1895

This fifth day of October is the dead-line for class secretaries. Charles Edward Widmayer '30 must be a good family man. He doubtless is right on time for his meals and is a strict disciplinarian in his family in a kindly way.

This outburst, on the part of a class secretary of many years' service is sincerely complimentary.

Therefore I am hastening to compose the notes before I consume my noon meal and drive to Hanover, today before Charlie goes home for the day.

I have before me the first '95 Class Report and the first printed letter is from Frank EAustin. I reproduce it by way of direct quotation.

Hanover, N. H., April 14, 1896 "My dear Sir:

"Procrastination seems to be a quality inherent to my psychological and physiological development.

"Born a few years too late for any ambitious propensities to assert themselves in the late war, entering Dartmouth too late to graduate with '94, and doubtless writing this short exhortium too late to be of any use to you or my fellow beings and classmates as I before indicated, procrastination is really late-nt to my system.

"My Alma Mater, at the close of the four years of necessary application (in order for me to pay $8 for a diploma written in a language which it is unfortunate I cannot read) sawthat the world was not yet old enough to receive me into its cruel embrace, and, therefore, as an inducement to prepare my ignorant nature, most graciously conferred upon me the honor of a fellowship in Physics.

"I think the above, with the imaginative additions of various short journeys which you can readily supply, will answer your first question.

"The future always offers a very indulgent secrecy to my perambulatory career, and to assume any definite course that might be pursued would be like 'crying for other worlds to conquer' or to recast the moulds of fate.

"The following men have run across my line of vision: Cochran, E. R. Davis, Bugbee, McIndoe, West, Woodbury, Wheeler, Letteney, Rice, Stevens, Bacon, Emery, Gerould, Langmaid.

"Your fourth question, alas! is like the one which has been so prominently before science: 'What is electricity?' and like it, while a child might ask it, the greatest philosophers of this or any other time have failed to answer.

"When I would have spoken there has been no audience, and when the audience was present I have generally been too full for utterance. For the next President I am unanimously in favor of Pat Mitchell. Personally I should prefer the first reunion to take place in '97.

"The X-ray subject is getting pretty well aired. I enclose a picture of the bones of my hand, taken with an exposure of four minutes, which is about ten times as rapid as when we first began.

"Now, while I could write volumes about myself, telling of what I don't know, of what I cannot do, of the high and noble aspirations to be what I have not, am not now, and never shall be, I refrain. Yours in the bonds of '95, F. E. Austin."

Secretary, White River Junction, Vt. Treasurer, 10 Occom Ridge, Hanover, N. H. Bequest Chairman,