Noted Townies of the Past and Present

Defined 6" Described

LEW MEAD dates back to the time when the most popular drug store was on the campus. It occupied the southern side of what was known as the Davison block. This was originally the old Balch Mansion, or rather town house, for his summer home was the stone mansion under the shade of Balch Hill where Rip Heneage now lives. College Hall now stands on what used to be called the Golden Corner with Lew Mead's Drug Store on one side and Davison and Ward's dry goods store on the other.

Lew was certainly a genial soul. He was about the same build as Georgie D. Lord, but of course not as distinguished in appearance. He conducted his store in a very gracious and informal manner. The busiest time was right after Sunday afternoon chapel. Everyone except the Phi Betes and Y.M.C.A. boys flocked in and Lew always had a big journal ready to take down the charge items as fast as they were called. There would be about as many names as appeared in the Old Castle Square Hotel register in Boston on a busy Saturday night. When the Redington twins were in college Lew among other Professors had difficulty telling them apart so the boys had just one account under the name of Redington. The only safe mark of identification was a mole on Paul's back and not on John's. Lew said he couldn't be bothered to strip them every time one of them wanted a package of gum.

Adie, Lew's wife, kept the books and also Lew at rather frequent intervals. Lew's chief form of exercise was to watch the varsity baseball practice on the campus. One day someone fouled off a swift ball which hit Lew in the groin. For about a week Lew used to call his best friends into the back store, take down his pants and ask them if they had ever seen an example of acute appendicitis. Most of the college thought Lew's days were numbered. The crisis in the life of most of the would-be-sports of the College came when they had to present Lew's bill to their father. It generally exceeded the tuition by several ciphers and if itemized used up several yards of billing paper.

Lew lasted until the famous Deke House fire of the Fall of 'gg when the whole block burned down. The Dekes had their rooms on the top floor of the block. About the only items retrieved were the stock of rubber boots in the Davison and Ward basement. A campus meeting was held the day after so that those who didn't get mates could match up with others as unfortunate.

Lew then moved to the location now occupied by Allen's—in fact, he sold out to Allen—and moved to a farm in Stafford, New Hampshire, where he and Adie still live. It took Adie about a year's residence in Hanover to collect the bills but she did. About that time someone asked a prominent alumnus if he owed Lew anything. His reply was, "Remember, Sir, I am a Trustee of the College."

Lew isn't very well but what memories he must have of a long stream of Dartmouth men who once came into the store and said "Where's Lew?" Stafford must have seemed a little quiet to Lew and Adie.

Lew Mead—and A die