1895

Fifty Years Ago

Who of us remember the Eating Clubs of fifty years ago? I do, some of them. There were about a dozen and a half including Dartmouth Hotel at the corner of College and Lebanon Sts., and the Wheelock, predecessor of The Hanover Inn. I particularly remember the Swett Club, the Crosby Club, the McMurphy Club, and the Archibald Club.

Q. Blakely '94 was "Commissary" of the Swett Club. I was one of the eaters there for a few weeks or months. "Marm" Swett, good soul, policed the ravenous throng when they freshened things a bit by throwing her durable doughnuts up and down and across the table, while Q. Blakely blushed and giggled. Daughter Alvena ("Vena" for short) waited on us with dignity and grace; sweetness and patience were alight on her face. The price ranged from $2.68 to $B.-99 or possibly $3 a week, according to the commissary's shrewdness and efficiency. Jesse Marden, Warren French, and I also, roomed at the Swett Club, and I think one or two other '9sers roomed there.

The Crosby Club and The McMurphy Club were in the top price ($5 per week) class. I was a sort of commissary at the Crosby Club for a brief period. Madame Crosby always presided at the table and to a degree made up in cultural conversation what was lacking occasionally in satisfying edibles.

She was devoted to her large and ever expanding family of cats, a dozen more or less, and admitted them to the dining room without discrimination as to color, race, or previous condition or servitude.

The odor of fried meat when sniffed by the boarders was also sniffed by the cats with appropriate feline activity of the hop, skip, and jump sort. My commissarial function was to keep the seats at table filled with paying guests. The cats didn't help me much. Among others, I persuaded Craven Laycock to sit at Mrs. Crosby's table for a trial period. But he didn't enjoy the cats. So one day he resigned from the Crosby Club saying to me. that he didn't enjoy eating at a table where cats were permitted to jump onto the table and drag their tails through the gravy on the platter.

There is no space left in this column for summing up the cases of the McMurphy Club and the Archibald Club. For further particulars, see next month's column, or perhaps the December number of the Reunionist.

Fund Contributors for 1944 Contributors: 37 (83% of graduates). Total gifts: $937 (105% of objective). WILLIAM F. RICE, Class Agent.

1895

Baker, Watson W. Baketel, H. Sheridan Bugbee, Arthur G. Campbell, Arthur F. Cleaveland, Fred C. Crosby* Allyn J. Davis, Carroll A.1 Folsom, Percy N.2 Ford, Joseph A. Foster, William A. French, Warren K 2 Gault, John Gerould, James T. Gile, Ernest S. Hack, Thomas H.2 Hack, Thomas H.3 Harley, Joel A. Hayes, John E. R. Holden, Charles A. Lane, Walter A 2 Lewis, Walter R. Lord, John K. Loud, Henry M. Mclndoe, George J. Marden, Jesse K. Mason, Francis E. Morrison, Henry C. Newhart, Horace Pollard, Charles W. Rice, William F. Rossiter, Edward J.2 Shepard, Frederick D. Stevens, Roland E. Tarbell, Wallace H. Thompson, J. Walcott Watson, Edward S. West, Arthur D. Wilson, Albion B. MEMORIAL GIFTS FROM:1 Mrs. Davis.2 Roland E. Stevens '95.% Mrs. Hack.

Secretary, White River Junction, Vt.

Treasurer, Hanover, N. H.