Washington, D. C.
AN EVENT, important in our alumni activities here, took place during the month of April. On the 15th a substantial group, about twenty, motored in collections of four or five to Richmond to attend the annual dinner of the Virginia Alumni Association. This dinner, at which the entire association of the Old Dominion meets as the guests of Dr. Douglas Vanderhoof 'ox, is one of those events which is unique among alumni gatherings. To begin with, the locale is different in the best sense. Richmond is a city which contains some of the most beautiful homes and gardens in these United States. It has a mild climate, one conducive to the cultivation of flowers and shrubs, and enjoys life at a leisurely and civilized pace. You will never drop dead of heart failure in Richmond but you may swoon from the perfume of her gardens, or be worn down by the city's gracious hospitality. Douglas Vanderhoof, a northerner who has adopted Richmond as his home for 10, these many years, lives at Windermere, a botanical and horticultural gem, a spacious home of porches and vistas of velvet lawns and flowers—and, with Mrs. Vanderhoof, he loves to show the magnificent gardens to friends. There is no use going on with this, because for three years we have been reporting this garden-mint-julep- Dartmouth dinner of Dr. Vanderhoof's without yet attaining adequate adjectives, Ask Dean Gordon Bill; he has been there and knows what it is all about. Suffice it to say that this year President Hopkins visited the Doctor at Windermere, and the Washington crowd sent a sizeable delegation there to sniff the perfume, discuss a julep, meet with the Virginia boys, and best of all, to hear President Hopkins talk informally on the College, ships, shoes and sealing wax, as only he can. It was a really wonderful afternoon and evening and we gave a thought to the boys at Hanover who were slushing through the mud while we were pushing roses out of our way.
The Dartmouth track team was here and some of the local boys saw their meet with Maryland (the old conqueror of Yale football teams) which ended in a 63-63 tie. The following day Maryland walloped the Dartmouth baseball team by 10-0.
Our luncheon groups every Tuesday remain enthusiastic and the number attending has been larger than ever this winter. We inspected the report cards of Washington boys in the freshman class, and were glad to see them all doing so well in their work.
If any alumni, and especially secretaries or other officers of other alumni associations make a trip to Washington in conjunction with a visit to the World's Fair at New York, we hope they will drop in and join us at 12:30 on Tuesdays at the Annapolis Hotel in Washington, or at least phone Secretary Page Worthington, Metropolitan 9900. Call from a pay station and we'll have the charge refunded (That's the phone company's number)!
