The Golden Reunion of 1900
THE CLASS OF 1900 has a reputation for successful reunions, and that record was not belied by its fiftieth, which was generally pronounced to be one of the most pleasant in the long list of such gatherings. To put first things first, it was successful in attendance, with the following with us during the whole or a part of the festivities: Mrs. Atwood, Mr. and Mrs. Barrows, Dr. and Mrs. Bigelow, Dr. and Mrs. Brooks, Mr. and Mrs. Brown, Dr. and Mrs. Butterfield, John Condit, Cristy, Dr. and Mrs. Dodd, Dunlap, Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher, Mr. and Mrs. Fowler, Mr. and Mrs. Goodhue, Hadlock, Hastings, Mr. and Mrs. Hayden, their daughter and her husband and a grandchild, Jackson, Jenkins, his daughter (the class baby) and her son and daughter, Jennings, Mrs. Long, Mahoney and his daughter, Manion, Dr. and Mrs. Marshall, his son, and their foster daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Mathes, Mr. and Mrs. Moody, Newton, Mr. and Mrs. Paddock, Prescott, Putnam, Mr. and Mrs. Proctor, Mr. and Mrs. Rankin, their daughter and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. Richardson, their son and his wife and son, Mr. and Mrs. Roberts, Mr. and Mrs. Sampson, Mrs. Sanborn, Sears, Teague, Mrs. Tibbetts, Mr. and Mrs. Tirrell, Mr. and Mrs. Trull, Mrs. D. D. Tuttle, L. W. Tuttle and Miss West, Virgin, Wallace and his son, Dr. and Mrs. Warden, Dr. and Mrs. Woodman. That makes 85 according to the count of the secretary, of whom 40 are members of the class. Of the 45 living graduates, 36 were present, putting the class far in the lead for the 1894 Cup (largest attendance of living graduates)
by the almost unexampled percentage of 80%.
Due to the increased size of the class and to other demands made upon it, the Hanover Inn is no longer able to accommodate all the 50-year men and their families, so we were divided between it and our old quarters in Massachusetts Hall. In some respects this was unfortunate, but the use of the Ski Hut in the rear of the Inn as a place of assembly enabled us to get together effectively.
The first event was the cocktail party on Friday afternoon. It was very hot, but clear, and 1900's own Outing Club House and its grounds never appeared to better advantage. Because of the heat, because it was the fiftieth or for some other reason, the alcoholic part of the entertainment seemed less popular than at some periods in the past and the committee found itself at the end with a considerable supply of excess material, of which, however, it eventually found a way of disposing. The less stimulating but more cooling punch was more in demand. Old acquaintances were renewed and soon 72 of us partook of one of Miss Gill's best buffet suppers. At 8 we adjourned to the reception of President and Mrs. Dickey, in the spacious grounds of the president's house. Then to the Ski Hut where, after something of a wait which was filled as of yore by Cut Tirrell on the piano, a showing was made of the latest Dartmouth College films, which was much enjoyed by all.
On Saturday morning, still fair and hot, we assembled at the Ski Hut for the class meeting, held every five years. The existing group of officers, by adroit management, bribery of the nominating committee and other machine methods, succeeded in securing a report favoring their own re-election, the report being presented by Jim Woodman. Moreover that report was finally ratified, after some scurrilous remarks, by the class as a whole. For Walter Rankin that made his eleventh successive election, the first having been in 1900. The class then adjourned to the lawn for a photograph, an occasion of conversation and good cheer and of great harassment to the photographer, who, however, with imperturbable good nature, finally succeeded in producing a permanent record of our personal appearance. Then, abandoning the ladies, we proceeded to the lawn before the gymnasium, where we were guests at a buffet luncheon given by the College and that was followed by the meeting of the Alumni Association on the main gymnasium floor. Here Walter was called to the platform to receive the 1894 Cup. The class was represented by the secretary in the annual 50-year address. It will be found on another page in this issue of the MAGAZINE. The oratory succeeded in bringing down, if not the house, at least the heavens in a violent rainstorm which somewhat marred, it is said, the baseball game with Holy Cross, late in the afternoon.
