Class of 1902
Often when the opening paragraph of this letter is having a hard time to take form there comes to mind the advice of the publisher who always rejected the manuscripts of struggling young litterateurs. "Begin with a snappy word or phrase, a reference to some prominent individual, andmake the opening as pointed as possible." Of course this produced an attempt to satisfy: " 'Oh, hell,' said the queen as she sat on a tack."
Much as I dislike to remind some of you that you are still owing me a letter, the fact will have to come out in one way or another, and someone has said that he thought I shouldn't hint quite so much. Probably now someone else will say that one should always be diplomatic. Anyway this omission on your part, if it exists, will occur to you the minute I start talking about the letters I have received, and my story is always one based on what the postman brings.
Now was it, I wonder, just a matter of coincidence that of the first four letters which came to me this fall, three were to tell of sons in college, and to throw light on the spirit of Dartmouth tradition. You will join me in extending the best wishes of the class of 1902 to all sons of 1902 now in college, but especially to Lefferts Paine Edson '34, son of our own Eddy, grandson of that sterling school-man, Andrew W. Edson '78; to Arthur Hiler Ruggles Jr. '37, son of our Doctor Art, grandson of that beloved professor, Edward Rush Ruggles '59; and to Francis Brown '34 and Sanborn Brown '35, sons of our Julius Arthur, grandsons of the late theologian, Francis Brown '70, great-grandsons of Professor Samuel G. Brown 1831, and great-great-grandsons of President Francis Brown 1805. You can't help pausing a moment to enjoy your own contemplation of whatever this may call to mind.
I had a very prompt return from Eddy, only he has grown to be very formal. He writes "Dear Mr. Farwell," something which no one else does. Of course I suspect how this happened, but if he really wishes to introduce the formal address into our correspondence, I must draw up and remind him that my academic seniority entitles me to even more consideration. But to my task, this from the Edson family toyou:
"This summer, as usual, we went toBrookfield, Vt., for our vacation. I was bornin that country and have been there everyyear since, so to me it is a case of goingback home. I never have to stop and planmy vacation, or wonder whether I willenjoy it or not. It is just the kind of quietrestful change that does the most good.Some people want a lot of excitement, andrush every moment they are away, but, asWill Rogers recently remarked, they comeback more worn and tired than if they hadstayed on the job and not taken any vacation.
"My younger son has just begun hissenior year at Dartmouth, while my olderson has not only been able to hold his jobwith his company but has been advanced inpay and responsibility."
Well, Eddy, if you and I and Will Rogers agree, the argument ought to be settled. But P. P. wasn't much ahead of Julius Arthur in dropping a letter into the mail. I told you of the return of our traveler, but I didn't have some of the interesting picture which his letter gives to you now:
"We left Beirut after Commencement,and reached America by way of Trieste,Vienna, Salzburg, Munich, Mainz, Cologne,and Hamburg. We are settled in Hanoverfor the year, once more a united family forthe first time in many years. Our twoyoungest children, Sam and Arthur, are inthe grade school here, and our daughterBetty is a senior in the high school. Sanborn is a junior at Dartmouth, and Francisis finishing his senior year here, after ayear in Vienna, studying German.
"As for myself I am picking up forgottenthreads in physics and fumbling for newones, in preparation for work back in Syrianext year. It goes without saying that bothHelen and I will be more than delighted tosee all members of the class and theirfamilies who may show up here in Hanover during the year."
Isn't it a pity that we don't have a reunion in '34, but I am sure we all welcome all the Browns, and we'll be sure to remember to let them look at us if we can find the opportunity to show up in Hanover during the year. But by the way, here's a test for you. Julius gives his address as "2 Chase Road." Tell me how you would go to this house, starting, say, from the Hanover Inn.
The next letter was postmarked Bridgeport, Conn., and I couldn't guess who had changed his residence, but nowadays we don't have time to spend hours over the matter of postmarks. The story inside came from Arthur Valentine Ruggles, who never misses an opportunity to say good words for 1902.
"I am starting tomorrow morning for athree-day waterworks meeting at Bridgeport. (He must have forgotten to mail the letter before he started.) We had ourAmerican Water Works Association annualconvention in June this year at Chicago.My wife and I had a fine reunion with GuyAbbott and his wife in the midst of ourstrenuous convention activities. We surelyenjoyed getting together with them andswapping yarns. Guy startled me by sayingthat he is now in the WATER business—and how. Selling a De Luxe water broughtfrom the Beautiful Isle of Somewhere whichwill cure all ills. And here I've been at itsince i8g<) just handing out the ordinarykind to run through pipes, and never athought of any thing better.
"Duke Anguera was in the office yesterday and reports that he and the family areall well.
"We returned a week ago from the vaca-tion at Plymouth, N. H., where my wife'sfolks live and where I indulge in eighteenholes with the lawn mower frequently.You can't beat New Hampshire for beauty,and Hanover is the gem of all places. Thisyear I climbed Mt. Chocorua, which isright steep climbing the last mile, butworth it. Also drove up Mt. Greylock andMt. Mansfield, so you see I'm slipping, Iride 'em when I can."
Don't worry, Arthur, about that slipping business, we know what you mean, but as a matter of fact one has to find out whether the old car can pull up the stiff grades. If it weren't for this sort of engineering curiosity on our part, we would still climb 'em in the old-fashioned way.
Then I opened a letter from Providence, R. 1., to learn that the superintendent of the Butler Hospital had nothing of special interest to record for the summer, but that doesn't deceive us at all. Art is too busy a man to have blank summers, and what he means is that he has had his hands full. However, here's the rest of his story for all of us:
"My boy has entered the freshman classat Dartmouth, so my contact with the Col-lege will be made closer than ever; and as/ have been made chairman of a committeeto consider the revision of the constitutionand by-laws of the Dartmouth AthleticCouncil, I hope to have occasional visits toHanover to get in touch with the situation.
"Joe Oilman's death, which occurred lastweek in Boston, is going to be a great lossto Dartmouth. You perhaps know that Joewas president of the Athletic Council andwas a real force in that work.
"I was in Hanover for one day at thebeginning of Commencement and had thepleasure of seeing Dorr, Drake, and Griggs."
Well, that's from my first returns, and I find that all the more these letters make me sure that, whatever surface conditions may show, down underneath there still exists a basis for the future. We can still go on, men are still able to hope and to plan, and self is not the only center of thought. But I must not occupy too much space in a publication of such wide grasp of time, the alumni columns relive the past, the current story of the College allows you to share the present, and some of the carefully planned program points to the future. May we continue to add to our pride in being part of Dartmouth College.
Secretary, 130 Woodridge Place Leonia, N. J.
