1902

I (yes, I know no communication should begin with the first person singular of the personal pronoun. Who was it - Craven - who taught us that?). Well then, I could wish that your secretary could write one of those fine, formal, editorial-like columns. Invariably 1 get off into a personal vein. If you don't like the style go ahead and elect another secretary. See if I care.

Every last one of you is like my own kin.

Let's see now. From whom have I heard during the past month? Percy wrote that he was going to Boston to obtain a final decision as to whether or not he should have an operation. Of course we hate to think that he should have an operation but we all hope and pray that he will be led to decide wisely. God bless him, anyhow!

A note from "Louis" Dow telling of his improvement, and his regret that he could not be with us at the reunion. We rejoice over the first statement, just as we sorrowed over his absence from the meeting last June.

Dear Howard Harris has written several times. He went down to our place in Maine, getting there only a few hours after our departure. He had been down to Roy's summer home in Princeton, Mass.

I begged Frank Drake not to trouble to write in reply to our note of sympathy. Nevertheless, there came a line from him expressing his appreciation of our expression of. sympathy in his great loss. Mrs. Drake's passing is a blow to the many organizations in Pittsburgh to which she gave her services and her devotion. There are three daughters and one son who survive Mrs. Drake, to whom with our dear Frank we send our affectionate sympathy.

The other day came a letter from "Stevie" Stevens, secretary of 1901, enclosing an announcement regarding Charlie and Ida Dudley's fiftieth wedding anniversary. With the announcement was a very good newspaper picture of those two nice people, which reminds me that Bob Clark wrote me to say that he and his wife drove up to attend the Dudley party. There they found Roy Merrill who had come up to Hanover from Shelburne Falls to be present at the celebration.

I regretted that I could not be present and I so wrote Charles and Ida. We are fortunate in having the tie that binds our class into a real brotherhood and draws us so very close.

Now, just a personal note to tell you that I am quite recovered from the cut foot which I got when I fell into the bay in Maine and broke one out of three jugs. Poor Stella fell and broke her wrist a few days later. Shortlyafter that our daughter appeared and insisted that she should drive us to her home in Weston, Conn. She says we are too old to drive to Florida or to stay in such a retired spot as our place in Maine. Darn! Wouldn't you rather have an occasional accident than to admit that you are getting too old to be yourself? As some of you know, I plan to live to be one hundred and seven.

Secretary, 210 Columbus Ave., Coronado Station, New Smyrna Beach, Fla,

Treasurer, 18 Lafayette Circle, Wellesley 81, Mass.

Bequest Chairman,