Class of 1903
There are at least two of our class, and one more, a close appendage, so to speak, whose names are never in the papers except in headlines, and all the year I have consistently refrained from mentioning them, thinking they had publicity enough. However, I will print a few headlines, and let it go at that. E. g.; in the I.C. 4 A meet our Bucky Bates' boy took a fine second place in the 440 against the college athletes of the country. Bates equaled the college record, 49 4-5 sec. in 440 dash against Syracuse, made a new indoor record in winter meet, etc.
About E. R. Groves : he lectured in Dana Whipple's town, and Dana sent me the local paper with the headlines about it. His manifold and all-inclusive addresses in different places in Boston through the last year have been headlined in the Herald, Post, and Transcript like this: "Camp in woods ideal for honeymoon, says Prof. Groves"B.U. lecturer will talk on the mother-in-law"B.U. man declares family life now waning:" "B.U. sociologist says the family circle is gone;' and many more I will not attempt to include.
And as we go to press on July 1 we note that besides New Hampshire the delegates from some of the other states are voting for Fred H. Brown to be Democratic nominee for president. Before this other headlines had been: "Brown for sqnator"Gov. Brown silent as boom for vice-president grows in New Hampshire." Such samples are enough.
'03 is well represented in the new University Club of Boston. Ruppel and Groves were members of the original club; the new names are Cutter, Edwards, Hanlon, Kenerson, Stockwell—enough so that we ought to be able to get the use of the facilities for class affairs when needed.
We hear from Chedel that E. L. Brown called on him in January, and that he hoped to look up Mark Wiley when in New York. Nothing about being on the committee of entertainment for '03 people attending the Yale game in the bowl this fall. Also heard from Lovell in Waterbury a while ago. Unless I hear to the contrary, I shall expect that the two of them are actively making plans for us. Get busy, boys; it may never happen again.
When the Davol Mills of Fall River took over the Tecumseh mills we suppose that M. R. Brown's labors were more than doubled. He is the treasurer, and the mill taken over seems to be about one and one-half times the size of the Davol. A deal that involves over a million and a half. Enough for any treasurer to bother with. Here are good wishes.
Preston Howard was in Hanover for the Harvard baseball game in May, and it was bum! Wet without, dry within. No game. And not much interest in the track meet. Better luck another time.
Tink Erwin wrote me something about a cold wave and dry time in Bellows Falls a while ago. Maybe James Francis Smith, who is to be principal of the high school there in the coming year, will be of help to him.
We have been asked where Andrew Jackson is and what he is doing. He is supposed to be the class adventurer, and we want to keep track of him. However, very prosaically, when last heard from he was in a law office in Lisbon, N. H., and had a bank account with a balance to his credit, but found it necessary to struggle to. beat h to keep the home fires burning. Perhaps we shall next hear from him in Uganda or in Vienna!
Doc Johnston and Bess were at the Brown game last fall, and spent the evening with Hy and Lillian Ruppel. His boy is more than half way through college.
C. F. Morrison is now the New York representative of the Boston Envelope Company, with an office at 2 Stone St. Monte was married to Miss Marie Dube of Lawrence, Mass., some months ago.
Jerry Mahoney sent me a check a while ago, and said that sometime, somewhere, he should like to see some return by way of class gathering or bulletins by way of further fostering the already close family feeling. Nothing like making your own wishes come true. The Close family feeling is sure strong for Jerry since his Hampton Beach party.
Oat Mudge was made a Shriner by Aleppo Temple along in January. Should have let his classmates know. Some of us could have helped him over the sands and kept his hair from getting on fire.
Eddie Schlatter and Florence send in congratulations on those twins. O. W. Smith and Amy offer to take them. And the Gloucester Smiths send word that the twins have chosen very good parents.
Orvil W. Smith announces that he has removed his law office to SO Congress St., Room 916, Boston. Tel. Main 3131.
Victor M. Cutter has been appointed a member of the executive committee of the directors of Boston Chamber of Commerce.
