1896

Ham Family Gets Together

In mid-April your Secretary gathered all members of his immediate family together for a family reunion at the home of his younger son, Dr. George C. Ham, in Chapel Hill, N. C. It certainly brought me great joy to have my family together - the first time for many years. It is a family of which any father can well be satisfied - yes, proud. Able sons and daughters and fine grandchildren are the measure of real wealth rather than dollars. There were sixteen at our reunion. All adults went to college - all four men to Dartmouth. Those present were:

Thomas C. Ham '96 - the senior of the whole Ham family. He is still active in Dartmouth affairs and in civic matters.

Dr. Thomas Hale Ham '27, Cornell Medical School, '31. After three years in New York Hospital in New York City he came to Harvard in 1934, teaching medicine and doing research work, especially in anemias, in Thorndike Memorial Laboratory of Boston City Hospital, advancing to associate director. In 1950 he edited, and wrote portions of, a Syllabus of Laboratory Examinations in Clinical Diagnosis. This 500-page textbook is published by Harvard Press and has had a large circulation. His rank at Harvard was assistant professor. During the second World War he was a lieutenant colonel in the Medical Corps, assigned to the Chemical Warfare Service in Edgewood Arsenal in the field of medical research. In March 1950 he accepted an offer from Western Reserve University, Cleveland, to become professor of medicine and chairman of the committee on medical education that is revising the program of teaching medicine.

Mrs. Thomas Hale Ham (Fanny Curtis), Smith College, '30. She is active in school and civic affairs. Their three children are: Thomas Caverno — my namesake — age 16; Margaret Curtis (Polly)-age 13; Lola Josephine - age 11.

Dr. George Caverno Ham '34, University of Pennsylvania Medical School, '37. After a few years teaching medicine and doing research work in medicine at the Universities of Pennsylvania and Virginia he joined the army at the Edgewood Arsenal where he did medical research. To observe flame throwers in action he was sent to the Philippine Islands, landing with the advance forces on Leyte where he took part in active combat. He became a captain. After the war was over, he entered the field of psychiatry, studying neuropsychiatry at the Michael Reese Hospital and psychoanalysis at the Chicago Institute for Psychoanalysis. After becoming a Diplomate in both fields of psychiatry, he entered practice in Chicago and continued research and teaching. In the fall of 1951 he accepted the position of professor and chairman of the Department of Psychiatry in the School of Medicine of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Mrs. George C. Ham (Sally Watt), Smith College, '37. She is active in the schools and in the social activities of Chapel Hill. They have three children: Mary Fitzgerald (Gerry) - age 14; Susan Bond — age 12; George Caverno, Jr. — age 9.

Mrs. Henry Franklin Irwin (Josephine), my daughter, Bryn Mawr College, '37. She won a competitive four-year full tuition scholarship for college. There are three children: Henry Franklin Irwin III - age 12; Thomas Hale Ham Irwin - age 8; Maude Cunningham Irwin - age 4.

Mr. Henry Franklin Irwin, Jr. '37, my son-in-law. After teaching a year he studied at Princeton, obtaining the degree of Ph.D. in English in 1941. After a year teaching at the State College of the University of North Carolina he enlisted in the armed services. He was assigned to Intelligence service in Europe and continued in the Intelligence Department of the Army General Staff in the Pentagon as a civilian after the war. After a few years he transferred to the State Department and in 1950 he was assigned to Edinburgh, Scotland, in the United States Information Service. He and his family have returned on leave, and have now been assigned to La Paz, Bolivia, where he will serve as Country Public Affairs Officer. It will be quite an experience for his family to switch from their Scottish accents to speaking Spanish.

My 80th birthday was duly celebrated. It occurs on May 29 but recognized some six weeks ahead of the date.

The Ham family had a wonderful reunion. I rejoice in my children and grandchildren.

Secretary, 206 Appleton St., Arlington, Mass.

Class Agent, 21 Forest Rd., Cape Elizabeth, Me.