1930's History-Making 25th

ALONG about the middle of last month, out across the entire country there began to arise a clamor, a series of nervous questions - "Sally, did you pack any pajamas?" - "Fred, can you close this suitcase for me?" - "O, Bob, we've got to turn back, I forgot to shut off the stove."

It was to the accompaniment of this din that the families of '30 started their pilgrimage back to Dartmouth; and it was no mean pilgrimage with cars from Ohio, Minnesota, Maine. Florida - everywhere - all converging on the Hanover Plain - bringing 681 men, women and children, the largest number in the history of the College, back to the TwentyFifth.

What greeted them as they registered with Harrison Condon outside Russell Sage was the most satisfactory setup possible for celebrating a reunion. The Class took over all the dormitories along Tuck Mall, and out on the lawn were set up three large tents - one for the parents; one for the teenagers, equipped with ping-pong tables, a dance floor and a piano; and a "pup tent" for the juniors. Here for the whole weekend, you could always hear chatter and music and dancing. The main tent provided space for breakfast, cocktail parties and general visiting. That "rich creamy brew" was dispensed from a fancy, iced trailer and, needless to say, was well surrounded most of the weekend.

The Class uniforms consisted of natty green felt hats together with dark green striped four-in-hand ties for the men and narrow string ties of the same material for the women. On the bulletin board were posted wires from several who could not get back. Frank Kindermann wired "Car broke down en route. My wife Betty, son and daughter are there with you to give best wishes. Sorry as can be to miss it." Cliff Michel sent his regrets because of sudden illness in his family. Win Stone, undergoing an operation, sent his best regards as did Kel Clow. The best wire of all was from Bob and Liela Marr in Paris, who, following up the slogan "Stay alive 'til '55" sent a wire which said "Congratulations, survivors."

For the first time in the history of Dartmouth reunions, the College supplied free of charge the first 24 hours in Hanover, which in addition to lodging and meals included three sessions of the Hanover Holiday program. Professor Allen Foley's talk on Thursday evening was largely devoted to tracing the developments within the College during the past 25 years and was particularly timely in getting us back mentally on to the campus.

The following morning, Professor Herbert W. Hill, chairmanned a meeting on the lawn in front of Baker Library which discussed "Coexistence: Where do we go from here?" In this program both Harry Casler and JohnFrench participated. Later that morning, we listened to an equally fine discussion of the subject "Toward a Better Democracy." FredScribner was chairman of this group which included Fran Horn, president of Pratt Institute, who spoke on the subject "The Role of Education" and Pat Weaver, President of NBC, who discussed "TV: Stimulus or Opiate." Everyone in the Class was most enthusiastic about this innovation in the reunion program and most grateful to the College and the participating faculty members for making it available.

Very quickly the teenagers and juniors settled down in their respective groups, with almost unlimited activities to keep them busy and free parents for their own interests. On Tuck Drive, ping-pong, volley ball, horseshoes, basketball, records, dancing were all available and many of the youngsters also took advantage of the college facilities for playing golf and tennis, or swam out at Storrs Pond (something new since you and I were there).

During the Class Picnic at the Keenes, arrangements had been made so that the kids had an opportunity to take a hayride on a real haywagon drawn by two big farm horses which made trips out into the countryside. Not the least of their pleasure came from scaling space saucers through the air - the saucers being plastic discs approximately a foot across with a lip around the edge. This fad swept the Dartmouth campus this spring and it took no time for the youngsters as well as their parents to get into the swing of the thing.

Finally, on Saturday night the children had a beanhole feed down at the Ledyard Canoe Club where they were entertained by a magician and by Ross McKenney telling stories. The kids all mixed together marvelously; in fact, so much so that some parents began to wonder why it took some of the older teenagers so long to get in at night.

