1909's Delayed 45th
REUNION. That's the time classes foregather in Hanover on certain years to renew friendships and memories. Remember? If the thought were clear in the minds of all, I'm sure that every man Jack of us would make that extra effort to put over the deal. That's what 50 of us '09ers did on June 13, 14 and 15 at our so-called 45th. Had two more classmates showed up, Bertie French reports, '09 would have won the cup for the largest percentage of returning members. Those who were here gave the word that this reunion was one of the best, but shucks, that's what they say about every reunion. As we grow older and mellower, activities become more restrained, less of the animal spirits come to the surface, but the guys are still looking.
Registration got under way on Monday morning. Two of the brothers, Sid Hazelton and Bill Ashworth, didn't do much beside register, for they beat it for other parts that same day, Sid to his duties as a Red Cross swimming instructor, and Bill to some other portion of the country. Telegrams of regrets were received from Al Bates, whose wife was under the weather, Hank Meleney, whose spot in New Orleans seemed to be too far distant from Hanover, and from Nut Root who said conditions prevented his coming, but his thoughts would be with all of us. Ed Martin and Bill Ashworth came the farthest distance, from Hollywood and San Bernadino, California. Ed hasn't changed since he was here for the 40th. Time does effect changes in people, but if you see 'em every few years, the changes appear to be gradual.
The three reuning classes were in locations proximitous to each other (go ahead and look it up in the dictionary, if yon don't believe it) - '09 in Hitchcock, '10 in Gile, and '11 in Russell Sage. Outside of getting settled, sizing each other up like a couple strange bulldogs, and putting on the bifocals to read the names on the identification cards, nothing particular happened until the cocktail party at 5 in the p.m. True, on Monday morning a lecture on "Contemporary Music" was scheduled, but what do we care about contemporary music
when '09 had its own special group of music-makers who gave out with the oldtime songs Monday and Tuesday nights? This group of hot performers, with Charlie Truman as manager (proof was his straw cap with the word MANAGER on a yellow ribbon), consisted of Lee Bennett (Big Chief Black Bear) on his singing violin, Bea Jarvis on the accordion, her husband Bill on the tenor banjo, and Childs on the long-necked banjo. The first three named came from Lebanon, the latter from the Garden Spot of America - Aurora, Ohio, that is. Sandy Hooker referred to the playing as "the sweetest music this side of Bedlam," the cad. But Wallie Ross admitted that as he and the wife lay on their downy couch, they were lulled to sleep by the dulcet strains of the melodies. Wallie is a foremost music critic.
Before too long will appear a post-reunion Diddings which will cover all the exciting details of the reunion, highlights on certain personalities, as well as the final report on the Alumni Fund campaign. Right here and now let it be said that '09 for the first time in the history of the class is expected to make 100% of its dollar objective and that is a big red feather in its cap, the result of hard and conscientious work of Ralph Byron Clement and his loyal assistant class agents.
Greet the New Class Officers
The class meeting, followed by the class picture, was held Tuesday afternoon, with President Bob Holmes coming up from his summer place to preside. The nominating committee presented the following slate which was unanimously voted in by the class: President, JoeWorthen; Vice President, Al Newton; Secretary and Treasurer, Bertie French; Bequest Chairman, Bob Holmes; Class Agent, RalphClement; Newsletter Editor, Jack Childs. And this Executive Committee: Mike Readey, New Jersey, Dutch Schildmiller, Florida, Ed Martin, California, Cad Cummings, the Boston area, Mike Farley, Massachusetts, and EdChappelear, New York. It's worth noting that all of these guys were on hand to accept their honors with pardonable pride.
While the bouquets are being handed out, let's give a couple to Jim McFate, manager of the Hanover Inn, who gave his personal attention to the buffet dinner Monday night and to the farewell buffet lunch on the Hanover Inn lawn on Wednesday, and to Miss Gill of the Dining Association, who supervised the roast beef class dinner in Hovey Grill in Thayer Hall.
Mickey McLane, who arrived in the station wagon driven by Ben Burpee, accompanied by his vivacious little woman, Rita, Mickey's charming daughter Loretta, and her husband, Lt. Col. Toolin (he's got a fancy first name that escapes my memory), held court in a corner room. Here he was visited by such characters as Dutch Schildmiller, who was on the job for the first time since the 10th, according to the statement of Ella Leighton, and who can deny her? Everybody was glad to see Dutch. He was readily recognizable by that nose of his, although he's on the skinny side.
