A HANOVER DIARY

Continuing the Story of Hanover Life as Depicted in the Day-by-Day Record Kept by Prof. Fletcher for 63 Years

IN politics Prof. Robert Fletcher was a devoted Republican. Brought up in the days of the Civil War, when the party was inspired by real motives of idealism and could count on the enthusiasm of youth, like so many of his generation he held to party association throughout his life with an almost religious fervor. He was content, however, to serve in the ranks and never aspired to political office beyond the confines of the town itself. In the varying fortunes of his party he was generally content with the assertion that he "voted the straight Republican ticket" and beyond this to note the result without comment. In 1900, however, he regarded the second defeat of Bryan with satisfaction, classing the candidate as an "agitator and pessimist and in 1904 he considered the election news to be "very good. The cause of national honor, stability and prosperitycarries the day." In 1908 he broke loose from his party for the only time (so far as is recorded) in voting for his neighbor, Professor Worthen, Democrat, for state senator. In 1920 he was "reading the glorious election returns—Harding's great triumph," but in 1930 the result was "verydisappointing—great Democratic gains." Finally in 1932, "we are dismayed at theDemocratic landslide as election returnscome in."

Political speakers, some of them of national reputation, are noted, particularly in the earlier period. Thus in 1872 Theodore Tilton spoke in the College church and Judge Poland (of Vermont) in the Chapel. In 1876 General Garfield spoke (again in the church) on political questions and in the same year a "longand miserable speech" was given by a certain Mr. Joyce. Secretary of the Navy Chandler gave an "eloquent address" for Blaine in 1884. In 1912 Sherman Burroughs was effective for Taft (in the primary contest) but "Rev. Mr. Babb wastoo slangy." President Taft himself, while on an automobile trip through New England, paused briefly to address the students in 1912, and in the next year (then out of office) delivered two lectures in the College, but these were non-political. In 1922 a dinner was given to Vice-President Coolidge by the "Vermont andNew Hampshire Republican Association" which Mr. Fletcher attended. This was followed by a non-political speech to the students, described in the diary as a "notable address."

In town, precinct and school affairs Professor Fletcher was an active participant. His interest in such matters was keen and his qualifications as an engineer made his services of high value. On March 14, 1871, he attended his first town meeting, then held in Etna. "Went on horseback. Interesting scene, entirely new to me." In the following sixty years there were few such gatherings, in town, school and precinct, from which he was absent, and few in which he did not take an active part. In 1877 he became one of a committee to enlarge school accommodations, $lO,OOO being voted for the purpose. In the next year he was chosen a member of the "superintending school committee" and on that and its successor, the Board of Education, he remained until 1897. During that time a second extensive addition to the schoolhouse was made. In 1881 he had charge of the spending of $450, raised by the village and College, for the drainage of the central portion of the village. A private enterprise, but for a public purpose, is recorded in 1883. "With Prof.Emerson directing a party of juniors setting out 30 maple and elm trees in theCollege Park, on Park Street, west side," and on the next day, "directed setting out50 spruces on the schoolhouse knoll."

His greatest service, however, was in the planning and installation of an adequate water system. Under the aggressive leadership of the new President, Dr. Tucker, this enterprise was set on foot in 1893, as the joint effort of precinct and College. Professor Fletcher, from the first, was engineer and director of the Water Company, and in 1899 became its President, retaining these positions until near the end of his life. It is not too much to say that to him more than to anyone else the credit for the installation and development of the system was due. For years he gave endless attention to it—to the engineering difficulties that were always arising, to the purchase of all the land in the water shed in J 903, to the forestration of the area thus secured, eventually to the installation of a second reservoirall for a compensation which was merely nominal.

HELD MANY TOWN OFFICES

While the water system was the most extensive of the town improvements for which Professor Fletcher was responsible, it was not the only one. For many years he was Trustee of the Town Library (at Etna) and was the leader in the planning and in the supervision of the construction of the building, erected in 1906. He served the selectmen as consulting engineer in the planning and erection of a bridge over Mink Brook, on the West Lebanon road. He evolved an elaborate plan for a concrete arch bridge over the Connecticut at Hanover, a project which, at the time, proved abortive owing to lack of funds. For a period he was a member of the town Board of Health and a supervisor of the check list, and for many years a trustee of the Dartmouth Savings Bank and of the Pine Park Association. In the early days he was President of the Reform Club, a member of the Village Improvement Society (which had as its purpose the planting of shade trees), President of the Stockbridge Association (to provide recreation facilities for the young people of the community), and President of the Law and Order League.

