof. Hitchcock were still teaching geology he might find a suitable illustration of erosion in that venerated stump.
The class went to the Bema, and some of the members did a war dance in front of it, calling attention to the fact that the Bema was built largely by the class of '82, which had erected it under the direction of Prof. Hardy while he was carrying out the park development. This "work on the park," which was the regular Wednesday and Saturday afternoon recreation of the class 40 years ago, resulted in contributing largely to the beauty of the park, gave many members blistered hands, and a few of them severe cases of ivy poisoning at the time. All these things were recounted with proper modesty by members of the class who strolled through the park and sat upon the Bema.
The class tree in the park, which is growing not far from the foot of Bartlett Tower, has near it a memorial stone of granite with the class numerals carved on it. One irreverent member of the class proposed that this stone be removed and planted directly in front of the Bema to signify the hard work that the class had done in its construction. Forty years ago the class would have acted on the spot, but as it would involve considerable digging and heavy work which it was agreed did not comport with the dignity of men 40 years out, the stone was left standing beside the rather scrubby-looking cut-leaf maple which is '82's class tree.
In groups members visited the college buildings. All who were in town attended the President's reception on Saturday afternoon in College Hall, and some attended all the events of the week as scheduled on the official program. Some members played golf. All went to the ball game between the Dartmouth and Cornell teams on Monday.
Sunday evening the class called in a body on two men who were members of the faculty when '82 was in college, Prof. Bartlett and Prof. Emerson.
These were particularly delightful incidents. Prof. Lord and Prof. Worthen, who were members of the faculty forty years ago, were in Hanover, although not residing there permanently now, and all members of the class took occasion to meet them and at least exchange greetings.
Will Bartlett called attention to the fact that it was through a member of the class of '82 that the tablet, which was placed some years ago on the Tower, bears the name, with an appropriate legend, of President Bartlett, during whose administration the Tower was built. During Will's term of office as president of the Connecticut Alumni Association he mentioned the fact that the Tower was built during the incumbency of his father, and the Connecticut Alumni Association became interested and provided the tablet which was placed there with suitable ceremonies.
The class dinner was held in the grill room of College Hall on Monday evening. The wives of those present attended this, and showed that they had the proper staying qualities to be enrolled as members of the class of '82 by remaining while the class roll was called and a response was made on behalf of every man living. From the latest edition of the class report, which was passed around, it appears that 17 of 62 men who graduated 40 years ago have died, leaving 46 living members. Professor Richardson attended this dinner, on and outlined what has been done towards financing Memorial Field. At his suggestion a committee was appointed by President English, consisting of Messrs. Webster, H. L. Smith, and DeWitt, to represent the class and co-operate as best they may with the general committee. in charge of raising funds for this field.
Attention was called to the Alumni Fund and to the fact that while the class of 'B2 had by no means filled its quota this year, the percentage of contributors is larger than it has ever been before, standing at the middle of June at 60 per cent of the living members, with others yet to be heard from.
Some years ago the class undertook to raise $2000 for a scholarship to be administered under the Tucker Foundation. A small amount was lacking at the time of the meeting to complete the $2000. The hat was passed at the dinner and the amount was brought to an even $2000.
Absentee members of the class may be interested in knowing that a class tax of $5 on each man was levied at this time.
At the alumni dinner Strong spoke for the class. In his usual graceful and forcible way he discussed briefly the history of the class of '82 and the problems which confront the graduates of Dartmouth and all other colleges as they begin the serious business of life. His address was considered one of the oratorical gems of Commencement week.
It is unnecessary and would be only a repetition of what loyal Dartmouth men have said and will say again world without end, to outline the feelings of the class toward the College as they saw its wonderful growth in recent years. They watched a graduating class file into Webster Hall — a group almost as large as the entire academic department of the College 40 years ago. They saw new buildings which were beyond the dreams of those who lived in "Bedbug Alley," Reed, Wentworth, and Thornton Halls. They went to Occom Ridge and saw the beautifully placed faculty houses. They renewed old associations in their new fraternity houses. They saw the graduates of classes five and ten years out, that brought back what looked like entire colonies of Dartmouth men and their wives, some of them bringing more than a hundred members for their reunion gatherings. They saw the faculty increased in number to correspond with the greater classes. They heard on every corner of the Campus, the Athletic Field, and the beautiful elm-lined streets the whisperings of the new spirit of Dartmouth with the background of the old traditions. They were rejoiced; they were enthusiastic; they were filled plumb full of Dartmouth sentiment. They have not much money, or they would have endowed the College on the spot. They wanted to have a reunion every two years, that they might come back and watch the new Dartmouth grow. They were immensely pleased at every word they heard from President Hopkins. They were glad to meet their old associates. They have promised that no five-year period shall again go by without a return visit to Hanover.
It rained like the dickens most of the time, but there was a unanimous vote that the Commencement of 1922 in spite of the wet was a proper Commencement.
