CLASS OF 1915
Arlington, Mass. Foremost in thought as this column is begun is the saddening news which was given to the world only this morning. Unfortunately we were denied the privilege of living in Hanover under Dr. Tucker's personal guidance, yet we sensed his presence and received the benefits of his wisdom and foresight for which we are thankful.
The details of the vacations which were so eagerly anticipated last spring and so quickly dissipated during the summer are but reminiscences now, but statistics and news items which percolated through the ether and the U. S. mails gave definite evidence that some members of the class utilized their time to excellent advantage.
Take Ev Graves for instance,—the last thing we heard about Ev was to the effect that he was hospitalized, the result of an automobile controversy. Now we learn, in this year of our Lord, on July the 10th, that he was married to Margery Willard Healey, and they are living at 1675 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge Mass.
And also Sid Crawford. Sid looked sort of wistful at our Tenth as he watched the other happily married couples, so it was not so much of a surprise to receive the news that Doris Eva McCausland is now Mrs. Crawford. Sid and Doris were married down in Woodford, Me., on the 17th of August, and are living in Worcester.
1915 welcomes Margery and Doris and hope that they will not be too severe when comparing the rest of us with the two upstanding members they selected. (That ought to make the boys feel good.)
Charlie Griffith as usual was located in Boston during July, but no one laid eyes on him until the last of July just before he went back to New York. He directed the American Institute of Normal Methods at Lasell Seminary, and his final effort was the presentation most successfully of the oratorio "Hora Novissima."
It is not amiss to call attention to the notice in the August issue of this MAGAZINE chronicling the death of Tim Anderson. In college Tim was quiet and friendly to those of his acquaintance, and therefore it is not surprising that in his last illness he should bear his suffering without any word of complaint to his friends.
Elizabeth Nightingale, wife of Whitney M. Frye, died at Elliot Memorial Hospital, Keene, N. H., September 7.
There must be something wrong with our publicity efforts, for Zeke Carpenter spent two weeks at Wianno (Cape Cod) this summer without so much as calling up Al or myself, who summered but ten miles distant. Golf, however, is a science of many useful purposes, and coincidentally Thornt Pray and Al met Zeke on the links of the Wianno Club. When he is home Zeke is secretary of the Carpenter Paper Company.
Dick Wyman was also seen in and about West Harwich last summer, although he too must move under cover of darkness.
John Loomis said that he and son Jack had a very fine summer at Dome Lake Club in the Big Horn Mountains near Sheridan, Wyoming. That sounds like a movie location, but in reality is a fishing club. John did not tell any fish stories this year, because I have yet to find anyone who believed the one he hold last year.
By a strange coincidence, our class family missed by but seven days an extraordinary occurrence the acquisition of twins, born one in Springfield, Mass., and the other in Honduras. Such an event, had it actually happened, surely would have puzzled the most eminent biologists, —but why speculate, for Russell D. Chase, Jr., arrived in Springfield on June 23, and will always be seven days older than Daniel Charles Wing, who since June 30 has received his mail at Puerto Castilla, Honduras. Russ Chase, Senior, sent in specific dimensions which should quality Junior for the heavyweight division, and in addition says that Junior is "a very handsome child." I would wager that Junior possesses a bass voice of considerable promise too, for surely he must have received some inheritance from his father.
Of Daniel Charles Wing our information is extremely meager to date although several letters have been dispatched to his reticent father in the hopes that more details will be forthcoming. Due prominence should be given to the fact that what news I did receive came from Howard Wing, Jr., Daniel's older brother, along with a snapshot which would seem to indicate his age to be about 2although he was wearing long pants when the picture was taken.
While we are on this subject, gossip has it that recently Ray King was called upon for an impromptu speech on some unknown subject. Ray was in rare form and did full justice to his subject, "The Birth of a Nation." Ray has five Pollyannas in his home, you know.
