Class of 1899
The twenty-eighth Boston round-up took place at the University Club, Saturday evening, March 3. It had been predicted that this gathering would be a large and enthusiastic one, and so it proved. Thirty-three men were present, the largest number for sixteen years, and two or three others were kept away at the last moment by illness. The following were present: A. J. Abbott, Allen, Atwood, Barney, Beal, Benezet, N. Brown, Cavanaugh, H. Chase, Clark, Dearborn, Dickey, Donahue, Drew, Hawkes, Hoban, Hobbs, Huckins, Irving, Kendall, Lynch, Parker, Richardson, Rogers, Sargeant, Silver, Skinner, Sleeper, Speare, Storrs, Walker, Wiggin, and Willard. Of this group eighteen came from a distance of forty miles or more, while fifteen live in-Greater Boston. Chase from New Jersey, Kendall from Washington, D. C., Willard from Orono, Me., Dickey from Springfield, and Richardson and Storrs from Hanover represented the biggest distances traveled. Hoppy and Charlie Adams had been expected from Keene, and George Evans, Paul Osgood, and Gus Heywood were detained by illness. Clarence Joy, who had been in Boston for the N. E. A!., was obliged to return home two days beforehand.
Justice Donahue acted as toastmaster, Sleeper, Cav, and Benezet pounded the piano, and Theobald Lynch led the songs.
The cards inviting the members of the class to be present had stressed the fact that the N. E. A. convention would bring several '99ers to Boston that very week, and announced that the meeting would be in the hands of the pedagogues. Donny qualified by having taught night school one evening as a substitute for a friend. Hobe was very doubtfully squeezed in on the basis of having organized some class in Americanization during the war. N. P. was introduced as the "whilom" or "erstwhile" professor of public speaking in Dartmouth, and Cav as the "quondam" professor of law at B. C. Silver, Benezet, Hobbs, Speare, Beal, Richardson, and Wiggin were legitimately on the program. The latter tried hard to drag in Dave Storrs as an ex-Sunday school teacher, but the court ruled adversely.
Donny began by quoting statistics from Natt Emerson's recent excellent report, which showed that of the five classes about our time, '97 to 'Ol, inclusive, '99 had the biggest percentage of living graduates residing in New England. He also quoted Natt to the effect that we had more teachers (professors, superintendents, principals, etc.) than any of the other classes, and fewer ministers.
Long Jim gave a most interesting talk on the College as it is at present. Tim read an excellent original poem, effervescing with youth and enthusiasm as usual.
In introducing the latter, His Honor had said that in a recent copy of his family newspaper, the Boston American, he had noted a photograph of the seven most beautiful school teachers in the Boston schools. In the picture with them was one lone male, whom the newspaper had named The Bold Lynch.
N. P. and Tim told conflicting versions of a golf match between Dave Storrs and The Bold. An annual summer '99 round-up on the links at Hanover was proposed. President Silver and President Speare invited the convention to meet at Plymouth instead, speaking on behalf of the Teachers' College and the Chamber of Commerce respectively. It was suggested that the normal school should not run in opposition to the G. Gallup Clark Inn, whereupon the toastmaster suggested that it might be prudent to sample the fare in both places. Theobald offered in case such a reunion were staged to put up a handsome silver trophy as a perennial prize, and to baclir up his words showed a sketch of a figure resembling the Winged Victory of Samothrace. Objection was raised by some members of the class on the ground that a drink of water could not be quaffed from such a cup, but the court overruled.
N. P. told of his unexpected and humorous encounter with Hawley in Buffalo in 1924.
Hoban related the story of Pitt's encounter with his old professor in Math before a jury. He read letters from absent members, and delivered his customary curtain lecture on the state of the Alumni Fund.
Hobbs gave an interesting talk on the Boston Latin School and modern youth. Beal followed with a similar talk. But the real orators of the occasion were Cav and Bill Wiggin. Each received a tremendous ovation at the close of his remarks.
