CLASS of 1926
The following is the second of a series of letters written by each member of the executive committee to the class. In the next issue, Clarence McDavitt will tell us of his contacts with 1926 members about Boston.
Dear Brant: Reports have come back to Hanover of the great gathering of '26ers that took place during the Yale week-end. You know that I would have given my left ear to have been able to get down to that fracas, but dutycalled, and so I remained here to witness Pat Holbrook's yearlings battle the Harvard freshmen to a 0-0 tie.
Our freshman teams, so far, carried on the tradition handed down by the 'S3 and '34 teams of undefeated seasons. We have one last tough game with Princeton on November 14 which will tell the story. They have a strong team this year, which was shown in their recent victory over Columbia freshmen, conceded by many writers to be the best importations that Lou Little has made in years. Forgive me for "talking shop," but I've wasted many a precious hour listening to you summing up the fine points in some Whosiswhich vs. Whatsisname case, so I'm going to pester you a bit more. We beat Clark School 34 to 0, Tilton 35 to 0, Roxbury 14 to 0, and Harvard you know about. Even our Squad B is doing nice work, having won their first two games; but I must be on to other news.
The Holy Cross game brought quite a few of the gang into Hanover.
Charlie Collins lgft his post of faculty manager of athletics at Everett High School long enough to see the Big Green take the left-footers into camp.
Bob Hazel found the garage business a bit slow in Allston, Mass., so journeyed up too.
Chuck Webster came into town looking as if the market had never taken a slump at all.
Bris Bristol included Hanover in his line of travels for the Statler Hotels, and still blows a mean trombone.
Dick Randall also made Hanover a stopping-off place while on an Eastern trip.
Tommy Floyd-Jones was the only batch whom I saw with a young lady. The married clan however were very much in evidence.
Mr. and Mrs. Les Talbot of. the home town, E. 0., motored up, as did Jake and Evelyn Jacobus.
Okey and Helen O'Connor left Junior at the next door neighbors' and joined an elite group of Greater Boston couples on a tallyho into the New Hampshire hills. Okey has left Commercial Investment Trust of Syracuse to shift for itself, he being needed to put paints and wallpapers in every home in Massachusetts.
Sandy Campbell and frau looked quite natural back in their old Hanover. Sandy has trimmed his extra poundage off and added the weight of several dozen silky upper lip hairs in order to make his courses in art more interesting down at Wellesley.
Winnie Robinson left a thousand Massachusetts A and P stores to their own devices and took the Mrs. on a short, fast trip to his Alma Mammy.
Ralph Jones has finished his medical course at McGill, and is now assisting Doc Gile here at the Mary Hitchcock Hospital.
Granny Knight borrowed the old man's Packard, told the butchers at Presbyterian Hospital to count him out for a few days, and came to Hanover for a much-needed rest. Stayed here five days, and as soon as I see him again I must tell him what happened during three of those days. It mainly concerns a big party that took up at Buster's hunting lodge, during the course of which, Granny tried, unsuccessfully (without success) to put the old Packard through a deep mud hole; went hunting rabbits—much to the dismay of one of the best rabbit dogs in the state, which Granny filled with No. 6 shot; and ended by his wandering out at night and falling down an old well hole. This was all due, of course, to the recent heavy rains.
Freddy Wenck is spending a few days in Hanover before taking in the Harvard game and then on down to his bus company in Western Pennsylvania.
News has reached me that Yale and Dartmouth were not the only outfits that were tied on Saturday, October 31. Out in Winona, Minn., a tie took place, which resulted in the parties concerned coming out of the game as Mr. and Mrs. Carleton Blunt.
Will be through my job here the end of November, and am then heading into the tall timber of northern Maine. Will spend the rest of my time, until the ice breaks up in the spring, hunting and tending a trap line. You can expect me down in East Orange this March sometime—lean and gaunt—with a bundle of furs on my sinewy back and my lead dog Remus by my side. Until then—so long—and remember to send me all your orders for mink coats.
Sincerely,
TINY
Hanover, N. H.
And Tiny was right about the Yale game's being a great fracas as well as the greatest exhibition of football ever put on. In the rush of it all, I probably missed a good many of the class who were there, but there were at least thirty-five '26ers who witnessed the fray.
Ted Herz, weighing about twenty pounds more than when he left Hanover, Stuie Hollister, and Ed Rosie were encountered on the way in, while Bob Cleary, Tom Floyd-Jones, Bill Hughes, Jake Jacobus, and yours truly wended our way to Portal 30, exemplifying in every way the present economic depression. From high up in the stands, we saw Ed Simmons, who was married on April 17 last to Miss Betty Williams of Mt. Vernon, N. Y. Ed is now with the Bethlehem Steel Corporation. Ed had previously informed us while at the Columbia game that Lloyd Sanford has been engaged to Miss Emily Freeman of Mt. Vernon since last spring, and although we didn't get a chance to talk, it is assumed that they both enjoyed New Haven on that particular afternoon.