His activities in this latter connection were executive, but they had their amusing side. He was a life-long prohibitionist and did all he could by letter writing, discussion and otherwise to promote that cause. During the earlier period New Hampshire was under state prohibition and the replacement o£ that law by local option in 1904 was discouraging to him, although no saloons were established under it in Hanover. Of course he welcomed national prohibition and was correspondingly downcast at its repeal. Nevertheless, even under prohibition, there was some liquor selling which called for the attention of the Law and Order League. Strangers, furnished by the County Solicitor, were necessary to serve as ' spotters, and it was sometimes desirable that the local police (such as they were) should not know of their presence. In 1886 he notes, "With Mr. Phelps watched, 8.30-9.15, onthe West Lebanon road for a wagon fromWhite River Junction supposed to contain liquor. On arrival we followed it tothe Opera House. The driver proved tobe Charles Kibling." What the outcome of this case was is not recorded, but this is the Kibling who, convicted in Vermont on another occasion upon numerous counts of an indictment for liquor selling, was given the maximum jail sentence on each count, to run, not concurrently but consecutively, resulting in a total term of some 75 years: a case which served as the basis of the popular farce by Charles Hoyt—The Temperance Town.

In 1900 a detective came to town who was "given a job" in the office of the Superintendent of Buildings. In three days he had collected evidence sufficient to justify raids on three places, resulting in the discovery of "800 bottles of bee r,1600 bottles of empties and other stuff.No spirituous liquors." Conviction resulted but in 1901 conditions were as bad as ever. Arrangements were made for a joint effort with Lebanon and "Mr. Blanchard" was assigned as a detective who, with the Lebanon chief, came to the Thayer School for a conference "ona very dark evening." Two days later Mr. Fletcher "met- Blanchard on the highwaybridge at West Lebanon. I made soundings, or tried to, in flood current, for appearances." The outcome was effective in both towns, "the biggest liquor Lebanon and West Lebanon ever knew, although only one place, the Commercial Hotel, was raided in Hanover. The cost of the detective work was $205, one-third being assigned to Hanover. In 1911 a spectacular gambling raid was carried out, with the Commercial Hotel again the objective, conducted by seven officers. Ten persons, including the proprietor were arrested and fined sums ranging from $25 to $100. This Professor Fletcher regarded as "a vindication for me of theuse of prayer and special Providence.

In local affairs, especially school and precinct matters, when issues, particularly those connected with the expenditure of funds, were involved, it was the custom to assemble groups of "prominent citizens, likely to be in general agreement, for an informal caucus to consider the questions involved and to take concerted action regarding them. Such meetings were frequently held in the Thayer School office. After the death of Mr. Huntington, Mr. Chase, brother-in-law of Professor Fletcher, was regarded as the local Republican leader or "boss in the community. It is true that he and his associates did tend to hand-pick nominees for the lower house of the legislature, from term to term. Sometimes these plans went astray as in 1904, when the "machine," after some difficulty in the caucus, succeeded in nominating for the office an affluent member of the community, but one who was not entirely popular in all quarters. The Democrats, whose nominations were considered to be idle gestures, put up the popular professor T.W.D. (Tute) Worthen. Whereupon the students, then mistakenly allowed to vote more freely than now, organized a spectacular campaign and paraded the town with torchlights, red fire and the slogan, "Teddie, Tute and Rum"; the rum having to do with the campaign to repeal state prohibition. In the election "Tute was chosen by a good majority—the first Democrat to hold the office for many years. However the private "meetings of leading citizens" or informal caucuses, referred to above, in general were in no way partisan, but included members of both parties who tended to think alike in local matters. Sometimes they won and sometimes they lost but there is no question that the participants were moved by an honest regard for the public welfare. However, as time went on, the gatherings tended to be made up of the more conservative members of the community, economical in their views of local finance, although a different word than economical was applied to them by their opponents. As a result, they became more and more ineffective in the light of a desire for progress.