The Class Picnic was held out at Bob andLouise Keene's with what seemed to be hundreds of cars parked in Bob's hayfield (thrifty farmer that he is, Bob had cut all the fields so that there would be no loss of hay). By 5:30 the picnic was in full swing with music, cocktails, Narragansett, lobsters and steak, and visiting. The picnic could easily have lasted all Friday night had it not been that there was a reception at the President's House in which all the reunion classes joined for a pleasant greeting by President and Mrs. Dickey as well as Mr. and Mrs. Sid Hayward.

1930 men hastened back to the tent for the giant raffle which started at 10 p.m. and went through into the early morning hours with Pat Weaver doing his usual superb job as master of ceremonies. The prizes, piled high on a large table, included some jokes but more items that brought forth ooohs and aaahs as some of the families won radios, a lawnmower, fertilizer, a rug, suit material and a variety of other choice articles. It was by more than coincidence that Haffy won a "Drink Milk for Health" sign and that Nelson won a ticket for a free guided tour through Rockefeller Center.

On Saturday morning the Class had its picture taken and then got down to serious business with a Class Meeting held in the 1902 Room in Baker Library where Alex McFarland presided and where, it should be added, several of the speakers competed sometimes unsuccessfully with the bells overhead as they rang out such meaningful tunes as "The Old Grey Mare" and "Silver Threads Among the Gold." The Class adopted several changes in its constitution, but the one of chief interest is that the responsibilities of the Chairman Secretary have been split. The Class Chairman in the future will be responsible for acting as chairman of the Executive Committee, presiding at class meetings and for the appointing of various committees. On the other hand, the Secretary will be the primary link between the individual members of the Class and the College through maintaining class records and preparing class notes for the ALUMNI MAGAZINE.

Charlie Raymond reported that after setting aside certain funds toward partial payment of the cost of the Twenty-five Year Book, the Class would still be in funds. Art Browning as Chairman of the Resolutions Committee read a series of resolutions which were wholeheartedly approved by the group. After nomination by Bud French, the Class unanimously elected the following to serve as members of the Class Executive Committee until the next reunion: Victor G. Borella, Richard W. Bowlen, Wallace Blakey, Frederick K. Watson, John F. Rich, H. Meade Alcorn, Roland C. Booma, Harrison F. Condon, Harrison F. Dunning, Robert E. Keene, Robert S. Kohn, Alex J. McFarland, Alton K. Marsters, William F. Putnam, G. Winchester Stone, John M. Tiedtke, and Clifford J. Vogt.

The luncheon of the General Association of Alumni, held Saturday noon and attended by all the reuning classes, had a decided '30 tinge. Nelson Rockefeller, president, conducted the meeting and when Sid Hayward as Secretary announced the awarding of cups for Class activity in reunions, it was only proper and to be expected that '30 was announced as the winner of the class of 1894 cup for having the largest percentage of living graduates back for reunion (50%) and its own 1930 cup for having present the largest number of reuning alumni - 224. Highlight of the meeting was the presentation on behalf of the Class by Sachem Pee-Weaver of Akso-ne-wakso, commonly known as Joe '30, to President Dickey for matriculation. Joe '30 turned out to be an extremely large and splendid specimen of cigar store Indian. Where he came from was not announced, but we suspect that Nelson Rockefeller had a hand in it. Joe '30 will room in the College museum, rent free along with free tuition.

Saturday afternoon, many of the class attended fraternity reunions. The Psi U's were proud of the fact that they had seventeen of the 1930 delegation back for reunion. At the Kappa Kappa Kappa gathering, all the '30 members in town attended a special induction ceremony at which Charlie Widmayer was made an honorary member. For some years the fraternity has chosen one member of the 25-year class for this honor.

In addition to the regularly scheduled program, Charlie Ranch and his committee also had set up events which continued throughout the weekend. John French was successful in getting together an excellent literary exhibit by members of the Class and Si Chandler similarly took care of the art exhibit. While we did not have a chance to see either exhibit, we understood that many enjoyed them immensely. Al Marsters' Golf Tournament was concluded on Saturday; the two very attractive female winners being Hannah Steers and Doris Smith. The men's competition was won by the golfing star of the class, Hank Ekstrom, who shot a 75, just as in the old days.

