Class of 1912
OUR DAY .... Many of you have no doubt seen the Grand Prize winning camera study—a portrait of a youth—dreamingly staring into space over an open book—the background —ghosts of knights in armor—prancing steeds and brave deeds.
On this—Our Day—the twenty-fifth anniversary of our graduation—we will be that dreaming boy—fogging off the sharp outlines of the new Dartmouth and letting in the background of the Hanover we knew—the stage-coach with its leather strap springs backed up to the platform at Norwich—the long suit-case hike up the hill—the bulletin board at the entrance to "Chuck" Emerson's office in the little white frame building—the old gymnasium and the oval running track next to the Inn—horses and sleds—ox teams tied to the hitching postsweat shirts and corduroys. There will pass in review in a few seconds—the thousands upon thousands of times we have crossed the campus to and from chapel and classes and the images of familiar faces met in the passing.
Then as the fog lifts and we see the New Dartmouth before us—the Tower of Baker —new bright buildings—the awakening to the reality is a happy one. Whether we have been fortunate enough to have seen the gradual rise to magnificence first hand or many miles may have separated us, we can feel that we have kept in tune and played some part in the growth.
We have been most fortunate in having had the joy and privilege to witness our Dartmouth grow from the college we knew to Our Day. Our beloved President Hopkins last year celebrated his twentieth anniversary as the leader of the College. During this time the importance of the alumni body has steadily grown—has been more and more depended upon, and has been closer and closer knit into the College.
On this Our Day we can and do awaken fully to a realization that we have not graduated—that we are still part of the College. That is the spirit in which the graduating class of 1937 is ending its four years of study, and they carry with them all of the obligations to the College which they have so faithfully and nobly proven themselves capable of fulfilling.
Spread out as we are, opportunities are not of the most frequent to give expression to our desires. To the best of our ability our class organization represents a strong and close link in the chain of classes. It may not be fully realized, but in any view of the passing years we must not fail to take into account that those problems of the College which have arisen and which have been so well solved have been very closely involved with the alumni body. Many and perhaps much more serious problems are liable to arise. Nothing less than the best that we have to offer in our individual cooperation as a class and through our class organization should be presented to justify our pride in being in Dartmouth.
Specifically the Alumni Fund affords us one opportunity for a concrete expression of our position as alumni. As at present constituted we of 1912—for a class numbering 297—have one class agent. Of our membership 96 are non-graduates. The last class graduated in 1936 with a membership of 499, of whom five are non-graduates, have 31 class agents. Nineteen thirty-five with a membership of 452 has 37 class agents. Class organizations tie in closely with class agents—to the end of a maximum in number of subscribers and in actual amounts, subscriptions to the ALUMNI MAGAZINE, class records, and distribution of news items to the members. Class notes in the magazine, while of importance, have become the least of the class organization activities. In fact the ALUMNI MAGAZINE has requested that class notes be cut down.
THERE IS A NEW DARTMOUTH IN OUR DAY IN WHICH WE ALL PLAY NEW PARTS.
There is scarcely any gathering of men of 1912, whether large or small, which does not mention the names of some of our members who have departed from our midst. It is fitting at this time that personal friends make separate contributions to the Alumni Fund as memorial gifts, in order that the names of those who have passed beyond may appear on the class roll of honor.
With deep sorrow we are recording the sudden death of our classmate "Hutch" Biery, on April 17.
We have had few details except that he had a heart attack while playing golf on Saturday afternoon at his club, the Leewood Golf Club in Crestwood, N. Y.
"Hutch," who appeared so strong and healthy, had no knowledge of any danger.
For over twenty-two years Hutch was a resident of New York, and during all of that time associated with the McCall Publishing Co. He was always depended upon for attendance at any Dartmouth gatherings—active in support of the Alumni Fund and of class affairs. His hobby was golf.
Funeral services were held from Bronxville and were attended by Randy Burns, Dick Rernsen, Doc O'Connor, and Jack Cronin, as representatives of our class.
The sincere sympathy of 1912 is extended to his widow.
Just a few words about Reunion—but first let me say that your class secretary has prepared the earlier part of these notes—has expressed in words in his first two paragraphs as few could do, what Dartmouth and going back to Hanover can mean.
You have received a little pamphlet—"The Troubador." This was given to us by the publishers, and the story on the first few pages as written by Whelden '25 we hope has carried a message to some of you who are in more distant places.
Last Thursday evening (May 6) we had a gathering at the Boston Chamber of Commerce to check up on "reunion" progress. There were seventeen present, and each pledged himself to bring another to the dinner on May 20—this with a prereunion gathering in New York on May 18 will of course be ancient history when the MAGAZINE is published—but we have all been working together—how well the days in June—11, 12, and 13 will tell.
In the meantime you will have received other messages from the class. This, the last number of the MAGAZINE series of four issues that your committee has had sent you, has, we hope, brought Dartmouth a little nearer to those who haven't had the MAGAZINE regularly before. Not because it's Dartmouth do we say it, but because the fact is one usually recognized: the DARTMOUTH ALUMNI MAGAZINE is the outstanding publication of its kind in the country today.
Through this column I send to you in distant places, to you who for reasons best known to yourself, to you who because of conditions beyond your control, cannot be with us, the greetings of each member of the class one to the other—and I even dare hope that if there be those of our class who haven't yet made up their minds —if this reaches you before Reunion, perhaps you'll join us there to receive and exchange these greetings in person.
Secretary, 298 Fingerboard Rd., Ft. Wadsworth Staten Island, N. Y.
