Class of 1921
This first effort of the new Sec. is made easy by the surprising manner in which the boys have come through with contributions—Harry Chamberlaine with a full report of the 15th Reunion, so complete that some of the stronger passages have been deleted by the class powers-that-be—miscellaneous notes and suggestions from Prexy Jack Hubbell, Ex-Sec. Herrick Brown, and the always voluble Hicks. As a matter of fact, the only way in which "yours truly" was induced to tackle this thankless grind was through promise of a New Deal, where sectional representation would result in complete and thorough coverage of 1921 activities. The result is surprising and gratifying.
For example, here's Harry's version of what took place in Hanover last June 12-15, —and while he didn't see all, nor does he depict all he saw, it's an authentic oneman version of the biggest and best party yet. We've taken the liberty of appending a few notes and a complete list of those present, but otherwise the following is Harry's:
The Fifteenth Reunion has been relegated officially to the "Things-we-talkabout" part of our lives; and if we are five years older than we were in 1931, no one seemed to worry about it very much. Nor was it particularly noticeable at times when the illustrious classmates really swung into action, which, we might report, was practically all the time.
From El Fisher's air-cooled room with the door panels kicked in, to Bill Embree's sedate suite with the "feelthy" pictures pasted on the walls (not Bill's pictures, however), Wheeler Hall took a beating such as only men with granite in their brains and fifteen years' experience behind them could give it.
The point we are trying to put over is that it was a grand party and that those who missed it should start themselves a mourners' club with the main objective of not letting the same thing happen five years from now.
Our new president is Jack Hub bell , who, by the way, finished up his second term as director of the Alumni Fund, and did a job to make us proud. We can, in fact, be proud of ourselves, as the class did the best job we have ever done on the Fund. And speaking as one who knows, the sincere appreciation of the College for the job done is something that should make us all feel pretty good. Ort Hanks was the '2l pilot who turned the trick.
Well, anyhow, Jack is president. Joe Folger is one of the new vice presidents and Joe, being in Hanover, went to bat in no uncertain way to line up the whole 15th party from the Hanover point of view. Dan Ryder of Waterbury, Vt., is the other vice president. Roger Wilde is treasurer, and has started already lining up some suggestions for a handling of the class funds that you will like. We didn't have the heart to run Herrick Brown ragged any more as secretary, so Paul Belknap became the new secretary, with Herrick (still running a touch ragged) helping him from the New York end, Dan Ruggles responsible for the Boston news, and Harry Chamberlaine assigned to feeding it in from Chicago.
A word of thanks to the old officers for the good job they did, and a word of warning to the new officers that they are expected to do at least as well.
No one person could possibly report all the things that happened, but here at least are some of the high lights as your new scribes saw them.
Eli (gin-pecker) Smith staged a swimming race to the float at Lake Morey with Fez Taylor. Race, I think, dignifies their effort, because Tom Norcross and Mac Johnson had to borrow a canoe and do a rescue act. The beer got to them just after they reached the float.
Dan (potato-salad) Ruggles put Tammany to shame by running the shortest class meeting in history. He wore us all out walking us up to the Happy Hill cabin, fed us (potato salad was included I'm sure for at least the 4th time), held a split-second meeting, and then said we better get back to Hanover unless we wanted to walk down in the dark.
Hubbell based his new platform on no more potato salad and the next class meeting to be held in Dartmouth Row.
Doug Storer of broadcasting fame offered to broadcast the class meeting. It was a deal until D. B. (cold-cuts) Ruggles found the smallest time that could be bought was one minute. He saw no point in wasting go seconds, so the deal was off.
Joe Folger may be a fine Spanish instructor, but he's terrible at figures. He made a trial run up Happy Hill in the morning to see how long should be allowed for the boys to make it that afternoon. He doubled his own time to be on the safe side and was still 50% off.
Bandy Lowe is our official seconder. He seconded a motion at the Alumni Dinner at the gym in no uncertain terms. Not only could it be heard throughout the gym, but later a classmate who was in Allen's drug store at the time asked him what it was he had seconded.
