1914
This is the annual Sno-bird issue, and following last year's precedent, we are selecting a new face among the Sno-birds as our guest writer. John Hazen very kindly agreed to give his impressions to us, and here they are.
"Men of 191.4 must have been born under the right zodiac signs—at least the 22 who formed the group in Hanover for the 1952 Sno-bird party. The weather man had made ominous predictions of snow, rain and sleet for the week-rend, but, except for a few flurries on the way north, the weather was ideal. Veterans of this party claim there is always good weather, and the only thing that a driver has to watch for is 'frost heaves,' or there will be a bump of the head to equal the one on the road.
"Dorothy and Rufe Sisson were taking no chances on that deer meat not being there on time, and signed the register Wednesday, ready to welcome the others to the cheerful fires of the Inn lobby the next day. The group was especially glad to see Walter LeCount and his 'bride,' who now live near the Humphreys in New Rochelle, after years of banking in the Far East. While the 'l4ettes assembled in Adele Ives' room for a get-together on Friday night, the following, in addition to the above mentioned, took over Room 1: Aborn, Austin, Ham Barnes, Batchelder, Conners, Daley,Drake, Hazen, Herlihy, Humphrey, Johnson, Kimball, Nichols, Noble, Piane, Remsen and Woodies.(Fred Davidson too was very much in evidence.) The Secretary immediately started the initiation of the neophytes by selecting one of the newcomers to a Sno-bird party to become scribe of the party log. This may be a relief to him, but it is hard on the class members who are used to his well-edited notes.
"Friday night is sons' night. The number is dropping, but the quality is there—with a Noble, Davidson, Nichols, Sullivan and Slater. The consensus of opinion was that we did better in providing dinner for our 'girls' at The Hovey Grill that night than we did for ourselves and sons at The Inn.
"Adjourning to Room 1, we all listened to a short talk by Rufe Sisson, which was mostly reminiscent of the old days, after which Walt Humphrey took over and in his inimitable and entertaining way, told the story of his painting of the Eleazar Wheelock murals in the grill. He does as well with words as he does with paints—color and humor and imagination in both.
"Like all reunions—some of the pleasantest memories are those of the informal get-togethers between the more formal, scheduled meetings. Tall stories were heard in this room or that far into the night. No wonder the class meeting the next day was a half hour late in starting.
"Here it was decided to consolidate the sons' meeting with the celebrated Sno-bird banquet. Ernie Kimball was appointed chairman of a committee together with Drake, Remsen and Sisson and one other to be appointed by Ernie, to screen the guest list for next year's banquet, with the idea of reducing the number of guests heavily, and of rotating some. Ducky again suggested that some members of the class might like to provide books for the Library in memory of close friends who died before it was a custom of the class as a unit to do this, rather than to send flowers. He will be glad to send to you the list of deceased members, which now reaches an even hundred. He reported ten deaths since the last reunion, and seven since the last Sno-bird party. Charlie Batchelder brought us up to date on the finances of the class.
"Many different means were offered to work up an appetite for the banquet. Some saw Yale break four Spaulding Pool records. Others watched the inter-scholastic ski jumpers in the vale. Others found errands to do in White River or 'Leb.'
"The Dartmouth 'Brass,' with their wives, and other invited guests joined with the 'l4ers as guests of Mart and Mrs. Remsen, for cocktails in The Inn lounge. Unfortunately, President and Mrs. Dickey and Dean and Mrs. Neidlinger could not be present, but were officially represented by Stearns Morse, Dean of Freshmen. Warner and Mrs. Bentley, Rocky Flanders and his daughter here augmented our class numbers. 1914 "Was in Town Again' and had taken over!
"The chef had been primed on just how to cook Sisson's venison, the rich dark gravy, the wild rice, the crispness of Conners' pheasants, and Jack, of course, brought with him his famous orange sauce. Pressed duck at the famous Tour d'Argent Restaurant on the Seine would have taken second place in the minds of all gourmets. Incomparable is the word for these Sno-bird banquets. You should plan to be there in 1953.
"After Jack Conners' brief words of welcome, Ross McKenney delighted us with several Canuck stories—all with plenty of flavor. Dean Morse, in a handsome scarlet waist-coat with brass buttons, spoke on behalf of the College. He said that as usual, as Dean of Freshmen, he was for the Class of 1955, but certainly second in his esteem, no class ranked higher than 1914. Informal singing, with Walt Humphrey at the piano, and the delightful rich contralto voice of Mrs. Davidson, wife of Prof. Arthur Davidson, who were guests of one of our members, brought the Sno-bird banquet to a happy close.
" 'Where, oh where are the pea green Freshmen —you wondered as you gazed over the campus on the bright Sunday morning following. A few were undoubtedly in the big gang of students that volunteered, in return for coffee and do-nuts, to clear Main and Wheelock Streets of the three feet of snow that covered the parking meters. No 'l4ers were evident in this gang—at least as far as this scribe could see."
Highlights and sidelights. It was a joy to park where you wanted to—meters buried in snow but now all uncovered for the 1923 week-end the next week. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and 1923 is celebrating its first annual mid-winter gathering, as these notes are being written.
In spite of rumors to the contrary, the cost of Sno-bird to the individuals is not great. Each member this year paid for one and onehalf guests, at a total cost o£ around three dollars. Next year, with many less sons in college, the guest list will be smaller, and as John said, will be combined into one large banquet. Many of the old timers and guests felt that this was perhaps the most successful party of them all,—surely the Saturday night banquet was far ahead of all others.
MEMORIAL PORTRAIT: Honoring the late Henry E. Atwood '13, a painting by Frances C. Greenman (I), Minneapolis artist, hangs in the Directors' Room of'the First National Bank, Minneapolis. Edgar F. Zelle, chairman of the board, is at the right.
Secretary, 88 Sea Street, North Weymouth 91, Mass. Treasurer, 165 Marlboro St., Wollaston, Mass. Class Agent, 152 Stuyvesant Pl., Staten Island, N. Y
