Class of 1916
It's all but here,—that long awaited return of the tribesmen to the hearthfire in the North to celebrate Balmacaan's Biggest Barbecue. If you are not already aboard the Decennial
band-wagon, send in your questionnaires at once for costume specifications. Arrangements have been made to handle the last minute surge, but the zero hour" fast approaches,—two weeks to go to the quarter crescent of the Strawberry Moon and the roll of the tribal tom-toms. Come on, you 'Caaners,—to the trail.
With becoming modesty "Ig" Eigner makes no reference to golf prizes on his questionnaire, but we'll lay another pile of wampum that "Ig" breaks something more than a club in the Lake Morey tournament. You don't hear very much of a yip from Jack English and Frank Bobst according to "Ig" they are both praying for rain.
"Chuck" and Mrs. Parsons are planning an early get-away for the long haul from Penacook to Hanover—but they'll both be there.
John McAuliffe believes in looking ahead and picking the best. "One extra cut of red beef, preferably Walt Record's stock," is John's most recent order to the chef of the Lake Morey Club Inn.
Connecticut and New Hampshire are blazing the trail for all other outlying districts in the matter of reunion activity. Johnny "Pel" and Jim Coffin have been treading on the heels of their respective district constituencies with precision and regularity, and the results are striking the Barbecue line-up.
The Lake Morey committee, headed up by Fred Bailey, reports all in readiness for the triumphant return. Even the old steamboat is shivering all the way down to the garboard strake in anticipation of the coming cruise, so don't forget the pedal waterwings !
On March 14 Hap Ward advised that he had written the last half of June off the calendar. On March 31 came the sad tale that on account of his business expansion he probably wouldn't be able to make the party. Can you picture it? Our sympathetic reply must have burned through the envelope—it was smoking when it left for since then not a word. We'll take the short end right now, however, that the Buffalo roofer forgets his trade when the whistle blows on the 16th.
I do know that I'll be there or bust, and I don't intend to bust," is the emphatic affirmative of Joe Larimer that he is checking in on June 18. Incidentally Joe furnished the tip on the present whereabouts of Carl Merryman, who has been missing on the class records for nigh on to two years. As the story goes, Carl is secretary of the Valparaiso, Florida, Chamber of Commerce. It's a strange thing that just as soon as a man stakes out in Florida he apparently loses all contact with the outside world. Bones Joy and Sterling Wilson are two exceptions, but there are plenty to prove the point. Looking back a bit, we seem to recall that Heinie George always waxes a bit balmy after his sojourns on the peninsula. On the last trip Heinie went South wearing a belt, and returned with purple galluses. Yes, the same ones that he wears for tennis.
. Simultaneously with the receipt of George Pratt's questionnaire came the following social item: Mrs. Susan Ellsworth of Hartford, Conn., announces the engagement of her daughter, Mary Amelia, to George H. Pratt, Jr. Miss Ellsworth will break into the 1916 circle most auspiciously on the occasion of Balmacaan's Biggest Barbecue. Meanwhile our congratulations are extended herewith.
Larry Doyle asks for patience until he is sure that he can get away. No, he is not a doctor, but he does qualify as a lawyer and an Indian chief.
"Jawn" Monahan admits that he is in line for the fracas, and we're sure glad to know it; but verbal O.K.'s lack costume measurements Let's have it, big boy!
According to the latest reports from Jesse Fenno on the Alumni Fund, most of the boys are apparently holding up their contributions to give Jesse a big surprise in Hanover. In spite of the fact that Balmacaan is staging the Biggest Barbecue, and this is no one-ring show, the College has to operate just the same. There's a deficit.to be met, and a chunk of approximately $2700 is charged to the class of 1916. Make your play, men, and the sooner, the quicker, and the happier we all will be when the tom-tom has rolled for muster.
If there is any justice, earnest effort will be rewarded, and Ken Henderson has a shower of rabbits' feet or horseshoes coming his way. "Here you are," says Ken. "If I told you that I haven't mailed the questionnaire before because our house is entirely out of tape-measures, you wouldn't believe it. Last night in sheer desperation I measured myself and wife with a. piece of string and a foot-rule. So the specifications enclosed are only approximate, and if the '16 costume is a dinner coat or something similar, I won't look exactly tailor-made. Of those returning (as of April 20) we have from 'Chi'—Joe Cheney and wife, Lury Cole and wife, K. M. H. and wife, Joe Larimer, Dan Lindsley, and George Kreider. We're coming 100 per cent strong." So far, so good, Ken, your quota calls for twelve men and six wives. Just check up on the promise that Mrs. McEndy made at the time of the first Pow-Wow, that she and Mac would be at the scene of action. We don't want to drive you to the necessity of marrying off some of the few remaining bachelors, but twelve men and six wives are charged to you, and you're talking 100 per cent figures.
Mr. and Mrs. Russell H. Leavitt announce the arrival in April of Catherine Elizabeth, weight nine pounds, two ounces. Rus is another who is on the fence on reunion plans on account of the school closing falling on June 18. We'll guarantee to cover you, Rus, with the district superintendent if you let the reports slide for a few days.
The chances of "Les" Leavitt's returning from Syria in time are even slimmer. According to present plans "Les" cannot sail until July and probably most of the 'Caaners will have left Lake Morey by that time.
