Class Notes

Great Twenty-Fifth for 1915

July 1940 DONALD C. BENNINK
Class Notes
Great Twenty-Fifth for 1915
July 1940 DONALD C. BENNINK

We don't know where oh where were the pea green freshmen- We don't care much where oh where were the gay young soph'mores— We weren't worrying much about where oh where were the drunken juniors— We couldn't miss seeing the grand old seniors— But—

WE FOUND THERE one hundred and twenty-four good old '15 rentiers, their wives and their families who greeted and were greeted, reminisced, mixed in, and in general, put on the best reunion of the long series since graduation we have ever had—a fitting 25th in every detail.

From Chairman Bill down to each and every committee member who has worked tirelessly for the past year to effect a record attendance, the week-end was a real triumph.

We can put down in the limited space available only a record of the highlights of those three days; we can list those who were present; and preserve the record to that extent. But the real record of those all-too-brief hours together will lie in the hearts and memories of those who were present. Many a yarn will be spun around the dinner table, an open fire-place or "between the halves" in the months to come to recall the intimate gatherings of groups whose members hadn't seen each other for varying periods since graduation.

And that's as it should be, for the real success of a reunion lies in the informality of common interests, common friendships and the real affection born in the hills of Hanover.

And so to the detail to preserve it as part of our class history!

No better spot than that little corner of the College flanked by Richardson and Wheeler could have been chosen—for above all it is a corner to which no changes so far have come. It looked just as it always did, and in that old familiar setting, it seemed as if names came back more glibly and quickly because of it.

The greeting tent made a fine background for handshaking and welcomes and let's not get any further without a toast to the positively tops musical duo of Casey Jones and Ed Harper, who were on the job from the start and gave just that extra impetus to a warming influence for the old familiar songs of long ago. "Honey, My Little Girlie" made everyone "Pals" from the start.

The first day was pretty much catch-ascatch-can; not that there was any difficulty in getting started, but just the open season for getting a good start on the "I remember whens."

A good number drifted over to President Hopkins's reception in the evening to pay their respects, but outside of that, no official program was offered.

Weather which looked made for the occasion slipped away momentarily on Saturday morning, and things looked bad—so bad that the official march to the gym was called off. However, most of the class took in the Alumni Meeting on their own, and were proud to have Dick Merrill as the 25th class speaker in a program befitting the annual meeting.

And as if to greet the class again, the sun broke through around noon-time, and from then on there was nothing more perfect than those days in June.

While we were at the gym, Madelaine Bowler was hostess to the wives of the class at her home, near Occom Pond, ably assisted by her attractive daughter Patsy, at what was originally planned for an outdoor event. The early rain, however, required it to be indoors, and with charming and quick ingenuity, Madelaine transformed her home into a reception hailwhen again the sun shone on '15 wives, and again a seemingly impossible transformation was effected to the outdoors. Every girl in the class pays tribute to Madelaine's gracious hospitality!

The afternoon found interchangeable groups again visiting back and forth around the headquarters, while a few took in the Yale game for a little sport and sunburn.

Saturday's climax was reached in the early evening with the class dinner at the Inn—and a delicious one, be it said—as the wives and children met at the Outing Club. Whether it was the '15ers or the rest of the patrons who made the most noise, we'll never know, but the class meeting which was scheduled to follow the dinner in the Inn was suddenly shifted by a versatile and quick-thinking committee to the grassy bank behind Wheeler where the great open spaces more befittingly allowed for possible oratory. But following the injunction of the "No war, no politics" signs so much in evidence, the class meeting developed neither, and the shades of the "nodeal" agreements of 25 years ago smiled down benignly. A class meeting skillfully directed by retiring President Kel Rose, who, after brief introductory remarks, successively heard the report of the Secretary, the treasurer (and a Wah Hoo Wah for having some money left!), the class agent, the donation of $7,369.32 from 146 contributors as the special gift to the College for the 25th reunion and the final report of Chairman Bill Huntress on the reunion itself—and his handiwork was everywhere in evidence. And the silver tray to Bill and Mrs. is the tangible evidence of our appreciation.

Of course, as a precaution, we did have two sergeants-at-arms, Al Sherman and Buster Sawyer, but they wilted on the vine. Bob Guest read the results of the class questionnaire in a manner far more interesting than his subject would indicate, and we amended the class constitution to include 15 regional vice presidents in the roll of officers as a means of coordinating the class into more compact groups.

It was reported that the special class book is well underway, and it is hoped to have it out not too long after July 1st.

