From a 1908 Mem Book
IN THOSE DAYS when 1908 was one of the upper classes of the collegiate worldwhen corduroy trousers came equipped with sand-paper inserts for scratching matches—the automobile was as scarce on Hanover Plain as dime-a-dance hostesses in "Squirt" Gerould's biology seminars. Nevertheless, Hanover had its "auto." The specimen belonged to President Smith of the Medical School. At long intervals Morris Smith '07, son of the medical prexy, would take the machine out for a joust with Balch and other neighboring hills. The steamer, named Stanley, was a wonderful bus, could climb into the Vale of Ternpe, and out again, if so directed. In those days roads around Hanover were pretty much one protracted Vale. When the students went home for vacation, though, it might be a different story—as to the availability of cars and the supply of roads for operation thereon.
And that's where the motorcar of the Autumn of 1907, pictured above, comes in. It was, I recall, a Stevens-Duryea, manufactured in Springfield, Mass., by a bunch of old boys who had done well at barouche production. Owned by the father of one Alan M. Perkins, Dartmouth 1908, and operated, practically constantly by our classmate during vacation periods, it could make the three miles between Perk's home and Waban Pond on the Wellesley campus, wind and weather being favorable, nonstop. The mechanical-minded, in giving the picture the once-over, will note the unique position of the spare tire, the oil lamps which served for parking, the crank with leather holder, collapsible top and segmented front seat. Also it should be observed there has been no appreciable improvement in Massachusetts automobile license plates during the past 27 years. As for the advantages offered by one of the few private passenger buses near Wellesley campus, back in 1907, any old codger who has read so far will, it is hoped, be able to prod his imagination to a point where it will do a satisfactory job when it comes to visualizing how almost any two Wellesley girls of the 1907 vintage would fit into the picture.