PLANNED SUBWAY TO THE JUNCTION

As an engineer Professor Fletcher was in constant demand in all the region about Hanover. As a surveyor he had a share in the planning of the dam across the Connecticut at Olcott Falls (now Wilder), a project of the early eighties. His careful inspection of the scene of the Hartford railroad accident in 1887 led to frequent court appearances as an expert in the resulting litigation and he was a participant of many other contests of this kind in his long career. In 1895-1896, as inspecting engineer, he represented the town of Lebanon in the construction of a steel bridge across the Connecticut, a long and troublesome undertaking beset with continued misfortune, and in 1899 he drew up plans for a subway to reach the railroad station at White River Junction, a plan which to this day has not been carried out. In 1900 the entire Thayer School, both staff and students, devoted the fall season to a survey for a trolley line from the copper mines at Strafford, Vt., to two different points on the Passumpsic Railroad, another improvement which has never been realized. In 1902 he served as consulting engineer in the installation of a water system in Enfield, N. H. In 1914 he spent much time in court as an expert in an involved case resulting from the loss by flood of a bridge in Hartford, Vt. In 1915 the wooden bridge at Orford was repaired and stiffened in accordance with his plans. Five years later he was consulting engineer in the installation of a water system at Norwich. In the years following 1917 he spent much time in a survey to establish the boundary line between New Hampshire and Vermont, a project which was not completed until after his time.

From his early years Professor Fletcher was deeply religious and devoutly attached to the church in which he was reared—that of the Baptist denomination. As was the general habit in the time of his youth, he was inflexible in the support of the particular tenets of that sect. No Baptist church exists in Hanover village itself and so, in the first year of his residence in the community, he notes sadly, "Communion. Wished myself amongthose of my own faith so that I might enjoy the privilege of partaking of theLord's Supper." However, Mr. and Mrs. Huntington were members of the Baptist church at Etna and, thus introduced, he soon took advantage of its hospitality. In November, 1871, he writes, "Richard(his brother) and I walked 41/2 miles toMill Village (Etna) where at the BaptistChurch we partook of the Lord's Supper.Felt this a great privilege as I had not enjoyed it since the summer of 1870." Always he maintained that immersion is the only true baptism. Thus in 1886 he writes, "My wife and daughter united with thechurch. The ceremony of 'baptism', socalled, took place at the morning serviceduring communion, so 1 was not a witness. I wish it might have been a scriptural baptism." As late as 1924 he comments on a moving picture, "The Life of Christ," as follows: "Very impressive.Some parts not true to ideals. Baptismalscene not right (pouring)."

ATTENDED ETNA CHURCH

Of the Baptist congregation, meeting at the Brick Church at Etna, Professor Fletcher remained a devoted member to the day. of his death. The distance was too far for regular attendance, but he always took an active part in its operation. From time to time he was a member of all its committees, he was a trustee, he brought speakers from the college community to its evening meetings, frequently he was himself the speaker, he had much to say in the selection of its pastors, he was always present at its annual meetings and roll calls. He was not found lacking when physical labor was required. Thus in 1897 for two weeks he shared in the work being done for exterior improvements. "Rode to BrickChurch awheel. Spent the day with volunteers at work putting a concrete face onthe west foundation wall which has always been much exposed. Six men workedhard with me more than five hours. Aparty of five women and two men wereputting down a carpet inside." The next day he was "again at the Brick Churchwith two teams and four men grading upfor a terrace on the west side." The work continued with the reconstruction of the front platform outside, the provision of concrete facing and so on for several more days. The final notation is, "very tired," as well he might have been. He valued highly his membership in this small church group; he valued also the association which was thereby brought about with the rural population of the small New Hampshire community.

