CLASS OF 1903
The best information we have gives the number of us present at the Harvard game as forty. When you stop to think that only 37 are listed as living in or near Boston, and find that Dr. Kelley, although he and Mrs. Kelley were in on the other activities, was kept by naval regulation (it seems it was "Navy Day" the United States over) at the Chelsea Naval Hospital all that fine afternoon, that Dr. Swan had to be at noon that day in the Beverly Hospital, presumably Dr. Bennett was busy too, it begins to look as most of them came from away. Right here let me say that Dr. Mudge and his better half were there and everywhere, although there had to be a 3 A.M. birth and an 8 A.M. death to make it a possibility. Dr. Burbeck, Ned Burbeck, not Edith Mills Burbeck, though she was with the ladies the night before, put his hat right over the goal post bar along with all the other freshmen. As a matter of fact, the only ones from out of New England were Mr. and Mrs. R.W. Brown, who stayed for the Bellevue party and were around town mixing business with pleasure the next week. Let's get the Browns off our chest while we talk about them. Dick Brown was up for the Friday night men's dinner only, so of course all he got was the fish and no chance at the regular swell roast beef, etc., we ate on Saturday night. And the price was just the same. We couldn't find out that Mrs. Brown had a Smith date or a grudge against the class. Here is hoping we see her next time. M.R. looks thin; she ought to come along so he could get a regular square feed. We were all glad to hear that his back is all O.K. again. Brown, P.L., (guess I will call the roll just as they used to in Hanover) was out Friday night. Here is just the opposite case. Mrs. Brown has a crush on the class, I know it, but as yet is not acquainted with us. May be Dick and Phil better swap for next year some way. We got a card from Lebanon, N.H., unsigned, that a man and wife were coming only for Saturday night. Billy Keyes, who had charge of almost everything, held two places for E.L. Brown and wife on this kind of reservation, and proved to have the correct hunch.
Chubby Edwards had to come to town to get some tickets, some way his application got mislaid, and was at the "stag" doings, while Freddy Baker came in both nights. Pretty good for our bachelors. Baker had his sister at the game, and was in town the next week.
We didn't see A.K. Smith after Friday night. Mrs. Smith had been up to the Wellesley School of Politics all the week, so Fat put in the week-end by himself. No such breaking up in the O.W. Smith family; in together on everything. E.R. Groves was in by himself for the Saturday night affairs, and in that way saw more (and of course the better half) of us than he otherwise could.
Neal, R.W., Pierce, and Stockwell were all at the Friday night events, and complete the list of those who took in one phase of our week-end only. Jackson we saw with his brother afterward, and Kink Burnham went to the game only. We saw Omar Swenson there too, a lady with him, we take it for granted this is Mrs. Swenson. Also Harry Fitts with his boy and Bucky Bates with his girl; guess the girl is a little older than the boy, otherwise we might try to make a match there. Stuck on her ourselves. Bring her around to the next party.
The Bergengrens, or rather the important part of the family, Mrs. Bergengren, was dated up for Friday night and had to miss the good time with the girls alone, but got in the rest of it. Kennedy was down from the middle of the state, and Kenerson, after being down in Maine all the week, got back to help Charlotte and himself have a delightful weekend. Mr. and Mrs. D. B. Whipple, also the Kidgers, man and wife, went to things as they came, separately and together. Regular reuners; wish the whole class could do it.
Harry Watson and Bee came down to entertain the Cutters, or may be I have got my stuff twisted; at any rate, they were together.
Hy and Lillian Ruppel tried to have the Johnston family from Attleboro come up to stay with them, but business kept them away. However, nearly every woman anywhere near here that was at Hanover in June was there. Susie Hanlon let Meat come along and take care of her, and so did Tobey Tops Howard do with friend husband, but some year some of these men may get left at home. Of course, Mary Ann Pratt wouldn't think of leaving any of her family away. She even brought the daughter. Good for her. Everyone do likewise, at the first opportunity.
Martha Henry Whelden got the tickets for the ladies' show, but we wouldn't say she is to blame if Mrs. Hall, C.T., rather overemphasizes the part the rector had m it when she tells the Rev. about the performance.
The only untoward event that happened was Mrs. Luce's illness after the game All will be glad to know she was able to go home Sunday and has been all right since. It was very fortunate that the Mahoneys had a room at the Bellevue and were so ready to have used Jerry always has been a pretty useful member of the class, and his wife takes after him—or before him—n'est-ce pas .
I was told that Nat Batchelder was in town and that Farmer was seen at the game but can only give the above as exact information.
Friday "night, October 26, there were 25 men at the men's dinner at the City Club, a they went from there into the before th game" smoker to hear Vic Cutter preside and give him any support needed. He didn't seem to need much. Meanwhile seventeen of the girls had met at Schrofft's West St. restauran, eaten together, and gone to the Mollis St. Theatre, where they saw Thank U," after which the men met them.
At the game Saturday we had dandy seats in very front rows on about the 35-yard line. Some were not seated here on account of time of application for tickets, etc., so it makes it a little hard to know just how many of 03 were there. We do know Drown was in Mew Prills and Cushing in San Francisco.
Just as soon after the game as we could, about six o'clock, we ate at the Some 44 were seated here, and afterward about 25 went to the Copley Theatre to The Limpet." Others had to go in other directions, but a goodly bunch sat around and again decided that 1903 was at least the equal of anything yet shown. The ladies played cards. I believe drinking was indulged in by all, but mostly it was argument and exposition.
