Class of 1915

Reluctance to dissect an interesting bit ot rhetoric entitled "Encircling the Continent" is my reason for giving you Al's letter as is:

IS Ashburton Place, Boston, December 24, 1925

Esteemed Secretary: I can think of no more appropriate way to start the day before Christmas than in

giving you my report on your commission to serve as field secretary for 1915.

The first event upon my schedule, and one which, needless to say, I should not have attended had you not so instructed me, was the Chicago-Dartmouth game. Dartmouth headquarters were at the Hotel Drake, where Herb Potter and Gray Waggett had established a 1915 room to corral the visiting firemen. According to the daily newspaper of the hotel, Mr. C. R. Taplin of Orleans, Vt., was among many prominent Eastern business men who had so arranged their affairs that they might make the trip at that time. Charlie and Florence had apparently arrived early, and I am sure did their best to show our Western brethren that their hospitality was appreciated.

At the banquet the lusty "fifteen up" of Hank Monheimer and A 1 Cahn gradually brought to light not only the list which Herb Potter sent in for an earlier issue of trie MAGAZINE, but also Wy Fuller and Bill Daniels, whom, strange as it may seem, Herb must have overlooked. At the game Mr. and Mrs. Tak Mitsui were also spotted, while at the dance that night 1915 was represented by Messrs. Potter, Waggett, and Ghee, Mr. and Mrs. A 1 Cahn, Mr. and Mrs. Les Castle, Mr. and Mrs. John Loomis, Mr. and Mrs. Dick Redfield, Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Taplin, and Mr., and Mrs. A 1 Priddy. A rumor was current in the underworld that George Hutchins was also in town, but if so, he certainly kept well under cover. Others may likewise have been on hand, displaying an even greater ability to keep quiet than George.

On my way westward my train very considerately stopped in Denver long enough for me to drop in to see Pete Alexander. Pete is somewhat more rotund than in 1915, but his new style of architecture fits admirably into the large chair which he holds in the organization of the bank with which he is connected. It is no wonder that that bank is reported to be a leader in Denver, for anyone calling there would have confidence in the safety of their money, judging at least from the hard-hearted manner in which all applicants for loans were turned down while I sat by Pete's desk.

Tommy Tomfohrde checked in at a Dartmouth Club luncheon at San Francisco, with the report that another year's residence there would make him a native Californian. I had to take his word for the fact that A 1 Livingston was also to be found in that vicinity in business and in residence across the bay in Oakland. Tommy reports that A 1 has recently married, and unless you have more reason than I to doubt Tommy's word, you might enter that in your official records, pending receipt of first-hand information from the culprit himself.

There were no scheduled stops on my return eastward, but a "news butcher" did provide me with a 1915 item in a paper carrying a Columbus, Ohio, date line of December 9, which included in its news a report of the assistant prohibition commissioner of the raid on the home of Mr. Dabney Horton. According to the commissioner's report, Opie maintained his record for originality by entertaining the men who had come to arrest him by reading poems which he had composed and in presenting a copy of one to the commissioner himself. In the words of the commissioner's report, "Like a humming bird going to the rose for a sip of nectar, he descended from his intellectual realm to the moonshine still for a sip of rum and became entangled in the meshes of the law."

my previously arranged schedule to return via Columbus, and thus make a personal investigation, but duty called me back to Boston. In my first day at the office Joe Harris dropped in to report that the Southeastern Association was still making the name of Dartmouth known in that section, in spite of Joe's refusal to continue as secretary-treasurer of that organization. Joe continues to serve the advertising department of the Atlanta Georgian and here's hoping that Mr. Hearst may call him northward more frequently in the future. I felt that you might wish me to abandon

The most inspiring item which I foundin my mail upon my return was an Alumni. Fund contribution from Dick Clarke's aunt, Mrs. Wallace. For the third successive year our "associate member" has taken the prize for the first contribution, which she has in each case sent in in advance of any request. My predecessor in office failed to turn over any trophies to be awarded in recognition of such records. If he had, I should be tempted to award Mrs. Wallace permanent possession right now, for she has apparently established a very worthwhile and highly appreciated habit.

