1905
Our second interim reunion, July 10-12, proved once again to be a very happy, delightful occasion. As Sliver Hatch has given a good account of the affair in his 1905 Reporter, your secretary needs only to fill in a few details that Sliver has not included. For instance, several of us crossed the river Saturday forenoon, at C.C.'s invitation, and enjoyed ourselves at the famous Norwich Fair. While mentioning the delightful and informal parties given by the MacMillans and the Blatners, Sliver failed to include the pleasant entertainment engineered by Alva and himself.
An item that must not be omitted was the brief business meeting which followed the dinner at the Inn. Those who attended the Fair enjoyed it so much that it was voted to have our next year's reunion, as this year and last, at the time of the Norwich Fair. Of real interest to every member of the class was the unanimous vote to raise our class dues to 56.00 for the next two years. Our genial and efficient treasurer, Gib Fall, cited the following reasons for the up-hike: (1) increased price of the ALUMNI MAGAZINE; (2) decreasing numbers in the class; (3) need for a good backlog to meet expenses in connection with the 50th reunion and our projected book of "profiles" of each member of the class; (4) increase in number of widows to whom we send the MAGAZINE.
In the two minute talks given by each member of the class at the dinner, Andy Mac-Millan set the keynote on the theme of the value of hobbies for all of us. His is roses. Andy, by the way, has been elected President of the New England Ophthalmological Society, a real honor. Many, like "Camp" Campbell, found themselves busier than ever, in spite of retirement. Ed Gilbert, notwithstanding the loss by fire of his chemical plant, was looking eagerly toward the future.
Inadvertently the names of a few who were with us at the reunion were omitted in the Reporter account: Charlie and JessieBrooks, Cliff and Phoebe Pierce and Ann Reid. We were particularly glad to see the Pierces, Blatners, A'ourses, Smiths (Allen and wife) and May Richardson because they had not been with us last year. We were sorry to miss a few of our last year's group.
Among the latter were Bob and Edna Falconer. They sent greetings from Yellowstone Park on their way to the far Northwest.
Through an error in the matter of dates, Solon Cornish arrived in Hanover too late for the reunion. We are sorry to have missed him, but he found Tub Besse, C. C. Hills and a few others still at the Inn and apparently had a pleasant time.
As for news aside from the reunion, TommyWiswall, distinguished Cape Cod physician, was honored by the Falmouth Rotary Club with a large birthday cake on the occasion of his 70th birthday. Tommy is still practicing, though suffering from a back ailment. GibFall is a member of the yacht racing committee of the club of the large lake where he summers. My informant, Royal Parkinson, tells me Gibs yacht is a row boat with presumably Florence as captain. Gib's garden is a joy with its abundant variety of produce.
The Roger Browns visited the northeastern-most corner of the U. S. A. in mid-August.
The Portland Sunday Telegram had an interesting article featuring Ned Estes and his experiences in Turkey. Included is a cut of Ned with some of the artifacts that he brought back from the near East.
Another of our classmates to receive merited publicity is Harry Peyser. In a leading article in the New Hampshire Profiles of July of this year, Judge Peyser is written up in a lively style. Pictures appear showing Harry not only on the bench, but busy at his favorite sport of bowling.
One matter of interest in regard to the eight-class dinner in Boston last May. When Governor Channing Cox announced the retirement of Bob Harding as manager of that annual event (to be succeeded by SliverHatch) Channing paid a fine tribute to Bob and the company present showed its appreciation of Bob's excellent work by rising and standing.
Charlie Brooks, though handicapped by asthma, continues to operate his milk and egg business at full speed. In 1952 his herd was ranked first in the county for quality of milk and stood in the top 10% nationally.
The class has been hit rather hard by deaths. Harry Dennison died May 9, Arlington Clow June 24, and Bill Knibbs July G. So inevitably do our ranks lessen! The class was represented at Bill Knibbs' funeral by Besse,Graves, Hobart and Preis.