The Secretary read post-cards and telegrams from those who failed to show up, and gave a very brief account of the sons of '99 in Dartmouth. To date they number nine: John Walter Johnston, Arnold Hyatt, Herbert Adams, Kenneth Malcolm Beal, Wendell Barney, Alson Morgan Abbott Jr., Robert Winchester, Joseph Huckins, and Robert Dickey. William Kendall, Howland Sargeant, and Roger Benezet are sure to enter next fall, said he, arid two or three others may also be found in the ranks of 1932.
After the formal speaking, the group lingered on, singing songs and swapping stories till 11:30 P. M. The meeting was voted by everybody a big success, and plans were laid to make next year's gathering even bigger.
A number of interesting facts came to light in connection with the round-up. Almost everybody present had some bit of news with regard to some absent member.
Herbert Bailey, in consequence of his excellent work in erecting a library building, has been made a life member of the American Library Association.
A group of Boston Latin School boys, taught by Joe Hobbs, recently made a record which is considered unique. There were thirty-one all told. Twenty-eight of them at the close of their course were recommended to take the college entrance examinations. The other three, not so strongly recommended as the others, nevertheless took the examinations on their own responsibility. All of the thirty-one passed!
In a letter to Hobe, Franko complains bitterly because John Henry DuBois told him that he almost failed to recognize him because he had grown so fat. Franko calls attention to the following vital statistics:
H. Q. F.—Height 6 ft. 3 inches—Weight 230 pounds.
J. H. D.—Height 5 ft. 7 inches—Weight 297 pounds.
Guy E. Speare was a newcomer at the Boston round-up. He was introduced as superintendent of schools at Plymouth, director of practice in the State Teachers' College, president of the Chamber of Commerce, and editor of the "Rotary Spoke!"
Alfred Sears, Horace's son, is making an excellent record as a freshman in New York University.
A story was told at the Boston round-up of a visit to the office of Bones Woodward in Seattle. The people were lined up three deep, trying to get in to see the famous medico, it was said.
George Evans was forced to miss the round-up. He has been in bed for six weeks with a serious illness, but is now on the road to recovery.
Doc Norton has joined the ranks of the '99 grandfathers. His daughter Margaret is the mother of Lester Louis Allison 3d, born January 31 in Dallas, Texas.
A. B. Tootell, A. 8., who last year was principal of the high school at Browning, Montana, has come back to Minnesota and is now teaching science. His business address is Box 468, Buhl, Minn., and his residence 516 12th Avenue S. E., Minneapolis.
George Huckins has launched into business for himself. After twenty-five years of engineering for the B. and M., George has cut loose and bought the big Middlesex Storage Garage, located at 433-435 Rutherford Ave., Charlestown.
Pap Abbott writes explaining why he missed the round-up. It seems that Buck Burns, who had been wintering at Bermuda, blew into New York on February 24, and Pap took him over and showed him where to find the Omaha train. Had it been a week later, says Pap, he would have insisted on taking him up to Boston. As it was, Pap had a trip to Pinehurst already planned, and could not give it up.
Percy Drake wrote to Jim Barney from Hartford that it had been a long time since he had attended a round-up; therefore he was planning his business in such a way as to land in Boston on March 3. Something must have happened, for Percy failed to show up.
Bill Colbert's new address is Phoebus, Va. Under date of February 23, he writes: "Dear Jim: Will not be able to attend on March 3. Regards to all and condolences to the pedagogues. I was one once."
Frank Surrey writes that he has been very busy transferring' his children from the annex of the Morris High School back to the main building. He speaks of getting together with Ikey, Joe Gannon, Rodney Sanborn, Hawley Chase, Pap Abbott, arid Buck Burns at the annual dinner of the New York Dartmouth alumni.
Bill Greenwood writes to Jim: "Hope the teachers will give you what you are looking for, and that they may have a lot of fun doing it."
Gerry writes from Princeton that he is sorry that he cannot attend the round-up, but that a teacher must stick to his teaching unless he joins the N. E. A. and becomes an EDUCATOR.
