1904*
Our annual reunion will of necessity occur on the week-end of May 17 (i.e.—15-16-17) instead of Commencement week-end May 10. I have an impression that, in undergraduate years the best remembered days are those warm lazy ones in May and perhaps its your first chance to enjoy them since 1904. It's not possible to say where we shall live, but Max Norton, the Bursar, will assign definite quarters for us after the registration for rooms closes on May 6th. 1902 and 1907 are reuning and we knew both classes well in College. I can guarantee that Robbie, Sex., Gene Sewell, Carl Woods and I will be present. Join us—You'll like it.
Saturday night, March 28th was the occasion of the second annual Potlatch and Pow Wow of '01-'02-'03-'04- and '05 in Boston. It was another success—just an evening of reminiscence and renewal of interclass friendships attended by some forty members of the five classes who were unanimous in their vote to continue this yearly get together. We had Robinson, Spike Sanborn all the way from Saint Paul, Uniac, Bullock, Charron, Sewall, Lampee, Woods, Austin, Bolster and Brackett. Everyone enjoyed the rare privilege of a few hours with Spike who still looks too young to be one of us.
Cloyd Maynard wasn't quite up to par at our reunion last June—here's the reason—as told to Pen Mower;—"Last spring I had a series of vicious attacks in my mid-section and in September another similar series. That definitely fixed the cause as gall bladder trouble, and on September 19th I underwent an operation in our local hospital for complete removal of my gall bladder. In the hospital for 19 days, a month after the operation I was back in the office on part time and a few weeks later was on the job 100%. Since then I have had no illness and now do as much as anyone ten years younger.
"Louise is well. Tom is teaching in the Hingham High School in Massachusetts, and is living in Scituate Center. He has a boy 3M> years old and a daughter nearly one year old. Ralph has been in South America for the past two years as technical representative for the Baldwin Locomotive Works. Previously he was at the plants of the Baldwin subsidaries in the mid-west and west coast. Returning to Philadelphia on January first he was "loaned" to the Baldwin production manager as his assistant in tank production. It is his job to know every piece that goes into a tank, and see that they are delivered to the tank line.
"I may drive over to Hanover for reunion in May and hope that I can see you."
This April sth letter confirms the general idea that Sid recognizes easy money anywhere. "Dear Dave—ln reading the class notes I was particularly interested in that part telling about the brother who was wearing a camouflage. Wearing a disguise it is no wonder that it is reported that he has been seen in various parts of the country. Last fall in Baltimore he told me that the Three Old Men had refused to play contract with him as he was taking them for a ride at every sitting. That was the first reason why he was going to Florida. While at my house he conceived the idea of disguising himself and going back and having another crack at them. The idea sounded so good that he abandoned the Florida trip and immediately started North. I am reasonably sure that his disguise fooled those three old fogies, as he is now in funds and evidently traveling in Indiana."
This letter from Whit will interest everyone:- "Dear Dave:
"There was no chance of my getting up to the Boston pow-wow and although Tute said I was a good mathematician I cannot now compute the chances of joining the gang in Hanover at Commencement. You ask for a story of some of the areas the Japs have taken with which I am acquainted. I haven't time to write such a story, but I will say this much, I am exceedingly irked when I read and hear "Why .didn't we hustle -some men and materials out to Manila immediately after Pearl Harbor?' Most people have no conception of the distances involved. I can illustrate by saying that it took me four weeks on a reasonably fast passenger liner from Manila to San Francisco, and likewise four weeks on another passenger liner somewhat slower from Sidney, Australia to Kobe, Japan. Obviously convoys must travel at a much slower pace, more than enough to offset the time spent by the passenger liners in visiting a few ports on route.
"Speaking of distances, the Japanese are now pretty thinly spread out and have long lines of communication from their home islands to Singapore, Java, Burma, etc. I have a feeling that when we are able to mass sufficient naval and air power in one sector to cut those lines of communication the Far Eastern situation might blow up quickly. The Japanese, of course, can get their food supplies from the conquered countries but they must transport from the homeland all of their munitions and other types of manufactured equipment.
"You will recall that I was out in Kwantung leased territory for four years, 1934-8. At that time there were 50 or 60 American and British residents. I heard that when the war broke, outside of Consular officials, there were three, one American, two British. The American was with the National City Bank, Charlie Biddle '19. One of the British, named Clark was manager of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank when I was there. I hear that they are in an internment camp, and are allowed 3 yen per day for subsistence which will provide damn poor eating and no drinking, and are allowed visitors once a week. They are permitted to receive parcels of food and things but I don't know how they could be sent from hereperhaps not even through the Red Cross. Maybe it is fortunate that Charlie is still a bachelor. Clark is married and had five small children when I knew him. Those caught in Shanghai are faring much better, living in their own homes and able to move about a bit, though restricted as to time and distance. No reports of the lads in Manila or Hong Kong. They got out of Singapore and Rangoon in time.
"Much of the foregoing is written merely by way of saying that the 'Old Man,' meaning myself, was plumb lucky. I wanted to go back to the Far East but instead came here. If I had gone back I would most probably have been caught somewhere and might now be trying to live on the aforesaid 3 yen per day."
Freddie Root has moved again—now it's 2303 Sacramento St., San Francisco, Cal. If you don't increase your speed, Fred, we can still publish the MAGAZINE monthly and keep you in sight.
Interest in the Five-Class Pow-wow brought the best response to any class appeal yet. Forty-nine cards and letters from 105 notices were read by our group, and space limits postpone sharing more of them with you now.
Secretary, Canaan Street Lodge, Canaan Street Canaan, N. H. Class Agent, 201 Devonshire Street, Boston, Mass.
