1909

Jack Childs in a cartoon is shown doing his political bit. The following, which is entitled, "Do You Know Who Said It?" is a swell write-up on the members of the class who could have but didn't go into politics, written in Jack's inimitable way:

.... "Can we allow the demagogue, appealing for selfish purposes to ignorance and prejudice, to take the lead ? . Almost in despair we turn to the American college for relief. The college of today must produce a man who can act as well as think. We look to such a man for the preservation of the liberty of the individual against the threatened dominance of wealth and organization, to save the land from the demagogue and pseudoleader, to invigorate the so-called generalities of the Declaration of Independence, and to fill the land with happiness and content. We must have the man who believes in the institutions of his country, who is filled with the thought that true service to the public is the greatest glory of man; the man who can and will act when necessity demands."

Not one classmate, I'll venture to say, and I include even the Man who spoke these words, will recognize this quotation. To jog your memory, let's go back almost 36 years to the 140 th Commencement exercises of Dartmouth college when our own class of -1909 was graduated. The impassioned speaker was Frederic Aloysius Carroll who, by popular vote and because of his recognized eloquence, was chosen class orator. My guess is that several of our class, after reading the above, might have attributed those words to Daniel Webster.

How many of our class have chosen the path of broad public service? I can't name one, and yet there must be a number who possess the gift of political leadership. Fred himself chose the banking profession and has made good at it. He also could have made good in a big way in politics. Ralph Lauris Theller was another possibility, but he was cut down before he had a chance to demonstrate what he could do. Dan Watson possessed leadership of a high type. He's a man of brains and worthy ideals, but his talents have been devoted to the leather business.

Bill Bailey, out in Sioux Falls, S. D., who made law his profession, got mixed up in politics, and even ran for U. S. Congressman on the Democratic ticket some years back, before that party assumed landslide proportions. His defeat, apparently, put an end to those ambitions. Sawny Reagan would have made an able politician. He selected the telephone business, however, rose to high estate out in California, and now is independent, financially speaking. Joe Worthen, a lawyer, has plenty on the ball but I've never heard that he's had public service aspirations. "Silk" Laughlin, another lawyer has the type of personality that could take him places in the political scene.

The most successful guy in our class, if you count making money as the mark of success, is Jess Hawley. He's made so much dough that he can't be sure who his friends are. He could easily have been a "behind the scenes" political leader. Dutch Schildmiller is another who had popular appeal. None of our class hears from or sees him any more, and that is regrettable.

Shreck Shoppelry had the reputation in college of being able to speak on any and all occasions. That ability, harnessed with serious purpose, might have taken him places in politics. Sam Bell had the figure of a politician. Jim Driscoll, in my opinion, would have made an outstanding public servant. His untimely death has lost to '09 one of its finest members one whose humanities will long be remembered.

Naturals in our class for the Irish type of politician are Frank O'Brien and Edward Patrick Kelley, neither of whom saw it that way; and Tommy Murphy, had he not chosen the Army, might have made some kind of political boss before he died. The two Burns boys, Bob and George, might have developed political characteristics. There were possibilities, too, in Stan Gates, Fat Prescott, Micky Mcl-ane, Howard Peterson, Jim Huselton and Sid Hazelton. .

I have thought, on occasion, that I would like politics, but my activities in that direction have been limited to serving on the Aurora village council. Aurora is a small place of six hundred souls, so my sphere of political influence does not reach to broad expanses.

Our class, judged by the standards which gauge progress, is just a fair average—not too good and not too bad. Most of us, I'm afraid, have followed the lines of least resistance, not having that burning desire to be of service to our nation, but content to look after No. 1 interests and let it go at that. That class-day oration of Freddie Carroll has set me to thinking that some of us have been overlooking possible bets and that it may not be too late to see what can be done about it.

Secretary, Wm. Filene's Sons Cos. 426 Washington St., Boston, Mass. Treasurer, 16 Wall St., New York, N. Y.