CLASS OF 1924
South Mass housed a small but vigorous gathering as field day headquarters for 24's fifth reunion. The count varied from day to day, but about seventy reached town at one time or another.
Saturday morning, painter's uniforms were handed out. Jeff Adams, heavy on the cigars but light on reducing, was on the campus a few minutes later, but ahead of time to referee the '19 vs. '24 ball game at ten o'clock. All bets were off, including the score, when the rooters got tired of watching and joined sides en masse. Win Sturtevant lasted three innings in the box. Putty Blodgett absorbed two-thirds of the dirt around the home plate
catching the assortment of pitchers. It was about a day's work by the time the second ball game with '26 concluded Saturday afternoon. Best shots: Bert Perry at first base and Pinky Booth running the bases.
Dave Perry had the gang organized by eight o'clock in the cafeteria for a real feast.
Wally Lord brought most of his Boston orchestra with him. Barney Tucker (late of our third reunion) and Paul Morgan, fiddler '2s. Gordy Richards held down the drums, and Sturdy banjoed. A 1 Stopford, Paul Synnott, and Red Holbrook, thin of hair, but hopeful, left immediately after the banquet to get in training for a bicycle race around the campus. The race did not take place.
Sunday morning the class moved on Shanty Shane. It would take a month to cover the day and the place adequately. For a reunion spot it is hard to equal. The main lodge, two cottages, the ball ground (nee front yard), and the lake were ours. Basso Stan Lonsdale and Dick Teel conducted a wholesale initiation in the art of jumping into trees from the roof of one of the cottages and trusting all to the thickness of your particular branch. Sandy McClintock anchored a new Ford and started the a.m. ball game, with Jeff Adams pitching and umpiring, Curt Bird (everything bat life insurance), Bob Buswell (prominent of mustache), Butt Butterfield, Henry Barker, Stan Curtis (who left Gallup to run the Meigs store in Bridgeport), Kug Kugelman, Kee Keegin (still of Washington, D. C.), Bob Hayes (foreman of Boston's best—telephone operators), Bob Morgan, Whit Gowrie, Dick Dickinson, Walt Emerson, and Brad Hersey were in the sup
porting cast. Two tables went hungry at dinner while Joe Butler appropriated a waitress for a dance partner. Ed Bailey put on a great combination soft shoe and Russian dance act, and Gordy Richards finished off the impromptu
program in rare form. Touch football lasted about five minutes, or just long enough to give Ted Learnard a chance to score, and there was a general exodus for the lake. Some fifty guys, clad for birthday number one, kept all visitors at a safe distance. Rowboat No. X "sank with all hands" when Paul Cavanaugh, weary of keeping 240 odd pounds afloat, sought a resting place on the stern. Shirl Austin, Luit Luitwieler, dressed, had the shortest canoe ride in history. They left the dock and the starboard side of their boat at one and the same moment. In fact, several of the boys went in twice, with and without trousers. The friendly exchange of pants which resulted brought Cav back to supper wearing an upper and lower coat. Only the lack of hot soup kept Larry Marshall from a regular channel swim around the lake.
Ken Harvey was well up in front at the ball game between Dartmouth and Cornell Monday morning, straddling the old parcel post nag that drew a wagonload of the class to Memorial Field.
By four o'clock that afternoon South Mass was pretty well deserted. Three kept peace in the family by bringing their wives. They were Charlie French, Les Haws, and Jeff Adams. We saw more of Charlie than of Mrs. French, more of Mrs. Haws than of Les, and about the same of Jeff and wife.
Louis Erckert came all the way from Miami, and Vaughn Berry drove East from Milwaukee. Ralph Roberts, Bob Branson, Keith Drake, and Ted Lamb made the jaunt from Chicago and points east. Jenk Jenkins commuted between the Beta House and headquarters. Butts Lamson, Don Wilbur, George Murphy (running Cav a close race on poundage), Red Henretta, and Dick Henry were very much in evidence. Ken Davis was about ready to walk home to Manchester after running off the Fairlee road and putting his car out of commission. Kip Higley was early to arrive and early to return to Glens Falls. Les Willard was spotted twice and Ted Goddard once.
Guests and adopted members: Pete Blodgett '25, with cannon, Danny Rider '22, Barney Tucker and Paul Morgan '23. One illuminated map should go to Luit, Ken Harvey, and Stan Lonsdale. They left Boston at five Friday and arrived in Hanover at five Saturday a.m.
Various vices have been laid to the movies. If it hadn't been for the Nugget presentation of the class film Saturday afternoon, you might have been spared the name at the head of this column. Ken Harvey brought chaos out of quiet by starting a business meeting after the second reel. Shirl Austin in the absence of George Traver, vouched for the finances, and Bob Strong reported prospects of a good showing on the Alumni Fund, which since have materialized. A nominating committee, Pinky Booth, Mike Watkins, and Stan Lyon, named three candidates for class officers. By recommendation of the Secretaries Association, a change was first approved in the constitution to elect three officers every five years. The secretary chairman, the treasurer, George Traver, and the reunion chairman, Luit Luitwieler, now hold office.
This may have length and a little interest. But it is the second stanza that will be hard sledding if mail doesn't bring the newsmarriages, another address, children, new car, informal pow-wows, or the garden variety of gossip—send it anyway.
Secretary,