In the evening 71 of us assembled in the Hovey Grill, Thayer Hall, where an excellent beefsteak dinner was served to us by Mrs. Hay ward. This is the first time that the class has ever permitted their wives and families to attend the regular class dinner, an experiment which was pronounced a success, only a few of the most dour misogynists wishing to add the amendment "if not done more than once in 50 years." Walter Rankin did his usual good job as toastmaster. President Dickey, the first to be called upon, spoke of the favorable reaction of the present administration to the class. Loring Dodd told of his work at Clark and related anecdotes of the interesting people he had met in connection with a course of public lectures, concerts, etc., given under his direction for many years by the university. Pete Fletcher told the story of his lifework as a school teacher, culminating in his long service at the Oshkosh State Teachers College. Arthur Roberts and Baron Mahoney gave talks in a serious vein, sensible and thought-provoking, as usual. Harry Sampson told us in detail of the necessity of increased funds for the College, particularly for scholarships. Charles Proctor spoke in an amusing vein and the secretary talked as usual, introducing at the end a note of sadness by reading the names of the fifteen among us who have died since the reunion of 1945. Then, changing his role and making a much more brilliant speech because all the data were supplied to him by Clarence McDavitt, whom he represented, he told of the financial contributions of the class to the College in the fifty years of its graduate existence.
Mary Mahoney asked the privilege of toasting the class on behalf of the wives and families present. Mary was witty and interesting but here the class passed into one of its occasional periods of complete dumbness, when she said that she had been proud because the initials of her name, Mary Cornelia Mahoney, always seemed to establish an intimate connection between herself and her father's class. At the time only Joe Manion and the secretary saw the point and laughed; the faces of the others showed only uneasy perplexity. However, as the evening continued and through the next day, the countenances of individuals lighted up from time to time as they solved the enigma. Not all are yet heard from, but the secretary expects to learn by letter that enlightenment has finally extended to all present.
On Sunday a respectable number assembled for the march to the commencement exercises in the Bema, where we occupied seats on the
platform. It was a sunny day but, by a normal freak of New England weather, one better adapted for fur caps, parkas and woolen mittens than for the garb generally worn at this time. Following that we had our final dinner at the Outing Club House, with 60 present. Here again the food was of the finest quality, in fact throughout the reunion we ate more and far better food than is altogether proper to our septuagenarian status. And so, on this note of eating, our most successful reunion came to a close.
Mention should be made of the exhibit of 1900 memorabilia in the Baker Library. Eight wall cases were filled with material, divided as follows. I, The faculty of our day with the class picture of freshman year. 11, Pictures of the class as undergraduates, with only six of the 165 missing. 111, Athletics, 1896-1900. IV, Other undergraduate activities. V, Reunions and round-ups. VI, Publications. VII and VIII, Personal achievements. In addition, a horizontal case contained records of the class fund, and another a complete collection of class reports.
We were glad of the presence of a number of our members not in the best of health, who made great exertions to be present. Ned Brown came from Windsor, Vt., for the picture and then returned for the class dinner. JohnWarden emerged from the Veterans Hospital the day before and was also present at the picture and at the Sunday dinner. HenryTeague, who has been staying at the Inn for some time, was with us at certain events. JohnMoody, who has been having a tough time this winter but who is now measurably recovered, was with us accompanied by his wife, whom we met for the first time. Mrs. AlvahFowler, confined to a wheel chair with a broken ankle in a heavy cast, was the most cheery of all. Of course the absence of Clarence McDavitt was deeply regretted—the first reunion that he had ever missed. A member of the committee, he had to do with the planning of the affair and with the enjoyment that others derived from it. But it seemed wise to his friends and at the very last moment to Clarence himself not to expose himself to the excitement and bustle of the occasion. And we were sorry at the absence of President Hopkins, who had accepted our invitation to come many months ago, but whom none of us could expect to be present in view of his recent bereavement.
Thus endeth the story of the fiftieth. We had a good time.
GOOD TALK in the Hanover Inn garden was one of the greatest pleasures of 1900's golden reunion. Members of the class shown (I to r) are Paddock, standing, Marshall, Dunlap, Brown and Hayden.
THF MEN WHO GRADUATED AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY return after seeing half of it pass by. Those members of 1900 who celebrated their 50 I in Hanover this June are (I to r): First row (seated on ground)-Wallace, Sears, Proctor, Jackson, Putnam, V.rg.n, Marshall. Second row («°ted) Rankin Teague, Hayden, Paddock, Prescott, Manion, Fowler, Cristy, Woodman, Hastings, Hadlock, Bigelow, Roberts, Brown, Brooks, War en. ir (standingV-Mathes, Dodd, Tirrell, Fletcher, Mahoney, Goodhue, Trull, Tuttle, Butterfield, Sampson, Richardson, Jenkins, Newton, Moody, Jenn.ngs, Barrows.
CLASS SECRETARY