And once again we ran into the two cohorts, Harry Eisher and Dick Sagendorph, during the halves, as well as Ran Cox, Andy Andretta, Max Whitman, Bob Williams, and Tom Colt. Bill Barclay, who hasn't missed a Yale game since 1924, looked as prosperous as ever. Jim Jenkins, Granny Knight, and respective wives were on hand, while Secretary Sid gave us the hat by perching himself on the fifty-yard line a la trustees. But who wouldn't sit on the fifty-yard stripe or be with Dean Chamberlin in the press box were it possible?
Charlie and Edith Bishop made a lastminute decision to drive up, on the hunch that A. T. & T. would take a rise. Be that as it may, both Charlie and I saved a lot of margin by that 23-point rally. So despite the score, there was considerable merriment at the famous Portal, with Pren Carnell looking hale and hearty, Freddy Wenck at the beginning of a big peerade to take in Yale, Har vard, and possibly Cornell and Stanfordtough break, Freddy. Art and Mona Forest did their share of Wah-Whos, while Mac McDavitt contributed for greater Boston. Hank Esquerre almost passed me by the Sunday the George Washington bridge opened, but he didn't miss a trick in New Haven.
Tommy and Myrtle Tomlinson from Bridgeport parked right in front of us during the game, which may have been a bad break for them. George Algar was on hand, while from a distance we spotted Bill Viall and Wally Wollenhaupt of reunion fame. Dick Major no doubt eyed the big green band and its new baton twister reminiscently. Have I omitted anyone? Oh yes—Don Steele, Tommy Thompson, and Walt Rankin complete the list as far as I could see.
Well, that was one good time, but there were and will be more. On October 13, Walt Rankin and I wended our way southward to help Bud Holman and Miss Aurine Boyden tie the knot before sailing for Bermuda on their honeymoon. It was an ultra-successful occasion, as you may see from the pictures if you stop and see Bud and Aurine at 10 Park St., Brookline, Mass., where they are now living.
Steve and Mrs. Mitchell of Boston announced the arrival of Peter Butman Mitchell on October 28. Congratulations, Steve, for another applicant for the class of '53.
The following article appeared in the Houston Gargoyle for June 28, 1931. Because the article was clipped, we cannot tell what the different "becauses" refer to, but here it is:
"GAIL BORDEN, grandson of the famous condensed milk magnate, began his career as a teacher of English literature at the University of Chicago, quit it for newspaper work, and now writes for a tabloid (the Chicago Daily Times) a column of dramatic criticism and gossip, combining the best features of Shakespeare and Walter Winchell; because though displaying the quick gait and wary eye of a Chicago night-life veteran, he still talks like a Texan, having been born and reared in Houston; because he owns—and is wondering how to maintain—a couple of Siamese kittens presented to him by Ethel Barry more, both of which mew contralto; because he thinks the best plays are written by 'frankly mercenary fellows'; and finally because, a licensed airplane pilot, he would have arrived here in his own 'buggy' to visit his mother, had he not made a forced landing after cracking a propeller."
And from the good ole town of Columbus, Ohio, Herb Darling drops the following:
Dear Brant: It hardly seems possible that four months have slipped by since our "Grand Fifth." What a time Bert and I had. We still talk about it, and it always brings back memories of the happiest week that I can remember. Your committee certainly did one fine job.
I can remember (good going, Herb) that about six of us promised to write at odd intervals to keep you posted. This is my first attempt. Truthfully there is little here in Columbus to interest you or any of the fellows. I have seen Brad Harrison '27, and Bert and I took a trip to Willoughby a few weeks ago to visit Danny Drury and his wife, during which time we had a fine clambake. Over our beakers of beer (1/2 of 1% of course) we rehashed the sth and planned for the 10th. You may count on us, even if we have to roller skate to make it. Your mention of a sinking fund or some such thing brings to my mind the very large absence of some members of '26. Where for instance were Hub Harwood, Courtney Brown, Win Robinson, Harp Tully, Ed Dooley, etc., all of whom are living, as far as I know within easy reach of Hanover. Better work on them and many others. Certainly the depression can't last five years.
As to my history since leaving Hanover, three years in sanitary engineering at Toledo led to an opportunity to enter the construction game. This I did, and from all appearances the construction and contracting business will furnish the family larder from now on. I am glad that I made the change, and enjoy the work. We have just completed a mile of 12-foot tunnel here in Columbus.
With best regards to you and any of the boys you happen to see.
HERB DARLING
285 Rhoads Ave.,Columbus, Ohio.
Secretary, 1060 Broad St., Newark, N. J.
