Class of 1919
Whatever small amount of work may have befallen us in being your very poor class secretary, we have always felt amply repaid in the joy of some contact with our fellow '19ers and the apparent endless gratitude of the College. The past two months we have been more or less confined by an obnoxious though in no way serious sickness. This period of sitting still and absorbing sunshine has been made quite endurable and in spots almost enjoyable by the great rallying around of classmates all over the country. We are almost sorry we are getting well.
To begin with, Hawker Hawks, who was off to the beach for the summer, loaned us his house, which is perched on a hill in Framingham Center, overlooking much of the surrounding countryside. Here, Spen Dodd, Batchelder, Rock Hayes, Phil Bird, and Louis Munro have been in regular and frequent attendance and have afforded us a great many pleasant evenings. Spider Martin, in Attleboro for the week-end, drove up one Sunday, but was unable to find us. We have had letters from McCrillis, Gale, Stecher, McCrea, Hinds, Buttenwieser, Cole, Chipman, Pelletier, Murray, Paisley,, and Murphy. Max Norton added the complication of a few hours of acute pain under the belt by sending us four fresh lobsters, which we in our enthusiasm tried to consume in one sitting. Bill McCarter \sent us four interesting and much appreciated books in behalf of the class, and Batchelder brought us two more. We are still furious to have missed the weekend with the McCrillises at their delightful place on Lake Sunapee and a visit with the Gales at their summer place on Lake Ontario. Earl Blaik wrote us from Ohio, making us an honorary member of the coaching staff (tie that one, if you can, Major Bowes).
We are not fool enough to think that we are as popular as all this, or that the news of our illness has spread so far and wide automatically. We have been around the inside of the machinery long enough to know that our fellow class officers must have had little time for anything else this summer, what with digging up amusing letters for us. Were we to be secretary for the rest of our life, and we agree with you, heaven forbid, we could not repay the class for the enjoyment they have supplied us during this extremely dull period. As you may well imagine, with all these letters we have more material for Alumni Notes than we have had in a great many years. We are going to hoard this dope and hand it out gradually a little at a time, hoping that we will get more before it is exhausted.
There is an amusing story about concerning Spider and Red Murphy at Commencement time. It seems they arrived in Hanover, determined to find themselves quiet lodgings, and finally established themselves in the home of a faculty member. After a quiet evening about town, they were sleeping peacefully when they were aroused to find the police department and the Professor standing threateningly over their beds. It seems that the professorial silverware was missing and, begging their pardon, it would be necessary for them to have a look around the room. As Spider tells the story, he could see at once that Red was going to be able to handle the situation, so he rolled over thoroughly and went to sleep. Red was obliged to conduct a search of the room and descend and establish the innocence of their automobile as well before he could return to the peace and quiet of the boudoir they had so carefully selected. At this point, Spider did not even roll over. In the morning there was a timid knock at the door and an extremely sheepish host announced with abject apologies that his wife had just remembered that she had put the silver in the storage vault for the summer.
Just before we were borne off to our bed o£ pain, the class of 1918 had their spring get-together, at which Cottie Larmon was to speak on the findings of the Social Survey Committee. Harvey Hood very thoughtfully invited those 'lgers about Boston to share this treat with them. There were ten or twelve 'igers in the crowd who greeted Cottie and enjoyed hearing in detail what Cottie had done and what they felt should be done about it. So far as we can remember, this group ineluded Chan Brown, Louis Munro, Bill White, Jack Berry, Elmer Pilsbury, A 1 Googins, John Chipman, Howie Cole, Rock Hayes, Jim Davis, Phil Bird, and Spen Dodd. Johnnie Chipman and Elmer found themselves a piano over in the corner before things started, and while both of them claimed not to have seen one since they were in college they proceeded to take it apart in their usual manner and very nearly stole the show from Cottie.
Max Norton, whose career is ever onward and upward with the arts, is now president of the board of trustees of the Mary Hitchcock Hospital and also chairman of the building fund committee, which is about to raise $300,000 to build additions all over the adjacent fields, where you use to bust your neck skiing when you were in college. Max sent us a very handsome autographed prospectus of the project, and Mary has already talked one of our many doctors into donating the amount of our bill when, as, and if we ever pay it. If we could get the other seven to agree to this procedure, the building fund would be over-subscribed now.
The class of 1919 is indebted to Aunt Kate for typing these lengthy notes with no other, compensation than a chaste kiss upon the brow. We feel that at the earliest opportunity she should be elected an Honorary Secretary.
Secretary, 27 Coolidge Hill Road, Cambridge, Mass
