CLASS of 1926
The following is the first of a series of letters written by each member of the executive committee to the class. In the next issue, Tiny Marsans will feature Hanover and contacts he has had with 1926 men while coaching freshman football:
REMINISCING AND PLANNING by George Scott
Do you remember 'way back when the members of the 1926 class were seniors at Dartmouth? Let's see, that was twenty or twenty-five years ago, wasn't it? Only six years ago this month—why, man, you're era, well, I guess you're right, but it does seem ages ago. Them wuz the good old days, eh?
And how every one of us longs to get back to Hanover, even though it's only for a day or a week-end. The mere mention of the word Dartmouth or Hanover immediately sets in motion a panoramic view of familiar scenes and places which we never seem to grow tired of looking at. There's the Campus, Dartmouth Row, and the Commons piazza, where the Barbary Coast (with Ken Semple tickling the ivories and Oby Barker coaxing notes and chords from a banjo), is doing everything possible to take our minds off studies during the warm spring nights. Then we catch a glimpse of the Nugget, the College Book-Store, Allen's drug store, and the Co-op, while across the street Jim Campion is reminding us that "It's more than a toggery," etc. Only with great effort can this flood of happy memories be temporarily interrupted while we turn to the secretary and say: "Miss Swovis, take a letter to J. P. Morgan, please."
Most of us have to be content with a panoramic view of Hanover, but there are some '26ers who are fortunate enough to take at least one trip a year back to the old stamping grounds. These lucky fellows have been able to keep in touch with the many changes that have been made since we graduated, like the new Tuck School buildings and the Baker Library.
I hadn't visited Hanover since the time of the Third Reunion, and when Brant Wallace told me Bob Cleary and he were driving up for the Norwich game, I managed to chisel in on the party. Brant's new Oldsmobile served as an excellent means of transportation. Incidentally, we were aided not a little in maintaining a true course by an occasional flask, I mean flash of lightning—you know, Jersey lightnin'.
A crowd of '26ers gathered at Sid Hayward's house before the game on Saturday. It wasn't long before Sid, Hal Marshall, and Brant Wallace were hashing over the thousand and one highlights of the Fifth Reunion. Believe me, Bob and I went through a terrible ordeal as we sat there listening to such tales of wonder as Tiny Marsans manipulating a five-gallon water container in the form of a cocktail shaker.
I've decided very definitely on one point, however, and it is that when the roll is called at the Tenth Reunion, I want to be present. It will be impossible, of course, to have every 1926 man back at that time, but if every one of us starts planning now, I am sure that the majority of our class can attend.
Will you be there?
Don't fail to read Ed Dooley's "If You were a Football Star," published in the October issue of the American Magazine. You'll read about "Swede" Oberlander in the 1924 Yale game, George Tully in the 1925 Chicago game, and Ed himself in the 1924 Cornell game. Ed, as you know, is sportswriting for the New York Sun, and has recently been admitted to the practise of law in New York state.
And right in line with the above, we heard while in Hanover that the big three, Ober lander, Parker, and Diehl, are still furthering the interests of Dartmouth football teams. Obie's ten-months-old son weighs 35 lbs., Dutch's seven-months giant scales at 25 lbs., while Nate boasts a tackle of one and a half years with shoulders like Lionel Strongfort and an appetite like Tiny Marsans.
But Hal Marshall boasts two future Green stars. Hal, Jr., aged three, according to Hal, Sr., throws spiral passes and yells signals between two and five A.M., while Peter, aged seven months, has a genius for the huddle. Hal and his wife, Marion, spent the week-end of the Norwich game in Hanover.
While we're on the subject of embryo football stars, we learned that Doug Everett's son boasts of two teeth at the age of five months. Doug himself claims he had a tooth when three months, but as such information is hearsay, we'll classify this story as a "Believe it or not."
Dick Gooding, who used to be seen in the New York and New Jersey vicinity, is now located at 3240 Humboldt Ave., Minneapolis, Minn.
Bob Weil, stockbroker with offices at 50 Broad St., New York city, resides at 215 West 88th St.
Louis "Red" Weber, originally from Englewood, N. J., is now located at 42 Summit Ave., Larchmont, N. Y., with his business at 132d St. and North River, New York city.
Henry Crawford and Paul Harper have acquired the title of "Dr.," and at present are serving their internships. Hank is at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, while Paul is at the New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Conn. Paul received his M.D. cum laude from Yale University in June, 1981, and was awarded the Parker prize for having shown the best qualifications for a successful practitioner.