You have, we trust, received the new class directories. Your secretary is sorry that some errors crept in, despite painstaking care. Of course, too, changes take place even (luring the process of printing. Will you please make the following corrections in your booklets: Add M.D. after Cornish and Wiswall and change McCabe's D.D.S.(!) to M.D. Wilmol's address is now Box 1185, Bethlehem, Pa. Of course, Knibbs and Clow have to be placed under "Deceased." Cunningham has no P.O. Box number; his R.F.D. is #1. Your secretary will appreciate receiving any further corrections.
WHO'S WHO IN '05
John H. Furfey
Bom in the now witchless city of Salem, Mass., graduate of Brookline (Mass.) High School, grandson of a Cambridge, Mass., rug manufacturer, and son of a plumbing estimator, John Furfey came to Dartmouth to join the famous Class of 1905. Dignified and reserved, but witty, he-was conscientious, a good thinker and a young man of character and convictions. His example was good. The eldest son of a family of seven, he worked diligently to gain an education as soon as possible. He succeeded sooner than most, was an honor student in French, and completed his courses to graduate in February of our senior year. He devoted the remaining half year to teaching in the grammar school in Hanover. Just then his father died.
Having decided to make his career in teaching, and needing experience in order to be accepted in city schools, he sought to gain this by teaching in small towns. He started teaching in a private school a military academy in Norwalk, Conn., which gave Mr. Furfey the needed experience. Here he gave himself unsparingly to the interest of the boys, teaching them baseball, a favorite sport of his, and other athletics, working with no regard to the 40-hour week.
After three years of this all-around experience, John Furfey took the examinations for a teaching position in the Boston schools and qualified. As the only vacancy available was in the commercial courses in high school, he accepted that and proceeded to train himself in this new field. He taught summer school at Suffolk Law School and studied law there evenings for four years. In 1920 he was admitted to the bar but never practiced law. He received a Master of Education degree from Harvard in 1927. For 37 years he was a teacher and master in South Boston High School. He taught not only commercial subjects, including commercial law, but also athletics. Moreover, in order to increase his income he taught evening classes in Boston schools in winter, giving himself little or no rest, and working tirelessly.
Toward the end of his long tenure, painful arthritis began to overtake him, until, at retirement time, he had become severely crippled and beyond medical help. For the last eight years, parts of which time he spent in hospitals, he gained some freedom from pain, but none from the distortion and paralysis of arms and legs. He spends his days in a wheel chair in his Newtonville, Mass., home, reading widely, keeping up with the news, listening to his favorite games of baseball and watching the better television shows. Helpless in almost every other respect, he is dependent upon the patient and devoted care of his wife Edith.
John Furfey's long teaching career was characterized by not only a scholarly mastery of subjects, but by a sincerity of interest in teaching the whole pupil, in mind, body and character. He shared his pupils' interest in recreation. He dispensed wisdom along with quiet humor. Through all his tribulations Mr. Furfey has kept up his devotion to Dartmouth, her hall games in Boston, her needs and '05 reunions and correspondence.
In 1919 Edith Nagle, a bright and charming girl of Brookline, Mass., sister of William S. Nagle '16, and John were married. Of their two children, John Jr., Dartmouth '44 and Boston University Law School, is now studying Russian at Georgetown University in Washington, having recently returned from an assignment in Germany. At college he was a varsity soccer player and in war he was a meteorologist in Iran — rather exceptional qualifications for the law! Muriel (Mrs. John Barrett Wolff) a graduate of Regis College, lives in Chicago after serving several years as a transcontinental hostess, sometimes also flying to Europe. Her husband is an attorney.
An occasional visitor in the now quiet Furfey home, at 164 Harvard St., Newtonville, will find this nice couple cheerfully making the best of their great handicaps. Edith has an interest in antiques which she cannot indulge. Together the Furfeys have made this a better world. They have given their all for others. There is no law against dropping them a card now and then.
INTERIM REUNION: A goodly number of the Class of '05 celebrated being together again in Hanover at informal reunion, July 10-12. Several members crossed the bridge to take in the Norwich Fair.
Secretary, 358 North Fullerton Ave., Upper Montclair, N. J. Treasurer, 8027 Seminole Ave., Philadelphia 18, Pa Bequest Chairman,
