Class of 1871: Sixty Years Out of College

The Class of '71 held its twelfth reunion at Hanover to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of graduation. Of the thirteen surviving members, six—Abbott, Dana, Flint, Gilchrist, Ham and Upham, were present at the roll-call.

Charlie Ham was the first on the scene, after making with Mrs. Ham the long trip from San Francisco via Panama Canal and it is worthy of note that he hasn't missed a class reunion since 1901. He was a charter member of the first Dartmouth Club on the Pacific Coast, organized in 1881, and at the semi-centennial of the club in the spring of 1931 he was made Honorary President.

Abbott, accompanied by his daughter Bertha, and Upham with Mrs. Upham motored from Minnesota, and they are among those who have regularly attended these class reunions.

Gilchrist, with his daughter Beth, attended the class dinner and to the regret of all was unable to remain longer.

The class joyfully welcomed Flint and Mrs. Flint. Owing to his duties as Registrar of St. Paul's School for fifty-one years, he has been able to attend only a few of the reunions. In 1921 Dartmouth honored him with the Masters Degree.

Dana and Mrs. Dana completed the group. Headquarters were established at the Hanover Inn, and the class soon settled into comfortable family circle with Wives and daughters to share the celebration. The class dinner came Sunday, June 14, at the Club House of the Dartmouth Outing Club. The table was set on the piazza of the Club House, overlooking the quiet waters of Occum Pond. The spirit of the occasion was expressed by these lines on the place cards: "1871—1931" "'Tis sixty years since seventy-one When we were young and gay; 'Tis sixty years since from these halls We started on life's way. Now sixty years of friendship true, Of sorrows and of joys, Bring us from far and near to greet The men we knew as boys. For those who can't be here today To gather round the Pine We'll smoke the pipe of peace once more For auld lang syne."

After the dinner came a social hour or two in the Club House when dear classmates who had been with us in years gone by were recalled; old stories were again aired; old pictures and class mementoes were produced; among them the remnant of a cigar given to Charles A. Savage at the Commencement dinner in July, 1871. It was smoked by the whole circle at the reunion in 1896 and has graced the fiftieth, fifty-fifth, and sixtieth rereunions and survives for the sixty-fifth. There was also shown a picture of the freshman nine, organized in September, 1867, and of the nine there pictured, Abbott, Flint, and Dana were present. Then for old custom's sake T.D. pipes were brought forth and "we smoked the pipe of peace once more for auld lang syne."

The class dinner ended with pictures taken of individuals and groups. The class attended the Commencement exercises, after which good-byes were said, and the sixtieth reunion of the class of '7l, voted one of the best on record, came to a close.