Class of 1918
Our swan song. The last column by the present secretary. Two thoughts: one of grateful appreciation to those who have crashed through at various times during the past five years with helpful news notes. The other, genuine regret that the column has not been more newsy, more informative. But even that regret is offset by the fact that the man-to-carry-on (the new secretary) will be better equipped to contact our classmates and therefore certain to lift this column to new heights during the years ahead. .. . . But why think—right now—of the years ahead, when our Twentieth Reunion is just around the corner?
You haven't fully made up your mind to be in Hanover for the Farewell to Youth ceremonies? Well, then, before you do another thing, read this effusion that we got out of that astute medico, Rolf Syvertsen, secretary of the Medical School. If this doesn't cause you to rush in a last minute reservation for a costume and to tell the better half to pack her things for the trek to Hanover—then we give up.
One-Half of an Imaginary Conversation between a Member of Bob Fish's High-Pressure Committee and an Old '18er.
"So this is the first chance you've had to get back to Hanover since the war. Then don't fumble it! I go back every year just to keep track of what's happened Sure, it takes jack, but the company calls, us all in at least once every year and foots the bill Nope, sometimes in December And boy, has something happened. Farewell to youth, Bob says this is. He might have said 'Meet perpetual youth,' and would have been one hundred per cent right, because that is what the College looks like Sure I do! 'Combo' on a little white square of paper was the magic word and cost thirty cents mileage Yes sir, a waiter in a clean white coatprinted menu every day—list like the Ritz —and linen tablecloths—Thayer Hall and brand new Sanborn—no—that old echo box was torn down years ago .... too bad .... yeah, well .... but a firetrap The wall paper? .... sure, saved and put in Sanborn House, the new English building Yeah, just for English .... every prof, has his office decorated like Hamlet or something, whatever he teaches On the corner where the White Church was Oh, that burned down Yup, but they built a new one on College Street across from where Johnny K. Lord used to live. It's a pip, too Johnny K's house, well, it is and it isn't. You know how it is with the Hanover houses. It was moved up the street when Steele Chemistry Building was built, north of Wheeler. Dr. Lord, his son, lives in it now Yeah, I always liked that stone house but I guess it wouldn't move or something. Anyhow that is gone in favor of a roadway and parking space between Wheeler and Steele Culver Hall? ... You see after Steele was built it wasn't used much and finally it was torn down to build a road into Smith, Woodward, and Ripley Sure, new dormitories. .... Well, you see after Thornton and Reed were made into offices and classrooms that sort of cut down on the rooms and the College grew some and Topliff Hall and Russell Sage were not big enough so these others were needed. .... On that flat just south of the Bema Oh sure, the Bema's still there. Commencement is held in the Bema now They sit on concrete bleachers under a tin roof facing the seniors and parents on chairs One year it did and everyone had to run for Webster, quite a sight with their gowns held up, I understand, like old ladies crossing a puddle Oh no, not there, Topliff stands about opposite Culver or where it was No, not exactly. It is still there or part of it and still called Hallgarten. It was partly torn down and fixed over to make room for Topliff; the part next to the Pest House. .... Nope, that's gone Sure, plenty of measles and chickenpox, too, but they all go on the top floor of Dick's House. .... Say, don't you even read the ALUMNI MAGAZINE? .... No, I guess not—not in the class notes, anyway The swellest joint you ever saw—connected right to the Hospital Comes out of the tuition Just as soon as a boy feels sick he is supposed to report No, it works very well they tell me Like rooms at home. .... No, it doesn't even smell like a hospital Mrs. Hall still keeps her eye right on it—neat as wax work You'll get a great kick out of just walking around and looking .... I'll bet you could spend a half day, at that No—they built Gile, Lord, and Streeter along Tuck Drive Ben Marshall's house stood right where Russell Sage is now No—you're thinking of the old Tri-Kap House Sure—Silsby Hall Replaced Butterfield when Baker Library was built Oh, you're up on that No, the campus isn't longer but in the picture you don? notice the street,—because those old whuc houses would have been in front of the Library and that knoll was all graded off when they were moved Sure, Dean Neidlinger lives in one of them.... Not only the same name, but the same guy-hockey and all Yup, he layed in a Faculty-Tri-Kap game this ear .... A funny feeling is right, but there's a place on the campus where you can stand and look towards the Chapel and if you squint UP Your eyes a little you wouldn't notice a thing that's differnt A map—say, if you come back to reunion I'll be your guide if I have to wear a uniform to do it. And what's more you've got to do it because if you don't Pete won't see the place right, and he's got to apply next year Supposing at our twenty-fifth you had to be at New Haven for your son's Commencement. Ugh."
