CLASS OF 1901
A sad group of classmates gathered in Hanover February 24, to pay their last tribute to Gene Clark. Edgar Hunter served as one of the active bearers and Channing Cox as one of the honorary bearers. Johnnie Ward, Ned Warren, Warner Crowell, Ben Greer, Eliot Bishop and Steve Stevens represented the class at the services. The care of the many floral tributes was in charge of Edna Hunter, and you all well know that their arrangement was perfect, in such capable hands.
A fitting tribute to Gene has appeared in a previous issue of this MAGAZINE; however, we feel that Hoppie's beautiful appreciation may have been overlooked, and so we are adding it below, that all may read it again. Other tributes follow that express our hearts' feelings, in the loss we have all experienced.
APPRECIATION
Gene Clark was one of God's own gentlemen. The privilege of association with him through the years since we entered college together has been unalloyed happiness. His friendship has been a priceless possession. His quiet humor has been a balm for any tired moment. A responsibility assumed by him could be dismissed as a responsibility for anybody else. An obligation was immeasurably lightened when he shared it. Strong in character, charming in personality, richly endowed with talent,-—his goodness was a positive force, his culture was a virile influence, and his accomplishment was as a house founded upon a rock.
EBNEST MARTIN HOPKINS
(Bob Strong's Bulletin).
"It is with deep sorrow that I record in the pages of the Bulletin the tragic news about Gene Clark, who died suddenly on the morning of February 21 as a result of an acute heart attack following his severe sickness. Faculty, students, and townspeople, and a great host of Dartmouth alumni scattered all over the world are saddened. At such a time the words and phrases that come to one's mind are meaningless. There can be no satisfying expression of an emotion that is at once so personal and so overpowering. To each one who knew him, no matter how slightly, will come clear memories of happy incidents, recollections of pleasant associations to bring solace and comfort. To those of us who had the privilege of intimate friendship with him there will remain the ennobling influence of his strong character and his rare personality."
"After chinning season in the fall of 1897, I came to know as another member of the Psi U delegation, this quiet chap from Auburndale, who was living in Reed Hall, in the room that his father and his grandfather had occupied before him. He was not an active mixer in his social contacts. People were slowly, though surely, drawn to him by a quiet personality that had a more judicious outlook upon life than some of us suspected. He did not make the quick, often biased, decisions about his fellows or the affairs of the college that most of us did. When decisions were made, they meant something. In the class and the delegation, his opinions were so quietly expressed that we failed to appreciate their value and force. He had a wide affection for all his fellows, finding good in everyone, and as the years have gone by, I look back with deep feeling that he took me into a friendship that brought so much more of Christian charity and of culture than mine could bring. At reunions, and on our other trips to Hanover which have been made as often as work would allow, he included my family in this friendship. His son was one of my boy Warren's closest friends at prep school. Since Gene's death Alden wrote me a note of such sweetness and courage that I feel I must treasure it as another memory of his father through him. The latter part of January, Pearl and I were in Hanover with our daughter, and we had a happy time with our classmates, as we always do. The last afternoon we were there, Gene took us to ride, up to Lyme, across the river, and down through Norwich, back to Hanover. It was a clear winter day, and we had a rare visit with him. We had made a sudden decision to go to Hanover, and how, how glad we are that we went. The memory of that afternoon in that wonderful country, which meant so much to him, will help to temper the loss of this fine friend."
ELIOT BISHOP
"The death of Gene Clark came as a crushing blow to every man of 1901. For some reason not easy to put into words Gene seemed to embody for all of us the spirit of the class at its best. It may have been the atmosphere of hearty good fellowship which one always felt when in his company. It may have been the sympathy and warmth of heart which he radiated, the genuineness of the interest which he displayed in the welfare of each of us. It may have been the sturdy dependability which he offered to all of the reliance which we placed upon him; or perhaps the clearness and sanity of his counsel, which he gave not too freely not yet grudgingly. It may have been the graciousness with which he—and in other days his lovely wife—welcomed us back to Hanover. It may have been the quiet dignity and the manly strength with which he faced a great bereavement. It may have been the obvious joy with which he served his college—the college of his father and his grandfather. And when we thus try to enumerate a few of those qualities of his which command our respect, our love, our esteem, we realize that we have walked these thirty years and more in the companionship of a Christian gentleman, whose passing is to us an irreparable loss, but whose fragrant memory shall be for us a priceless gain."
THEODOBE N. WOOD
Joe Colby has been elected president of the Compressed Gas Manufacturers Association of the United States. At the present time Mrs. Colby and Joe are enjoying the delights of a holiday in Bermuda.
Goochie has been laid up for repairs in the New England Sanatorium in Melrose, following an attempt at skiing in New Hampshire. He is out now, but we are inclined to think he will stick to the banana trail in warmer climes after this experience.
Ben Greer was elected a vice-president of the New York Alumni Association at the recent dinner. We copy the following from the Dartmouth Club of New York Bulletin in regard to this same gentleman: "Versatile Mr. Ben Greer, not content with being one of the two best cribbage players in the Club and, with Bill McGrail, an auction enthusiast who seldom lets his natural exuberance run away with his sound judgment, shines in still another way. Recently he presented the Club a Stilton cheese of most delicious flavor, a delectable tidbit that found an honored place among the four o'clock boys and a gift that redounded to the credit of the thoughtful gourmet who was the donor. Amidst the piffle that nowadays masquerades on every delicatessen counter as this, that, or the other brand of so-called cheese, it is something of a relief to find that there still is cheese of some authority left in the world. Many a contented cow would become a confirmed paranoiac could she but know the crimes committed in the name of her industry. Our thanks to Monsieur Greer for bringing back a bit of the old-time life when cheese was cheese."
Orlando S. Stetson, who has been located in Worcester for a number of years with J. S. Bache and Company, is now located in Boston with Bright, Sears and Company, S3 State St., and is residing for the present in Louisburg Square. We were glad to have him with us at the Boston alumni dinner the other night, and we hope he had such a good time that he will not miss another class gathering.
At the alumni dinner in Boston, held March 1, at the Hotel Statler, eighteen men of the class were in attendance. Through the kindness of Ernest Eddy headquarters were established in Boom 665, and we 'gathered there for a social hour before going down to the dinner. It was a pleasure to see and hear Hoppy; as usual, his remarks gave us all something to think about. Around the two tables we noted, Chan Cox, Ben Bond, Orlando Stetson, Class Agent Crowell, Deacon Hildreth, Charlie Whelan, Steve Stevens, T. Wood, Harry Clark, Ned Calderwood, Andrew Marshall, Bill Bryant, Arthur Sampson, Hubert Snow, Johnnie Ward, Ernest Eddy, George French, and Pa Rollins.
Mabel (Kelly), wife of Ralph W. Dunsmoor, died at the home of her sister in Barre, Vt., February 1, after a long period of ill health. She leaves one daughter.
Secretary, 254 Main St., Nashua, N. H.
