1909
We had our first luncheon meeting in the Filene restaurant for those able to attend on Monday, April 3. We did not have as large an attendance as we would like to have, but we did talk over the reunion. Allen Newton is trying to see if he can get the crowd into the Farragut Hotel the weekend of June 17. You will hear more of this later and possibly before this magazine comes out. We are going to try to see if we can occasionally have a luncheon meeting for those who are available. There will be no fixed time for it but notice will be sent out to those in the vicinity of Boston.
I had a very interesting letter from Art Buxton, who is the head of the Connecticut Chemical Industries, Inc. which he organized some 27 years ago. He said he had been married on February 10 at his home on 2 Beech Lane, Cincinnati, Ohio to Edna Overman Ratliff, who has lived in Cincinnati for the past 25 years, but who came originally from Moorestown, Pennsylvania, which is a small Quaker settlement just outside of Philadelphia. She has two sons, both in Cavalry in the Army and as Art has no sons the addition of these boys to the family is quite welcome. Art's daughter, Janet, graduated from St. Margaret's School, Waterburg, Connecticut in 1940 and has been studying in the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music since that time. She has gone to New York now to see if she can get into big time company and Art has every confidence that she will get somewhere.
A letter from Bill Knight, Class of 1910, quoting from a letter from Earl Wiley of Ohio State University gives the following information about Dean.
"I had the pleasure of having dinner with our old classmate Dick Dean. Dick is chairman of the Greek and Latin Department at Denison University in Granville, Ohio. He seems well, happy and philosophic. He handed me a copy of some verses written by Mrs. Dean on a trip to Hanover which the two made some time in the past." The poem is as follows:
"Back to dear old Dartmouth, it is ever sweet to go, To count again the foothills bathed in sunset glo. Violet light diffusing fragrant evening dew, Chimes ring out the hours, musically true. Out across the meadows, treading softly, gay! Over white-fringed daisies, clover red as May, Grasses growing greener, seeping wet with rain, Soothing weary feet that trod in winter's pain. Memory awakens thoughts of college years. Shall we count them? 'No. T'would only bring the tears'.
Wake and greet a roommate coming back to town— Bill and Dick—reunioning—men of true renown. From old Thornton's portal long ago they sped, Now some strands of gray are on each noble head— Bill in Santa Barbara, of California fame; Dick—professor, too, at Denison—a name Dear to loyal hearts as Dartmouth is to you. Men whom Eleazar numbers 'loyal sons and true'. Back to dear old Dartmouth—spirit leading on Lives again in these two men who sang the college song. Worthy sons of Alma Mater—held in high esteem— Reminisce! Eat, drink, be merry! Worthy ye, to wear the Green!"
I received one of Jack Child's inimitable letters and must quote it in full even if I try the patience of the editors of the MAGAZINE. I wish I could quote to you some of the notes from the "Home Town Bugle" which he edits. They are priceless. I cannot resist this one quotation. "Harold Butterworth, who spends a good share of his time on the road these days, was a guest of his wife who lives at the Harry Harmon's place." I hope you get as much pleasure out of the following letter as I did.
"Here it is almost 35 years since we beat it out of Hanover. It seems almost unbelievable, doesn't it? And it's almost 39 years since I had the pleasure of wiping off with a shoe brush that smile on your face when we were freshmen in old Fayerweather. You were a naive little guy in those days, although you have become sophisticated since.
"Things are progressing with me about as usual. I edit three publications for this outfit, get out the Home Town Bugle for the Aurora boys in service, am a member of the Aurora village council, write feature articles now and then for the Ravenna Record, the only daily in Portage County (that's where Aurora is located). My main hobby is learning to play the piano on which I practice about an hour and a half a day. I'm taking a course by mail on technique and impulse control which tends to make your fingers do what you want em to do. Every once in a while I get out the banjo and play with some of the musically inclined neighbors. Recently moved to Aurora is a Dartmouth guy by the name of Everett Petot, Deke in the class of '22, who used to play banjo with the Barbary Coast orchestra. We got together at the Aurora Inn the other night, and with the aid of a piano player spent the evening in a jam session. Petot petered out about half-way through the evening. His fingers couldn't stand the gaff.
"Dartmouth contacts are few. You can't live in the country and keep up with these city slickers. I've been writing, lately, to my old friend, Danny Watson who tells me his daughter, Marion, is in Connecticut College, and at a day in the near future I'm going to send some dough for the Alumni Fund to old Buck & Wing Norm Catharin, the Fred Astair in whiskers. Jim Huselton, I hear, is a coal baron in Cleveland, although I haven't seen him since I moved here. The only other '09 guy in these parts, that I know about is Sed Wellsted who leans towards the social life that an investment tycoon should lead.
"So long, son. Nice to have had word from you. Keep up your good work of editing a readable column in the ALUMNI MAGAZINE."
Secretary, Wm. Filene's Sons Co. 426 Washington St., Boston, Mass Treasurer, 16 Wall St., New York, N. Y.