Ordinarily he attended the College Church (Congregational) in Hanover village. Of this organization he was never a member although he was active in the Religious Society which then bad the financial affairs of the church in charge. As has been said, he began to teach Sunday School during his first week in Hanover and continued in that work for many years, taking the most difficult class—that of adolescent boys—and laboring diligently for their conversion. At various times he was Superintendent of the Sunday School, at others he was in charge of the church singing. Upon his retirement from the Thayer School in 1918 he became Assistant Treasurer (later Treasurer) and member of the finance committee and spent the major part of his time, until his resignation in 1924, in church management. During this period a new parsonage was built. He was warmly devoted to the pastor of the church during the first thirty years of his residence in Hanover, Dr. Leeds, regarding the utterances of that clergyman, by some considered as unduly soporific, as the genuine Gospel. On Jan. 27, 1878 he notes with approval, "Dr. Leeds preached a solemnsermon on the doctrine of eternal punishment." The pastor's last appearance in the period of his active service was on Dec. 13, igoo. "Last Thursday eveningservice of Dr. Leeds' pastorate of fortyyears. A suitable and touching commemorative service." The minister remained in town, however, as pastor emeritus and occasionally supplied the pulpit, the; last occasion being on Dec. 26, 1909. "Dr.Leeds preached, 85 years old, a vigorousand impressive discourse. The storm hindered attendance but he had a fair audience of the older people." With the various pastors who followed, Professor Fletcher was patient, for the utterances of some he was enthusiastic, with others, of a more radical turn of mind, his innate conservatism was at times uneasy.

In his own religious views Professor Fletcher was deeply sincere, but, as time went on and changes of outlook took place, he retained very largely the point of view of former times. In the early years he was much disturbed by the idea of Sunday travel and on one occasion, on an engineering trip when such travel was unavoidable, he wrote, "Felt miserableto spend Sunday this way. It is a greatsin and I could not look for God's blessing." His attitude toward the theater has already been discussed, but he seems to have had no qualms at card playing (so far as it related to whist), although he criticises evening whist parties as "a wasteof time." His diary records his attendance as a spectator at various college dances. He welcomed times of religious revival and took a prominent part in the activities of such occasions. Thus in 1885 a revival was led by an evangelist named Sayford, prefaced by a sermon by Dr. Leeds, who "preached one of the mostdirect and earnest sermons I ever heardfrom him." The campaign, evidently of an emotional order, continued for a week. With great satisfaction he records, "Ofthe seven present in my Sunday Schoolclass, six rose to express either the hopeor desire for faith in Christ." He used his influence upon those with whom he came in contact, noting on one occasion, "Called on Mr. Snow (who works in thegarden) and had a little conversation onthe subject of religion. Am praying forhim and Mr. Bailey." In 1885 Dwight L. Moody came to Hanover for a two-days service. Professor Fletcher speaks of him thus; "Mr. Moody preached with greatpower. His management of the meetingsin all the details was admirable, even tothe oversight of heating and ventilation.In the evening he went down cellar, inspected the furnaces and gave ordersabout regulating the heating." On the second day "the church building was packed,1500-1600 present each time. When Mr.Moody made his last appeal, 40 to 50 rose. About as many Christians presenthad personal conversation with them, ledby Mr. Moody."

In later years he welcomed meetings of a different order sponsored by the Christian Association, and conducted with less emotionalism by such persons as Hurrey in 1914, Raymond Robbins in 1916, ,Mott in 1917 and Eddy in 1921. On the other hand, although he attended regularly a series of meetings of faculty members to discuss points raised by Harnack's Whatis Christianity?, evidently he was not impressed for he records at the end, "Toomuch fuss about Harnack. Give us a vest;he is not worth it." Nor did he attend the afternoon and evening services conducted by Billy Sunday on Jan. 8, 1917- makes no comment, but he may have regarded the effect of the evangelist, then carrying on a spectacular campaign in Boston, as more a case of exhibitionism than of religion. If he held that view, there were those who agreed with him. In his later years he seems to have been somewhat discouraged at the general falling-off in church attendance, particularly in competition with the automobile. On one pleasant Sunday in the summer of 1922 he asserts, with some exhibition of spleen, "These church members should all be inchurch." Occasionally he took issue with various pastors of the church on what he regarded as incorrect interpretations of the Holy Writ and in 1923 he protested indignantly against "gross violations ofsanitary requirements at the men's meeting on Thursday evening," the violation consisting of the novel privilege of smoking at that meeting.

