1909

Thomas Cedric Wellsted, who came to Hanover from Cleveland, was one of the resourceful members of our class. Whenever he felt the need for extra dough he'd come up with some kind of luminous idea that brought in the shekels. That urge must have hit him along about fall of our senior year, for he grabbed off a sizeable bundle of the green stuff as his share in the issue of a sensational news sheet titled The Hanover Hydrophobia. The underwriters boldly proclaimed on the first page that it was "Printed by Grafters for Their Own Benefit."

The scarehead on page I was "PRESIDENCY DECIDED UPON." Then the subhead, "After Debate Lasting Almost Two Years, Trustees Name the New President." The then President Tucker must have wondered what the pitch was until he read that it was the "South Boston Business College" they were talking about, and that the new president was the ex-pug, John L. Sullivan. Page 1 had a secondary scarehead, "ERIC FOSTER DEAD" followed in small type "tired of studying in Europe." Eric the Red, as he was called on account of his red beard, will be remembered as professor of history in our day. This news item was purported to have been cabled from Munich while Eric was taking his sabbatical year.

On Page 3 was a splash, "Schildmiller Refuses to Play Baseball" and in small type,"During the Winter Months." "Mr. GeorgeBismarck Schildmiller," the story continued,"captain of next year's varsity ball team, recently showed his opinion of professionalathletics when he positively refused to pitchduring the winter months for the Shamrockteam in the Cuban Molasses League. Thegenial German will in all probability be seenin his accustomed position on the Alumnipond next spring."

It whetted the curiosity to read "SEVERAL PROFESSORS FIRED their kitchen helpthis past summer"DARTMOUTH COLLEGE TO ADMIT WOMEN STUDENTS - to the Privileges of the Library and Museum"; "HANOVER INN TO HAVE A BAR - is theWish of Some of the Townspeople"; that "HAMP HOWE REFUSES TO WEAR SOCKS - with Holes in the Heel"; "SCANDAL OX OCCOM RIDGE - Horrified Residents see Skeet go Swimming in Pond Chases through Golf Links." The Skeet referred to was not "Skeet" Tibbetts, the registrar, but his dog who had the same nickname.

In a feature titled "Town Topics," news was given out that "Chief of Police Gauthier is slowly recovering from an attack of nervous prostration caused by overwork in connection with his duties." That "The electric lightingplant announces that it will guarantee electric lights for the evening meal hour, and from 9 to 9:15 so the student body can see to undress."

Society News of the Day

A social column was not overlooked by these enterprising reporters, as may be witnessed by these items: "Mr. and Mrs. Sylvester Friganza, on the occasion of the wake of Mr. Friganza's uncle Michael, held recently in Canaan, announced the engagement of their daughter, Lemonita, to Mr. Henry Bassett Whitcomb of Newton, Mass. The bride is well known, having been for many years leading soubrette in the 'Merry Grass Widows' Burlesque Co. The groom is prominent in both Hanover and Newton social circles."

"Mr. Ralph Lauris Theller of Cambridge, got a haircut last week. Ah there, Ralph."

"Mr. P. Minot Chase of taxicab fame, was seen recently wearing a 60-horsepower tiger skin vest. Mr. Chase denies that his taste in literature guides his choice of haberdashery."

"The College Club, through its board of governors, has decided to extend the courtesies of the grill-room to the student body on December 25. On that day food will be served free of charge to all those who can get inside."

A sad note was injected by reporting that Old Si, the aged canine friend of Tony, the Hot Dog man, was no more. "He passed away when he saw Chief Gauthier walking fast."

The entire issue was sold out in jig time, and at ten cents a copy, no less. I imagine the boys made a handsome profit after paying for the printing. At least, it was handsome in those days, when a buck was worth about three of today's dollars.

The account in the February MAGAZINE of the Society Circus brought forth comment from Warren Cram Agry '11, the assistant ring master. Sez Warren: "I recall riding a horse behind Nay lor in the parade, and not having been on one before, I never did know what the d—ed (mustn't say the naughty word) animal was going to do. You are right Jess Hawley was in the tumbling act and his tumbling mate, if I remember correctly, was Ted Smith '10.

"You had left college when, in the following year, Bill Carlisle and I had the Circus concession and nearly went broke, due to the abortive class royalty that Chairman Jim Mathes 'u wrote into our contract, plus a downpour of rain that nearly wrecked the show entirely. It also washed so much paint down the throat of our lady trapeze artist (Carl Pfau '13) that 'she' got sick and all but refused to go on."

Warren is leading the good life, spending part of his time in New York where he's assistant to the publisher of American Home magazine, and part in the vicinity of Hanover where he's got a farm up on Etna Hill.

Classmate Nut Root was doing some gloating when he sent me a clipping from the Chicago Tribune to the effect that Lawrence F. (Shorty) Stern '10 president of the American National Bank & Trust Go., had been named president of the Chicago Clearing House association. "Just another major achievement for Delta Kappa Epsilon," the man said. I wrote him back that it would be routine for Psi Upsilon. So another issue has gone to bed - well, so long.

Class Notes Editor, Pioneer Trail, Aurora, Ohio

Secretary and Treasurer, Sandwich, Mass.

Class Agent, 18 Spirea Dr., Dayton 9, Ohio