This year's 1903 get-together was at Hampton Beach, N. H. June 20-21-22, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, at Edgewater Cottage, J. F. Mahoney. From now on save these approximate dates and plan to come each year. Quite a lot for Jerry and Frances to do for you, but it is sure they want it that way. And it sure is fun 'to see the kids enjoy themselves, to say nothing of ourselves.
Bill Williams was there in spirit and out on Boar's Head—only a continent kept him away. Herb Follett sent wishes for a bully time. Nat Batch was unable to leave his town. Sam Fay Barrows was another ghostthere in spirit only. Andy Perham is homesick, but will come with wife if we move within a hundred miles of him. And as to kids—say, Andy, send us in some vital statistics, will you? The Bulletin doesn't even show that you have a wife. The Bergengrens were entertaining the Bobbie Fletchers '04. Chedel was taking his vacation after July 1, not before.
Count Dondero was there a few minutes on Sunday afternoon, with Mrs. Dondero and girls, Jacqueline, Geraldine, and Eileen. Bennett missed all the good times last year, and only a well-timed birth got son Gordon into the water with the Mudge family this same afternoon. Ben looks just like the rest of us—no older—and seemed care-free. Was glad to meet May. They rode back and Amy Smith and husband, who had made a hit with all the kids, telling the stories, buying them ginger pop, etc., with them, to sit on Mudge's porch in Amesbury a while. O. W., or O. T., as the kids called him, was one who wished to make sure that he was paying his right share of class expenses, Tucker Fund, etc. He had an idea on payments by income percentage, which perhaps deserves to be elaborated. So the gang was gone by early Sunday afternoon, and left the Mahoneys to clean upsome job—and get that new Peerless car ready for a trip- to Canada they are making early in July. Preston, Tobey, and Rhoda (who had a fine time except for a little cut when the baseball broke a window glass) Howard were first to come on Friday and first to go on Sunday.
Jake Smith and Gen. Jackson were not there, although Freddie Baker wrote that they were in his office the Saturday before. Neither Stockwell or his wife, who is recuperating from an operation, could come. They no more bitterly regretted their enforced absence than did the Cutters a somewhat similar privation. Vic sent regards to the class, and love to their wives and kiddies. C. C. Bunker could not come, and Omar Swenson was going down to Maine the 20th. George Peirce could not make it this year; maybe this means he can next. Carroll Paul holds out no hopes, nor does Schlatter or Chauncey Colton. Mrs. H. E. Smith has been sick with a nurse in charge for five months now. This the class was sorry to find out, and all hoped for a better outcome. Jack Crowell wishes he were handy to the doings. So do we.
Jennie Donovan with Ruth Carney (you must sometime get acquainted with Jerry's household group, including Lawrence) were on hand to greet the Wheldens—Ben 11, John 8, Bob 6, but no twins,—and the Watsons, two of the finest girls, an older and a younger boy, who helped to fill up Jerry's big house and his neighbors on that first night. And such a display of fireworks, to say nothing of the lovely diving girls, as we had at 9:30 p.m. And we all had a chance to dive and swim in dandy surf and very decent water before we ate and waited and the kids ordered at Munsey's Cafe. As to Ralph P. Keyes, George A. Reed, Hy Ruppel, A. E. Smith, Kid Cohen, C. L. Erwin, Allen B. Farmer, W. L. Stevens, and Dutchie Crosse, they simply wrote they could not come and sent best wishes. Plan to come next year, for the first night in particular.
On Saturday Ned and Edith Burbeck appeared and helped us eat lobster stew and shore dinners of all kinds while the kiddies went off to eat by themselves. This was dollar day for them. Mostly they had fried clams and ice cream. Morning and afternoon we went in bathing after the rain was over and the heat broke up the bridge, knitting, and mah jong parties. No petting parties among the children allowed. And Karl Skinner and family arrived to lead the athletics on the sand, and glad to get in on a party at last.