Russ and Isabel Rice are back in Needham again. Temporarily they had made their home in Springfield, as Russ was purchasing agent during the construction of the new home of the Massachusetts Mutual Life.
Whenever you go up to the candy counter and slap down your nickel for a Babe Ruth or an Oh Henry, or something similar, who knows but what you will be buying one of Carl Whiteley's products. Carl is with a wholesale confectionery company in Cambridge, specializing in nickel candy bars.
Germany is a long distance off for most of us, but if any member of the class should run over to Berlin some week-end, drop into the American Embassy there and ask for Maynard Andrus. The last heard from Maynard was from Denver, but it seems that he went to Germany in 1919, and is familiar with the German end of the Versailles Peace Mission. That work finished, the diplomatic service offered him the opportunity to continue to live in a country which holds much of interest, namely Germany.
Walt Meader since last May has been associated with two other worthy gentlemen with the intention of administering individual insurance problems. He is located at 50 Congress St., Boston.
Famous or handsome men cannot remain obscured even by the confusion of Boston. After remaining incognito in Chelsea for six months, John Healy finally was forced to disclose his connection with the Revere Rubber. I believe that this disclosure was a matter of self-protection, as John is the only resident of Chelsea who has not been called to date as a material witness in the political scandal of the city.
Here's hoping that when Ralph Brown reads this that he will verify the report that he is married.
Charlie Griffith's letter continued. Susan and Charlie are met by Dan Waugh upon their arrival in Japan.
"Three years ago Dan had taken us in Manila to a real Japanese dinner, and we asked for a repetition of the meal called 'sukiyaki.' Depositing our bags at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, a grotesquely unique structure which withstood the earthquake, we followed Dan along the Hibiya tram line to a back street where is located the Akebono-ro Restaurant. We removed our muddy shoes, donned felt slippers, climbed a steep flight of steps, slithered along the cold matting corridor made by sliding rice paper doors, and came to a small private room just warmed off the tepid by a charcoal fire in an urn, called the hibachi. Six of us sat down tailor-fashion around a beautifully carved table as high off the floor as an army locker. Dan began a spirited conversation with two attractive Japanese serving girls, who bowed themselves low into our presence with many ingurgitations of their breath. We were hopelessly left out of the repartee, but joined explosively in their giggles as we were looked over from head to foot.
"By the time the mushroom soup course had been served, unaccounted-for muscles and bones in our cramped positions began paleolithic petrifaction, and we had to shift our positions with groans and hobblings. Most of us eventually found half-reclining, one flank then the other, with one elbow on the table, the only solution, truly a Roman position. In the meantime, the Japanese attendants had concocted this marvel of culinary art, sukiyaki, the ingredients being poured into the fry pan before our very eyes. First butter, then chicken, bamboo sprouts, small onions, bean paste, mushrooms, and soyo sauce. Poured over rice the essence makes a combination which can be trafficked from bowl to mouth by chopsticks even by the merest tyro, and can be relished by the most exacting epicure.
"On the next evening Dan showed himself an even more perfect guide to Japanese life by taking us to a performance of one of the most famous classic music dramas, "Kanjincho." The story deals with the escape of a clever brother and his cleverer retainer from the vengeance of a wicked shogun. The action takes place without change of scene, on a wide stage at the back of which sits an orchestra on two stage levels, playing sami-sens, or small guitars, tsusumi, or small drums, and flutes. Sometimes the principal actors intone their lines to this accompaniment, and again singers in the orchestra perform while the actors posture or fence. Effects are subtle; the action is swift; the play on the imagination is marvelous.
"Kyoto is the ancient capital of Japan. Imagine my pleasure at finding at the head of the theological school Mr. S. C. Bartlett '87, son of a president of Dartmouth College and brother of our own 'Bobbie' Bartlett, whose genial personality and delightful writings have made him the Oliver Wendell Holmes of the College.
Secretary, 9 Woodland St.,
JAMB"** THE."SIXTE£N" TRAIL