If you have had any enjoyment from the cartoons used in the reunion broadcasts you can express your thanks to the versatility of Bones Joy. Bones is temporarily managing his father's business at Dunedin, Fla., and is devoting his spare time to the music and orchestration of the Balmacaan reunion song.
It was a tough break for the "ten up and down" boys when the Dartmouth Club of Boston closed its former quarters. It's a sure bet that some convenient office is harboring the pitch refugees now, but at least our broadsides drove them to cover and saved one home from despair. A hunting trip at this time of year is not an alibi—it is a social error!
Salt Lake City is the present home of "Pip" Cowan, alias "Rougho," and if you're stopping off for a briny dip in the famous Mormon city don't fail to look him us at the Salt Lake Hardware Co., just one block from the U. P. station. "Pip" reports that he saw Bill Noble in Omaha recently, but otherwise the district is bereft of 'Caaners. We'll agree that there are a few rapids and portages between Salt Lake and the Hanover plains, but the skating is not so good across the Pacific, and yet a few of our Orientals are making the long trek back. Hope to see you, "Pip," at the camp fire.
Austin Jenison rates his chances of returning as fifty-fifty, the winner to be determined on June 5, and we're backing the winner. "Jen" is a partner in an advertising firm of Lansing, Mich., where he has established quite a reputation as an after-dinner speaker. Yes, we're looking for him to be back.
Abe Lincoln, the elusive bachelor of Fall River, is making a final drive on the Rhode Island district. Shaw, Mackie, Kirkland, Wyle, and De Costa are in the round up with at least four expected back. There's more than a good cigar for the sleuth who discovers what happened to Bill Mackie at the Glorious Fifth. Bill was actually seen for five minutes in Allen's Drug Store and then phooie—gone! We never were superstitious before that, ""but we'll rope and stake him at the Barbecue.
Another dispenser of mysticism with the supernatural power of sudden invisibility is Leigh Rogers. He's here today, in Warsaw tomorrow, and then nowhere at all. He bobbed up suddenly in Boston for a few hours, then in New York, and all reports indicate that he'll be back, but we sure would like to have a session with him before we hit the trail North.
"The life of Riley," and just that is "Ed's" present schedule. He is flitting back and forth betwe'en his wife's home in Woodstock, Vt., and Hanover. Our leading globe-trotter is now reaping 'the benefit of the intensive work of the past few years in a real vacation up among the hills, and he's stopping over until Balmacaan's full moon.
The New York city 'Caaners are playing second flute in no man's orchestra when it comes to reunion activity. Doc Greeley, Freddie Smith, and Perc Burnham are steaming over one dinner after another. At one of the April gatherings attended by Coburn, Ross, Everett, Jones, Stackpole, Pettengill, Doenecke, Burnham, Greeley, Williams, Telfer, Wolff, Taylor, and Freddie Smith the list of reunioners was boosted to twenty-five—and that's only fifteen from the quota. We're glad to see Dutch Doenecke back in the line-up, and hope that Ray DeVoe will lay off the bond flotations long enough to go to bat for the Balmacaan nine.
Carl Holmes reports the old soup-bone to be in the pink of condition for the coming interclass games on the campus, and this is bad news for 1921 and 1923. With the added presence of Perkins, Eskeline, Williams, McAuliffe, DeVoe, and other former diamond scintillants, it looks tough for the opposition.
Credit Louis Bell with an assist in relaying Ev Parker's reunion tax to Perc Burnham. Ev is coming all the way from Butte, and suggests that some of the boys co-operate by bringing along the "beautiful and talented sister."
When scoring Louis with an assist make a note that he is now manager of the statistical department of the Boston investment house of Chase and Company.
Don Fuller has staged another great comeback, this time from a serious siege of pneumonia, and with the old fighting spirit hopes to be in at the tribal ceremonies.
Jake Mensel is another recent convalescent who is now raring to hit the Balmacaan trail. Jake is not only coming back, but he's bringing his boss with him all the way in from Bristol, Pa., to initiate him into the tribal mysteries. Take a leaf of this book, Hap!
A farmer's life is not all corn and peas, wails Horace Fishback from Brookings, S.D. "It's the worst time of year to leave the farm," says Fish, "and I don't see how I can make it."
A recent gusher from our oratorical fountain, Bernie Beurnsteen Wyle, contains enough satirical humor to be worthy of a special issue of Life, Judge, and Puck, but lack of space forbids justice herein. Bernie is signed, sealed, and delivered for the Barbecue, and he assures the presence also of Howie Renfrew, "Boston's sweet baritone, whose dulcent tones would make a Scotchman give odds." Chet Woolworth, Jake Mensel, Charlie Everett, Jack Cremer, and Sterling Wilson are others" recently seen by Bernie, and he has a boost for each.
As we go to press Joe Cheney and Ralph Parker crash through with questionnaires, and Heinie George rushes again into print to announce that his must be lost. For this once we'll take him seriously.
With the current issue, marking the end of tne five-year trail, our editorial mantle of conservatism and moderation falls from our shoulders. We are taking this occasion to express our sincere appreciation to our many collaborators, but as for conspirators who have ambushed us from anonymity, 'twill be a battle to the finish. The word is passed; choose your weapons, "ten up and downers," and let us see whose ink splashes the more freely.
Yours at the first quarter of the Strawberry Moon when the tom-toms roll across the campus.
Secretary, 85 Sargent St., Melrose, Mass.
THE END OF THE "SIXTEEN" TRAIL