Artie Bolster is now permanently moved back to this neck of the woods, now at 7 Hall Ave., Nashua, N. H., and sometime will be in the party. Pa Luce may adjust his records to conform, if at work again after a painful though not dangerous operation and three weeks' stay at the hospital. Bill, alias W. H. says his hair is white now. This is to tell him (We send him the MAGAZINE along with all Tucker Fund subscribers, although he really doesn't deserve it. Tried to get him on the list and hope it worked; if it didn't will have to send him a bill and have him collect it) that the father of quiet little Jerry and of merry little Frances has more hair than he had in college and blacker, parted just the same as always, and withal he looks and acts not one day older. Come up, see us, and renew your youth. It is only in Birmingham that the devil gets hold of them while living. Come to life, and acknowledge your kinship.
''Mouse" is on six months' leave from the Library of Congress at Washington, and with his father, now somewhat ailing in health, in business at Nashua, N. H. He was our bachelor at this party, gallant and useful, squired the dames, helped feed the children and care for them, collected the money, and shared the expense as though he had a Mary, Virginia, and William Hand of his own.
Ned Kenerson there with the darling Peggy and the young David, rightly named, unashamed and unafraid, sent Charlotte away just before we began the "bacon bat," or '"baking bat," as I guess we had better call what it was, a hot dog roast on Saturday evening. We thought she was gone for a lobster feed, disdaining our marshmallows toasted on a stick, hot dogs, coffee, etc., but might have known there would be a denouement when we noticed Amy Smith went too. Would have saved them more and cut off some kids from their fourth full bottle of ginger ale had we known it was all about Hanlon's birthday. Not Susie's or Marion's, although Marion graduated from grammar school the night before and took the equivalent to the John Barrett prize at the school. Well, anyway, the girls brought the cake with 44 candles on it, and Meat speechified, cut the cake, and passed it to all; even young Herbie Kelley (or was it Olin) got some, though he had to announce as he rolled his eyes, when Meat claimed all were served, "Except me."
Oh, and I almost forgot, class meeting was Saturday night, or Sunday morning early; anyway, I heard Oat Mudge tell Florence that it was "only once a year," as the three Mudges, dead asleep, were put in the car, about the same time that "Kel" told Emily that the girls better join the class and not play bridge. This was just after the doctors decided to move the three boys sleeping out on cots into the garage, it was so foggy. Anyway, we endorsed about every present college method and policy, although the Lenine, Trotzky, and Pullman porter incidents perhaps aroused the least enthusiasm. And then there was nothing to do but Jerry put a quarter in the meter, we had coffee left from the roast, and Tobey Tops Howard saved our lives with her very good sandwiches.
Doc Johnston had just been to Hanover to get his boy. Forry Hall was building a house for himself. Perhaps you noticed he was secretary of that Cheshire bunch; he made a workmanlike report of their meeting. C. T. Hall was dated up for a wedding; Winifred and the children went to Prout's Neck, Me., on the Monday. C. R. Neal gets to Amesbury once in a. while, but did not this time. H. E. Kellner was in the White Mountains for over the Fourth. Dan Hausmann intimates that he might as well spell eska as is, esker, and bring it from Norway via Ireland as to think of coming. Pray Wadham wants a winter reunion. This was talked of. Maybe about two winters before the Twenty-fifth will be all right. N'est-ce pas? The A. G. Pratts will be there sometime. Last year it rained; this year company, and A 1 had to go to New York on Sunday. E. L. Brown and B. Elaine had been otherwise dated for a month. L. C. Swan and Mary often think of what a fine trip they had to Hanover last June, but they didn't even send regrets. Next year cards shall bear an R.S.V.P.
Mrs. Newell, who wants to keep in touch with Charles' classmates and wants her boys to go to Dartmouth, came down for a few minutes.
Keep these dates clear for 1925. That will please the Mahoney family, and they sure deserve to be pleased.
Editor, 516 Commonwealth Ave., Newton Center, Mass