Everyone during the entire weekend looked forward to Saturday night, time of the Class Banquet, since it had been rumored that the Class had broken all records with its Memorial Fund gift. First, however, Al Dickerson, who emceed the affair, introduced Sid Hayward who upon request of the Class distributed sterling silver ashtrays, suitably inscribed, to a group of 25 men who had worked particularly for the welfare of the Class during the past 25 years. These surprise awards went to Bob Bottome, Dick Bowlen, Vic Borella, Si Chandler, Lee Chilcote, Harrison Condon, Al Dickerson, Bud French, John French, Carl Haffenreffer, Fran Horn, Eddie Jeremiah, Bob Keene, Milt Mclnnes, Hank Odbert, Charlie Rauch, Jack Rich, Ed Schuster, Fred Scribner, Pat Weaver and Charlie Widmayer.

As he introduced subsequent speakers, Al Dickerson awarded similar tokens of appreciation to Alex McFarland, Charlie Raymond,Nelson Rockefeller and Hank Embree.

Everyone in the Class was delighted that President Emeritus Ernest Martin Hopkins could be with us and cheered loudly when Alex presented Mr. and Mrs. Dickey and Hoppy with class neckties which they in turn promptly put on. Alex expressed his own appreciation as well as that of everyone in the Class to all the individuals who had made the Class and Reunion so successful and as outgoing Chairman-Secretary announced the class officers elected by the Executive Committee to carry on for the next five years. These officers are: Chairman - Vic Borella; Secretary - DickBowlen; Treasurer - Wally Blakey; Class Agent - Fred Watson; Bequest Chairman - Jack Rich.

In appreciation for the work they had done Charlie Ranch presented each member of the Reunion Committee with an individually inscribed beer mug; the members of this Committee were Alex McFarland, John French, Al Dickerson, Wade SafEord, Si Chandler, Bill Bragner, Pete Callaway, Jack Crawford, Harry Condon, Eddie Jeremiah, Bob Keene, Charlie Widmayer, Francis Doherty, Carl Haffenreffer, Pat Weaver, Nelson Rockefeller, Harry Casler, Fran Horn, Fred Scribner, Fred Moller, Arch Clark, Bud French and Mildred Rauch for her poem entitled "Her Loyal Sons Who Love Her," which appeared originally in one of the reunion mailings and now is permanently preserved by incorporation in the Twenty-Five-Year Book.

Charlie Rauch did the unexpected again by reading a wire which said: "My greetings to the members of the Class of 1930 assembled at Dartmouth for your twenty-fifth reunion. I am delighted to know that you will be addressed by Nelson Rockefeller, a classmate of yours, and a distinguished and valued public servant. To him I send congratulations with my best wishes to all of you for a most successful reunion. Signed DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER." This served as a fitting introduction for Nelson to discuss his own personal and well-informed observations on the world situation which were most interesting.

The highlight of the evening and the climax of many years' work came with the presentation by Hank Embree and Ed Schuster on behalf of the Class to President Dickey of a check for more than $150,000. This sum goes to the endowment of the College and was free and clear after setting aside enough funds to defray the cost of the year book and after having also provided $17,100 to meet the Class quota in the 1955 Alumni Fund drive. The total raised for the combined funds exceeded $172,000 — by far the largest amount ever raised!

John Dickey accepted the gift on behalf of the Trustees, expressing real appreciation for what it mean both to Dartmouth and to those who had contributed. He also took advantage of the opportunity to pay tribute to the members of the Class who have served the College, and particularly Al Dickerson, who next year becomes Dean of Freshmen in addition to retaining responsibility for admissions and financial aid.

While some of the families who lived at distances began to leave Hanover early Sunday morning, most went over to Rollins Chapel for a meaningful service conducted by the Rev. Wade Safford in memory of our 57 deceased classmates. Wade also extended the sympathy of the Class to Wally Blakey on the loss early in the week of his wife, Betty, a sister of 1930 classmate, Bob Barker. An offering of nearly $250 was collected for Father Hodder's work among the Hanover needy.