Then came the report of Dale Barker's nominating committee, which, accepted unanimously, gave us these officers for 1940-1945: President, Bill Huntress; vice-president, Charlie Cumisky; Secretary, Don Bennink; Treasurer, Chan Harwood; Class Agent, Shrimp Williams; and the 15 new regional vice presidents; John Healy, New York; Walt Meader, Boston; Fletch Low, Hanover; Thornt Pray, Philadelphia; Turk Turner, upper New York; Red Stevens, Akron; Al Livingston, San Francisco; Stan Llewellyn, So. Carolina; Phil Pelletier, Conn.; Hubert Sargent, Vermont; Sid Crawford, Worcester; Jack Warren, Nashua; Phil Alexander, Denver; Art Sterling, upper Illinois; Casey Jones, Bangor, Maine.

The official crown for coming the longest distance to the reunion and the class meeting went jointly to Al Livingston from San Francisco and Chuck Ingram from Seattle. We didn't measure the exact distance—when you come from that far, you're entitled to at least a tie for first place!

Wires of regret were read from Walt Wanger, Al Bradley, Carl Swenson, and Charlie Griffith, the latter returning from the Philippines and who had gotten as far as Omaha where his wire came from. Charlie expressed his personal thanks for the response to his Memorial Fund Drive, and the total is the result of Charlie's splendid work with his efficient committee.

And to make a still more permanent record of the Memorial Fund, the vote passed to establish it is embodied as part of this report for those who were unable to be present:

"Voted: that a special class fund be established with the Trustees of Dartmouth College, to be known as the 'Class of 1915 Memorial Fund,' made up of $7,369.32 given at this time to establish the Fund, to be increased by additions that may be made to the Fund in the future, and subject to the following conditions:

"I. The principal of the Class of 1915 Memorial Fund is to be held by the Trustees of Dartmouth College including the initial payment and all additions to the Fund, whether from the class as a group or through gifts or bequests by individuals for that specific purpose.

"a. The principal of the Fund shall be held and invested at the discretion of the Trustees of the College. The amount of the Fund shall be listed each year in the Alumni Fund and the Financial Reports of the College, under the heading 'Class of 1915 Memorial Fund.'

"3. Income from the Fund shall be credited annually to the Alumni Fund and included in the figures credited to the Class of 1915.

"4. Individual members of the class may through special gift or bequest endow their annual contributions to the Alumni Fund and thereby provide for listing their names, after death, among the class of 1915 contributors to the Alumni Fund. Relatives and friends of members of this class may make gifts to the Class Fund for this same purpose.

"5- At the death of the last member of the class or at an earlier date by agreement between the Executive Committee of the class and the Trustees of the College, the foregoing conditions shall expire and the principal and income of the Fund may be used for the benefit of the College in such manner as the Trustees shall determine."

Thus, you have, by your gifts, established this permanent class fund.

I didn't hear that anyone went to the Glee Club concert Saturday evening after the class meeting, but the modern Glee Club could learn a lot from the close harmony which had a rebirth that night around the headquarters, and former Glee Clubbers, Jack Bowler, Murray Austin, Paul Vining, Ray King, and plenty more who thought they were, kept things musical to the fore. And before the supply of orchids runs out, don't forget that Earl Clough conceived the idea of having Casey and Ed, the accordionists de luxe, on hand to provide the accompaniment for whiskey tenors, sotto voices and just plain discord —but the discord which blends into the sweetest music of all—when good fellows get together. Earl also provided personally the attractive favors for the women's dinner at the Outing Club.

President Hopkins has written Kell Rose that he went to the Inn Saturday night of reunion looking for the 1915 Class Dinner. Figuring from the time the meal started he thought he would not be too late for the speaking program, but he did not find the class in session and was therefore unable to meet with us as he planned to do. We missed Prexie at the party and appreciate his going to the Inn to the Dinner, prepared to speak to the class in behalf of the College.

Saturday night must have ended sometime, as Sunday morning did arrive, and close to 100% of the reuners paused for a brief Memorial Service to those who have passed on. Just an opening word from Dick Merrill, a hymn or two, a prayer, the reading of the names of those who have gone, and a benediction. But in that quiet moment, Dick Merrill put into choice and feeling sentences the type of remembrance which each and every one of those who have gone would have desired could they but speak to us.

As we paused for that quiet moment on Sunday morning, let's do the same in this account of our gaiety and recall that we have lost since 1915:

