1908
Like the children of Israel who wandered forty years in the wilderness before reaching the promised land, the class of 1908, after living through forty years of wars, rumors of wars, depressions, booms, inflation, normalcy, New Deals, chicken-in-every-pot, two-cars-in- every-garage, pinks, reds, floods, droughts, hurricanes and epidemics, is about to return to Hanover for its fortieth reunion. Early reports indicate that the attendance will be excellent and that Currier, Merrill and Norton and their families will be on from California and with them many others who will not have to come as far. All signs point towards the best reunion we ever had.
The annual New York Dartmouth dinner was held at the Hotel Commodore, on April 14. Present were General Knox, recently of Rio de Janeiro and now of Boston, MikeStearns, Rosie Hinman, Gordon Blanchard,John Thompson, Phil Thompson, Walter Fur man, Fred Munkelt and Larry Symmes.
Mike Stearns was looking fine and reported that he expects to sell his property in New Jersey and move to Wilton, Conn., where he may, at a later date, become a gentleman farmer. Sandy is going to teach at Wesleyan, having served his time in the Navy and joined the Reserve. Kendall is head surgeon in a clinic up in Hudson, New York, and John is very busy at Hanover where he is a junior Phi Bete and editor of The Dartmouth.
Art Rotch, the dean of New Hampshire Editors and the sage of Milford, was interviewed by our reporter a few days ago. He re- ported as follows:
"April 5, the senior Rotches lit out by car in search of spring. In Holyoke that afternoon phoned Mort Hull's house, from the corner drug store. Mort and Marguerite were in Florida, and expected home soon. Anyway, we were headed in the right direction, south, in search of spring.
"In N. Y. next evening, had dinner with harryand Dorothy Symmes. They plan a trip to England this summer. Gosh, what travelers 'OB has produced! Next night tried to find the Dartmouth dinner scheduled in Washington. Couldn't find anybody who had even heard of Dartmouth.
"Finally found spring in Williamsburg, Va. Mrs. Larry Tread-way, at adjoining table at dinner, spotted us. Larry was attending Rotary Club dinner .... he would be. Later he showed up and we had a nice visit. They were on way north from Florida where he had a fine season at his hotel at Vero Beach. Larry says Dick Merrills and JimNortons probably coming for reunion, from California.
"Nice place, Williamsburg. Dogwood, lilacs, apple blossoms, good hotel. We stayed until the hotel threw us out; they needed the room for other reservation, so we went along to Old Point Comfort and thence across the bay to Cape Charles and north up the long peninsula. Spent a night in Wilmington, Del., and phoned E. P. Bartlett. Ed was around early next morning with his car and took us on a tour of the city which is very lovely. I had a quite contrary impression of it from a few trips through it on trains. Ed took us to his charming home for Sunday breakfast and a look at his garden and grounds. He is quite a gardener and his place is delightful. He has been a research chemist with DuPont for many years, and now looks forward to retiring and probably returning to his native Massachusetts. He and Mrs. Bartlett are looking forward to being in Hanover at reunion. Their nice daughter, who was with him at the '46 reunion, is now in college in Virginia and probably will not get to Hanover this year.
"Spring is now getting up into this region. Plans for ski meets and snow sculpture at reunion are cancelled. I think the campus, golf links and tennis courts may even be dried out by June 18. Art Wyman has been up to examine the ravages of winter at his summer home in Milford. I haven't heard that his roof caved in under the snow, though plenty did."
Dick Merrill, who puts in five days a week as assistant trust officer of the Title Insurance and Trust Cos. of Los Angeles, admits that birthdays and obesity have raised hob with his tennis, but he still works at gardening, at furniture restoration and at bridge. Dick and Helen, with three children and five grandchildren and with all hands going strong, may still be a threat to Treadway and Wyman before the derby for grandchildren is over. John '37 will be a full-fledged dental technician in another year and Dave '44 has another year of internship and three years of residence ahead of him.
Harry Mitchell of Cleveland, president of the Mitchell Metal Products, Inc., is a candidate for the Republican nomination for Congress in the 21st District of Ohio. When kissing babies and soliciting votes permits, Harry puts in his time in his flower and vegetable garden and encouraging his lawn and shrubbery.
Have you sent in your questionnaire? A good many are in, but many are exercising the procrastination which the late Dean Chuck Emerson commented upon.
Fritz Schilling, vice-president and director of the Turner Construction Cos. of New York City, who was married just a few years ago after many years of carefree bachelorhood, is now the father of Mary Jane, four and a half, and Ann Alberta, two years of age. Fritz wishes to enter his daughters as candidates for recognition as the youngest children of any man in the class.
Reginald Wooldridge Jr., Shorty's son, is assistant manager of the Better Business Bureau of Rochester, New York. He is a graduate of Middlebury College and served in the Army in China, Burma, Indian Sector and with Merrill's Marauders and in the China Theater. Shorty is Administrative Assistant with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Entemology and Plant Quarantine. He lives and works in Greenfield, Mass. We have no report as to whether he still owns a catcher's glove and a mask.
Lela and the Class Notes Editor plan to attend Commencement at Smith, where Mary will graduate the weekend of June 11-14—to be joined there by Bill '49, down from Hanover. If all goes well, this should permit the Knights to be among the early arrivals at the reunion.
We'll be seeing you!
NEW ADDRESSES: Donald Frothingham, Navy Dept., Washington, D. C.; A. BruceRutherford, 228 Alton Road, Lebanon, 111.; Percy E. Gleason, 44 School St., Boston 8, Mass.; Albert W. Thwing, 31a Oak Ave., St. Lambert, Que., Canada.
Class Notes Editor, 602 Forest City National Bank Bldg. Rockford, 111. Secretary, 115 Broadway, New York 6, N. Y. T r.easurer, Taftville, Conn. Class Agent, 125 Walnut St., Watertown, Mass.
