COMMENCEMENT 1928
Hanover's best show, that ten ring circus and clrama billed as The 159 th Commencement and Reunion had a most successful run before an appreciative gathering of alumni, parents, and friends. One emerges from the
atmosphere of Dartmouth Commencement very much in the humor of the young circus-goer, a little amazed, a little disappointed that so much has happened in so short a time, and perhaps a little the worse for too much pink lemonade.
It is a complicated performance, its events bearing no more relation to each other than the circus rings—carrying you quickly from the comic to the serious and back again—one moment the performer, the next the audience. Seniors passing thru the more serious moments of college life and alumni in exuberant spirits alternate in the center ring each understanding the others' mood and all united in a greater appreciation of Dartmouth and all it has meant to them.
Never before has the scene on the Hanover plain been so beautiful. This annual change of scenery marking as it does the progress of the College impresses returning alumni—seniors too, for it is only in the last few days of the year that posts and fences disappear, construction is disguised, and the College is dressed in her best.
Contributing more than any other building has contributed toward the improvement of campus and college the new Baker Library stands complete. The dedication of this building was an event of major importance on the program. 11 was the opinion of even those who look upon speeches as the necessary evil of such an event that Newton D. Baker did j ustice to the occasion with the appropriate and interesting address in which he visualized the function of education as enabling man to select wisely from the complex knowledge of the ages as contained in the books of a great library. The ceremony was not without its unconscious element of humor as the key was passing rapidly from builder to donor, thence to the president and finally into the safe keeping of the college librarian.
The dedication followed closely the Class Day exercises which vary each year only in so far as the orators are at ease or disturbed with their duties for the day. Strikingly successful at least was A 1 Fusonie as Class Orator who convinced us anew that intelligence as fostered by the Dartmouth curriculum strikes even our better athletic demigods.
The Baccalaureate service of Sunday was well attended by fond parents and friends and the peace and quiet of the day was aided by the transference of reunion activities to the outlying towns where class dinners and picnics were the order.
Dick's House was opened for inspection and like those who have gone before them its visitors left with a keen appreciation of the great part this memorial has in the life of the College.
The President's Reception offered the opportunity of renewing acquaintance with President and Mrs. Hopkins for the many who delight in such an opportunity and to inspect the gardens of the new Dartmouth "White House."
Monday was a reunion day, the seniors and their families playing the spectators' parts and the alumni assuming the lead. But by Monday the alumni were rather fed up with their side show performances and after the morning's gala parade filed sedately into the fraternity goat halls to learn again the handclasps and songs they thought never to forget and to consider in some seriousness the finances of new houses and old debts which are as much the inheritance of the fraternal alumnus as friendship's ties.
And well might they have been tired of reunion activities as rampant from Friday until Monday. Arriving in Hanover with the firm intention of reviving as nearly as possible the undergraduate spirit of their day and catching there in competition with other classes the feeling that old '23 or '25 or 'lB or 'OB or 'O3 or 'B3 or whatever it might be must prove, herself again to be the greatest class that ever wore the weeds from campus paths, each of the thousand odd alumni threw himself into his reunion with less regard for life and liberty than for the pursuit of happiness.
Faces and names prove a nightmare at first meeting but what of that? Old Whats-his-name is back and so is Whosis and the guy who lived in North Fayerweather, and every face brings back an incident that needs recollection and discussion. And then another day you are impressed by names and recollections of classmates who have not made the grade.
Noise seemed to afford the common outlet of class spirit—and what noise! '25 ran to aerial bombs and skyrockets, '23 produced a fire siren that shrieked about all the time. 'OB carried firecrackers and a cannon with inexhaustible ammunition. And under one pretence or another every class managed to coop up a jazz band in their dormitory corridors where a jazz band seems to have its most resonant and megaphonic effect.
Costumes ran through all the shades of green and into an Eli blue adopted by 'l3. One rather wished the old timers could be induced to don a costume too—for identified only by a badge the '73 and '7B men and those of several classes were lost in the shuffle of commencement guests and one feels he would rather like to pay more homage to these grand old Men of Dartmouth.
Saturday morning after the newcomers had renewed acquaintance with Scotty's Allen's, and the Inn barbers the traditional baseball games covered the campus and urged on by cannon, siren, and a wild cheering section the younger class representatives bunted and ran with a fine disregard for physical disabilities.
The big parade assembled Monday morning and for the first time one realized the numbers brought back by this desire to revive college days and all hands honored the Sons of Dartmouth.
Reunions unofficially break up with Mondays parade and only the more fortunate alumni manage to stay to see Tuesday's program through—and this is the Seniors' day. Fortunate are those who can secure admission to the commencement exercises but all Hanover turns out for the academic procession eagerly curious to note the candidates for honorary degrees and to inspect the colorful faculty assemblage on dress parade.
And then the Alumni Luncheon in the gym welcomed the class of 1928 into the alumni body. Here again a natural antipathy for speeches is forgotten for the subject is Dartmouth and of Dartmouth no man is tifed of hearing or speaking.
And so ends another year of Dartmouth life. And back to their corners of the country go the reunited alumni stronger in their affection for the College.
For those who missed the 159 th reunions we can review the program but not the spirit of the gathering. One throws into a mental kaleidoscope a hundred momentary impressions—a graduate of '73 and a prospect for 1940 in an 'OB costume—the clerk at Allen's and a professor—a janitor of familiar appearance and a senior in cap and gown—a proud mother and three tipsy classmates in costume,—a new library, a changed pathway and a house moved from its expected location: add a ginger ale bottle and a toast side—a bag of Nugget peanuts and a short lead—a circus tent the Bema and College Hall porch—a cannon, a siren and a carillon of bells—a ball game, a parade and a Kappa Kappa Kappa meeting: add what you will and then look through and you will always find Hanover more wonderful than you remembered it to be.
Before the procession started Mr. Parkhurst, Mr. N. D. Baker, Senator Moses, Mr. Thayer, Mr. A. O. Brown, President Hopkins
Assembling for the Parade
The head of the Commencement procession
1908 at headquarters