Theodore Adams, Timothy E. Anderson, Henry L. Bancroft, Carleton P. Bardsley, Henry S. Bickford, James G. Bickford, Charles E. Bishop, Ben V. Borella, Richard H. Cutler, Paul E. Dailey, Frederick D. Day, Carleton D. Fletcher, Everett J. Graves, Ben W. Grills, Richard N. Hall, Woodbury Hough, Chauncy P. Hulbert, Raymond M. Humphrey, Paul W. Johnson, David B. Kinne, Jr., James D. MacFarland, William F. Magruder, Maxwell H. Mernstein, Scott Montgomery, Allen S. Norton, Allan L. Priddy, Edward G. Rice, Herbert C. Richardson, Harold C. Ryan, Philip D. Smith, Francis W. Stone, Jr., Charles R. Thomas, Edwin B. Thomas, Elmer F. Thyng, William H. Townsend, Alan F. Waite, Edwin S. Whit, Charles M. Wilder, Charles F. Woodcock, Samuel T. Wright, all graduates; and non graduates, Edwin L. Anderson, Henry E. Bacon, Jr., Henry F. Bayley, James L. Churchill, Joel S. Fawcett, Frank J. Harlow, Henry I. Ingersoll, John Y. Macintosh, Donald Mac Murray, John F. McMichael, Bertch W. Moye, Alfred S. Priddis, John S. Slattery, Robert McK. Snyder, William M. Taylor, Donald H. Whitner, John H. Wolverton, James Regan; and honorary members Rudolph Blankenberg and Franklin Collier.

Followed the picnic at Murray Austin's extensive estate in Norwich and we have never seen a better outdoor meal served. Orchids to the picnic committee;— Johnny Mullin, Walt Meader, String Downing, Howie Wing and Hal Davison. Good food, plenty of it, served hot and in a setting of Vermont and New Hampshire hills which was a perfect finale for the last planned program of the reunion. Murray and Mrs. were most delightful hosts. That picnic goes down in the archives!

And all through the regular program ran the delightful feminine touch of thoughtful planning by the women's committee headed by Marguerite Priddy, her local assistants, of whom we have already spoken of Madelaine Bowler, with Margery Low and Madeline Austin, Helen Rose and the Boston group of Marion Huntress, Dot Foster, Lois Milmore and Fannie Bennink.

It almost seems as if I had just gotten underway, and the number at the top of this sheet is "6," with a stony hearted editor limiting us to 714 typewritten pages. But I started out with the statement that this could be but the cold-type report of what is buried away in fond memories which not months or years can dim in the minds of those who were here.

The costumes were serviceable and apropos, even if someone disdainfully hummed "The Prisoner's Song" when the first one appeared; the budget committee which gave us all we had at so reasonable a figure must be made up of magicians; the hospitable greeting of the local '15er residents warmed your heart when you arrived; the transportation committee left no one to the hazardous chance of thumbing.

And so we record this '15th's 25th, Lookin' Back, Lookin' Forward and lookin' all around to see the faces of those who made the trek and who spent three full glorious days together, in a little world by itself, these troublous June days of 1940, some here singly, some with wives and some with families, those good 1915 names:

Adams, Alexander, Atwood, Augie and Fish, Austin, Barker, Bemis, Bennink, Bigelow, Bowler, Boyd, Brown, Bull, Burt, Campbell, Gil and Bush, Cannon, Chase, Claflin, Clarke, Cobleigh, Cumisky, Coon, Corwin, Crawford, Davison, Doe, Downing, Ehinger, English, Fitts, Folan, Foster, Frederick, Fuller, Gish, Guest, Harlow, Harwood, Healey, Henderson, Hitchcock, Huntress, Ingram, Johnson, Al and Johnnie, Jordan, Kimball, King, Lamson, Leonard, Livermore, Livingston, Llewellyn, Loomis, Lounsberry, Low, Lowe, Mac Andrews, Marcy, Martin, Mason, Merrill, Milmore, Mullin, Nichols, Nissen, Noyes, O'Hara, Page, Parnell, Pearce, Pelletier, Pendleton, Perry, Putney, Reynolds, Rice, Richardson, Rose, Rothery, St. Clair, Sargent, Paul, Charlie and Hubert, Sawyer, Hal and Ralph, Scharmann, Shea, Sherman, Slade, Smith, Hal and Kent, Stearns, Sullivan, Taplin, Tower, Tuck, Turner, Vining, Wanamaker, Warren, Waugh, Wilcox, Art Williams, Wing, Winship, Wool- worth, Young, Blaisdell, Clough, Curtis, Hal Davis, Dewing, Jones, Meader, Porter, Bill Rogers, Simpson, Stevens, Walker, Whiteley, Widman, Wyman.

How many of these names did you get on your white helmet ?

THE TWENTY-FIVE-YEAR CLASS: 1915 ASSEMBLED AT HEADQUARTERS, WHEELER HALL.

NEW OFFICERS OF 1915 Front Row: Casey Jones, Vice president; Fletch Low, Vice president; Chan Foster, Treasurer; Bill Huntress, President; Charley Cumiskey, Vice president; Art Williams, ClassAgent; Don Bennitik, Secretary. Back Row: Hubert Sargent, Vice president; Nora Milmore, Executive Committee; Phil Pelletier, Tuck Turner, Jack Healy, Jack Warren, RedStevens, Phil Alexander, Al Livingston and Sid Crawford—all Vice presidents!