Bob McGowan is to be welcomed by the Boston bunch of our alumni, but don't try to call on him at his home quite yet. His farm y are still at 50 Second Ave., Newark, N.J., but he expects that they will move to Boston as soon as possible. Meanwhile Bob is with the American Mutual Liability Insurance Company at 245 State St., Boston, making a welcome addition to the known 38 members of our class resident within thirty miles of the State House.
Ernest R. Groves delivered an address before the opening of the Boston Health Show held this fall. We were all glad to see Ernest out at the Bellevue dinner after the game, and wish there had been longer opportunity for getting acquainted with the wives, etc.
P.W. Howard was in camp from October 7 to 21. This might be a good idea for any and all of us to follow. It seems to make him look healthy, any way.
The class will be glad to know that Mrs. H.D. Cushing had so improved in health after a long fight, having been in the hospital and under medical care since about the time of our Twentieth until now, that H.D. was able to go to the San Francisco national convention of the American Legion.
M.B. French and supposedly Molly Cole, but may be not, we ought to have asked, at any rate M. Bowles spent his vacation on Cape Cod. He ran into Mike Dunn while there, and had very nice service from two Dartmouth boys that were working in the hotel. Ought to have obtained the name of this place from him, so we could all go if we had the price.
October 5, Susie Hanlon and husband on their way to the Brockton Fair stopped to call on Topsy Howard. At that I guess Preston was there. This came over the wireless, and I think perhaps the Danvers sending station is on the blink. I couldn't seem to find out much about the male part of the equation.
I don't want to seem to headline any one man in this issue, but it seems necessary to put in the following if it is to be of any use to the class while still fresh. In the October number of the North American Review there is an article on "Government by Group Pressure," accredited to Ernest R. Groves.
Well, we have got a little dissension started in the class any way. I quote from a letter received as we go to press, November 4, dated October 27. "There is only one thing that I want to criticise, and that is the naming of a few names on whom to call when an '03 man happens to visit any particular city. I have always felt that it would be automatic that if any '03 man came to Chicago he would ring up anybody in '03 whom he knew to be in Chicago. I certainly would like to be called up by any '03 man who comes to this city. Call Butler Brothers, Chicago; that gets me, and I want you to do it." This is signed H. C. Follett.
At the Cornell game we had 21 men back, and in particular Win Rice, Dubsy Farmer, and Dan Hausmann, who were not there with the bunch in June. Rice can take a time off from his 28 teachers that he has charge of in Brooklyn in the fall, but he simply cannot in June. Win certainly enjoyed himself, about the only fly in the ointment being the lack of seats for the old young alumni after we had marched all over the town and finally headed into the big gym already over-crowded. Win sat on the floor; some stood up for an hour and a half or so. Any way, he got some good pictures of the ski jump, the new field, the Bema, etc. He has an automatic device so you can set the camera on a tripod, walk over and lean up against something, and pretty soon your own picture is taken. What could be sweeter? Nothing, unless it is Danny Hausmann, who never did get up to see the ski jump, much less down . to look over the new Alpha Delt house, making us all sit in one spot in the Commons for at least four short hours while he waited for the man to come back who had lugged his hat off and left a Stetson instead. And he came, or sent an emissary, one of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra players there that night. Not that any one would mind being there; we stayed some more hours after he got the hat. Dan had a private room (two beds) in Thornton (most rooms had at least six beds) and a private breakfasting room in the Commons, where he got a freshman breakfast, orange, oatmeal, muffins, and coffee for fifty cents, and he ate one midnight lunch. He has lost a little hair, but not so much as Ote Mudge, who brought his reunion hat and a 1903 banner with him, so why should he worry ? The whole family had measles in June, which accounts for his missing the Twentieth.
As to Allen Brown Farmer, I wouldn't say that he looked care-free and without responsibilities, but at any rate his brow was less wrinkled than it was in June as he sat in the hot: sun and sorted pearls. I couldn't find out that anything was bothering him, until at night it began to get cold and he had to figure on whether to put more alcohol in the radiator of his car or not. It is a shame to have to bother with anything at Hanover. Let's hope that Dubsy isn't tied up as he was last June when our next reunion comes around.
Buck Lewers, picking them wrong as usual, passing up a winning Harvard game to see this; French and Whelden, who claim they christened the concrete stand; Jake Smith, who has to drive 300 miles to reach his farthest school; Harry Watson with his boy; Roy Thorpe and family; Andy Jackson without any observable family; Fred Baker; Ted Hale, staying in Windsor over night; George Gage and his nephew. Dan Hausmann was complaining because Jake Smith didn't seem to call his name as we walked him up to Brother Gage for an acid test. George Sleicher was there. Tink Erwin came in for the game only.
As to the men with their wives, I mention John Hale McElroy, but only to say that he was married to three Cornell men, and nobody envies him that trip back. Better bring Helen next time, John, instead of leaving her at home to weep. Mr. and Mrs. Sherman Arnold Murphy were there. Mrs. Batchelder came on Saturday, and brought a lunch to Nat. Most of us got cider and doughnuts, and lucky to get that.
And of course nothing would be complete without Susie and Charlotte. Meat came along apparently only to smash the ceiling lamp and stiffen his neck when Kenie let his new car ride over 23 miles.
Thus endeth the college man's football season. Make your plans now to be entertained for the Cornell game in New York next fall by Buck Lewers, French and such cohorts as they gather. May be Kellner will famish a cellar or Kid hire a hall. Page Dog Cushing. Where is Mark Bruce Wiley?
Editor, Perley E. Whelden, 516 Commonwealth Ave., Newton Center, Mass.
