The Inn Porch Philosophers' Society
COMMENCEMENT time in Hanover is different, readily observe non-reuning Dartmouth men who are returning in increasing numbers .... everyone is happy .... the mantles of personal cares are thrown aside .... material values lose their proportions .... the nervous stimulation of big football games is absent .... there is no reuning class regimentation .... each man is a free lance to go and come as he chooses, or cock his feet on the Inn porch rail and watch the world go by . . . . Bill Taft '14, High Justice of Greenfield, N. H., the same Bill who used to shoot over his floaters to varsity baseballers, comes early, planks his poundage in a chair among fellow-members of "The Inn Porch Philosophers' Society," and sits there until Commencement is over, allowing that if a man sits there long enough he will see every man who ever attended Dartmouth College.
The truth is you meet so many old and new friends of all vintages that your neck needs osteopathic treatment ancl your hand becomes a crushed mass of bone and flesh .... but you feel, mentally and spiritually, slicker than a boiled owl.
You see 1911, the 25 Year Reuning Class, everywhere .... their grand secretary and organizer, Nat Burleigh .... "Pug" Sanborn, Washington educator .... Howard Clute, eminent Boston doctor, not too busy to serve as president of the Dartmouth Medical School Alumni Association .... Cap Hedges on from Cedar Rapids .... Coke Holdman of California .... New Hampshire born, N. Y. advertising magnate, Jim Mathes . . . . the old Albany friends, Sam Aronowitz and Leo Muhlfelder, Sam enthusing over the physical aspects of the College and a good meal he had just eaten at Tuck School's Stell Hall .... Jake Lovejoy cupping his hand back of Bud Hoban's '12 left ear and blatting to the world, "Who the Hell ever said you could play right field?"
Harry Hillman is receiving congratulations for having turned out "the best track team in a decade" .... with him is one of the most popular coaches in Hanover, the affable Scot, Tom Dent, of soccer and lacrosse .... Howe Cavern Magnate, Howard Hall 'Ol, saunters by with his son, Kim, a '36 classman .... you frequently hear such questions as, "Where's Jack Marks?" .... "Is Josh Davis here?" .... "Has anyone seen Dutch Schilclmiller recently?" .... Governor's Councillor Thomas James Leonard '10 searches for his old buddy, John Joseph Ryan '11 . ... we observe that college friendships even though their paths diverge widely.
In a corner of the Inn lobby, Dr. Spalding '66, born in '46, hard of hearing, bemoans the absence of his hearing phone and explodes, "Confound that maid, she did not pack my apparatus in the bag!" .... the aged doctor importunes charming Inn Landlady, Peggy Sayre, wife of youthful Host Ford Sayre '33, to run out and buy him an Aegis, which she does graciously .... in another corner you hear a man out of College some 60 years greet a classmate, "Why, you old cuss, you still alive? I thought you'd been dead for 30 years!" .... everywhere you run into pleasant colloquialisms and picturesque, but harmless humor .... Hanover never was, and is not now, breeding ground of the socially elite.
With Commencement luring more and more non-reuning Dartmouth men back to Hanover, 1910, for example, had some 25 men scattered around the campus .... 1914 was a cocky group, exulting over Dick Pritchard's election to presidency of the Alumni Council and Bill Slater to membership therein; Sig Larmon to head the Alumni Fund; Red Loudon on the Athletic Council .... a bus flits by with the baseball squad, returning from notable victories at Cambridge and Ithaca, and all set to grab off another from Cornell at Alumni Field .... a smart looking outfit, ably managed by Tug Wilson '36 and coached by veteran Jeff Tesreau . . . . someone asks, "Did you see Bill Cunningham's ('l9) article on Jeff in Collier's just out? Jeff's a good guy, and Bill gave him a swell write-up." You get the impression that Dartmouth men stick together, and take pride in the accomplishment of a fellow-man.
One of the best shots of the week-end was Taunton-born Doc O'Connor 'l2 giving a racial fight talk to Footballer Johnny Handrahan in the Inn lobby, Doc having previously confessed, "A guy couldn't get away with a swelled head in Hanover if he tried! The gang wouldn't stand for it." . . . . a group on the Inn steps discusses the Social Survey and chances of discarding national fraternity charters .... even though the participants were able graduates of Dartmouth Bull Leagues and used Craven's technique turned upside down, nothing was settled, no decision reached .... there was a feeling that, with a little aid. the problem would settle itself . . . . T. Brown 'O6 wandered in, looking for a friend.
