Class of 1902

Many times I have remarked about the odd situation which confronts me as I write a letter which is to reach you some five or six weeks later, yet it still seems strange. I sit down in Indian summer weather, and the first thing I do is to pen my own wish and that of the class as a whole that each individual of the group may have in the truest sense a Happy Christmas. Taking time by the forelock indeed—but what of it so long as the wish is real? I am entitled to speak for the class, and no dissenting voice will be raised as I give you each a Christmas greeting from every single one of the men of 1902.

The score of returns is certainly rising, and I now have direct communications from fourteen of the class. Perhaps the most, direct return was that of Roy Hatch, who waylaid me at lunch. Roy had only a few minutes and he had already provided himself with lunch, but he sat down with me and in short space of time we reviewed the history of the Hatch family, the history of the Farwell family, the development of "Dartmouth College, the deeds of 1902, and several other matters of pressing interest. Roy is a busy man, but if you catch him without a good story on the tip of his tongue it will be when he is asleep.

I was very happy to hear from Phil" Griffin out in Chicago. Phil didn't have to look in the papers to learn about the depression, but the tone of his letter is in the same "heads up" spirit that this member of our Chicago delegation showed more than thirty years ago.

"Three years ago I started up this business of manufacturing awnings, tents, andwagon covers, and have since added a lineof Venetian blinds and radiator covers. Iam married and have two children, a girlof 8 and a boy of 4. They are two of thefinest-looking children in the city. I hopesome day that I may be able to get backto Hanover and see some of the boys."

Thanks, Phil, here's good luck to you, and I'll remember that invitation if Chicago ever gets on my route. But I am not so sure that we are convinced about your ability as an impartial judge of children. You know I get various indications, all the way from veiled hints to outright unreserved and unqualified statements, that children and grandchildren of the 1902 variety are of the superlative kind. Furthermore, while I laugh about it the same as the rest do, underneath I'm tickled to realize that the rest of you feel about your own kids the way I do about mine.

The ALUMNI MAGAZINE will probably be carrying fresher information about the new bridge situation, but Arthur V. Ruggles had a look at the matter in September.

"I returned this week from my annualvacation in Plymouth, N. H., with ourfolks there. While at Hanover I foundeverything quiet and lovely as ever. Workwas under way and approaching completionon the road from Hanover to WestLebanon. This will be an important improvement, and I presume will enablemore time in the future to be devoted tostudy by the undergraduate. I also understand that a new bridge at Hanover isabout to be built, although I believe thatpredictions to that effect have been madebefore. This time the authority for thestatement is good."

There's a thought for some of the rest of you engineers. "Good roads an aid to study." Why not play that up more, and increase the opportunities for education?

"The only accomplishment which I canthink of at the moment is that I havebrought my weight down to just below 200pounds by taking up golf this year. I wasin hopes of becoming quite expert at ituntil I tried to play at the course in Plymouth. I can recommend this course cheer-fully to all interested. They tell me it is thesportiest course in New Hampshire, and Ibelieve it. I believe further that in goingaround one travels further up and downthan he does horizontally."

0.K., Arthur, we want more of the vertical in our existence and less of the horizontal, as I have remarked before. I didn't think of it in connection with golf courses, but why not vertical golf courses for vertical men!

And after I had written that perhaps rather slangy beginning for my last paragraph, I turned to the next letter only to find that the Tulsa Tribune is published in Tulsa, Okla. I don't know so much about Tulsa, but certainly Arba is O.K.

"By a strange coincidence, when I wasreading your letter Tom Hubbard telephoned. He had been in town for a fewdays, but busy. I expect to see him nextweek, and I'll tell him we want the response from Oklahoma to be 100%."

A swell idea, Arba. Now if you can only put it over so that Tom will think it's his own idea, all will be well. As a matter of fact the returns from Maryland, Louisiana, and New Mexico are already at 100%, so Oklahoma can't be the first to make the grade. But don't waste time on Tom, he'll write anyway, let me give you some hard ones.

"Needless to say (and you will probablyhear the same from other members), thereare trying days for those of us in the vulgarmasts of trade. Sometimes business spurtsand we kid ourselves into believing that weare on the way back to prosperity, butabout that time we get a 'bump' fromsome unexpected direction, shattering ourhopes."

NEWS FROM ARBA

I have heard the same from others, and I wouldn't have quoted this if it weren't for the fact that it is not easy to convince some of you that this affair isn't personal. We are all in it, and here's hoping that we all get out of it, although I am deleting Arba's political remarks on the ground that I agree with him and therefore his comments are not news.

"My boy Jim right now is in Chicagolooking over the Century of Progress, andwill be in Hanover at the opening of thecollege year eager to continue his work. Mydaughter is married, has two children, andlives in Boston, her husband being on thefaculty at M. I. T. They recently gave usa fine visit of nearly two weeks here before leaving on their return via Chicago."

Probably most of you will be greatly surprised to learn that I have been obliged to undergo treatment at the hands' of a noted specialist. However it is a fact and in witness whereof I append a copy of his prescription:

"Your pathetic appeal touches medeeply, and I could not sleep tonight if Idid not at once do something to allay yourdepression. I have very little to report except to say that my son in a few days willbe going back to Dartmouth for his sophomore year, and to add that through him Ihave had a chance to meet a number of theyounger undergraduates, whom I find agreat lot of fellows. I had a great vacation;in fact, the best I have had in a numberof years, and am back at work fit for whatI feel must of necessity be a most strenuousand rather difficult year ahead."

The physician is, of course, Art Ruggles, and the prescription is one that worked very well, although it is not certain that I can avoid a relapse. Where are the rest of our doctors?

Ohio next gets into the column by virtue of a return from Springfield, where the Bosca-Reed-MacKinnon Co. puts quality leather goods on the market. Harry MacKinnon says:

"There is nothing much to report exceptthat we are still making an effort to keepthings going. My son, Harry Lachlan, graduated from Dartmouth in June and hasreceived his diploma. I might mentionthat neither he nor his dad is able to readit, but it does look impressive."

By the way, Harry, did you notice anything about the ink that was used for the signatures? Gus Parry's protest, which I included in these columns last year, was too pointed to be ignored, but perhaps the old bottle had to be used up before they could get a new one. "Better and blacker ink for Bachelors."

Ducky Drake wrote that he was just sailing for Europe and would be away for two months. However he said that he would be keeping a diary of his experiences and let us have a story when he got back.

J. Frank always gives us such clear pictures that we shall be looking forward to that account. Personally I always feel happy to know that even if I can't see things myself I can still have the opportunity to know of them by way of the eyes of a classmate. And what a collected lot of experiences ours would be if we could get them all together.

Yet I must again insist that in evaluating these experiences someone more all-seeing than any one of us is needed. Too often we get to thinking that our own roles are insignificant. Perhaps they are, but isn't it far wiser to live on in the hope that whatever part we play it is being played with all the skill and faith that we possess? And so, as ever,

"God bless us, every one."

Secretary, 130 Woodridge Place, Leonia, N. J