Class of 1909
Well, your committee on bigger and better reunions reports that we are all set for the biggest and best reunion ever, the week-end of June 15 to 18. The prime ingredient for a never-to-be-forgotten gettogether, "Everybody Back," seems assured, with eighty-seven old, decrepit mossbacks already signifying their intention of tottering in, and more replies coming in every mail. What with wives, children of assorted sizes and ages, and other impediments, it looks like a real old-fashioned family party.
Ed Moffatt so far wins the prize for the greatest distance,—all the way from Sitapur, India, but from all over the country the trek to Hanover starts. Sawny Reagan from Frisco; Art White from Midland, Mich.; Ced Wellsted from Cleveland; and, although the committee has done its best to dissuade him, Jack Childs threatens to bring his "ole banjo" all the way from Chicago. You'd better get out your Aegis and look up faces to pin names onto, because there will be lots of fellows you haven't seen for twenty-five years.
After much consultation, furrowing of brows, burning of midnight oil, and what not, your committee has decided that the less soup and fish (fish by Al Newton) about this party the better,—hence, no costumes whatsoever. (We're not dressing.) But if you happen to have a pair of predepression white flannels, dig them out, dust off the dark blue coat of the vintage of '2B, find yourself a cane, put on the old smile, and hobble along. Women always manage to get clothes in spite of depressions, so have them throw in a white dress or two and they're all set.
'09 UP!
And no set program. Just get to Hanover as early Friday as you can. Barge over to Middle Fayerweather and start having a good time. Saturday morning the committee will provide appropriate costumes to be worn in the alumni parade to the ball game, but you will have to provide your own tin cup if you want any of the class brew at the keg party Saturday night. And save a little room for the clams, lobsters, and such at the clam-bake Sunday noon. To those of you who lay on the ground and groaned after Al Newton's pink tea last reunion, this advice is superfluous. Your Secretary is already on the eighteen-day diet.
You really have to hand it to the committee, though,—they have killed two birds with one stone. First, the absence of costumes and all expensive trappings means a minimum reunion tax, but, most important, the members of the committee, for the first time in twenty-five years, are looking forward to really enjoying this reunion themselves. Very clever, these Chinese!
See you in Hanover the fifteenth of June!!
'09 UP!
R. K. Abbott's son, R. K. Abbott Jr., tied with another freshman for the scholastic leadership for his class for the first semester, both having an average of 3.9, or, in other words, each got A in all of his courses.
Reggie Bankart Jr. was also on the list of men of distinctive scholastic accomplishment, with an average of 3.2. Evidently the rules of heredity still work!
'09 UP!
From the Frisco "Squeak":
"The Dartmouth man whose childrenhave reached the age of 'stamp collecting'turns to R. H. Mower 'op for advice. Bobhas moved his place at 12 Geary St. andtaken over larger quarters on the groundfloor at 636 Market St., across from thePalace Hotel. The shop looks very inviting."
'09 UP!
By error we omitted from the list of sons of members of the class now attending college Hal Prescott's son Dana.
'09 UP!
Of course the class has been eagerly awaiting news of the outcome of the opening golf match of the season between those two decrepit individuals, Sandy Hooker and Bob Burns on the one hand, and the virile Phil Avery and myself on the other hand. Bob Burns has joined Unicorn and we played there the 19th, with results undoubtedly as you expected, i.e. Phil and I were so far ahead that we had difficulty in realizing that the other two were on the golf course. Both Phil and I almost got pars on several holes.
'09 UP!
Roscoe Pearl and his wife went skiing in Pinkham Notch the week-end of April 21. They didn't do much in Tuckerman's Ravine, thinking this a somewhat hazardous undertaking, but skied down the new ski run laid out by CCC workers on Mt. Wildcat, which is part of the Carter Moriah Range, running on the eastern side of the valley across from the Presidentials. As this is the first winter that Roscoe and his wife have been on skis, it seemed to your Secretary, when he learned of this undertaking, that Roscoe and his wife had more courage and less regard for their personal safety than your Secretary would have under similar circumstances if he was inclined that way. Roscoe said the goingwas very fast, the snow several feet deep, and that they dug, involuntarily, numerous shell holes, but that neither one sustained any damage. Considering the fact that Roscoe is certainly over forty, wears glasses, and has an indoor job, why—bring on your bulldogs, we have Roscoe.
'09 UP!
Having been treasurer of the city of New Britain since 1919, Curt Sheldon was again reelected for two years on April 10. Although he was the Republican candidate, he as well as the comptroller, tax collector, and city clerk were also placed on the ticket of the Democratic party, who won the election. Curt insists, however, that he is not a politician.
'09 UP!