.... Thanks, Rolf, and there'll be a number of us taking you up on that guide offer! .... From newspaper columns, dealing with the Glee Club concert at Montclair, N. J., early in April, we learn: "The Glee Club's program willbe augmented by a little Dartmouthdaughter pom Montclair, Miss RosemaryRice, twelve-year-old daughter of Mr. andMrs. Albert F. Rice of ng EdgemontRoad, Upper Montclair, who will step onthe stage like any Big Green trouper andgive an accordion solo to open the secondhalf of the program." .... Em Salisbury is no longer living in New Orleans. Anyone know his whereabouts?
"Fat" Hardie is reported to be going places in U. S. Steel. The facts are bound to be out at reunion. Most of the men are bringing their wives back for reunion this time, by the way. A fact Will someone look up my old roomie, Cap Hanley, in Jersey City, and bring him back to reunion? Hell's bells, Jersey City is Bob Fish's habitat, so let's pass the buck to Bob to handle this.
. High time someone tossed some flowers in Ernie Earley's direction. This lad has done a noble job, helping to hold the class together, collecting dues from youse guys and making you like it. As one who has been rather closely associated with him during the past five years (without even having been exposed to a policy!) I want to dump this little bunch of posies in his lap By the way, now is the time for all good Eighteeners to come to the aid of the Alumni Fund. Need we say more?
Did we, or didn't we record these address changes last issue? Anyway: William J- Ryan now at Via Aventina, 7, Rome, Italy; Paul A. Bloom, at 206 Second National Bank Bldg., Akron, O.; and John H. Dessau at Box 134, Pottstown, Pa. • • . . Bunny Holden 'l7, drifting through Atlanta, calls up and says he may be on hand in June as an unofficial observer. How many of you recall the night (wasn't it at our Tenth?) when we decided we might as well have a Seventeen man as president and drafted Bunny on the spot? .... Frank Clahane is rounding out five years of real hard work as class agent. Don't we owe it to Frank to crash through this time—on the Alumni Fund—in true big league style? .... Understand A 1 Street, the demon photographer, is going to be very much on the job at reunion. Cort Horr's middle-aged spread, Tom Robbins' thatch, and other notable sights may thus be preserved for posterity. And of course Fritz Cassebeer will catch any shots A 1 may miss. You owe it to your public to be in some of these pictures!
All of us reunioning firemen are to be furnished with badges with our names on—a la luncheon club. What a break! If the light is good we can sneak up on a lad we haven't seen in a score of years, cast a sidelong glance at his badge, and greet him by first name just as if we knew all along. Even so, the idea of dusting off the old Aegis and skimming through isn't a bad one Another break for some of the brethren and sis- tren. Effort is to be made to group all of the married folks in one wing of the dorm; all of the "bachelors" in another. Result: some sleep for those who want some.
It is indeed a pleasure to record the election of Harry L. Hillman as an honorary member of the class of 1918. In his letter the grand old track coach and intimate friend of many an Eighteener said: "I will be only too glad to acceptyour invitation and to assure you and themembers of the class that I appreciateyour thoughtfulness and the honor. Yes,the class of 1918 was and is still a fineclass and it will bring back memories of20 years ago at the coming 20th reunion."