The profundities of life weigh lightly .... our minds jump back to the days when Perry Fairfield and Lon Gove presided over the desk .... gracious Miss Rodey ticked away at the Western Union cubby-hole in the lobby .... the Bills, Garby and Minsch 'O7 classmates, operated the College Bookstore and demanded cash for their goods .... the Inn Coffee Shop now occupies their space as well as that of the alley-lighted tonsorial parlor of Dad Bowman .... Dad and Walt Chase, who are still mowing Dartmouth hair on the chin and dome, moved forward to the sample room formerly used by such lastworders in college apparel as Tailorman York, the Coes, Stodders, Youngs . . . . Facultyman, Francis Lane Childs 'O6, neither mental nor physical lightweight, strolls by with a happy smile on his face.
Athletic Councilmen are busier than the proverbial one-armed paper-hanger . . . . Clarence McDavitt 'OO dashes here and there to keep the wheel turning . . . . Red Loudon 'l4, you see him, then you don't .... 1926 Eddie Dooley's good wife, Harriet, slows him down to a walk.
Boston & Maine prexy, Dartmouth trustee, Ned French 'O6 cocks his feet on Inn rail, loads an ancient briar and lets down, plainly glad to be away from the bedlam of modern city life .... newly elected Trustee, Dr. Arthur Ruggles 'O2, former football manager, father of young Art '37, is another friendly, sensible sort of a fellow .... Ex-Trustee, Ed Knight '87, Newport, N. H. born, Dartmouth educated before the perfection of Hanover plumbing, successful West Virginia business man, noted raconteur of natural stories and yarns, obviously enjoys himself .... and you see Wink Fiske 'O7, Pittsburgh orthopedic surgeon .... 1913 Sec'v Warde Wilkins, former track star .... Chem Prof "Cheerless" Richardson who does smile .... Russ Pettingill 'O9, old hockeyman .... Tom Cohen '37, football manager, scion of loyal Dartmouth men, Judge Cohen '79 and Arthur J. 'O3 ... .A 1 Gottschald'lB, native NewYorker, but booster of Atlanta climate . . . . Chan Baxter'lo, farthest-west member to attend Council Meeting .... John Burleigh 'l4 trying to convert Doc O'Connor to Republicanism .... College Secretary Sid Hayward '26 escorting Baccalaureate preacher, Dick Merrill 'l5 ... . Tex Morris 'l2 who is said to have driven from Los Angeles in five days to see his son graduate .... able Dartmouth man, Carl Woods 'O4, retiring president of Alumni Council .... Ben Williams 'lO, famed author, and family with graduating son, sophomore son, attractive daughter and Mrs. W. who knows Dartmouth lore from A to Z ... . Jack Hubbell '2l, just finishing two successful years in charge of Alumni Fund .... Sid Hazelton 'O9, swimming and freshman coach . . . . Dave Storrs '99, still running the old family bookstore .... Doctor Baketel '95, father of Sherry '2O, and renovator of a stone house at Canaan that he may be near the old College town .... Dartmouth holds her sons.
Some 1500, as against 400 or so who used to seat themselves in the Commons Dining Room, trek down to the Alumni Luncheon at the Gym as guests of the College to hear some good speeches .... a grand old custom retained .... Jim Newton 'B6 speaks for the Fifty Year Reuning Class . . . . Dick Treadway '36, son of hotelman Larry 'OB, for the graduating class .... popular English prof and newly elected president of Hobart, Bill Eddy, Princeton graduate, spoke for the faculty .... Bill Minsch 'O7 for parents of seniors .... and President Hopkins who always pleases alumni on these occasions with a truly personal address .... the Glee Club does an extra fine job .... we cast a vote for the retention of these Alumni Luncheons at Commencement .... and for the Inn porch, the great social center of Commencement time. Without them Hanover would never be the same in June.
Four hundred and ninety capped and gowned Seniors march for their degrees . ... but you are not impressed by their numbers .... somehow they seem about the same in quality as those turned out in past decades .... good material who will make good Dartmouth men .... you feel that the College is in safe hands. An urge comes over you, a silent vow to return every June to Commencement time in Hanover when Dartmouth collectivism effaces individualism, and makes all men happily equal .... when the College enriches the lives of her sons.
"you Meet So Many Old and New Friends of All Vintages"
