1902

At our advanced age, the habit of reminiscence becomes more pleasurable and, with the advent of Washington's Birthday, I harked back to February 22, and 1899 and 1900, the dates of our Freshman and Sophomore Banquets. I wonder how many of you remember them. Dartmouth being midway between Boston and Montreal, we had our Freshman Banquet in Boston at the old Vendome and our Sophomore Banquet at Montreal.

Having been elected to the then somewhat dubious honor of President of the Sophomore Class, I remember especially our 1900 banquet at the Balmoral Castle (a hotel) in Montreal. What a grand time we had with the low-hung, colored sleighs and fur robes streaming out behind us as we rode up toward Mount Royale, singing and reading the French signs Apartment a louer in the windows. I remember that on the observation platform at the mountain top was a sign in French: II eststrictement, defendu de furrier ou de crackersur cette platforme. We chanted this cracker for two days. It seems to me at this distance, that the bartender at Balmoral Castle made the best Silver and Gold gin fizzes with joy in every glass. All was rosy in those days.

As I remember, those Dartmouth Class Banquets ended abruptly our senior year when Jimmy Vaughn was a Class President and PrayWaldham et al placed George Small on the table at the Lenox in Boston. The table crashed with the portly weight of the gentleman and the banquet ended abruptly and noisily and was not hushed up in the Boston papers. I don't know that the custom has ever been resumed. Perhaps the classes are now too large.

While reminiscing, I can see in my mind's eye the tall, genial stooping figure of "Homogeneous Leader" with kindly face as he rose in Dartmouth Hall upon being elected Class President and said: "Some men are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them."

Your Secretary is having this dream in Arizona.

Secretary, 7 Ship Channel Road, South Portland, Me. Treasurer, Tremont Building, Boston, Mass. Class Agent, PROF. 584 Highland Ave., Montclair, N. J.