1896

Your Secretary and Tom Ham are preparing a series of short sketches concerning the activities since graduation of living members of 1896. This is No. 1 of the series.

DAN LAKEMAN

When I graduated from College I little thought that my life work would be merchandising. In September of 1896 I got work in a Department Store in Manchester, N. H. at a salary of $5.00 per week. I paid $4.00 a week for board and room. At that time a serviceable suit could be had for $10.000 and shoes for $2.50 or three dollars.

On leaving Manchester I worked for several years in various department stores in several New England cities, and finally became Buyer of Ladies Ready to Wear for the Porteous, Mitchell & Braun Co. of Portland, Me. This was a young concern under very able management whose number of employees grew from 70 persons when I started to 325 when I retired. I well remember during my first three years in Portland, a woman customer from a near by town who always had a small boy clinging to her skirts—that boy was Rudy Vallee.

My duties called for a great deal of travelling in New York, Boston and other large cities. Not only to buy merchandise but to observe new business methods and conditions. As the years rolled by considerable work was thrust upon me as a representative of the store in the business and civic organizations of Portland. At one time I was Chairman of the Retail Division of the Chamber of Commerce—at another I was Chairman of the Budget Committee of the Portland Community Chest and for many years was Treasurer of the Cape Elizabeth Red Cross.

As the business grew I had to have several assistants who relieved me of much of the detail work so I could devote time to matters of Policy and Public Relations.

In 1925 I married Miss Margaret Merriam, who was one of my Assistants. After 39 years it seemed wise to retire while I still had my health.

For 25 years my home has been in the town of Cape Elizabeth about three miles from the center of Portland and one eighth of a mile from the entrance to its harbor. This location made it a splendid place to observe the many activities brought on by the War. First, great shipyards were built only two miles, away. The Navy established a North Atlantic Base in nearby Casco Bay. Portland's water front was filled with ships of many nations Strange looking Naval craft sneaked in and out of the Harbor and many submarines lurked nearby.

I have two hobbies—one my lawn the other fishing. It has taken a good many years to build up my lawn to its present excellence. Nowadays 1 do not supply the muscle for its care as I did for a long time. As for fishing, I think that my hand has lost its cunning since more get away than X catch I still love to go where the scenery is either wild or beautiful and where there is a possibility of getting a trout or a salmon.

During the late twenties and early thirties my wife and I spent our vacations camping in tents on shores of Moosehead Lake and along the West Branch of the Penobscot River. This is a wild country with many lakes, rivers and high mountains The many strange Indian names of lakes and streams in Maine have lured me into such out of the way places as Ripogenus—Sourdahunk—Seboomook—Kohadjo—Caucomgomoc and other places cin the Mt. Katahdin region. For the last dozen years I have become soft and go each year to a camp in the Rangeley Lake Region which I consider the most beautiful part of Maine.

I still retain my interest in football and get a great kick out of attending the local high school games. When the weather is inclement 1 go to the Portland Club and play Billiards and Pool.

I am indeed fortunate in having such good health, and to live where so many beauties of nature are near at hand.

DAN LAKEMAN '96 AS A STUDENT

DAN LAKEMAN '96 TODAY

Secretary, Treasurer and Class Agent, 21 Forest Rd., Cape Elizabeth 7, Me.