Everyone will regret hearing that Gary Garretson met with a serious accident while visiting Hanover last July. Gary had bought a motorcycle, contemplating a trip to Mexico, but decided to spend a few days in Hanover before his trip. On the way from Hanover to White River, his machine hit a stone, throwing him into the stone wall at Mink Brook, which resulted in seven fractures of the leg and a broken arm. It was feared for a time that amputation of the leg might be necessary, but fortunately this was averted, and Gary is now recovering at the Hospital for Ruptured and Crippled, 42 St., New York city. lam sure he would be especially pleased to hear from all of his friends in the class.
Fred Wenck is with the West Penn Power Company at Pittsburgh. He has been swimming with the Pittsburgh Athletic Association team for the past three years. We are also informed that Fred's swimming tactics have not been confined to pool operations. For further dope, see R. E. C.
Ed Steel and his mother spent the week following the Norwich game in Hanover. After being in the lumber business for three years, Ed took law at Yale Law School and completed the three-year course in two years. He is now waiting to hear the results of his bar examination in Delaware, and expects to specialize in patent work in Wilmington.
Fat Howland, originator of the 5th Reunion Beer Song, was in Hanover over the Norwich game.
Tommy and Myrtle Tomlinson, also 5th Reunioners, returned to see the opening of the football season, but left Hanover before we could check on their activities and obtain more notes for the column.
Now with your permission, I'll try and give you a few sidelights on Hanover from September 26 to October 4. "Million-dollar" Cleary, "Alumni Fund" Scott, and yours truly pulled into Hanover at 3 A.M. Saturday. Flashes of Jersey lightning could still be heard, but the campus was deserted except for Hanover's new police force. After sleeping the sleep of the weary, a la Phi Sig, we saw Hanover in all its glory—raining like hell—but nevertheless glad to be back and watch the Big Green mould itself into shape with a one, two, three, let's go yell before each play. At that, the team looked a hundred percent better against Buffalo, and will no doubt put up a great game all season.
One of the best parts of spending a week in Hanover, in addition to "getting back," is the fact that you run into '26 men most everywhere. Ab Oakes and Harry Savage are interning at the Hospital. Sid Hayward, of course, holds down the Administration Building. Paul Allen showed us every nook and corner of the library, while Dean Chamberlin and Lu Ingram represent '26 on the faculty. Charlie McKenna has built himself a beautiful house on Balch Ave., and Tiny Marsans exhibited his freshman team against Clark School, the '35 team gaining a 34-0 verdict. With the foregoing, anxious at every turn to show you a good time, you can be assured of excellent attention whenever you drop into the ole town, not to speak of the added hospitality on the part of Barbara Hayward and Helen McKenna.
Sid, Dean, and a number of the other Hanover luminaries have leased a cabin in the mountains, where we enjoyed several good parties, although it was a bit too cold to swim in their home-made pool. But in particular we held a '26 class meeting Friday night with a turnout of eleven '26ers. Tiny and Dean manipulate the food, while the rest of us, including Doug Everett, who had run up from Concord, and Tom Farwell from Wells River, horsed on everything from the picture fight to Ma Smalley. Nor was the geniality of the cup lacking. Million-dollar Cleary rendered the solo "Who" while Tom Farwell gave the poem "I hunt de bear, I hunt de fox, sometime I hunt de skunk." All in all, it was a great gathering, and successfully ended with a toast side and cup's coffee at The Campus. Try it some week or weekend. We recommend its immediate purchase at the market.
Tom Colt literally dropped in this past summer, wearing the wings of a first lieutenant in the Naval Aviation. So far as his activities have been traced since graduation, he has spent some time in Europe, written book reviews for the New York Times, and indulged successfully in art dealing, before taking to the air at Pensacola. A night spent listening to Tom's cloudular ventures not only excites keen interest but also raises the question whether one has really been living within the four walls of an office. Tom was one of the naval stunt fliers who gained such fame at the Floyd Bennett balloon races in Cleveland, and just missed flying up to the sth Reunion. For the first time I learned the details about squirrel cages, a stack, side slips, and many other aeronautical manoeuvers. So it was not amiss that Tom should settle for a month or so in Hanover as a retreat from active duty.
Walt Rankin, operating out of Pawtucket, R. I., sends along word that he will join me in New York and hence to Annapolis, Md., where we will assist in having the knot tied for Bud Holman. We'll save the details of Bud's wedding for the next issue.
"Red" Merrill has recently joined the faculty at the University of Kansas, and can be reached at the University Club, Lawrence, Kans. He is teaching sociology.
Charlie Collins is teaching at the Everett High School, Everett, Mass., and resides at 190 Linden St., same town. Al Morris is a practicing physician at Maywood, Ill., where he resides at 1908 St. Charles Rd.
Chet Morton scoops the dope for the Toledo News-Bee, and weathers the storm at 2536 Robinwood Ave., Toledo, Ohio.
Secretary, 1060 Broad St., Newark, N. J.
