1902

Another summer passes in our lives and it has been a pleasure to see several classmates. Dr. Bob Smith came East from Akron and visited us a few days. Poor Bob, in June, lost his lovely wife and companion, Ann. Having visited in their home, I know what her sweet spirit had meant to Bob, not only in the home, but in his great work in Alcoholics Anonymous. She was an understanding, sympathetic and cheering help to many of those who needed encouragement.

In August, Tom Barnes and I, with our wives, decided we would take a trip down the Maine coast to West Southport and visit George Elderkin. It seems that George has had a summer home here in Maine for 15 years and I never knew it. It is near Boothbay Harbor, one of the most picturesque coastal resorts in the world and a yachtsman's mecca. We had written George of our coming and when we arrived he was in the act of sticking up a sign "Elderkin 1902" at his gateway. His home is grandly situated, all alone on the beach of a deep bay, looking far out to sea along rocky cliffs.

We were fortunate in finding and getting acquainted with all of George's family except his oldest son, George Jr., who is a banker in Princeton. However, we met George Jr.'s fine wife and son, George's only grandson. The youngest son, John, is a strapping boy of prep school age and his daughter, Janet, had just returned safely from being caught in a small boat in a dense fog 12 miles out to sea.

Since George retired in 1948, he has become much interested in the Basque people, who live astride the border of France and Spain. Their language is unique, little known and not taught in this country. George had sort of an idea that they may have originated from some of the Greeks wandering along the Mediterranean shores ages ago and thinks he has found evidence of this in their language. At any rate, last spring George decided to go to France to study the language where it was spoken and spent about 2 months in the Basque country, while his wife and daughter toured Europe, all having a grand time. We were charmed to meet Kate, George's wife, who, you may remember, taught Archaeology in Vassar. She told us George was a little slow in the courtship but finally proposed to her in a taxicab.

Ralph Taylor has moved back to Springfield, Mass. and his address is 69 Long Hill Street. As I remember, Percy Dorr and JoeHolmes live on the same street. 1902 is getting together.

Secretary, 7 Ship Channel Rd., South Portland, Me. Treasurer, 426 Tremont Building, Boston 8, Mass.