1914*

Last month we started to give you a composite picture of yourselves from combinations of questionnaires of a committee headed by Chuck Kingsley, distributed at Reunion and summarized later. The editors, however, have kindly agreed to print this story in full in a number and you will get a great kick out of the summary. Incidentally, we think words of wisdom from some of our samplers of public opinion would read more interestingly if they had a breezy Chuck Kingsley to salt and pepper their statistics.

And now for a bit of Reunion Friday, June 16, was a grand day and when we arrived at Wheeler Hall there was already an eager group sitting about the lawn. We were very sorry to hear that John Piane was laid up with an attack of bursitis but Madeline was on the job to help us get started. At great inconvenience to himself, John went through with the Reunion program and we all hope that the continued discomfort of the summer was not due to his strenuous Reunion efforts in our behalf. Well, thanks to you, John, for a Reunion which could not have been possible without your grand assistance.

Charlie Batchelder had arranged for the erection of a spic and span new tent and by five o'clock all were there togged out in their green coats, and the flag raising began. The generous thoughtful gesture of Ted Lavin in providing excellent cocktails, together with other evidences of hospitality, got our Reunion off to a grand start.

Hand-shakings and he 1105.... and BANG! That was not a gun we heard but the roar of drums and rushing out we beheld a full-fledged kilty band with screaming bagpipes, attired in what we understand is the MacKenzie tartan. Rocky Flanders had provided this surprise of the Manchester Kilty Band. Of course the occasion called for a parade. Falling in behind the kilty band all Hanover was soon keenly aware that 1914 was in town again. We had the band with us on all occasions during the week-end. It was a great thought, Rocky, and everybody appreciates your generosity.

Friday night we reuned here and there, hampered somewhat by rain but never stalled.

Saturday morning it did rain. The Commencement program called for an alumni parade to the gymnasium for the annual meeting of the Alumni Association. The heavens opened and the parade was called off; that is, all but 1914. Parade we did with our kilty band at the head.

The alumni meeting was quite different from our day. It will be described in the general columns of the MAGAZINE and its highlight to us was Sig Larmon's remarks, comparing the situation today with the brief twenty-five years since our graduation. These remarks we shall record in full next month.

Immediately following the meeting the luncheon planned for the lawn in front of the gymnasium was transferred inside. A short interval and we lined up again, parading to the ball game where we received a great hand for our van and the excellent turnout we had. As you know, Dartmouth beat Cornell.

We enjoyed the comments of our gang comparing the skill of the 1939 team with the ball players of our day. We are convinced that the present-day third baseman had nothing at all on Ernie Kimball. The first sacker was certainly no niftier than our own Doc Cook. Whereas the pitcher was good we would still take a chance on Willard, Lavin or Hallett. And in the outfield we decided we would keep Loudon and Sully. In other words, we still think we had a good ball team.

Following the game, after a brief rest period, those who had felt so inclined were rudely awakened by the beating of the tomtoms for another session of flag raising and a quick parade to the Senior Fence for our Reunion Hum. Naturally we missed Bill Slater's leadership but Rufe Sisson took over with the old familiar songs Thence directly to the new Hovey Grill where, surrounded by Walt Humphrey's murals, we sat down to a grand steak dinner excellently prepared and served under the direction of Mrs. Hayward.

Meanwhile, the ladies had gone to a Dramatic Club performance of "Prologue to Glory" directed by our honorary classmate, Warner Bentley.

To all, the Class Dinner was an unqualified success. After a short business meeting and the election of officers, we heard an interesting description of his murals by Walt Humphrey—which to our untutored mind are just what Dartmouth and Hanover needed as an antidote to those things in the Baker Library. We are all very proud of Walt Humphrey for this job for here certainly is something tangible which will continue for generations to say "1914-"

During one of the long winter vacations some of our long-distance boys had to stay in Hanover and they made an arrangement with Mrs. Smalley, now affectionately known as "Ma Smalley," to serve them food. This was the beginning of the famous Smalley Eating Club which, as the years go by, continues to become more and more a Hanover institution. Mrs. Smalley has conducted more than an eating club. Stories of her interest in undergraduates would fill a book. Many a Dartmouth man who has gotten off on the wrong foot at college owes his straightening out to Ma Smalley. And so Sig Larmon, Alec Tuck, Jack Dellinger, Claeys and others, taking recognition of her service generally to Dartmouth men, had her appear at the Class Dinner, presented her with a silver tray suitably inscribed. Though taken aback by surprise Ma Smalley quickly composed herself and thanked us for our thoughtfulness and generosity. We have from her a long letter of appreciation for this tribute.

