Class of 1876
Eight members of the class out of a surviving group of eighteen came together for their "6oth." The eight were Guy R. Clark, Charles H. Fennel, George Goodhue, Frank H. Hardison, Frank P. Hill, Henry H. Piper, Francis P. Thayer, and George H. Tripp. With these were associated ten others who contributed in no slight degree to' the success of the gathering. From the first, members of classmates' families have been present at reunions. The related group were Mrs. James F. McElroy, Mrs. Kenerson Anderson, Mrs. Goodhue, Mrs. Clark, Mrs. Thayer, Miss Hardison, Mrs. Bettridge, Fennel's daughter, Mrs. Bailey, daughter of the Thayers, Miss Arentzen, with the Hardisons, and Nathan van Patten, librarian at Leland Stanford University, guest of Hill.
Hill was the first arrival and had the satisfaction of welcoming all the others. Mrs. Anderson and Mrs. McElroy were in part a surprise:—they had been considered as possibilities. Mrs. McElroy came with Rev. J. F. McElroy, her grandson (Dartmouth '3l), and his wife, who had with them their two children. The Clarks came by auto from Davenport, lowa, the Fennels from Arlington, Vt., and the Goodhues from Dayton, Ohio, also by auto. The Hardisons motored from Wellesley Hills, Mass., the Thayers arrived by train, and Tripp came with his son, Dr. Curtis C. Tripp. Piper was with the Hardisons.
Of the eighteen expected, three were unable to make the trip:-Ely, prevented from coming by pressing engagements, and Mrs. F. G. Gale and Royce L. Gale, kept at home by serious cases of sickness. These three vacancies were filled by Mrs. McElroy, Mrs. Anderson, and Van Patten.
An unusual feature of the reunion was the presence of G. R. Clark and Mrs. Clark, Fennel and his daughter, Mrs. Bettridge, who had never till now attended a '76 event, though all, with the possible exception of Mrs. Bettridge, had within the past few years come to know Hanover. There was a swift and most friendly gathering of these new members into the class group.
Another special feature was the linking of the annual contribution of the class (to the Alumni Fund) with the 6oth reunion, and giving to the contribution a memorial character. With the earliest notices sent out there had been the suggestion that special memorial gifts might be made to the Fund by members of the larger class group. Eight members of the class responded and seven from the group of relatives and friends. The original suggestion for memorial giving was Hill's.
There was a third characteristic of the reunion not so readily described as the two just mentioned because it had less of the external and visible and more of the emotional about it; indeed, a mood, an atmosphere, rather than a characteristic; a certain quietness not verging toward sadness by reason of crowding memories or other cause, nor yet toward indifference to the reunion motive or environment; a quietness not untouched with splendor due to great hopes, and an unquenchable joy in life, even with disabilities, to the very last.
The four days, June 12-15, were filled with attendance on many interesting college events, with rare intimacies and fellowships, group sociability in the dining room, and such quality of contact and mutual understanding as a college atmosphere creates; and then a calm close scarcely stirred with adieus.
Secretary, 411 High St., West Medford, Mass
