1905
In the February copy we noted that Cy andHilda White were planning a trip. Only recently we learned that California was again to be their destination, with a visit with HenryThrall on the way; but we have not further information.
Tragedy struck in the family of Lyon Weyburn this spring. His six-year-old granddaughter was accidentally drowned in a shallow pond on her father's place. She was the daughter of Reed Anthony Weyburn.
Walter May tells me that Bill Clough's grandson, Bill III, is a skier of ability and has participated with success in several school boy meets in New Hampshire and Vermont. We'll hope to see him on the Dartmouth team some day.
Gib Fall keeps his hand in the art of teaching. In February and March he had a small class in Latin and was doing other tutoring work.
While in Dunedin, Fla., Fred Chase had a call from John and Marion Tuck, who were at Winter Haven, all feeling fine.
Harold Ward writes that he doesn't get around much except in the summer and fall, when he rides through New Hampshire, Vermont, New York and his own Maine. Some of us think that's the best part of the country, Harold.
Paene Moore was about to start with his wife on something like a grand tour when he wrote (to Gib Fall) the last of March. From his pleasant sojourn in the Rio Grande Valley, he was to head west, on the way looking up Shirley Cunningham, whom he had not seen since the halcyon days of 1905, and other classmates, as they circled through California and back cross country, to reach Schenectady about June 1, In February they had taken a two-week motor trip through Mexico, which they found interesting. Having sort of taken the bit in his teeth, Paene had already signed up for a freighter cruise next fall in the Caribbean. Best of luck, Paene. We should like to see you in Hanover this summer, but surely next!
Walter May has had two disturbances in his family. His wife underwent an operation some time in March. At last account, she was home from the hospital greatly improved. His daughter Judith has had to take a much longer time to recover from the painful accident which befell her. An excellent skier, she had been skiing on Cannon Mountain. At the close of the day, as she was coming off the top of the mountain, she slipped on the icy surface. Her ski flew out from under her and she landed in snow. Unfortunately she had broken her leg in three places below the knee. After first aid at the base station she was taken first to the Littleton Hospital and later to the Dover (N. H.) Hospital. It is expected that it will be three months before she will be able to walk without crutches.
Les Studwell has taken an acceptable job for the summer which will prevent his attending our reunion this July, but he hopes to be with us at the 50th. He appears to be enjoying life.
Fred Brown, though a victim of an arthritic development, is enjoying, he says, better health than he had dared hope for four years ago. He keeps busy but appreciates the privilege, incidental to retirement, of resting when he needs to. Ultimately, he thinks it likely that he will follow his doctor's advice and leave the rigors of Northern Massachusetts for the dry warmth of Arizona.
John and Edith Furfey enjoyed a surprise visit, early this spring, from their son John Hugh Jr. with his wife Bernardine and their daughter, Rosemary, aged four months. As this was their first sight of their granddaughter, it was a joyous occasion. At just that time Royal and Ida Parkinson happened to drop in for a call. Ida had the privilege of holding Rosemary, making, as the fond grandmother expressed it, a very beautiful picture!
We are delighted to learn, through the kindness of Jack Childs '09, that after an illness of seven months, Betty, Bill Blatner's wife, is now "getting back on feet and feed." You will recall that Bill and Betty were in a bad accident last summer when their car took a wild skid. Betty was very seriously injured. At the time of this writing they were absorbing the warm sunshine of the Valley of Sun, Chandler, Ariz. They expected to return to their farm in Geneva, Ill., in time to take care of the little pigs that Bill's fifty sows were scheduled to produce. What a lot of pork chops in prospect!
You will be interested and pleased to know that six of our class have already given endowments to the College totaling nearly $27,000. The donors include: Royal Parkinson, Harry Preston, Mrs. George Proctor, George R. Ricker, Walter B. Small, Leon B. and Frances Smith. Any of you who are interested in the matter of gifts or bequests to the College may obtain information from Fred Chase, our able bequest chairman.
The Manchester (N. H.) Union of April 23 has a picture of Harold Haskell with an article which states that Harold was honored with a party by the management of the J. F. McElwain Co. The occasion was his retirement as plant engineer after 27 years of service with this concern. His colleagues presented Harold with a pair of binoculars. Congratulations, Harold.
No sooner was Frances up and about again than Roger Brown betook himself to the Lawrence Memorial Hospital in Medford for an operation, just to keep up with his wife, we suppose. He was making excellent progress toward recovery at last account. However, this visit to the hospital forces a postponement of the extensive trip to the West they had planned.