Sig then proceeded to call on many of the men for a few words and it was interesting to hear from those men, many of whom were back for their first ReunionMoose Englehorn, Lester Little, Kalenderian, Buck and many others—each one sounding much the same note of loyalty to the college and to the class. Certainly we have something in our class unity of which we can be justly proud—a tribute to our succession of leaders whose names you all know.

With the singing of the "Men of Dartmouth" the finest Class Dinner in the history of 1914 came to an end.

We were ordered to report to Webster Hall, where we found the preliminary play just closing, and we were ushered in to find that we were spectators of the main event of the evening. The program read as follows: CLASS OF 1914 DARTMOUTH COLLEGE presents "RIP VAN CLAEYS" A Dartmouth Folk Drama Production under the personal inspiration of Walter Wanger, former Assistant Manager of the Dartmouth Players CAST John M. Piane John M. Piane George H. Tilton George H. Tilton Sigurd S. Larmon Sigurd S. Larmon Robert Cuthbert Hopkins Robert Cuthbert Hopkins Rip Van Claeys Charles M. Claeys Violet. . Alexander John Marshall Tuck Egbert '39 George Ladd '4l From a manuscript found in a bottle in the Connecticut by Budd Schulberg '36 (NOTE: This will be your only opportunity to view this production, as the manuscript is to be thrown back into the Connecticut immediately after the performance.)

ANOTHER WALTER WANGERSUPER-COLOSSAL

It is with a note of sadness that we recall this performance, remembering the grand acting of Kid Claeys, supported by his hard-working cast. The idea was that there we were back at Reunion. Kid had been asleep for twenty-five years and showed up with a long beard.

With but three hours of rehearsal altogether, Warner Bentley's prompting from the wings highlighted this stellar performance. You can imagine the possibilities of such a script and certainly they laid us in the aisles. Those of us who saw it will never forget it, and we are only sorry for those who unfortunately missed this Saturday night climax.

CITATION TO ELLSWORTH BUCK

"The annals of your career since graduation from this college have been those of personal accomplishment and of public service of such degree and variety as to crowd a useful quarter century. Having progressed in a brief interval of time from apprenticeship to a position of major responsibility in corporate affairs, an interlude of war service of high merit as aerographer in the Naval Air Force intervened, following which again you entered industry, advancing rapidly from position to position in the concern with which you were connected until successively you became president and now chairman of the board. Cumulatively devoting your abounding energies to affairs of public import, accompanying which you partially express the breadth of your interests in a directorship of a hospital, an academy, and a zoological society, the widest public recognition is now being gratefully accorded to you for outstanding service to the world's largest municipal school system. Possibly the characterization of you by the colleague who nominated you for the vice presidency of the Board of Education as the 'hardest worker in the public service' he had ever met is suggestive of the fact that some of the ancient criteria of success apply in the affairs of the world today. Notably as chairman of the Committee on Buildings and Sites of the Board of Education of the world's greatest metropolis, you have successfully sought to improve the conditions under which the youth of New York City shall study and to increase the usefulness of school facilities to the cultural and recreational life of communities under your farflung jurisdiction. From fellow citizens gratitude is extended to you for your force, your vision, your high personal integrity, and your unselfish devotion to the public weal. The fellowship of your own college, in grateful recognition of the credit you have brought to her in commanding confidence for yourself, is happy to honor you with her honorary degree of Master of Arts."

Too late for most of the class to learn of the event at Hanover, Doug MacCartee, immediately after Commencement, received an honorary degree of Master of Arts from the New York State Board of Education for his outstanding work in secondary school teaching in the State of New York. Congratulations, Douglas! Why didn't you tell us about it in Hanover?

The executive committee announces the election of Mart Remsen as vice president of the Class, to hold office until our next Reunion. Certainly our entire group of members will ratify this excellent appointment.

Lester Little is on his way back to China and his address will be Customs House, Shanghai.

You have all received the audited financial report of the class, and again our thanks to John Piane for directing the Reunion and keeping us in the black. John Paducah Palmer was in yesterday and I am sure he voiced the sentiments of all—his amazement at how so much could be provided during the Reunion week-end for such a small tax. It was, of course, made possible particularly by the generosity of such men as Flanders, Lavin, Batchelder and others, but primarily it was due to John Piane's keen management of funds at his disposal. The fact that he had some left over indicates how well the job was done.

A Happy Thanksgiving!

Secretary, 367 Boy Is ton St., Boston, Mass.

Treasurer, American Tube and Stamping Plant Bridgeport, Conn.