I know not how large a 1915 circulation Jack Bowler's efforts may have secured for your medium—the ALUMNI MAGAZINE—but here's hoping that either directly or indirectly my heartiest "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year" may reach each and every Fifteener.

Sincerely, (Signed) Al Priddy.

It isn't to be expected that A 1 would corral all the news pertaining to those inhabitants of the great open spaces who are eligible for publicity in this column, but he did a very thorough job.

So from our Western correspondent we learn that:—

Barney Owen has recently been seen alive and at liberty, and sneaked into the last alumni dinner held in Los Angeles. Barney reported that he has been engaged in oil business in the South, whether Southern California, Southern Mexico, or South America was not indicated. (This report verifies that received from the chief of police of Los Angeles last June).

He sat next to A 1 Cahn at the Chicago game, but could see very little of A 1 on account of his wife. Mrs. Cahn was so good to look at that our correspondent couldn't (or didn't want to) see past her. However, an appraisal was' made of A 1 later at the Drake Hotel, and he appeared well and happy. A 1 is in the bond business in Chicago.

Les Castle knocked off two days at the Austin State Bank, which is just outside of Chicago, and attended the game and subsidiary festivities with Mrs. Castle.

Dick Redfield and Mrs. Redfield were on from Des Moines on a vacation from their growing family. Dick, as you know, is in the bond business in Des Mdines, and reports are all to the effect that he is prospering. Mrs. Dick is most charming, but that is true of all the wives of 1915 that I have met.

Wy Fuller is in business with his brother in Chicago.

A 1 Priddy and Mrs. Priddy were at the Chicago game. Mrs. Priddy kept A 1 well in hand, considering all the surrounding circumstances and conditions.

John Loomis is probably the most conscientious vice-president the class ever had, and apparently his conscience was troubling him when he wrote this: "You may get the report from some underhanded source that I fell out of the grandstand during the game. This is true, but the inference which might be drawn from it is not true. I wouldn't even suggest that anyone would be mean enough to broadcast this story nc mention names, but A 1 Priddy and others were there, and I want to guard against the possibility of any such attempt."

The Christmas mail brought your Secretary many greetings, but that which expressed the greatest amount of confidence and encouragement was one addressed to Mr. and Mrs. W. Dale Barker and came from far away Cisco, Texas. I deeply appreciate Jack Ferguson's interest, but in fear that this- may be a deep-laid plot to cast malicious reflections on my celibacial existence. I shall expect some written word from either Jack or Madelon Elizabeth.

It has been pointed out by an astute secretary of a preceding class that the method to employ to determine if class notes are read is to insert obvious misstatements and the immediate response in the nature of correcting correspondence is sufficient proof in the affirmative. This may or may not have been the reason that Worcester was given credit in the January MAGAZINE for being the domicile of Ray King. I say credit advisedly, as some of the letters postmarked Worcester would lead one to believe that there was lacking an appreciation of the thought contained in that item. We all know that Ray King has been and probably always will be a resident of Springfield, which city will receive the benefit of his wisdom in the conduct of its municipal affairs.

Herb Potter and Gray Waggett are apparently doing their share to make the Chicago alumni weekly luncheons successful. Following the Christmas holidays at a luncheon in the University Club, Herb welcomed a group of 85, including undergraduates and 15 paenes. An active group are those Chicago alumni.

Milt Ghee writes that he has left Hearst and has entered the ladies' publishing field. Whether as designer or solicitor Milt doesn't say, but he will have his headquarters in Chicago with the McCall Company.

Closely following Milt Ghee's announcement comes the word that Frank Collier has joined the staff of the Boston American. Whether or not any significance can be attached to these changes only the Hearst interests can say, but the fact remains, that 1915 still has two representatives in this corporation, Joe Harris in Atlanta and Otto Grow in Boston:

Secretary, 9 Woodland St., Arlington, Mass.