Reunion would have lost a lot of its flavor if we had not received our copies of "Twenty-Five Years in the Wide Wide World" compiled and edited by Fran Horn. It was so well conceived and so attractively presented that everyone used what spare time they could find to look at it, and once looking at it found it very difficult to put down. It had practical uses also. It answered such questions as "What's the name of that fellow I just said 'Hi' to?" And think how stimulating it is to consider your own salary in comparison with the average for the Class! For the benefit of those who were not at Reunion, let me just explain that it is a beautifully bound book of almost 300 pages, well printed, and includes such sections as "Reunions in review" - the detailed statements and individual pictures of the men of '30, "The Class of '30 - a composite picture based on the statistical data you submitted," and an occupational and geographical index. There is no possible way for anyone to visualize the labor and time and thought that Fran Horn, aided by Bob Keene, Charlie Widmayer and others, put into this volume, which becomes now the basic record of all the members of the Class for the years to come.

I believe Charlie Widmayer in Hanover has a few extra copies of this volume which can be purchased at ten dollars per copy.

Also 8½ x 11 prints of the Class picture are available for si, and duplicates of the larger picture (27 x 12) shown at the registration table for $4 can still be ordered from David Pierce Studio, Hanover, N. H. Both pictures are excellent, and the big one especially so.

A number of men indicated that they would like to get extra reunion hats. These useful and good-looking hats, dark green with 1930 numerals in white, can be ordered from Harrison Condon, 200 Berkeley Street, Boston 16, Mass., if you will write to him promptly. Be sure to specify hat size and send $2.50 for each hat. Men's ties at $2.50 and women's ties at $1.50 can also be ordered.

As early as Friday noon, it was apparent that a tremendous amount of work and thought had gone into the planning of the reunion program. People were beginning to say, "I never saw anything run as smoothly as this affair has" - and it was true; there were no slip-ups, no confusion and the almost seven hundred people kept well within the schedule without being driven. Not even the weather failed during the four days! While the entire committee obviously had worked hard, it was clear that more than anything else, the Class was indebted to Charlie Ranch for the perfection of the weekend. With his "red hot" committee hat he probably could have pulled another reunion out of his ever-present big brown briefcase! He had spent months and months on the integrating of the program but when he left Hanover he must have realized that everyone in the Class was deeply appreciative of his work and from this we hope he received partial compensation.

On Sunday noon everyone went out to the Outing Club House where on the lawn we had a buffet luncheon; shortly thereafter, people began to move back to the dormitories to pack up. Up and down Tuck Drive you could hear: "Chip, have you packed your space saucer?" or "If you have to say goodbye to that new girl friend of your in Hitchcock, Bob, please get over there right away because we have to leave," or again, "How in thunder am I ever going to get all this stuff in the trunk of the car?"

But the cars did depart up Tuck Drive and down Main Street carrying '30 families filled with a wonderful feeling of elation over Reunion, and by late afternoon, rain fell on the Hanover Plain.

It was a superb weekend for the greatest of Dartmouth classes!

The list of 224 Thirtyteers who attendedreunions follows, with the total number fromeach family given in parentheses:

A. M. Ackley, H. M. Alcorn (3), H. W. Allyn (3), C. S. Austin (5), R. Barnard, A. B. Behal (2), C. B. Benson (3), W. H. Birnie (5), W. A. Blais (2), N. M. Blake (3), R. O. Blanchard (3), W. F. Blanchard, W. Blakey, A. Bolte (5), H. E. Booma (4), R. C. Booma (3), V. G. Borella (2), R. R. Bottome (3), F. Bowes (4), R. W. Bowlen (4), W. E. Bragner (3), W. M. Brown (3), A. M. Browning (5), R. Bruce (4), G. S. Butler (4), R. D. Butterfield (4), L. L. Callaway (2), S. R. Carlisle (4), E. R. Carroll (4), H. S. Casler (2), J. B. Chandler (2), F. Chase, H. E. Chase (2), J. G. Cheney (3), L. A. Chilcote (5), T. F. Childs (3), R. H. Chittim (3), H. E. Christman (4), H. A. Clark (3), J. Clark (2), K. G. Clow (2), M. A. Cogan (4), E. S. Cole (8), M. B. Collins (2), H. F. Condon (4), E. M. Conklin (3), J. H. Coppock (3), B. B. Crandell (2), J. O. Crawford

