Tenth Reunion Celebrated by 1932
THE PIANO AND Junie Hawkes bore the brunt of it.
When Maggie and I arrived via the Montrealer at 4 A.M. Saturday morning there was still a light in the tent and feeble sounds emerging. Jildo Elmo Cappio was doggedly picking out a melancholy tune. Inside Russell Sage, the room clerk was sleepy. Down the hall there was still noise, though, and it turned out to be the Joe Carletons and Dan Gage successfully keeping Rod Hatcher and Ray Bartlett from a little shut-eye. It had been a good evening, everyone agreed.
Next day more people tackled the piano. Austin Whitcomb went at it with enthusiasm but a limited repertoire. Joe Carleton tried his slam-bang technique, but it didn't function too well with a finger bent back double from a hard Softball. A guy from '27 came in and took over for a while. But the star performer on the keys was Mrs. Buster Sails who knew 'em all and held forth obligingly for hours on end.
Sunday it poured. The inside of the tent was dismal. The piano was damp and deserted. But the picnic was held—in Commons!
What about Junie Hawkes? Well, Junie's a husky lad but somehow—somewhere—he acquired a shiner that was a beaut. There were no black-eye witnesses, and accounts vary. Some pointed knowingly to a bone bruise on the fist of Addison Roe, the midget medico. But the mystery was never solved.
In view of conditions, the 1933 turnout of 58 men and 24 wives was a very gratifying total. The twenty-five year class, 1917, just nosed us out for the largest attendance. Of course, the bulk of those coming were from nearby states. There were 24 from Massachusetts, 10 from New York, 7 from New Hampshire, 3 each from Vermont, New Jersey, Washington, D. C. and Illinois, 2 from Connecticut, and 1 each from Maine, Maryland and Rhode Island. John Wright and John Sheldon both came by train from Chicago. The intrepid Whip Walsers drove from the Windy city head-on into first days of gas rationing in the East, and were planning to coast down Rutland Mountain on the return trip. But there were few cars.
Whatever '37 may print in its reunion report, the facts are that '32 came off best in the Saturday morning 5 & 10 softball classic by the score of 12 to 11. Ben Burch, Irv Kramer and others played good ball, but the real hero was Sheldon, who rushed out of a Class Agents' meeting in time to pitch a few dazzling innings and connect with a terrific homer.
Despite a bad break on the weather and the difficulty of making advance predictions about anything, the reunion arrangements ran off in flawless style. The greentrimmed polo shirt costume was practical and neat, and an extra supply, at a quarter apiece, went like hot cakes. The refreshments were pleasant and the service good. The Inn dinner, and even the picnic lunch in Commons were top grade. Ross McKenney, who spoke to '32s and an assortment of '37s at the dinner, told some fine French- Canadian yarns and won a rousing hand. Dick Hazen, chairman; John Zimmerman, who miraculously made the figures come out in the black, and Ellie Noyes and Dick Olmsted 'of the Hanover contingent, were on hand to see their good works. Bob Gould and Howie Sargeant weren't able to make it. Alice Zimmerman and Peg Carleton successfully steered the wives.
For singing, there was a Ronald Mac- Donald, a lusty Alouette, and a rendition of Ring Rang Do that suffered badly from gaposis. The various piano players and Max Wolff and his concertina did their best, but doughty songsters like Al Young and Ed Judd were missed. The ninth Eleazar sounded a bit weak. But if some of the singing sounded off-key, there were compensations in the warmth of welcomes and the genuinely fine spirit of camaraderie that prevailed. It was a reunion quite different from the 5th, but one no less enjoyable.
To everyone's astonishment, there is a new Walser. Whether or not the watchful (and beauteous) eyes of his Mrs. are responsible, we cannot say, but the Whip of the Telephone Booth Indian days is no more. You have instead a sober, quite harmless version. Another thing. Jim Brown was there, but despite pleadings he didn't laugh once in the old way.
There was much talk of commissions sought, and the lot of the men in the service, and wishes were expressed by many that those in uniform could have been present.
Saturday night there was a great conglomeration in the tent. The beer tap was busy not only with '32, but with a host of migrants from other classes who wandered in and out. Slim Connors appeared briefly. Over in a corner a determined quartet of wives played bridge. The crowd around the piano included a derelict tiny, tight and tattered whom no one could place. He had just drifted in out of the rain, and he loved to sing. A rumor that he was the Class Baby was promptly squashed by John Swenson. He liked beer, too. Finally he drifted off again into the night.
Although the Class Baby was safe in Concord, the Ellie Noyes' progeny, and a tow- headed scion of the Terry Logans lent the juvenile touch.
Sunday morning was the class meeting. Sheldon talked briefly on the Alumni Fund (Is yours in yet?), and John Wright induced the Class to adopt the 100% ALUMNI MAGAZINE subscription plan for another five years. Barney Todd, chairman of the Nomination Committee, read the names of those proposed for office, and was instructed by the class to cast a single ballot for the slate. "I'm watching carefully, Barney," said Marve Chandler, "I've always wanted to see that done."
It was done, and after a couple of more names were added to the Executive Committee, the list was complete. Your officers for the next five years are: Secretary-chairman—Carl Baker. Treasurer—Bo Wentworth. Executive Committee—Joe Carleton, Ben Drew, Jerk Elliot, Don Marcus, Ed Marks, John Sheldon, Red Tucker, Whip Walser, Bob Woodman and John Zimmerman.
The Executive Committee will name a new Class Agent to succeed John Sheldon before next year's campaign.
We think Carl's selection an especially happy one, and look forward to reading him through the year. Incidentally, (and you won't find this in any of his News-Letters) he's recently been elevated to the post o£ Assistant Professor of English at Princeton. So the literary standard should be a high one.
The complete list of those at Reunion follows:
Allen, Sam and wife; Bartlett, Ray; Baker, Carl; Bladworth, George; Brown, Jim; Burch, Ben; Burleigh, Phil; Cappio, Jildo and wife; Carleton, Joe and wife; Chandler, Marve; Christie, Alex; Clarke, Dick; Drake, Red; Drew, Ben and wife; Eggleston, Sweet; Englander, Sam; Fish, John and wife; Flint, Jim; Gage, Dan; Geary, Cal; Griffin, Jack; Hall, Harry; Harlow, Bill; Harper, Russ and wife; Hatcher, Rod; Hawkes, Junie and wife; Hazen, Dick; Keyworth, Al; Kramer, Irv; Kurson, Newell and wife; Leach, Paul; Lewis, Ed; Mac Lean, Malcolm; Marks, Ed and wife; McCoy, Jim; Modarelli, Wally and wife; Noyes, Ellie and wife; Olmstead, Ron and wife; Olmsted, Dick and wife; Reed, Shel; Roberts, Joe; Roe, Ad and wife; Sails, Buster and wife; Sawyer, Pete and wife; Sheldon, John; Snite, Al and wife; Stoiber, Dick and wife; Swenson, John and wife; Sumner, Bill and wife; Todd, Barney; Walser, Whip and wife; Ward, Carl and wife; Wentworth, Bo; Whitcomb, Austie and wife; Wolff, Max; Woodman, Bob; Wright, John; Zimmerman, John and wife.
THE OFFICIAL CLASS PICTURE DURING lOTH REUNION OF THE CLASS OF 1932 AT HANOVER, MAY 15-17
THE GROUP OF REUNERS IN THE CLASS OF 1937 IN FRONT OF TUCK HALL AT TUCK SCHOOL, MAY 15-17 AT HANOVER