Sunday night when we were tapering off, Paul Nicholson organized what was probably the most outstanding game of "Going to Jerusalem" in history. It was held on the lawn of Wheeler, and to the vocal accompaniment of "The Farmer in the Dell" led by Gos Halsey. Among the outstanding performers were Tom Norcross, Paul, Gos, Fat Childs, Tom Cleveland, Eli Smith, Frank Rood, and George Cavis. The game continued until a member of the Glee Club came over and asked us to please kindly stop, as they were starting their concert in Webster Hall and couldn't stand the competition.
Tracy Higgins showed his executive ability by not taking more than four hours with the college authorities lining up a room in Wheeler Hall at the last minute.
Jack Graydon became interested in looking at a bathing girl at Lake Morey and ran his car into Rog Wilde's. Mrs. Graydon was with Jack. Rog had stopped his car for the same purpose. Mrs. Wilde was not with Rog.
If we ever elect an official putter-to-bed, we nominate Bob Mayo. Ask any of the boys.
El Fisher and Harry Chamberlaine beat the pants off Dutch Bausher and Ort Hicks at tennis. (This is the only time Hicks will be mentioned this month, so help me.) It seems Ort caught Harry after an all-night party a couple of years ago, and took a couple of sets from him. He was passing around the word that he was hot stuff, and any of the boys who cared to drop down to the courts about 2:30 etc., etc. After being trimmed, Ort sulked for two days. (Go ahead and sue me.)
Embree wouldn't dance. Someone brought \jp Fred Astaire's name and Bill said what did Ginger Rogers believe that Astaire had, that he (Bill) didn't.
Ben Tenney was seen walking across the campus talking to himself and occasionally holding up his hand in a negation gesture ("stop" to you). Ben claimed he was telling himself funny stories and that he held up his hand when he'd heard them before.
Dan Ryder is in the business of making scythe-snaths. We spent ten minutes learning to pronounce it.
Otis Severance bought himself a slick white suit and earned the best dressed man title.
A 1 Catterall, Jack Hurd, and Marsh Whelden high-hatted the boys. They were in Hanover, but didn't show up at the dormitory or any class function. Chick
Stiles was also among the missing. He got Frank Ross and Jim Taylor to join a "don't return to reunion" club.
Our biggest orchid goes to Art Duryea, who, with his family, came to reunion from Honolulu. Most of us hadn't seen him for 15 years. He is still one of the swellest guys in the class. Pud Walker and Ted Merriam are out there with him. How's for all three of you to be at the twentieth?
Russ Goodnow, El Fisher, Gos Halsey, Harry Chamberlaine, and several of the other boys went to the Glee Club concert. We all thought Fat Childs was safely asleep on the back row in the balcony. But the leader of the club at the singing of the Dartmouth songs asked alumni from the audience who were singers to join the club on the platform. Childs started up the aisle before we could stop him. So the rest went up to protect the fair name of our class. Gene Leonard, sitting in the audience with his best suit on and his best manners showing, \visibly blushed.
Mason Dickinson had some songs all printed up, but the boys preferred to improvise. Seth Densmore hit the party with a bang Saturday P. M. The explosion was over Sunday about noon, when Seth and the Mrs. left for Burlington. ,
For some reason Artie Anderson wanted a cot put in El Fisher's room so he could get some sleep. We still are wondering why. Rex King was in charge of delivering uniforms the committee had chosen—a thankless job—which Rex stuck to with admirable tenacity. The uniforms consisted of a green coat made of the world's most easily wrinkled material. There was also a hat, which we left in our rooms to take home to the children so they could tell where papa had been.
Paul Sanderson was by no means the dignified doctor that he is in Springfield. Ky Frost, Cory Litchard, Hank Cook, Eli Smith, and Ingham Baker played golf. So did Don Smith and A 1 Laffey. That's why they're not in the class picture.