Harry Hillman and Dean Bill—honorary members! And they belong to us and to no other class! Then, Eighteen has Craven Laycock all signed up to speak at our class dinner. Ain't this goin' to be the reunion! The last report I had from Bob Fish—and not so late as you read this, because it was dated late in April-167 men had indicated their intention of returning. Of that number, two since declared themselves out and three others have found circumstances and conditions combining to make their presence problematical (—if this gets involved, blame Bob. Ed Note.), thereby reducing the expected attendance from the group of men whose names were printed in " 'lB UP" to 162. However, six additional men whose names did not appear have come through with promises to attend, making the expectancy 168 Not all of these 168 have crashed through with their checks, as you can pretty well guess—and the delay of some of the brethren has had the reunion committee doing some guessing, too, for that matter. Anyway, you get the general idea that this Farewell to Youth reunion is going to be mighty well attended.
Ed Felt and his publicity committee are planning some sort of charts to be prominently displayed in dorm headquarters, so you can see who's back, where they are, list of events, and so on. Tom O'Connell and his costume committee are said to have located a most attractive gabardine sports jacket and some Palaeopitus style hats—so that the reunion outfit will be most appealing and practical indeed. Women and children, too, will be equipped with hats, and the ladies with still other adornment. Mebbe further details will come in before we rush this form to the printer!
Learn that you can't get into the dorm until Friday at noon; but that isn't going to stop a lot of the gang from blowing in a day or two ahead of time. There's a ball game with the Univ. of California Thursday afternoon, for instance, and then the chance to try out the Hanover course before placing the bets down isn't to be overlooked A lot of the dope you get in here may be "cold" by the time it reaches you, since we have to go to press weeks before that enterprising competitive sheet, " '18 UP." But anyway, here's the latest we have from Tom O'Connell, Worcester real estate man and chairman of our costume committee. Sez Tom: "1 sent Harvey today a jacket made by Manhattan in tan gabardine called a 'bushjacket,' which I think you will probablyfind for sale in the better shops in Atlanta, if there be any such. This jacketwith numerals and the 'palaeop' hat inlahite flannel with green 'lB seems to beabout the only thing I have come acrosswhich is not pure junk, shoddy, ill fitting,and altogether lousy. I have written EdithCooley, suggesting to her that it might beused for the women's costume, also I amfairly reliably informed that this jacketis selling quite extensively throughout thecountry."
April 28 was the night of the big Eighteen gathering in New York. Our private operatives tell us the following faithful gathered at the new Dartmouth Club there: Bill Montgomery and Duke, who spent most of the evening reminiscing the victorious duel of the gymnastics meet between Dartmouth and Mass. Aggies; class songsters Rog Howland and Dwight Sargent; George Stoddard, now of N. Y.; debonair Dave Skinner and Louie Lee (who passed out Pall Malls to the lads); Walter Ross and Ed Ross; Ed Dwyer and John Rosnell; the smoothies Red Wilson and Danny Shea; bankers Dick Holton, Andy Ross, and Wart McElwain; Chris Christgau, and Bob Colwell of New Rochelle; Louie Huntoon from Providence way; also the Connecticut contingent composed of Johnny Thayer, Jack Storrs, and Tom Sturgess; then there was Jasper Johnston, of Corticelli-what-the-helli; and Bob Morrison and A 1 Rice, Syl Morey and King Rood. Stanley Burt Jones was on hand, ditto Eddie Butts and Frank Clahane. Plus Lew Pounds, Herm Whitmore, Curt Glover, Ernie Earley, Phil Boynton, Dusty Rhodes, Bob Fish, and Fred Morse from Boston. Quite a crew. And probably the largest Eighteen turnout since last reunion. Augers well for the 20th, doesn't it? Our understanding is that Ernie Earley worked like a beaver to get the gang out, but here's what Ernie sez: "Willyou make it a point to thank in thecolumn the folloxving men for the splendid work they did in phoning and writingletters to everyone in the class aroundNew York to get them out: Al Rice, DickHolton, Duke Dusossoit, Pete Colwell,Hob Morrison, Chris Christgau, Wart McElwain, and Eddie Butts?"
Continuing to sweep the cupboard bare of news items: Fred Cassebeer is on his way to Holland in order to return on the maiden voyage of the new Dutch liner, Nieuw Amsterdam. He will certainly be at reunion. The Sayres at Hanover Inn have been kind enough to reserve the entire third floor for those members of the class of '18 who stay over for Hanover Holiday. This reservation was only held Open until the end of May, we understand Al Zulick and Gus Gustafson have put their heads together over long distance phone and are working ou! six or eight short "blackouts" presumably of the "One Minus One" variety, for which they will draft "actors" from the men who return to Hanover. According to the Zulick, no one will need to know more than six or eight lines so that even the dumbest shouldn't fumble too badly.
