1916*
When you read these notes, our big twenty-fifth will be but twelve days away. Even at this early date, fifty-eight men have signed up, which means a bigger reunion than our twentieth. Ken Stowell, with his grand publicity, will keep all of us up to date on the men returning. No wonder "House Beautiful" made Ken its Editorin-chief. Can't that boy write. And let me pay tribute here and now to John Stearns for the splendid job he has done in his column the past year. John has covered our four years at Dartmouth and hasn't missed a cue. I, for one, will mark his column A Plus.
Jib Dingwall and his handworking regional chairmen, have been working for months on our Reunion Gift. Dig out their letters now and fill out your ticket. Remember too, Pete Cleaves and his Alumni Fund Group, want to have all the funds in, so they will be free after June 10th to enjoy their twenty-fifth. Please do both right now.
Frank and Helene Bobst are opening up their big Belmont house for a pre-reunion party, Sunday, May 1 ith; they expect about 60 Balmacaaners and wives. We will tell you all about it when we see you in Hanover.
Congratulations are in order for modest Joe Newmark, newly elected President of the Salem, Mass. Chamber of Commerce, with its six hundred members. Joe and Selma will be in Hanover and I move Prexy Newmark passes out a few cigars.
We know him as Bill Nagle, but you ask any youngster in Belmont Mass. High School, about Bill and they will say, "You mean 'Pop' Nagle." There isn't a student in Belmont High who wouldn't be tickled just to sit on the floor, if they could be assigned to Pop Nagle's room.
The handsome Cap Carey, State Mutual Life's Rhode Island General Agent, is coming for the twenty-fifth, with Esther. Said Carey expects to enjoy life and relax at Hanover, but believe you me, he is going to do some work.
There is quite a conflict in three Balmacaaner's families, for the wives, members of Smith 1916 want to take in their own twenty-fifth. Mrs. Balmacaaner, I recommend you compromise and come to hubby's twenty-fifth.
Stirling and Betty Wilson, with Stirling Jr., will be in Hanover. I do hope the Wilsons bring little Janet and Peggy along. The three little Wilsons made many a lonesome week-end of John Patrick's,—when he was in Washington,—a home coming.
Stirling saw Dick Parkhurst, Boston's Port Authority, recently when Dick was in Washington. He tells me Lt. Colonel Stew Paul is running the Army from the Adjutant General's Office.
Max and Selma Bernkopf visited Hanover recently, and saw Dick Ellis at the Inn.
Ruby McFalls came through with a note on the whereabouts of the long lost and silent John Hude Mensel, the Bristol, Pa. Poet. This is the first year, that Spring has been ushered in for me, without a Spring poem, (unprintable) from the pen of said Mensel. However, here is the note as Ruby wrote it:
"John Hyde is helping build and will manage one of the country's biggest defense plants somewhere in the Middle West." So, now you can write Jake, since his new address is known.
I sincerely hope Leigh Rogers, row residing at the Croyden, New York City, will be in Hanover in June. The girls have been asking me, "Will Leigh be there," as if there were only one Leigh in the world. I humbly apologize for classifying the Dallas Giant, one Henry Holmes Green, as the sole Grandpappy of the Class of 1916. Today Tom Lawson told me he had a grandson just two years old. I haven't the record at hand but methinks Holmes Green has lost his first place.
And so, I am writing my class notes for the last time, singing my swan song, as it were,
"For the old order changeth Giving way to the new."
When Cliff Bean, 1916's great organizer, just finishing his five year term as Class Secretary in 1926, replied to my question, "What can 1916 ever do for you, for the grand work, you have done for the class during the past five years," I didn't understand him.
Cliff said "Jack, I'll never be able to repay the Class for the opportunity it has given me, to work for my classmates. You can't imagine what a joy it is, to know where every 'i6er is, what he is doing, his joys, his sorrows. You have no idea what a kick I get, in bringing back into the Class fold, a man who has been away from the Class and College since he left Hanover. The job has taken time, it has been work, but look at the fun, I've had. I have loved every minute of the past five years."
I now understand what Cliff said to me in 1926, for these are my sentiments at the end of my five year term. To my faithful news hounds, Fletch Andrews, Gran Fuller, Johnny Pell, Dick Parkhurst, Ed Kiley, Stirling Wilson, and Frank Bobst, who never failed to pass on to me, news of Balmacaaners, my grateful thanks. To my successor, I wish five years of the joys, that have been Dick Parkhurst's, Cliff Bean's, Gran Fuller's, Johnny Pelletier's and mine. To my Classmates, Ave Atque Vale.
SONS OF MEMBERS OF THE CLASS OF 1916The class of 1916 claims that its total of 17 sons in College, of whom 12 are shown above,breaks all records previously held by other classes. The undergraduates are: front row, left to right: Malcolm C. Morse '44, Robert W. Harvey '41, Donald H. Stillman '41, H.Allan Dingwall Jr. '42, Charles C. Coffin Jr. '43, Richard T. Murchie '44, David A. Brown'44. Back row: Edward D. Knight Jr. '44, Howard B. Leavitt '43, Joseph M. Larimer Jr.'44, Austin L. Baker 3rd '41, Gordon L. Ross '44. Not in picture: Harry W. Douty 3rd'41, O. James Barr 3rd '42, James A. Dinsmoor '43, Perry P. Graver '44, Richard I. Paul '44.
Secretary, 37 Maple St., Stoneham, Mass.
Class Agent, Girard Trust Cos., Philadelphia, Pa