Memorial services were held in Rollins Chapel, conducted by Parsons Bill Bull and Phil Rose, the latter making the memorial address. Since the 40th, 32 classmates have departed this earth, and now the total roll is 134, about 42% of the class, leaving a registration of about 180. Stanley Orcutt, the organist, accompanied the group singing of hymns, and the '09 quartet which was comprised of ArtSwenson, Hal Clark, George Adams and SandyHooker. Their final number was "When the Mists Have Rolled Away," an old-time favorite of Dartmouth men of around the turn of the century.
The weather wasn't too salubrious during the reunion days - gray skies, rain, cold and damp, both Monday and Tuesday nights. Then on Wednesday the sun came out smiling, giving a kind of benediction to the departing classmates, and hope that most of them would be back for our 50th, four years hence.
Unfortunate it was that Antoinette McLoud had to go to the Hitchcock hospital with an attack of bursitis, the painful shoulder condition. Improvement was reported the last reunion day. Some of the members drove over to Lyme, N. H., to call on Parson Leon Morse, who was recuperating from a major operation. He's coming along O. K. Ced Wellsted's flight from New York to Lebanon was cancelled, so he flew to Keene and then took a taxi to Hanover; cost, $21.50.
When I said goodbye to my old college roommate, Dutch Schildmiller, as he left Wednesday afternoon, we both agreed that a reunion's principal purpose is to see old friends in an environment that all of us so well remember. That's the important thing - not to be running around to this or that function, but to sit and gab and recall happenings of college days, and sing, and then have the poignant feeling of regret that it's all over - the same feeling we had when we split up 46 years ago.
Here's the list of the lucky attendants:
George and Marian Adams, Branford, Conn. Hal and Minna Andrews, Miami, Florida Bill Ashworth and wife, Santa Barbara, California Tubby Bird, Cincinnati, Ohio Chet Brett, Boston, Mass. Ben and Rita Burpee, Manchester, N. H. Wilbur Bull, Hanover, N. H. Ed and Margaret Chappelear, White Plains, N. Y. L. C. and Marion Chase and son, Larry, '54, Littleton, N. H. Reggie Colley, Maplewood, N. J. Hal Clark, Sagamore, Mass. Mrs. Mae Carroll and daughter, Boston, Mass. Dot Chase, West Hartford, Conn, and Clearwater, Florida Ralph and Harriet Clement, Dayton, Ohio Cad Cummings, Revere, Mass. Jack Childs, Aurora, Ohio Clarence Dunbar, Manchester, N. H. Ben and Mary Dudley, Rochester, N. Y. Mike and Virginia Farley, Newtonville, Mass. Bert and Hazel French, Sandwich, Mass. Ed and Josephine Ford, Marshfield, Mass. Deacon and Marjorie Graves, Rochester, N. Y. Jim and Helen Greenebaum, Chicago, Illinois Bob and Harriet Holmes, Winchester, Mass. Sid and Marion Hazelton, Hanover, N. H. Bill Holzer, Worcester, Mass. Herb Hawes, Newtonville, Mass. George and Florence Hinckley, Portland, Maine Sandy and Lillian Hooker, Bradford, Vt. Plum and Ella Leighton, Wellesley Hills, Mass. Anson and Antoinette McLoud, Scarsdale, N. Y. Micky McLane, Manchester, N. H. with daughter and her husband Leon and Elsie Marshall, Concord, N. H. Denny Marston, Braintree, Mass. Ed Martin, Hollywood, Calif. Al Newton, Boston, Mass. Jonah and Bessie Newton, LaPlata, Md. Chet Perry, Weston, Mass. Gladys Pratt, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and girl friend, Helen Torrey Wally and Helen Ross, Newtonville, Mass. Phil Rose and daughter, Carol, Glastonbury, Conn. Mike and Gertrude Readey, Verona, N. J. Art Swenson, Concord, N. H. Clark and Elsie Saville, Quincy, Mass. Curt and Beryl Sheldon, New Britain, Conn. Howard K. Spaulding, Boston, Mass. Dutch Schildmiller, Miami, Florida Lynne and Bernice Tucker, Chappaqua, N. Y. Walter and Mae Thomas, Tulsa, Oklahoma Ced Wellsted, Cleveland, Ohio Pee Wee Wight, Exeter, N. H. Joe and Dorothy Worthen, Winchester, Mass. Gordon Weinz, Newtonville, Mass.
Looking into the sun, the Class of 1909 faced the camera man cheerfully from the reunion picture bleachers.
CLASS NOTES EDITOR
