SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION
, Some twenty-seven hearty souls of the Southern California Alumni Association braved threatening weather on Sunday, May 2, to participate in the association's annual picnic at the Rancho de los Tres Hermanos. This was the fourth annual picnic at Tres Hermanos, the use of the ranch being given the association again through the courtesy of Harry Chandler, publisher of the Los Angeles Times, and an honorary member of the association. Mr. Chandler was awarded the honorary degree of Master of Arts by the College in 1922. Previous reports of these Southern California outings have informed readers of the ALUMNI MAGAZINE of the ideal setting for such a gathering afforded by the Rancho de los Tres Hermanos. But it perhaps might be well to emphasize that probably no alumni group is more favored than the Southern California Association is with so notable a meeting place.
Conditions for the picnic on May 2 proved ideal, in spite of the threatening weather that reduced attendance. Those who went found that there was rain in front of them, rain in back of them, and rain to the right and the left of them,' but there was no weather inclemency at Tres Hermanos. The great fields of the 29,000 acre ranch were lush with grass, and the hundreds of steers upon the hillsides provided a Western background that might be considered in keeping with the activities of a Southern California group. And in the tremendous fireplace that stands right in the middle of the enormous living room that was home for the day for the Dartmouth men in Southern California, there was a great fire blazing all day Sunday to dry out any who needed to be dried from any wetness suffered en route.
The three committees had charge of the arrangements for the day. The finance committee included George Adams, Eck Hiestand, and Ed Seward; the special refreshment committee was made up by Kirk Charles, "Shorty" Hitchcock, and Jim Durkee; the eats committee numbered Roland Foss, Al. Shiels, and Jerry Barnes. The last named committee had the easiest time of it, for all they had to do was to inform Tom Green, Mr. Chandler's ranch foreman, about what they wanted, and Tom did the rest. And for those who have never tasted a steak as only Tom Green can barbecue it, we have only to say that that individual has still something in life to live for. How it is possible for one man alone to eat a steak of sufficient size for the ordinary family is doubtless one of those inexplicable mysteries that cannot be solved, but nevertheless the crowd on May 2 did just that—that is, each man ate an entire steak, and there are rumors to the effect that Eck Hiestand consumed three, while "Shorty" Hitchock got away with two— perhaps it may be accounted for because of the way in which Tom Green prepared them.
To tell of all the happy events of the day would take more space than can be fairly demanded of the ALUMNI MAGAZINE, but this chronicle would not be complete without recit- ing the zealous fishing for fish that refused to be caught by Leslie Hatch, Paul Sample, and "Tommy" Thompson, the genial secretary of the class of 1906, who has been a Southern California visitor for some weeks. Also, it would not be complete without telling of the notable spectacle presented by Willis Hodgkins, Eck Hiestand, and Dick Merrill, as they reverted to boyhood days and swam in the Tres Hermanos pond for the edification of the multitude. T he crowd started out early in the day for the picnic, and the festivities continued until nearly midnight. Those present included:
G. R. Adams '09, R. B. Ahlswede '12, Gerald Barnes '11, R. L. Bennett '13, R. C. Brummer '19, Ashton Castle '24, Dan Coakley '16, Webster B. Evans '08, Roland Foss '19, Reginald E. Greeley '26, Leslie A. Hatch '98, E. W. Hiestand '10, Charles C. Hitchcock '16, Willis B. Hodgkins '99, Wimer Jordan '18, Ralph M. Kilpatrick '19, Dr. George P. Laton '06, Ed D. Martin '09, Richard B. Merrill '08, C. G. Milham '06, James J. Norton '08, J. Leland Richardson '08, V. R. Salinger '00, Paul S. Sample '20, Ed Seward '19, Ralph Thompson '06.