One of the.lads from 1911, who was a touch bald, brought his young wife to Wheeler to show her that the younger alumni all had hair. He ran into Tom Cleveland first. Then he caught sight of Cavis and Symmes. Then Jack Campbell and Henry Palmer came out of the dorm. Finally Jeff Lawrence stuck his head out of the window. A hurry-up call was put in for Hal Braman, Vance Clark, or Frank Cosgrove. Even George Harris would have done, but it was too late. He had left in disgust, looking for some freshmen.
Joe Walker and wife never did find the dance on Friday night. Charlie Johnson waited for the right conditions to take some class pictures. Very few were taken somehow or other. Bill Alley and Mrs. A. showed up with what looks like a swell prospect for a halfback in about eight years.
A committee consisting of Walt Prince and Norm Crisp was appointed to keep John Sullivan and Fez Taylor apart. Fez in the long walk down from Happy Hill through New Hampshire's best brand of spring woodland had kept up a tirade against the New Deal. Arriving at the cars, Fez remarked how beautiful it all was and how Hanover made one forget all the cares of the world.
Well anyhow, it's all over, but somehow we wish it was just starting.
Just so we'll have a record of who was who at the lgth, also so that you may attempt to identify the physogs of '2iers who got before the camera as shown in the group picture in this issue, we include the following roster: Bill and Mrs. Alley and son Tom; Artie Anderson, Ingham Baker, Dutch Bausher, Paul Belknap, Hal and Mrs. Braman, Herrick Brown, Jack Campbell, A 1 and Mrs. Catterall, Chan Cavis, Harry Chamberlaine, Fat Childs, Vance and Mrs. Clark, Tom Cleveland, Hank Cook, Fran Cosgrove, Norm and Mrs. Crisp, Seth and Mrs. Densmore and son John, Mason Dickinson, Art Duryea, clear on from Hawaii and certainly the man who traveled the greatest distance to be present, Bill and Mrs. Embree, El Fisher, Joe and Mrs. Folger, Ky Frost, Russ Goodnow, Jack and Mrs. Graydon, Gos Halsey, George Harris, Ort and Mrs. Hicks, Tracy Higgins, Jack Hubbell, Charlie Johnson, Mac Johnson, Ed Kelly, Rex and Mrs. King, A 1 Laffey, Jeff and Mrs. Lawrence, Gene Leonard, Cory Litchard, Bajidy Lowe, Hugh McKay, Bob and Mrs. Mayo, Reg and Mrs. Miner, Don and Mrs. Morse, Chuck and Mrs. Moreau, Paul Nicholson, Tom Norcross, Bill Owen, Henry and Mrs. Palmer, Sumner Perkins, Dave Plume, Walt and Mrs. Prince and son Dick, the class baby, and daughter Doris, Francis Rood, Dan and Mrs. Ruggles, Dan and Mrs. Ryder, Otis Severance, Don Smith, Eli Smith, Nels Smith, Doug and Mrs. Storer, Johnny Sullivan, Chan and Mrs. Symmes, Pnes Taylor, Ben Tenney, Dave and Mrs. Trainer, Joe and Mrs. Walker, Abe Weld, Marsh and Mrs. Whelden, Rog Wilde.
The class picture costs one buck, at Downs' Studio, Hanover, (adv.)
Herrick has been promising all summer to ship to Hanover the class cards, secretary's book, etc., "brought up-to-date." He gets under the wire with a shipment which arrived today, but containing only half the class cards, which means that the following recording of changes of address, occupations, etc., may be somewhat incomplete. Herrick is excused, particularly because he blames a much needed vacation and because the shipment came prepaid.
Hugh Cruikshank, secretary to Bishop Dallas of New Hampshire, has changed his home address to 26 Franklin St., Concord.
Dick Hill is now New Hampshire representative for the Graham Parsons Cos. of Boston and is making his home at 14 Monroe St., Manchester.
Kemp Fuller is in Paris, address care Morgan at Cie., 14 Place Vendome. The last we knew he was with the American Water Works and Electrical Cos., New York. We're shooting a postcard to find out why the foreign address.
Rus Whittier is now working as salesman at 73 Garfield St., Springfield, Mass.