Art White writes that he and Mrs. White will be with us at reunion. He has been with the Dow Chemical Company for the past twenty-three years, first as chemist and plant superintendent and since 1922 as technical engineer for the sales department. He has two children (Mary Ellen, 16, and Robert Arthur, 14), and admits that he is in the class of Sandy Hooker and Bob Burns as a golfer. He is planning to spend the summer on Cape Cod apparently, but we haven't learned where as yet.
'09 UP!
On the afternoon of April 30 a riot broke out in the office and we thought a gang of Communists were celebrating May 1 somewhat prematurely. Upon investigation, however, we discovered that the commotion was due to the arrival in our office of one Russ Pettengill, started to breathe with relief, but changed our minds. Pettengill is looking very well. He seems quite his usual self, and apparently expects to live in New Canaan, Conn., for some time to come. He has leased a house there for three years, bought some land, and plans to build on it. He is continuing to maintain his Chicago office, but says most of his business is now being done by the offices which he has in several of the larger cities in the East, with headquarters in New York City. Pettengill's new contracts have promised to make the coming year a profitable one, and if we know Pettengill, he will have more shortly. He was somewhat noncommittal about more important matters, such as the present quality of his golf game, but he will be at reunion.
'09 UP!
A. W. Bates attended the annual dinner of the Dartmouth Club of Northern New Jersey on April 7 at the Essex County Country Club.
'09 UP!
Anonymous's wife speaks up (they will do it): " 'Reunion from the woman's point ofview,' says ye ed. Well, after listening in onvarious and sundry rehashings of '09's reunionplans it sounds like a darned fineparty from the men's, women's, or whathave-you point of view. Nice and informaland folksy as befits age and some dignity.(Though not too much.) Speaking of age,it IS comforting to get around with the oldcrowd and find we've all accumulatedabout the same quota of wrinkles and grayhairs and physical limitations. It's nice tocompare notes too about the youngsters'achievements and boast a little. If youaren't there when the snapshots of familiesgo round as they always do at reunionwho's going to know what fine childrenyou havel If the children are there inperson to be, shown off, so much the better.There'll be no 'keeping up with theJoneses' this year. We've all been in theboat when it rocked together, and your$2.98 sport dress will have plenty of company, so don't use that frayed excuse fornot coming. This ain't no fashion showlady.
"The main argument I've heard fromwives against going back seems to be thefamiliar, 'Oh well, the men don't wantwives tagging along. They want a stagparty.' Don't you think it. They may notdo a lot of urging. Husbands don't, butthey'll be pretty wistful starting off alonewhen the time comes, and they'll be lonesome as the traditional stag at eve whenthey get there. (Or was he the gentlemanwho drank his fill? Never mind.) They'llwant you when they get there if theyhaven't said much about it beforehand,and then it will be too late for both of you.Most of the crowd are going in twosomes,the committee state proudly.
"And another argument, 'We won't seethem from the time we get there until wego home.' Wrong again. Everything isplanned this year to be done together, except perhaps the keg party, and the committee act a little doubtful about pullingeven that off as a stag event.
"Summing up the case for going; wewives need a vacation this year as badly asthe zvorried men we live with. They'relooking forward to reunion as a kid looksforward to the circus. Perhaps they won'teven go themselves unless you encouragethe idea. Where will you find a better placeto rest and have a thoroughly good timethan Hanover in June? The men willwhittle off ten years as soon as they roundthe comer into Lebanon, and you'll loseten years with them. (Where's the womanwho can resist THAT argument?) You'llhave the time of your life if you go andyou'll hate yourself for a zany if you don'tgo when you hear the reminiscing by people who did. Pack up the little old lastyear's outfit arid a tooth brush and we'll beseeing you."
'09 UP!
Do you remember how you felt when you landed in Hanover for the beginning of your freshman year and what the place looked like? Do you remember carrying furniture and beating rugs for upper-classmen and what was done to you and the rest of the crowd in the course of Delta Alpha proceedings? Would you object if you were served at home the same meals you had in Commons your freshman year? Did you ever "wood up" during Homer Eaton Keyes' lectures? Did you pass the course in English that we took under kindly Clothespins Richardson—or the course in mathematics we took under beloved Tute Worthen; whose cider did you steal most often from his window ledge that first fall; and can you explain adequately the reasons why we handed the football to the sophomores in the fall rush? Describe the three outstanding reforms accomplished under the administration of Mayor Reggie Bankart.
We could extend this quiz indefinitely, but lack of space prevents.
Now take a big jump to the spring of 1909, when you sat on the senior fence and carved your initials in somebody's cane. About the only thing that troubled you at that time was the thought of leaving the place and the crowd. You were care-free and happy—among friends. Over the weekend of June 15 those of us who can get there will live again in that atmosphere happily—among friends. Be one of us if you possibly can.
'09 UP! '09 UP!
Secretary, Atlantic National Bank Bldg. 100 Milk St., Boston TWENTY-FIFTH REUNIONPres. Avery:—
