1903's Golden Reunion
Young Lads and Younger Lassies "Has any old fellow got mixed with the boys? If he has—put him out without making a noise."
I think it was Oliver Wendell Holmes who wrote a poem for his 50th Reunion at Harvard and these opening lines were the motif of the 50th Celebration of the Dartmouth Class of 1903.
On June 24, 1903 our Class graduated 131 men. Of this number, 37-being 48% of the survivors along with 27 wives, two daughters, a guest and the widows of three much beloved classmates, watched 563 members of the Class of 1953 receive Bachelor of Arts degrees. Eleven members of the Class of 1853 were recorded as being present at the annual meeting of the Alumni Association the year of our Commencement. As the College was founded in 1769 the members of the Class of 1853 present were only a short hop of 84 years away from Eleazar.
Before recounting who attended the 50th Reunion and in order to get into the spirit of it—we should go back to the 1903 Commencement for a few quotes. President William Jewett Tucker, whose spirit was as alive at our Reunion as it was when we bade him farewell, said in his Baccalaureate sermon to us: "Every man's life, if viewed as a means to an end, is a search after truth." George Edward Hoke said in the Class Oration:
"Every little spot in my memory that pertains at all to Dartmouth I am going to sprinkle regularly and keep it fresh and green." Said one Morton B. French-Bolz to you in the Class Prophecy: "Our outlook for the future is bright and it would seem that, when the final marks of our lives' work are made out, few of us will be summoned to flunk exams." Said John Crowell who wrote the 1903 Chronicles: "We have formed associations which will last as long as the breath in our bodies, and we are now ready to stop off into the dark beyond with a satisfactory feeling of work well done." In the Address to the Old Pine, Harry Hess, who worked so long and effectively with Kid Cohen, Dick Brown, Pip Howard, H. W. Watson, Tink Irwin and many others to make the 50th Reunion such a grand success, said: "We cannot leave this ground without calling upon all that is best in us, to be consecrated to the work of preserving intact those attributes of our college -its priceless past and its rugged strength -that are so closely typified in the Old Pine." Dave Bradley concluded the Class Ode:
"But whatso'er befalls us Where'er in toil we roam, Our growing love shall call us To Dartmouth as our home."
This was the inspiration our leaders gave us as we left the Hanover Plain in June 53 years ago. Between June 12 and June 14, 1953 the following members of the Class and wives and friends of members, returned to renew their vows: Baker; Dr. Bennett and wife; Bergengren and wife; three Browns, each with wife-E. L., M. R. and R. W.; Cohen and wife; Col ton and wife; Edwards; Erwin, wife and daughter; French and wife; Guardineer and wife; two Halls, C. T. and F. J., each with wife; Hartshorn, wife and daughter; Hausmann; Hess and wife; Howard and wife; Howes and guest; Jackson (still a bachelor); Kenerson and wife; Kidger and wife; Kimball: Lewers; McElroy and wife; McManus; Noyes; Pillsbury and wife; a couple of Smiths, A. E. and O. W., each with wife; Thorpe and wife; Wadham and wife; Walther and wife; Watson and wife; Whipple and wife; Worthen: Thomas and wife. In addition we were all delighted that Meat Hanlon's Jerry Mahoney's wife and Queeche Safford's wife were also present.
We were comfortably housed in Middle Massachusetts and the formal program included a dinner for husbands and wives at Hovey Grill, the President's reception, the alumni luncheon and meeting, a splendid Memorial Service, a social hour, the showing of class pictures, a dinner limited to the men and another for the ladies, the Class meeting, a final luncheon together after we had participated in the most colorful Commencement exercises since Eleazar Wheelock conferred degrees on a class, composed in part measure of Indians. The presence at Commencement of President Eisenhower made the event memorable indeed.
The following officers were elected for life -Kid Cohen, President; Bolz French, Class Agent; Harry Hess, Treasurer; and Pip Howard, Secretary.
It was a perfect reunion. A few memories persist: Ned Kenerson's masterly address for the 50 year class Rev. Hall's impressive Memorial Service-Tink Irwin's pictures which reflected thoughtful preparation on his part and on the part of all who cooperated -the magnificent job Bolz French has done as Class Agent over the years the spirit of Tucker, so obviously still alive and important to us all the presentation of the senior cane to President Eisenhower and his gracious insistence that the senior, who handed it to him, have his picture taken with the President -the food (good all the way and such a far cry from Rood House) the Green Key, young men who worked like beavers and were all over the place, helping people to find out about everything the size of the faculty and the brilliance of their plumage President Dickey, at his best, particularly in presenting honorary degrees, worthy successor of Tucker and Hopkins President Eisenhower's forthright insistence that we must be free to understand communism if we are to combat it effectively a man, standing near me, about thirty years of age, who said to a companion: "I hope when I've been out fifty years I'll look as young as these 1903 guys" -Toot Worthen, the prospector who prospects for the fun of it and not for gold the joy we all shared that Kid Cohen had recovered from a recent very serious illness and that he could be with us the surprise at winning the attendance cup the long, long line of seniors the skill and management detail which went into the business of the great Commencement gathering and the attendance by the President the 10,000 chairs and how wonderful the sight when they were all filled -the extraordinary excellence and maturity of all the undergraduate speeches the zeal, devotion and endurance of the Band the business of chewing the fat as we probed to get reacquainted-Bill Grant's thoughtful letter the cops, mobilized from all over the State, and the consciousness that we were being watched by the Secret Service and bewilderment as to where they were concealed -Pearson's fine speech a dog, running across the campus and trying to find a retired spot that he might consume the half chicken he had acquired some place feeding the multitude in the gymnasium and the great alumni meeting thereafter the murals in the Hovey Grill Harry Hess' lists and the way he and Grace worked to spot new arrivals and make them welcome the picture exhibit, again thanks to Tink Irwin, at the Ski Hut and our nice accommodations there how quickly it all melted away and, above all, the goodness of God who gave us shining days.
THE GOLDEN REUNION OF THE CLASS OF 1903 BROUGHT 33 OF ITS 71 LIVING GRADUATES BACK TO THE CAMPUS, JUNE 12-14
