Boston
THE 84TH ANNUAL DINNER of the Boston Alumni Association was held February 4 at the Hotel Statler. Despite a raging snow storm which would have frozen all the enthusiasm of a less hearty group, nearly 800 alumni were in attendance. President H. Richardson (Dick) Lane '07 presided and the two principal speakers of the evening were George F. Barr '45, on behalf of the undergraduates, and President Dickey. It was pleasant, indeed to hear from Mr. Barr how the unsettled conditions of the war years gradually were being eliminated and how campus life once again appears to be approaching that which most of us remember from our own experiences. It seemed quite natural to hear that the winning athletic teams draw the crowds and now need expanded facilities, and it certainly was fine to hear from one of the members of the class such complimentary comments about Dartmouth's new Great Issues course.
President Dickey made our spines tingle with his report of this year's freshman class. Your correspondent being of the Class of 1921, it is easy to recall the span of time running from the Cunningham era through years of Sonnenberg, Hagenbuckle and other "greats" of those days, but from this corner it sounded as if in their all-around ability, and high level of accomplishment both past and prospective, the Class of 1951 is in a grouping all by itself. We alumni are thrilled to hear of it. From the standpoint of the freshmen themselves, whose average age approximates 18, living up to the record they have set for themselves in secondary school and in their first semester at College is a real responsibility—but a stimulating one. We all wish them Godspeed.
President Dickey also told us more of the Great Issues course. On all counts the course is developing well—exceeding expectations and coming close to the hopes of those who started it. The general public is very much interested, to judge from the large number of inquiries coming into Hanover. The faculty has been much broadened by its increased contact with non-academic men of affairs, and the students by and large are reacting well and developing rapidly under its influence.
The meeting also was featured by the showing of the new technicolor 1947 Hanover movie. This is a good film which we all enjoyed and can recommend to other Clubs. The alumni band was with us again this year and brought much pleasure to all with their music in the Wheelock Tavern and during the dinner.
Chorister Harry McDevitt '07 has organized an alumni Glee Club in Boston, and these men were kind enough to render a number of selections which were very well received. Harry asked me to take this opportunity to tell all men within reach of Boston that this Glee Club is not a Sporadic effort at the time of an annual dinner. It is intended to be a regular operation, meeting reasonably regularly throughout the year, and it will have plenty of opportunities to sing at alumni gatherings. Any of you who like to have a glass of beer and draw some thin harmony should announce yourselves by sending a penny post card or any reasonable substitute to W. H. Smart, 44 School Street, Boston.
This new address provides a proper introduction for what is really a momentous event in alumni affairs. The Boston Association this year is beginning the experiment of having an Executive Director, chosen by the Executive Committee, in addition to the regularly elected officers. We are fortunate to have as the initial incumbent in this office Wilfred H. (Bill)Smart '07, who is going to do all he can to help the Association go farther in putting into practice the policies determined by the Executive Committee, than has been possible in recent years because of the difficulty of securing adequate manpower. We know many of the larger alumni groups will watch with keen interest this rather radical departure from custom. We in Boston take this opportunity to express our deep appreciation to the Alumni Council and to the Administration in Hanover for their patience in helping us develop such a program, and above all for the confidence they have placed in us in giving their sanction and best wishes to so novel an undertaking. A large part of the "work behind the scenes" has been done by our retiring President Dick Lane, and our incoming President Charlie Bartlett '27, who, along with those whose contributions have made the experiment possible, deserve a large amount of credit.
Officers elected for the coming year were: President, Charles W. Bartlett '27; Vice Presidents, Arthur P. Maclntyre '17, G. Doane Arnold '27, F. William Andres '29; Secretary, William H. Perry '21: Treasurer, George A. Clark '42; Chorister, Harry S. McDevitt '07, Representative for D.O.C. of Boston, Edward R. Langenback '31; Executive Committee, H. P. W. Christiansen '38, Herbert Mattlage '39, Richard B. York '40, Richard D. Hill '41, Addison L. Winship '42, Stanton W. Priddy '43, William E. Barrett 111 '44, Norman W. Brown '45, Robert A. Grady '46, Robert Harvey '47; Chairman of Nominating Committee, H. Richardson Lane '07.
