1905
Our genial Gentleman Farmer of Washington Valley, Morristown, Walt Couley, is off again on one of his sea trips with his wife Ethel. They left March 27 on a Grace Line Spanish Main Cruise. Their voyage will include Aruba, Colombia and Venezuela. Walt reports heavy damage to his trees by that severe ice storm of last winter. He had been busy "doing over" a bathroom and had plans for a swimming pool after his return. Bon voyage, Walt and Ethel!
A note from Perc Noel states that his family has been "doing a fugue of flu." We hope all are fully recovered by now. Perc adds that, through a letter, he had learned that BillBlatner and his wife had been obliged to cancel their trip to Florida because of a bad case of that same malady, but that they were planning to visit Warm Springs, Ga., in the Spring.
From Phoenix, Ariz., Verney Russell writes: "We are sight-seeing - move on to Tucson, then San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle and home. Cold and rainy here now."
A note which should have appeared last month: Isabel and C. C. Hills had a pleasant overnight visit with Ida and Royal Parkinson some little time ago.
Another sufferer from flu was our hardworking, ever-cheerful Gib Fall. Like most of us, I know he will be looking forward to the long, warm days, when he can enjoy the pleasures of his Cape home and garden.
The Dartmouth Club (N.Y.) Alews had a pleasant note recently about our busy classmate Dr. Allen Graves and his practice in Harlem.
"Varsity" Billman writes that in the course of the years he has been in every state in the Union, also in Mexico and Canada. (He says he has kept two jumps ahead of the sheriff!). Vicariously, too, he has been to Germany, for he has a daughter in Wiesbaden. Both his girls have married sergeants from Hamilton Field, the air base north of San Francisco, but the men hailed originally from the East. "I am a grandpa five times over," says Varsity. May his tribe increase!
Tub Besse writes that he had had a phone call from Walter Nourse, who had returned from California to do some work at his old school near Boston. He adds that he had seen Bill Knibbs who had had to return to the hospital for further treatment. We send you our warm wishes for a successful recovery, Bill.
Elsie Grover and wife were visitors at the Hanover Inn recently.
Although the Easter season is past you will enjoy the following poem by Gene Musgrove, printed in his church bulletin:
OLD PHOTOGRAPH
Here is the picture I have loved so well My boyhood church against my boyhood hill, The steeple rising with the trees until The cross and fir-tree crown my citadel And pause together there, then upward swell From earth to heaven, their mission to fulfill And like another Calvary instill A living faith that words can never tell.
O cross and hilltop, let me hold you fast! In your celestial light I learned to know The pattern where my childhood life was cast, And now in age I will not let you go Until my hills of green all fade at last And Easter splendor lights my hills of snow.
Who's Who in '05
JUDGE HARRY W. PEYSER
Portsmouth, N. H., which gave birth to Judge Peyser, is nevertheless a most attractive city. Harry's father was a merchant there. It is free from the rush and bustle of larger cities, and is quiet, at least on Sunday mornings. It also has a Navy Yard. This is not the place to decide whether the city or the Navy Yard is more important, for both played an important part in Harry Peyser's life. His career seems to have been devoted to bringing up lieutenant commanders for the Navy (two of them) and nursing the city along numerous civic paths. Twenty-five years on the Board of Education, and trustee of the Public Library, for example, and Judge of the Municipal Court; City Solicitor in his early days, director of the Family Welfare Association, for a few other minor examples. As a byproduct of these types of activity Judge and Mrs. Peyser brought up two sons for Dartmouth and a daughter for Wellesley, their best job of all.
In College, ever wide awake and quick to observe and learn, Harry was always itching for a little friendly wit and fun. He hasn't retired from this even yet. Nevertheless he was steady and able, and still is.
After Dartmouth he graduated from Harvard Law School in 1908 and began the practice of law in his native city. He is one of the two partners in the firm of Marvin, Peyser and Marvin.
In 1909 he and Katharine C. Washburn of Melrose, Mass. were married.
During his long practice as an attorney, Harry Peyser s versatility and his patriotism have taken even more forms than those indicated above. He was the appeal agent for his city's draft board in wartime, and a sector warden with the right to wear a tin hat. He did some interesting intelligence work. He was legal advisor to all the Army posts in his area, and to the Naval Base.
As evidence of his perpetual youth, Judge Peyser does a little shooting. (At what isn't too important, since he probably doesn't hit it.) He swims and bowls in season. He collects stamps, which is what keeps him thin and trim of figure. He and our late classmate Ira Newick were also clubmates in their leisure time. It is rare for any city to find as useful and versatile a citizen, devoted to its welfare over so many years, as Portsmouth has produced in Judge Peyser.
Not only this, but that corner of New Hampshire is fortunate in the Judge and Mrs. Peyser in another respect - the next two generations of Peysers.
Their son Frank W. '32, a Phi Beta Kappa student, a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy, graduate of Harvard Law School, and a prominent and successful attorney in Rochester, N. H„ married Anne Kipp Treadwell. Their two daughters are announced by the Justice of the Portsmouth Municipal Court, with solemn impartiality, to be superior to all other grandchildren, except the latest, Richard W. Jr.!
Harry and Katharine's daughter Mrs. Virginia P. Kunkle graduated from Wellesley '35 with honor rank and was awarded a trip to Italy. She lives with her parents.
Yet another lieutenant commander is their younger son Richard W. '41, who also graduated with honors. Executive officer on a 12,000 ton U.S.N, vessel, he was present at the Tokyo surrender of Japan. Richard W. married Barbara L. Bridle in 1951, and their son (Richard W. Peyser Jr.) an outstanding baby should be about Dartmouth 1970. Richard W. Senior has set up housekeeping in his own residence in Portsmouth. He is an outstanding salesman of the income tax service published by the concern of which classmate Shirley Cunningham was one-time vice president.
All together isn't this trio quite a creditable souvenir for the '05 Peysers to bequeath to Portsmouth, Dartmouth and posterity? Who has done better?
JUDGE HARRY W. PEYSER '05
Secretary, 358 North Fullerton Ave. Upper Montclair, N. J. Class Agent, 11 Lakewood Rd., Natick, Mass.
