1911
Treasurer, SARGENT F. EATON Howland Dry Goods Co., Bridgeport 2, Conn.
Good morning: Whilst Sec. Prof. Dean Nat (and) "B" are touring Turin, let us have fun. The following letters (you guess) were written 40 years ago.
A. "Immediately upon returning to Albany after Commencement exercises, I went into the law offices of Countryman, Nellis & Du- Bois to read law. I have been there ever since. I also have attended (and am now in my second year at) the Albany Law School. I managed to 'get through' last year all right, mainly (I think) through previous experience as to just how much work was required for 'getting through.'
"This year I have a position as teacher in the Albany Night High School. I am supposed to teach Commercial English. With truly monumental nerve I have so far bluffed it very well, and have come to the conclusion that ability to bluff is an absolute necessity for a teacher. With a book before me, and by assuming an attitude of knowledge, I have been able so far to convince the class that I am a teacher.
"Outside of the monthly luncheons held by the Dartmouth alumni here, and the chance meeting of a few Dartmouth men who are forced to stay in Albany overnight, my only personal knowledge of Dartmouth affairs has been gained at the Harvard game of last year, and that at William stown this season. I certainly was pleased on a couple of occasions to be called up by a member of our class and only wish that such calls would come more often.
"Like everybody else, I knocked a chair or two over the other day making a start for the campus when I heard Clark's 'eleven up.' Am something over 3000 miles away, but I got there just the same, without letting much of a mob pass me, I hope. In fact, I get out on the old campus pretty often, although it's been three long years since I set foot on the grass there.
"When not loafing about the campus, I spend my time out in an obscure corner of Montana, where wilderness is still pretty much King. The country is new and rough, the valley of the Yellowstone, where nothing much has been done but fighting Indians, hunting buffalo, and in later days, cattle and sheep herding, since it was first explored by Lewis and Clark (not Josh, but his grandfather, I presume). It is now being overrun by new settlers, of which I and a brother are a couple, who practice 'dry' farming. This term means that it is pretty sober business in the way of hard work, besides being done without irrigation. I may say in passing, that our crops, in a small way, turned out first class this season and we feel as old 'agricolae' or Cincinnatus, though neither of us had put a seed in the ground before. As the land, to the extent of a half section, is the personal gift of Uncle Sam, it makes a fair way for anyone who has an itch for a few years of rough life to get hold of a ranch or farm at moderate expense. Any way, it's not a bad place to pass a holiday or vacation, and as no one bothers about invitations out here, just drop into our 'bunk house' any dark night and stay as long as you want. We never sleep above five in a bed, nor make fun of a fellow who can't down his 20 flapjacks, even if a pair of sox has happened to fall off the line into the griddle just before.
"Of course, life is not very thick with incidents, but there's a whole lot in every one's experience out here which would not be unpleasant to listen to around a warm fireplace between puffs, even if it would not seem of enough moment to have set down in print.
"This winter I am dominie of a country school.
"Hope this much about myself will given me admission to the whole lot. I wish to hear about everybody else and the loved mother, whose wing I still feel as warm as ever, though I have grown a little rusty in news of her and many of the fellows."
C. "I am one of three Dartmouth 1911 men who are studying law at Columbia Law School.
"Although the study of law has occupied the largest portion of my time, there have still remained a few precious moments to visit the Dartmouth Club, or to help 'Wally' Ross out in his efforts to entertain and get into line the high school boys around New York City, by telling a few of my worn-out stories and old recitations. And when sufficiently dared, I have even been known to 'speak a piece' long familiar as 'O'Grady's Goat.' It usually 'gets' that of Jim Willard, if he happens to be in the audience. And Jim is nearly always on hand; you know he is a special correspondent or representative or editor - I'm not sure which - for William Randolph Hearst.
"Allow me to digress from this personal narrative long enough to speak a word of pride and appreciation of the loyalty and enthusiasm shown by the 1911 men in New York, especially in regard to the Dartmouth Club. I'm sure its officers will bear me out in this. Last year the '11 men in New York gathered several times for an informal dinner and a good old-fashioned 'beef.'
"Of course, like the rest of you, I have heard occasionally from the men whom circumstances made my closer friends. I have been a delinquent correspondent myself. But I here by serve due notice upon the class that a reasonable number of you are going to be bored with a letter from me during the current year. I hope you have made similar resolutions as regards me.
"I am looking forward anxiously to the reunion of 1914. I had planned on going up in 1912, but my intentions were thwarted by business demands. But nothing is going to keep me from being on hand in 1914. I want to see you all, and I especially want to see "Cap" Hedges' 'class-baby.' I understand that "Hen Seaver was the co-author of a prodigy who was the closest kind of a second in the 1911 'stakes.' Congratulations and heartiest good wishes to both.
"My best wishes to all, and expressing my hopes of seeing most of you again in 1914, or at any rate at the decennial reunion."
D. "Like the genial George Washington, I cross the Delaware every morning to plod away on 'jimmy pipe' literature, and other notorious advertising dope connected with N. W. Ayer and Son. The 'Ayer Line' is the oldest and largest in the United States, and I hope nearly as speedy in the way of reaching advertising success as its name would imply. At least, that is what other Dartmouth men have said. Since I believe 'it is a long lane that has no ash barrell,' I am still at it. With best wishes for every member of 1911."
E. "I was with Budd two and one-half years and left them this year, to go with these people. Trusting that our class will be a howling success."
A. Sam Aronowitz B. Gene Fuller C. Austin Keough D. Jim Mathes E. TedO'Leary.
Chub Sterling has received Printers Ink's first Annual Advertising Award for "Distinguished Personal Services to Advertising" great! Steve Rossiter retires to Nova Scotia happy fishing! Stan Macomber has retired good listening!
Alumni Fund time is here. Hope to write you all as soon as recent elbow operation permits—fell out of my office chair. Mean while send along your checks early, please. Thanks so much, as always.
Notes Editor, 84 State St., Boston 9, Mass. Secretary, Tuck School, Hanover, N. H.