Rev. Charlie Atkins has recently moved to Fairlee, Vt., after being in Milford, Conn., for the past two years.
Dick Barnes, formerly with the Cities Service in Boston, has moved to 45 Mountain Ave., Riverside, R. I.
Roland Batchelder, who has been an officer at the CCC camp at Woodsville, N. H., has recently been transferred to headquarters Ist CCC district at Fort Williams, Me.
Mr. and Mrs. Bord Helmer made the New York society columns on August 21 when they announced the birth of a second daughter, Elizabeth Burd.
A card from Freddy Frederiksen indicates that he has been summering in Colorado, after seeking renewed health in California and Arizona since 1932, when he was forced to drop all work. He hopes to recoup this winter, and regrets missing the reunion.
Ruth and Jack Hubbell announced the birth of a y-pound boy on August 3. Jack announces the fact on a piece of pink office memo, with the words "baby, mother,and papa are all doing well."
Ralph Pendleton, secretary of the Massachusetts Safety Council, Boston, sends regrets at missing the reunion, but wants to register 7-year-old Ralph junior, for the class of 1951. He also boasts a daughter, age 11.
Gos Halsey and Rog Wilde have been corresponding since June about the obesity of our tennis champ, Harry Chamberlaine. They particularly call attention to the obvious lack of condition shown in the class picture. They're devising a training schedule which should bring results by the 20th.
Attention is called to the obituary notice of the death of Wilson (Bill) Slack which appears elsewhere. Bill was a member of the class for only two years, but made many friends.
Dick Rolfe, retired lumber manufacturer of Tilton, N. H., has recently completed one of the most delightful camps on Lake Winnepausaukee. Classmates should look him up when doing die White Mountains.
Bob Mac Donald became a benedict the 27th of June, and announcements state he is now married to Helen Charlotte McFarland of St. Louis.
Merrill Shoup, Colorado Springs attorney, sends regrets that business prevented his attending reunion, and states that his last get-together was in Minneapolis last spring with Red Ege and some of the other boys.
Jim Wicker, Texas chain store executive, writes that he fully intended to make Hanover last June, but at the last minute had to head for the Coast. He comments on the class picture—surprised to find that the boys have changed so little, and where are Tom Cleveland, Ned Price, Speedy Fleet, Oky O'Connor, etc.? He names over most of the Theta Delt 1921 delegation, seeming to imply they need extra promotion when the next party rolls around.
Johnny Woodhouse, chemist with the duPonts at Wilmington, Del., writes that if anyone thinks business isn't booming, they ought to check up his outfit. Claims they couldn't turn down orders fast enough so as to let him out for the June party.
The August issue of the Dartmouth Club bulletin in New York has one or two items of interest, viz:—A puff for Jack Hubbell for the way in which he sandbagged the boys for the Alumni Fund. A note that Bill Alley's young son, Tom, after a reunion at Hanover, has canceled an application for Princeton and will enroll in Dartmouth 1946. A crack about Abe Weld's address book after arduous duties with the Luciano vice trial. A notice that Werner Janssen '2l's own musical genius, sailed August 12 for London, where he will "fill a series of conducting engagements." Werner has just completed the musical score for Paramount's "The General Died at Dawn."
Class officers are considering Norm Stevenson's plea for a blanket subscription for all members of the class for the next five years to the ALUMNI MAGAZINE. Some sort of group plan will undoubtedly be worked out, though Rog Wilde is considerably disturbed over what Dan Ruggles didn't leave in the class treasury, after paying reunion bills.
Well, unless some last minute stuff shows in the next 48 hours, this concludes the first issue. Any guys who haven't seen their name in print for five years can remedy the situation by dropping a card with a little news to Hanover. No one expects the prolific coverage and witty comment on '2l affairs that characterized Herrick's work, but a little cooperation will mean that the class has something to read each issue. The closing date is the 10th of the month preceding. Mail or personal calls, care the Dartmouth Press, always welcome.
Fifteen Years Out: Group of 93 Members of 1921, Wives and Children, during Reunion Party
Secretary, Dartmouth Press, Hanover, N. H.
