1914
Daniel Webster is once said to have remarked, "The opening of the trout season benefits humanity more than the opening of any court or campus." Which apropos to nothing means that Spring is here. Spring, to me. means not only grass and flowers, trout and salmon, opening camp for the summer, and the Alumni Officers' meeting in Hanover, but also an opportunity and challenge to pay back to the college, part of what they gave to me, part of that fifty per cent which the college furnished and which has meant so much over the years. Yesterday, I finished reading the preliminary of Jack's next News Letter, which by the way, I believe is the best he has ever written. His last paragraphs reveal the sincerity of the man, the stupendous overload under which he works and the need of co- operation on the part of all of us in paying our debt to the college. So come on you boot straps and let's pull, pull early and pull to- gether! We've got a job to do, so let's do it! February 9, Sisson to Hinman,
"I was reading the February DARTMOUTH ALUMNI MAGAZINE today, and came upon the challenge of the Hinman family, where I think you stuck your neck out. You would have been alright if you had not included that one cousin. As matters stand in our family, we have three brothers plus three sons, and this does not count Walter's youngest son, Pete, who is now three years old; but I might add that this boy sets up another challenge to you, personally, as the youngest member of the Hinman family.
"In any event, starting with these six, we have in addition, six cousins who have graduated or are now attending Dartmouth, which makes twelve, and there are two more younger cousins to come. In this compilation, I have not mentioned my three brothers-in-law but even on the basis of your family challenge, we stand today twelve to twelve, and I think you had better pull your neck in. By the way, I am sending a copy of this letter to 'Ducky Drake so that he will know all about this matter."
Hinman to Drake'. "Wanted: Dartmouth Graduate, who can claim relationship to Rufus L. Sisson Jr. '14. Reason for this request is humanitarian instinct. Signed, Rosie Hinman. P.S. The poor cuss is searching the back-woods." Come on you Davidsons or anyone else who believes he is in the running!
Howard Potter is now back at 15 Blaine Avenue, Augusta, Me., after some rather serious surgery, four weeks ago, in Boston. His operation coincided with a rather severe attack of laryngitis and virus infection, which kept your correspondent at home and made it next to impossible to even talk on the telephone. By the time the voice returned, so had Howard. Ernie Kimball functioned as official class visitor. Speaking of illnesses, Alice Austin has been flat for months, following serious surgery, but is now reported as slowly improving. No word from Ev Barnard, but The Hanover Inn reports that he stayed at the Inn during March, which would indicate that he's back on the job.
Bob Hopkins is back from the Virgin Islands and he, too, was at The Inn during March, as were Sig Larmon and Stubby Johnson.
Charlie O'Connor writes that he received the many fine notes which the fellows sent to him when they were assembled for the SnoBird party.
"I sure did enjoy their remembrances very much. Many of the fellows I have not seen for oh so long and I got quite a kick out of their remembering me. I shall keep the papers for a long time and I leave it to you to express my appreciation. It has been my wish that I could join the fellows on that sojourn. For is it not a treat to be in Hanover at The Inn and have no books or studying to do? However, I guess I will leave that entertainment for some time later. Ham has told me of all the good times and the things you did. It sounded great.
"All things being equal, I can not complain and my doctor has told me that he does not look for me to have any enlarged crippling results. With every good wish to you and the fellows, I am very appreciatively and sincerely."
The annual class dinner of the New York group was held at The Dartmouth Club, Thursday evening, March 31, at 6:00 P.M. Ray Trott, president of the Rhode Island Hospital Trust Company, came down from Providence to address the group. The affair this year, as usual, was in the hands of FredDavidson, Jim Heenehan, and Bill Hands. We have not received any report of the meeting but hope that we may, in time to pass it along to you, next month.
Lay Little writes from Shanghai under date of February 24 that things in China go along normally, only a little more so. "It is a country where, when things get as bad as they possibly can get, they can always get worse. Dartmouth and 1914 seem to be doing alright. If I can find a baby sitter, I'll be home for reunion in 1950." Will the about-to-be appointed reunion committee take note of this and hold the first reservation?
Art Madalena has been appointed manager of the Springfield, Mass., District of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. This is a distinct promotion from his previous position with the company in Everett, Mass.
John Peppard seems to be happy at his new address, Box 52, Vinal Haven, Me. Roundabout reports by way of Rufe Sisson, coupled with a direct report from a patient who visits me annually, rather suggest that John has stocked up with nice, dry white pine and a sharp knife, which suggests again that the fine art of whittling as carried on for generations in the State of Maine, will continue for some years to come. John's wife has been rather ill but is now definitely on the road to recovery. He suggests that if you know your way around Vinal Haven you can always get plenty of lobsters at less cost than that of the bullet which killed Sisson's deer.
Another interesting letter has just come to hand by way of Sisson. It has been a long time since we have heard from Ralph Barke. He writes that,
"Being way out here (Fergus Falls, Minn.), it is scarcely ever a Dartmouth man who appears, to say nothing of a '14er.... I do see some of the fellows once in a while in Minneapolis, and also Fargo, and right at the moment I am planning on attending the N. W. Alumni Assn. Meeting Friday, when President Dickey will talk. I am quite anxious to see and hear him.
"Had lunch with Hal Castle one day last summer and enjoyed it very much, getting more information from him than I have had for a long time. He took me back to the University of Chicago, so he met my wife and two daughters, one of whom got her Masters Degree that day.
"I also have a son who has applied for admission next fall, and he is being processed now. If it should happen that he should be accepted and goes up there, I shall have to go along and see how Deke Westcott is running The Inn."
Speaking of Deke Westcott, our picture this month is that of Eve and Deke, taken last summer at Bar Harbor. They represent the ultra as host and hostess, and the quicker you fellows get back to Hanover to meet them, the more enjoyable life will be.
Recent new addresses are as follows: Arthur D. Madalena, Metropolitan Life Insur- ance Co., 1200 Main Street, Springfield, Mass., residing at 49 Mayfield St., Springfield; Lelena S. Bullis, 1047 Florida St., Memphis 2, Tenn.; Spencer A. Howell, Box 101, Bolivar, Tenn.
The writer's program for this Spring is as follows: April, kick-off dinner for the Alumni Fund in Boston; May, Alumni Officers' Meeting in Hanover; June, Commencement and Hanover Holiday (perhaps some day the Drake family may be able to challenge the Hinmans and Sissons, but for us this is the June of Junes!)
THE WESCOTTS AT BAR HARBOR: Eve and Chet '14 as they relaxed on a sunny afternoon last summer, before moving their base of operations to the Hanover Inn.
Secretary, 88 Sea Street, North Weymouth, Mass.
Treasurer, 26 Garden Street, Potsdam, N. Y,
Class Agent, The Stanley Works, Bridgeport 7, Conn,