George Stoddard told a story at the New York meeting of him and George Carpenter deciding a few years ago to take up the study of art, and landing one evening in a chummy room filled with students; a nude displayed on the platform, and the only seats available for the two neophytes were near the nude. But whether it was George S. or George C. as they went forward to get those seats, they tripped over a couple of easels, and they and the nude and the easels were first down on the one yard line! Johnny Thayer says Tom Tarrant has a marvelous play all put together and many of the money boys on Broadway are nibbling at it. Dwight Sargent reported that his lad, a high scholastic attainer, is entering Hanover next fall, and next to Tom Campbell and Hi Belding thinks he ranks next in having the oldest offspring in the class. But he doesn't know about Charlie Echterbecker with a daughter aged 27. And then, it seems we heard Ev Young saying he thought he had a claim for the class baby. Can't we get this all straightened out at reunion? I doubt it, too.
Ernie writes, of the class dinner in Gotham: "The old esprit de coeur and'18 up was injected by the MetropolitanLife star—good old Chris Christgau—who, when each one stood up and gavehis name, leveled his powerful finger athim and said: 'You will be up with yourwife in June'—arid damned few couldescape him. Frank Clahane made a shortbut powerful 10-yard gain in his appealfor the Alumni Fund, and Professor Fish,in true quick lunch style, rolled out thebeautiful panorama for the coming reunion, with a whistle here or there fromthe audience as he slid over rapidly acouple of 50-cent words that the boyswanted to take time out on." .... Here's an interesting statistic your Secretary just worked out, checked, and rechecked. Of those classmates paid up for reunion at this time, no less than 76% have paid up for their wives, too. Which means the better halves will be at Hanover in numbers—fine!
George Stoddard's New York (California here we go!) address is 165 Broadway. .... John Thayer of New Canaan, Conn., writes: "Not much to tell. Have adaughter graduating from boardingschool in June. She is going to the artschool at Yale next year. Have a son atTaft who plays center, runs the quartermile, plays the sax, and is lousy at Latin.Composing a little music, also writing abook, and eagerly looking forward to reunion." .... Going back to Charlie Echterbecker, a note from him from Worcester, Mass., reads: "Am professorof education at State Teachers Collegeand will be at reunion. Our daughter is 27 years old and our grandson is pmonths old. Perhaps I am the oldest member of the class." .... That grandchild thing slays me! Mebbe this IS a Farewell Youth party for keeps!
Swift C. Barnes pens: "Have just begunto sit up after five weeks flat on my backrecovering from the fashionable coronarythrombosis. Swift junior has just receivedword that he has tentatively been acceptedin the class of 1942. Believe he is o.k. ifhe holds his marks up." .... Takes me back in memory to the time Swifty visited Atlanta, years and years ago. We had introduced him to corn licker. About two a.m. we poured him into bed (I wonder if the juniors read this column, tut, tut.) But he came running down the hall of the hotel, a pajama clad, information seeking, figure, "Listen," he exclaimed. "This is a heluva good toxvn. Tell me,what town is it?" .... Better compliment was no town ever paid.
..... Final paragraph. What better thought than the one that Grover Cleveland Loud gave us in freshman English almost a quarter of a century ago? "Youboys," said he, "go down to Boston or toHamp. Or you go on a peerade to Claremont or Montreal. Why? Simply becauseyou are buying meynories. Oh, I know youwon't realize what I mean now—but waituntil you've been out for years. Everythingyou do up here at Hanover will be adding to your store of memories. Think itover." .... We HAVE been thinking it over. And now we're heading back to Hanover to live again those memorable days, with the same kindred souls who made them such grand and glorious days. Hanover, here we come!
Secretary, 910 Morris Bldg., Atlanta., Ga.
SHOKE EL CHICOS UNFAIR LOCAL NO 18th 20 RE-UNION
