1902
There is still a feeling among many of the class that we should have an informal reunion in June 1954. Percy has written several times regarding our taking over the Norwich Inn for a few days. Personally I am highly in favor of having such a reunion provided it does not come too early. Never again would I come to our summer home in Maine so early in June. We nearly froze to death this year. George Elderkin, with his usual enthusiasm, writes, "The idea was and is that there should be no committee of any sort, that each man, who cannot resist the urge to return should be his own committee." George goes on to suggest that we have a class table reserved at the hotel where "each one would squander his ducats in response to inner craving." He suggests that we have seen enough commencements and we are really approaching the end. (Not me. I plan to live to at least 107.) He closes with almost poetic fervor, "I do solemnly swear that I shall betake what is left of me to the Dartmouth campus there to bask in the sunshine of pleasant memory." Good for you, George! There is a young fellow Kiwanian in New Smyrna Beach who speaks in cordial memory of our George under whom he had work at Princeton.
Percy wrote me the other day that he would get out letters to each classmate telling them of the investigation he and Watty had made of the possibility of our taking over the Norwich Inn. It was kind of him to relieve your secretary of such a heavy job. Do send in very prompt and affirmative answers. I know you would all like to see every classmate. They are a grand crowd.
Last spring came a note from Ned Redman; secretary of '06, enclosing a fetter from Fred. Someone in that class in which he tells that Roy Hatch "held a large audience for nearly an hour with a masterful address on Abraham Lincoln. Roy is a fine speaker." Roy also spoke before the Pullman, Wash., Kiwanis Club. Thank you, Ned, but it is nothing new to us, his classmates, that Roy can hold an audience with a masterful speech.
The ALUMNI MAGAZINE sent me in Florida a clipping from the New Hampshire SundayNews regarding a recently completed history of the town of Pittsfield, N. H. In the middle of the article is a really good picture of our Frank Drake. Yes, you have guessed it. Frank sponsored (financed?) this story of his native town. As ever, that fellow has done a kind and worthwhile thing. This, in spite of the fact that I am a bit sore at him. A Gulf Oil friend of mine tells me he met Frank in Orlando not long ago. The Colonel ought to know that I would gladly drive fifty miles any time to talk with him or, for that matter, any classmate.
A while ago there came a letter from R. H. Harding telling me of the "eight class" meeting in Boston. Boyl Wouldn't I have liked to be there! Here is hoping that a lot of you fellows went. I wrote and asked Dalrymple who lives in nearby Wellesley to take over the job of mailing out the notices to nearby classmates. No answer has come from Dal, so I judge he took over the work. If he didn't, I say condemn you shorter form —, Dal.
A note from Arba Irvin assures me that he really is retired. He spent a month in Florida and never let me know he was near. Condemn him, too! I think I have already given you all the happy news that Arba and the widow of dear Guy Abbott are very happily married. If you have not written to express your congratulations I urge you to do just that.
In May I had a letter from Burr Whitcher. Burr was full of regret that he had not written before but, he explains, in January he fell and broke his left wrist so writing was out of the question. (You may remember Burr is left handed.) Burr goes on to tell how much he he and Jessie enjoyed our fiftieth. Jessie says that it was like a second honeymoon.
One day last spring, "Pete" Fletcher '00 and Dick Plumer '10 with their wives drove into our yard. Pete has retired from college teaching in Wisconsin and has bought a home in Maitland, Fla. Dick lives in Orlando and teaches at Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla. We sat and yarned on our porch for hours, our tongues wagging at top speed. Isn't it remarkable how much three men of Dartmouth can find to talk about even when their classes cover a spread of ten years.
This is being written at our summer home in Brunswick, Maine. A couple of weeks ago we met Helen and Frank Halliday '01 in town and went to a summer theatre in Monmouth. We greatly enjoyed the show and it is always a joy to be with Frank and Helen but I nearly died, of regret and disappointment when I got home and found a note from George andMrs. Elderkin. Wasn't that rotten luck to have two happy occasions conflict?
You came through fairly well in meeting the class quota for the Alumni Fund. Thanks to kind, loyal Frank Drake our quota was fully met. Roy did a wonderful job as class agent, as he ever has. If every man in the class gave to his limit, we would not be so dependent on the generosity of just a few men to meet our objective. Do you know that the Alumni Fund this year came to a total of over $670,000?
Stella and I celebrated my 75th birthday this week by driving over to see Mr. and Mrs.
"Pete" Fletcher '00 at their summer home at Lake Stinson in New Hampshire. The next day we drove on with them to their permanent home in the village of Groton, Vermont. Yes, I said 75th. I still don't believe it. It just isn't possible. Same hopes, same fears, same joys, same regrets as I had fifty years ago.
Here! Here! I have already exceeded my word allowance and the editor bless him will begin cutting down. There are so many things I would still like to say.
God bless and keep you, every one.
Secretary, Gurnet Bridge, Brunswick, Me. Treasurer and Bequest Chairman 73 Tremont St., Boston 8, Mass.
