Class of 1903
On being invited to summarize his life's efforts after the first twenty-five years out of college, William W. Grant Jr. approached the situation, as he pleased to term it, without any contradiction from our erudite class valedictorian, from the Copernican point of view in contrast to the possible Ptolemaic viewpoint. This Copernican point of view, in case you Potholeskers have forgotten or never knew, visualizes "Billy" as "an insect wildly active over insignificant things somewhere on the edge of the great fundamentals and imperatives of life," in contrast to the Ptolemaic viewpoint "of a central body about which men and things have revolved."
How true to form "Billy" is running. On December 27 last, William and his wife sailed from New York for Morocco, the Balearic Islands, and Egypt for a winter's vacation. His explanation for so doing is as follows: "I have gotten so in the habit ofsticking around an office that if I leave formore than ten days or two weeks I feel thatI am missing something, though up to thepresent I have never discovered what itwas. Rather than let myself get crystallizedin that attitude I am going at the presenttime, regardless of everything else." Then to place himself right with the class, he says, "I shall be back in time to attend theCommencement at Hanover in June, whereI hope to see you all." A happy voyage and every good wish for the New Year, "Billy."
Word was received from Mrs. Charles B. Chedel of Middletown, Conn., on New Year's Day that Charlie had died the night previous. It came as a distinct shock, for no one with whom I have been in contact knew of his recent poor health, and to his local friends and patients the return to his practice precluded the thought of a possible danger of a sudden death. The class extends its heartfelt sympathy to Mrs. Chedel and her daughters, it mourns the passing of a staunch and loyal classmate, and cherishes the record of another true Dartmouth man.
Ned Kenerson and Dr. Laurence Swan attended the obsequies, and Ned had this comment to make on his return: "By Dr.Tucker's yardstick, which he held beforeus so constantly in our undergraduate days,Charlie Chedel was one of the most outstanding and successful men in our group."
In the last days of November, Mrs. Karl Skinner succumbed after a most courageous fight of three years with cancer. In the latter part of her battle Karl had resigned his pastorate in Haverhill, Mass., the better to care for her, and had gone to Lakeville, Conn., where the release from this life,came for her. Mrs. Skinner had been present at various class gatherings and those of smaller groups, as at Jerry Mahoney's summer cottage fun fest, and the sincere sympathy of every one of us is extended to you, Karl, in your great loss. *
Secretary, 198 Humphrey St., Marblehead, Mass
