1899
The informal '99 family gathering was held as planned at the New Ocean House, Swampscott, Mass., June 23 and 24, the corresponding dates of our 45th Reunion at the same place in 1944. There were twenty-five attendants as follows: Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Abbott, Ed Allen and his daughter-in-law, Mrs. Theodore Allen, Mr. and Mrs. Benezet, Clark, Donahue and son, Lt. Jack Donahue of the Navy, just back from stirring combats in the Pacific, Gannon, Mr. and Mrs. Hoban, Mr. and Mrs. Irving, Mr. and Mrs. Kendall, Lynch, Parker, Silver, his sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Spurr and Miss I. Shaw, his ever assiduous secretary for thirty-three years, Mr. and Mrs. Watson, Winchester and his friend Mrs. Leete. Some arrived Friday and remained until Monday. No program was arranged but the hotel management, on its own initiative, seated us together in a private dining room with a special menu Saturday evening. Then, of course, though not contemplated, there had to be talks to permit the pent-up but ever champing '99 spirit to effervesce. Donny was drafted to preside and allowed everyone free play of loquacity. A talk by Warren Kendall about transportation of troops and war equipment was very informative. Jack Donahue vividly described scenes and incidents in the capture from the Japs and the occupation of one of the Pacific islands in which he was an active participant. District Attorney Hoban reminisced and memorialized in characteristic feeling manner and then, in response to an inquiry, disserted long and learnedly on Hebraic history from centuries before the Christian Era to modern times. Remarks of others were entertaining. All deserve mention which limitations of space preclude. The weather was perfect and the accommodations excellent. All expressed a wish to repeat next year and this will probably continue to be an annual summer event.
Lute Oakes continues to bear heavy responsibilities the war has brought to his firm which, during the last four years with others has built a Bag Loading Plant, Shell Loading Plant, a Synthetic Rubber Plant, a Naval Supply Depot and 171 LST ships. At present the firm is building smaller craft of various types and is engaged in the construction of a large Rocket Plant in Southern Arkansas. These with many private jobs for railroads, etc., has kept Lute and his organization very busy. Betty's husband, Dick Clarke, is a lieutenant on the staff of a general with the 9th Army in Germany. Tom is a staff sergeant with the Armored Infantry of the Third Division of the First Army. Ann keeps the home fires burning for all.
Word has come from Hanover but not from our Louis Benezet that he was chosen as favorite professor in a poll which the Dartmouth Log conducted early in June among Navy V-12 and civilian students at Dartmouth.
Sad news of '99 families: An article about the death of Freem Sewall appears in the In Memoriam columns of this issue. He died June 5 after a long illness. Ralph Hawkes represented the class at the funeral. Mrs. Sewall sent the secretary the following: "To the Class of '99 of Dartmouth College: My family joins me in thanking you for your sympathy and the beautiful flowers that will always be gratefully remembered. The ideals and aspirations of Dartmouth, together with deep affection for his classmates, have lived with my husband for fifty years. It seems to me no college can do more than that for any man. Accept my personal good wishes for the class."
Word was received May 22 that Lt. Robert Satterlee Hurlburt, 33, MC USNR, former surgical house officer at the Massachusetts General Hospital, was killed in action March 26 when his destroyer was sunk off Okinawa. Besides his wife, the former Sally Drew, daughter of Pitt and Sally, four children survive: Robert Satterlee, Jr., Sara Drew, Patricia Adams and Caroline Merrill Hurlburt. Another tragedy that has brought the war close to a Ninety-nine family and which evokes our deep sympathy
Alma Walker Allen, wife of Ed Allen, died at the Franklin (N. H.), Hospital, May 7, following a brief illness. Mrs. Allen was born in Danbury, N. H., and lived there and at Andover, N. H., during her early life, and was graduated from Proctor Academy. She attended the Boston Conservatory of Music and was married to Ed in 1909 in Arlington, Mass., where they resided for thirty-six years until they moved to Andover to make their home after Ed retired in July 1944. A talented musician, Mrs. Allen had served as organist in various churches and also taught music. She was a member of the Musical Club in Arlington and the Arlington Symphony Orchestra. She was also a member of the Unitarian Church in Arlington and the church in Andover. She was active in civic affairs as well as church functions. Besides her husband, Mrs. Allen left a son, Pvt. Theodore Walker Allen, Dartmouth '33, who is with the armed forces in Italy. Our sympathy goes in large measure to Ed in his great loss.
REUNION OF THE CLASS OF 1899 AT THE NEW OCEAN HOUSE, SWAMPSCOTT, IN JUNE. In the family gathering above are from left to right: front row—Winchester, Donahue, Clark, Benezet, Mrs. Theodore Allen, Mrs. Leete;" second row—Silver, Mrs. Benezet, Mrs. Watson, Mrs. Kendall, Watson, Mrs. Hoban, Gannon; third—Kendall, Lt. Jack Donahue, Irving, Parker, Allen, A. J. Abbott, Lynch, Mrs. Abbott, Hoban.
Secretary, The New York Times 329 West 43rd St., New York 18, N. Y,Treasurer, 18 Stoneland Roadway, Shrewsbury, Mass.
