1896

Nelson Perley CoffinYour Secretary is happy to present a briefsketch of the career of Nelson P. Coffin and ofhis family.

Nelson was born of a musical family in Newport, N. H., June 10, 1873. He was graduated from Phillips Andover Academy and attended Colorado College and was a classmate in '96 for one year.

Judge Louis Cox writes me, "At the end of freshman year, I was leaving for Sugar Hill to work as assistant clerk in a hotel, and I bought of Nelson a cutaway suit, that being the accepted regalia for clerks in those days. He was leaving the College at the time."

After leaving Dartmouth, Nelson returned to Newport and, while employed in a local bank, directed his church choir, also choruses in Newport and surrounding towns, with no thought of music as his life work.

At the turn of the century he was called to the First Church in Keene, N. H., where he directed the choir for many years. He established a home in Keene.

Shortly thereafter he was invited to become assistant to Emil Mollenhauer, director of the Keene Chorus Club. In a few years he assumed the leadership of this chorus, and brought to Keene many of the world's finest soloists, presented at a mid-winter concert for male voices, and at a week's festival in May, thus establishing this small town as one of the musical centers of the country.

At this time he also had choruses in Vermont and Massachusetts, bringing to these concerts many famed artists.

He was also head of the Music departments of the Northfield Schools at East Northfield and Mt. Hermon, Mass. At the close of each school year, he conducted a Sacred Concert with 1200 voices in the chorus. These performances were indeed inspiring and far-famed.

In 1919 he was called to Worcester to conduct the Worcester Music Festival, said to be the oldest choral organization in the United States, and his name was added to a long list of distinguished musicians who had preceded him in this post.

In this same year he was invited to conduct the Mendelssohn Glee Club in New York, one of the oldest and finest male singing groups in the country.

Because his entire life and works were so strongly inspirational, he was mourned by countless numbers at his untimely death in New York City, on March 6, 1923. The world lost a wonderful man, and an accomplished musician. The places where his work took him and the people with whom it brought him in touch were permanently uplifted by his Ministry of Music.

Truly Nelson was one of the very talented men of our class. He had little formal training in music. He had the God-given inspiration. He reached the heights in choral music.

In a tribute to Nelson Coffin entitled GreatMan of Music, by Joseph M. Priaulx, the author wrote: "At the heart of his success was the intense belief that 'without music life would be a mistake.' From such philosophy evolved his high ideals, his mystical understanding of musical meaning, and his rare ability to transplant his dreams into the hearts of fellow-musicians and unto all who listened to his music."

Included in this small book on Nelson's life and achievements is also a tribute made by Judge Chester B. Jordan of Keene, a few days after Nelson's death: "He warmed the coldness of a typical New England community into enthusiasm. He broke through the selfish individuality ingrained in habits of generations with whom nature had been in constant and bitter combat. In the end he pierced the innate reserve of Anglo-Saxon self-consciousness and drew forth those fragile and delicate things which, for want of better name, we call the souls of men.. . . The tool which he chose for the completion of this purpose was music."

Now a word about Nelson's family. When Nelson died, far too early, his wife Josephine was left with three small children, ages 14, 10 and 9.

She and her oldest daughter Miriam still live in Keene during the summer, at 86 Forest St. They winter at Castle Hot Springs Hotel, Castle Hot Springs, Ariz. This is a delightful winter resort, developed and managed by Mrs. Coffin's brother. Miriam assists in the management. She was educated at Northfield and Wellesley.

Their second daughter Catherine was educated: at Northfield, graduating from the {Catherine Gibbs School. She is married to Prof. John Yarnelle, currently head of the department of Mathematics at Hanover College, Hanover, Ind. Mr.s. Coffin and Miriam visit Catherine on the way to and from Arizona. Many of the buildings of this college were designed by Mr. Larsen of Darthmouth.

Their son Nelson Jr. went to Phillips Andover, Storm King and Amherst. Mrs. Coffin writes me he was growing to be much like his talented father. He lost his life in a tragic automobile accident during his second year at Amherst.

NELSON PERLEY COFFIN '96

CLASSROOM MEMORIES: These professors who taught the Class of '97 some 55 years ago will figure in reminiscences at the class reunion, June 6-8. A few of the well-remembered teachers are (I to r): "Chuck" Emerson, "Johnny K" Lord, "Clothespins" Richardson, and "P-Vous" Pollens.

Secretary, 159 Park Ave., Arlington, Mass Treasurer and Class Agent, 21 Forest Rd., Cape Elizabeth, Me.