CLASS OF 1898
The Secretary had the very pleasant experience of attending the National Education Association in Cleveland, Ohio, February 24-28 inclusive. On the way out we went by way of New York and Washington, and then had the very wonderful experience of taking a side trip to Charlottesville, Va., and visiting the University of Virginia, which was founded by Thomas Jefferson, the buildings being designed by him. The buildings were classical in style and were taken from buildings in Rome. They are arranged in the form of a quadrangle. We saw the room where Edgar Allen Poe used to study, and also theroom that Woodrow Wilson studied in. We went from the university to visit Thomas Jefferson's former home, "Monticello." This is reached by winding roads kept in excellent repair leading to the top of the mountain, on which is a plateau upon which the residence stands with about 600 acres of land about it. The house is in excellent repair, and is kept so by a patriotic association. Jefferson built this home with the aid of his slaves, making everything in connection with it—even the nails. He was a versatile genius, and many things in the home were made by him, such as the frieze at the top of the walls in the various rooms and the folding glass doors, also some of the furniture. It cost Jefferson $6500 to create this residence and estate. His daughter sold it for $2700. The patriotic association now holding it had to spend $500,000 to purchase it. Jefferson's grave and that of his wife and children and near friends are halfway down the mountain side. The view from Jefferson's residence is very fine indeed. I wish that every classmate might have this experience.
At Cleveland there was a banquet of the Dartmouth men who were attending the convention, and the secretary of our neighbor class '99, Louis P. Benezet, was toastmaster. He has not only a facile pen but almost a fatal facility for speech. He used one or two pet names in introducing me for which I was tempted to use the Sonnenberg flying tackle on him. If he proceeds in being so careless with the English language I rather think that we shall have to have a new toastmaster at these gatherings. But it certainly was a source of genuine pride to see so many Dartmouth men prominent in the educational life of the nation and occupying positions of such great usefulness.
On the return trip we had the very wonderful experience of visiting the field of the Battle of Gettysburg, the greatest battle of the Civil War. I wish that every American could visit this field, for it is one of the most inspiring experiences that one can have. It so happened that I had with me on the train, and let others read it, a description of the Battle of Gettysburg by Lieutenant Haskell of the class of 1854 in Dartmouth. President Charles W. Eliot of Harvard called this the finest description of a battle in the English language. Lieutenant Haskell was aid to General Gibbons and also assisted General Hancock and General Meade, and so was on horseback and had a splendid opportunity to see the battle and to assist in it, and then had unusual power of graphic, picturesque, and accurate description. I wish every classmate might read the Battle of Gettysburg by Lieutenant Haskell of the class of 1854 of Dartmouth.
On March 6 the Secretary called on Joe Carney at his office in Gardner, Mass. He was good enough to ask me to dinner, and there I enjoyed the charming hospitality of his gracious wife and met his son Philip Carney, whom I sized up as being a chip off the old block. Joe and Mrs. Joe had just returned from a trip to Porto Rico, Joe making the trip in his capacity as treasurer of the Hale Pail Company of Arlington, Vt. He tells me there are about a million and a half people on the island of Porto Rico, that it is about 36 miles wide and 100 miles long. The main industries are fruit (citrus, orange, lemon), and also coffee and sugar. They sailed on the steamship Coano from New York, and were eight or nine days on the way, returning February 11.
Joe took occasion to tell me what a great pleasure it was to Mrs. Carney and himself to have Denis Crowley, Fritz Robbert, and Ike Seelman give them a little surprise sendoff when they sailed last summer from New York to Europe. It is this little thoughtful courtesy by members of the class to each other that makes life exceedingly pleasant and brings out the latent good fellowship that is everywhere existent in '98.
I heard a good story about Pete Adams the other day. It was my pleasure to dine with Robert Lincoln O'Brien, who for so many years has been managing editor of the Boston Herald. He told me in his early manhood he taught in Derry, N. H., and one day a small visitor came into his class, being a brother of one of the pupils. The visitor was fully four years younger than any member of the class. Mr. O'Brien gave out a problem in arithmetic, and the members of the class began at once busily to solve the problem. Before they had it solved the young visitor raised his hand and gave the correct answer. He had done it in his head while the others were using pencil and paper. It is needless to say that the young visitor was Pete Adams.
Secretary, 57 Grove Hill Ave., Newtonville, Mass.