A FREQUENT SPEAKER

Professor Fletcher was constantly active as a public speaker. He always had something to say and he was ever ready to say it, concisely, effectively and to the point. The number of carefully prepared addresses recorded in the diary is very large, and many more extemporaneous talks must have gone unrecorded. In general they are divided into three classes: on engineering subjects, on general education, and on topics relating to morals and religion; the third class in number far exceeding the other two. Sometimes the juxtaposition of subjects, as they appear in the diary, is amusing, as, in one instance, a talk to the Etna church on Scientific Confirmation of Old TestamentHistory and on the next an address to a public meeting conducted by the State Board of Health on An UnhamperedCesspool. He was a standby in the meetings of the Dartmouth Scientific Association, ever ready with reports or longer papers on engineering matters of interest. Not seldom he addressed voluntary meetings of the students of the Thayer School, attacking the habits of smoking, drinking and swearing and stressing the importance of regular church attendance. So high was his prestige with these groups that the students attended and listened with- entire respect, if not always with entire conviction. He could always be relied upon to take a leading and late part in issues which were of interest to the community. His influence, indeed, extended far outside and he was often called upon for addresses, usually of an engineering nature, to educational institutions and learned societies.

With the academic branch of the College Professor Fletcher had little to do, except as it related to the work of the Thayer School. The latter institution he was inclined to regard, with some justice, as the neglected step-child of the College, although he saw its quarters moved from its original rooms in Thornton Hall, first in 1892 to the Experiment Station, abandoned by the State College upon its departure from Hanover, and again in 1911 to Bissell Hall, the use of which as a gymnasium had been replaced by that of a new structure. He did not live to see the provision of much more satisfactory quarters in the present Cummings Memorial.

He was one of the minority of the faculty in the quarrel with President Bartlett in 1881, declining most emphatically to sign the faculty petition for the removal of the president and terming that movement "a most unfair and scandalous proceeding." He asserted in his diary on May 2, "The excitement aboutthe President continues. I think that he isthe object of a most unjust attack stirredup by personal feeling, especially in NewYork. 1 shall avoid all connection withthe trouble, so far as possible." Nevertheless on May 24 he "met some friends ofthe President at his office to consult as tohis defense at the pending investigation," and he testified in his favor at the subsequent trial.

RECORDS STUDENT DISORDERS

Occasionally he notes student disorders as in 1879, "Rowdy students. Prof. Lord'sfence torn down"; and in 1892, on July 4, "students still staying here and othersmade a great rumpus after midnight. Bellringing, procession, fire works, etc. Fourbullets were shot through Prof. Lord'sfront door." In 1918, after his retirement from the Thayer School, he had his only teaching connection with the academic college in assuming administrative responsibility for a joint lecture course on military sanitation and hygiene, required by the government as a part of the training of the army unit then in Dartmouth. The athletic regime, as we now have it, grew up during his career, with results that were not entirely pleasing to him. Thus as early as 1885 he says, "I am opposed to the baseball business as tomatches between colleges. The raising ofso much money for such a purpose, theinterference with study, the loss of time,the rivalry, etc. are demoralizing and detrimental to the best interests of all." In later years he speaks contemptuously of the "football fever." His opinion of the undergraduates of the modern college was not high. In one address he developed in detail the relative ease, idleness and luxury now enjoyed by the student with the difficulties and hard work imposed upon General Thayer in his quest for an education.

Such are among the incidents derived from the series of diaries, so wide in their coverage and stretching through so many years. They are selected from many more of equal interest which might have been included to make an article far longer than this. Taken as a whole they give us a picture of the times, but they give us also a clear perspective of the personality of the diarist as one who so many years was a virile and vital force in the Han over community. The obligations to him of town and College were many in the period in which he was among us. And now that he is gone those obligations are continued, to us and to our successors, as affording the clearest picture of the time in which he lived.

PROFESSOR "BOBBY" FLETCHER, known to oil of Hanover as well as Thayer School men, from a photo taken in 1926, ten years before his death.

from Thornton Hall in 1892. Professor Hitchcock is shown seated at the extreme left.

ONE OF PROF. FLETCHER'S GREATEST COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS was the present Hanover water system, started in 1893 as a joint effort of the Precinct and College. Above is the reservoir, the installation and development of which he directed. From 1899 until his death he was head of the Water Company.

The diaries kept by Prof. Robert Fletcher, first head of the Thayer School of Engineering, were recently presented to the College. They cover the period from 1871 to 1934 and are described by Professor Richardson, College historian, as "the clearest picture of the time in which he lived." The first half of Professor Richardson's summary of the diaries appeared in the January issue and dealt with social and intellectual life, town disasters, and other Hanover incidents of the late 1800's.