1902*

Your new Secretary makes a humble bow to his old classmates. He has had a grand time seeing those who came back to the 40th and hearing from so many of his other old friends all over the country. I never quite realized what a great class we were and want you all to know about it, so I am going to pass this friendly news along if you will only keep sending it.

Got a breezy letter from Ralph Taylor. He says, "I am still practicing at-the-law if not practicing law." He has a desk office in Springfield, and occasionally goes out there, but most of his business is in Haverhill. He quotes his wealth as wealth/2 in 2 June 1939," he says, "I had an ulcer perforate my stomach. I saw the little Green Door but just refused to go through it, although the doctor kept it open for me for 5 days and then shut it and started me eating again. I had got down to 100 lbs. (not English pounds either) but put on 44 lbs. in the next three months and developed a "Fat" Sawyer abdomen which I have retained. Have not too much pep now. Do not know as any '02 man has. Could not make reunion—reasons: court work, tires, gas, $$$$$$$. Sorry to miss some of the men I liked so well since 1898. I think that was in the nineteenth century."

Just to show Ralph that '02 has pep, listen to the tale of Kendall Banning who still rightly signs himself "Kid." He retired from the magazine field in 1935 and was turned down last December because of high blood pressure after applying for active duty in the Signal Corps where he had been a Reserve Colonel. Lately he has written five books on the Army and Navy. In order to write these books so well that they go through several editions, he tells me, "I've done everything from riding the tanks and going up with parachute troops to cruising in submarines and participating in the firing of the big guns in the turrets."

I know everyone of us sympathizes deeply with "Shorty" Sanborn who had a son at Corregidor, reported to him by the Navy as missing. Yet Shorty and his wife came back and reunioned with us. They are carrying on with magnificent spirit. "Shorty" writes he fully expects to be alive in five years, and is coming back to our next reunion. Well! "Men of Dartmouth" '02, let's be there with him.

Next month I want to write about the other '02 sons in World War II and later about '02 wives, so please drop me a line.

Secretary, 7 Ship Channel Rd., South Portland, Me.