Spade, as has been said, was detained by illness, but he wrote a card in the typical Heywood manner, saying that he was in no immediate need of advice, free or otherwise, with regard to the education of his children.
P. Winchester and wife returned on the last of February from an eleven-day cruise to Porto Rico and Santo Domingo. This, he wrote, prevented his presence at the round-up, for it is necessary, according to him, to make a little bluff every now and then at earning his salary.
A telegram from Weary Wardle to George read as follows: "Sorry I couldn't make it. Best regards to all." He had previously written from the University Club at Montreal, telling that he had been flitting back and forth of late between home, Quebec, and Montreal. It seems that a new bridge is being built across the St. Maurice River at Grande Mere, and Weary has been appointed head engineer in charge of the construction. This has caused him to do a great deal of traveling, but also succeeded in tying him down rather closely. He says that perhaps it is just as well that he is not coming, for if they got him started on his trip around the world, he would talk for two days without stopping.
The Secretary received letters from Mot, George, and Tim shortly after the round-up, all expressing their pleasure at the success of the gathering. Tim confesses that his sides ached from laughing at the flow of wit and oratory spilled by Cav, Bill Wiggin, and Hobe, not to mention the two Honorable Justices.
Mot proposes that each men present should write to some '99er who failed to show up, and tell him how much he missed. He calls attention to the fact that the whole Tri Kap delegation, with the exception of Bob Johnston, were present.
Mot's wife has been in the hospital, but has come back minus her appendix and feeling better than ever.
George Clark writes that George Evans is back on the job after quite a siege in the hospital. He wanted to make the round-up, but his doctor strictly forbade it. Among other activities he has gotten together a carload of books for the Montpelier, Vt., library, to replace flood losses. George Clark closes his letter with a tribute to the scintillating wit of the sad-faced, judicial toastmaster.
The Boston Herald of Sunday, March 5, printed a letter from George Evans, which ran the gamut of several scientific subjects. He began by setting one of his friends right in the matter of herd's grass. From this he rambles on to prove, by certain survivals of Elizabethan English, that the mountain regions of Kentucky were settled by the same sort of people as those who came to live in northern New Hampshire. He next discussed the difference between the hedgehog, the woodchuck, the porcupine, the ground-hog, and other domestic pets. He next wanders into the realm of the kitchen and laments that no longer do we see "boiled cider applesass,"; and that nobody nowadays dries blueberries for winter use. A versatile cuss, George!
In the Granite State Free Press of Lebanon, published oh Friday>March 2, there is a letter signed by Jim Richardson. Jim announces his candidacy for delegate to the Republican Convention from the second congressional district of New Hampshire. Jim declares that he is for Herbert Hoover, and as to his second choice he will endeavor, in case the convention seems to be hopelessly deadlocked and Hoover cannot be nominated, to get the party leaders to turn toward Calvin Coolidge.
Raymond Pearl, 8.5., PhD., LL.D., has an article in the November number of the American Mercury, in which he throws a monkeywrench into the machinery set up by the most advanced of the modern eugenists. It seems that Ray has made a study of all the persons to whom the Encyclopedia Britannica has awarded one full page of biography. Of these thousand persons he finds that 588 have gotten in on their own merits and not because of any inherited or elective position. He then made a study of the parents and the children of this group. No doubt this will be made the subject of a new book from his pen. At present he gives the data on the poets and philosophers only. He states that among the parents of the philosophers are some who "would have been segregated or sterilized if the recommendations of present day eugenic zealots had been in operation." He finally summarizes by saying that everything comes up out of the mud and goes back into it, and that it is no misfortune to the human race that each Harvard graduate is the father of only three-fourths of a child, and that each Smith graduate is the mother of only half a child. To quote Chimmie Fadden: "Not dose woids, but dat was wot de Dago was gittin' at when he rit de piece." It is a startling article, and will no doubt provoke discussion.
Secretary, 88 Lowell St., Manchester, N. H.