Unfortunately, as this written, word comes from Fred Chase that he was still detained in Florida by an attack of virus pneumonia. He was improving but had to take plenty of rest. This illness prevented his attendance at the Class Officers' meeting in Hanover. The only consolation is that Dunedin is a lovely place.
Don't forget that we all have a date at the Hanover Inn, July 9, 10, 11. Experience has proved that this is an event you will not want to miss. Remember, too, that we look forward to having as many of our ladies present as possible, including the wives of those who are no longer with us.
Who's Who In '05
REV. ROBERT C. FALCONER
Bob Falconer came to Dartmouth from Hamilton, Ohio, where his father was a physician and surgeon. He proceeded at once to float over the numerous hurdles which the faculty thoughtlessly put in our path. He excelled in Greek and English, although the language he was to need later in life was French. He was a member of the College debating team. He graduated with Phi Beta Kappa rank, having been a Rufus Choate Scholar for two years. He combined scholarship with good fellowship.
Inspired by Dr. Tucker, then president of the College, Bob chose the ministry, entered Union Theological Seminary in New York at once, and in 1908 graduated there. His apprenticeship was served as assistant minister of a Seattle church, the Pilgrim Congregational Church, for ten months. Under the stress of overwork, his health gave way, and he devoted a year and a half to recovery, travelling up and down the "West Coast and settling in the peaceful town of Ridgeville, Ind., near his birthplace.
Then in 1912 he was chosen to the pastorate of the Old White Church in Hanover, The Church of Christ. While here, he and Dorothy Putnam, of a distinguished New England and New York family and of exceptional talent, were married. They walked and climbed the countryside from the White Mountains to Nova Scotia in their vacations.
With the coming of World War I, both Bob and Dorothy sought overseas service, Rev. Bob having meanwhile resigned his five-year pastorate in Hanover. Only Bob succeeded in going over. He was in Y.M.C.A. work for two years, first in charge of a "hut" in the front lines in France with the 26th Division, where he was wounded and later gassed. Then as a result of his initiative, he became Division Secretary of the "Y" for the 4th Division of the Army of Occupation of Germany, where he directed the activity of thirty men for 67 towns.
Rejoining his family in Dublin, N. H., after the war, his son Robert having arrived meanwhile, Rev. Bob was active in uniting into a single church two Protestant churches.
In the same year, 1919, Rev. Mr. Falconer became minister of St. Paul's Congregational Church in Nutley, N. J., a "bedroom" town for New York businessmen, only fourteen miles distant. Here he led the church in its substantial growth in membership and buildings for the next thirty years, until his retirement in 1947. A part of this period was without his helpmate Dorothy, for she died in 1939.
In 1926 his church gave the Rev. Falconer a nine-week leave for travel to the Holy Land. Heeding Kodak's counsel to take pictures as you go, Bob color-photographed his path through Spain, North Africa, Athens, Constantinople, Troy, Jerusalem, the Sea of Galilee, Egypt, Italy and France. As he had made a study of these lands before he visited them and was a keen observer, Rev. Bob thereafter became an excellent lecturer with slides to illustrate.
The next year he published a book of children's sermons. Perhaps he had found children to be better church-goers than businessmen! The Rev. Falconer was not only a minister. He took active lead in civic improvements in his community.
Upon retiring in 1947, Rev. Bob and Edna Goelz, whom he then married, made their home in Tryon, N C. where Bob is now a Deacon in his church. Immediately they ventured forth to gratify their taste for travel. Around the world they went, across the Pacific first, taking six months for their unhurried observation of the wonders they visited. Here, too, they perpetuated their trip in pictures in color, and in illustrated lectures. These lectures have brought to America important _ appraisal of current conditions, and an insight into the life and culture of many peoples in South and Central America, Hawaii, Mexico, Japan, India, Siam, Pakistan, the Philippines, China, Malaya, and the Arab world.
Now that he is retired and there is no other world for him to encircle, the Rev. Bob Falconer is starting a new career as author and lecturer. He is now working on a religious novel, and is gardening and horseback riding, between his and Edna's travel (by other means) to interesting spots. For Bob life begins at 70.
A grandfather of two, it is no minor tribute to Bob as a father that his son, Robert Haven Falconer, graduated from Dartmouth in 1939, married an authoress, and is an authority on educational films and film strips. Altogether, the Falconers can be depended upon for a clarion call to higher ground in these days when the need for this is very great.
ROBERT C. FALCONER '05
Secretary, 358 North Fullerton Ave., Upper Montclair, N. J.
Class Agent, 11 Lakewood Rd., Natick, Mass.
