Northwest Association
THE DARTMOUTH ALUMNI ASSOCIATION of the Northwest ordinarily puts the bite on one of our "older" alumni around Christmas time and persuades him to open his house, larder and cellar in order that we may have what has come to be known as our Christmas Smoker.
It would not be correct to say that the tables were reversed this year but we did depart from our customary procedure. A large number of us gathered at the Minikahda Country Club for lunch on Saturday, Dec. 30 and the piece de resistance was the presentation to Hap Atwood of a token of our very sincere esteem and affection. Luther Oakes '99 (not by any means our oldest living alumnus) was the chairman of a committee previously appointed to make clandestine arrangements for the affair. When we arrived on the scene we each received Luther's whispered instructions to sneak into a nearby room and sign our name to a fancy scroll conveying to Hap Atwood our gratitude for his accomplishments as Chairman of the Alumni Fund Campaign during 1943 and 1944. We were a!so given a preview of a most magnificent set of etchings of the College buildings done by Louis Orr. During all of this time Hap was out in the main room regaling those who had already signed with humorous stories and plying them with drinks from his own bottle of Bourbon and from (Hap's words) Luther Oakes' bottle of domestic Scotch. When all of us had signed the scroll, Luther gave the signal and escorted Hap into the nearby room. It is unfortunate that we cannot quote for the record the numerous ejaculations of surprise and delight which were uttered on this occasion by Hap. Suffice it to say that he was astounded and greatly pleased.
' Luther then announced that in our midst there was an unseen guest, to wit, Ernest Martin Hopkins, whereupon Luther proceeded to read to all of us a letter which he had received from Hoppy, testifying to the character, personality and accomplishments of Hap. It was a very remarkable letter and one which no doubt Hap will always prize very highly. Luther also read another testimonial letter and it was apparent before he reached the signature that it was from Hap's principal helper on the Alumni Fund, Al Dickerson. Hap said when Luther opened it that he knew it was from Al because there were more than two pages.
After all that we were just about exhausted, and the rest of the party proceeded as these Dartmouth parties always do.