G. Dalglish (2), D. M. Davis (5), J. L. Dean (3), A. I. Dickerson (3), F. V. Doherty (2), W. T. Doran (3), E. B. Downey (2), W. E. Dresser (3), J. C. Dunlap (2), H. F. Dunning (4), T. C. Dunnington (4), W. S. Durgin (3), H. Ekstrom, L. A. Eisler (2), H. R. Eldredge (2), H. S. Embree (3), R. R. Fawcett (3), C. K. Faye, W. N. Fenton (5), D. Ferguson (2), G. C. Fisher (4), A. Fisk (2), J. R. Fitzpatrick (2), H. N. Flanders (4), W. M. Fletcher (3), G. W. Fredrickson (2), G. W. French (4), J. French (5), H. M. Garrett (4), G. D. Garrett, E. W. Gilbert, L. R. Godwin (4), J. C. Golan (2), L. Goldschmidt (4), A. H. Gould (2), E. H. Grant (2), C. W. Haffenreffer (4), J. S. Hancort (3), W. O. Harris (5), W. R. Hatch (5), A. L. Hayes (2), M. B. Hayes (4), D. Hight (4), H. T. Hillson (4), R. P. Hobbs, J. C. Holme (4), F. H. Horn (5), M. K. Horwitt (2), C. G. Hoxie (3), O. M. Humphrey (4).

C. D. Jenson, E. J. Jeremiah (2), W. R. Jessup, C. K. Johnes (3), H. A. Johnson (6), R. P. Johnson (3), R. A. Jordan (4), M. H. Just, R. E. Keene (4), F. J. Kindermann (4), M. C. King (4), R. L. Kirkman (2), H. I. Kohn, R. S. Kohn, E. A. Latham (5), E. H. Latham (4), F. J. Leahy (7), R. C. Lee (3), B. R. Lewin (2), J. S. Lichter (2), W. H. Lillard (3), G. W. Long (4), G. A. Lord (5), G. E. Low (3)., G. H. Lowery (2), W. O. Lucas (3), J. D. McBirney (2), R. McClory, B. J. McDonough (2), C. J. McDonough (2), A. J. McFarland (3), A. F. McGrath, N. E. McGrath (4), M. G. Mclnnes (4), E. F. Magenau (4), J. B. Maitland (2), A. K. Marsters (4), W. Milne (4), J. W. Mitchell (3), F. D. Moller (2), J. Moore, H. K. Moore (5), W. R. Moore (2), B. Morley (2), E. B. Neff (4), F. H. Neff (4), H. C. Newell (3), E. B. Nye (3), A. M. Olsen (6), R. N. Olsen, H. N. Orbanowski (3), S. M. Osgood.

F. W. Page (3), B. D. Parish (4), G. V. Parkhurst (4), H. F. Parry (2), M. L. Patterson (2), R. Peabody (2), P. R. Peck (2), T. M. Peirce (2), R. S. Perkins (2), J. C. Placak (2), P. F. Poehler (3), C A. Pooler (4), G. W. Porter (4), R. H. Pratt (2), W. F. Putnam (7), N. C. Ranney (2), C. F. Rauch (3), C. V. Ravmond (5), J. F. Rich (6), R. R. Rix (2), N. A. Rockefeller (6), K. B. Rodi (5), F. C. Ryder (3), W. Safford, O. G. Sandberg (3), H. N. Sander (4), J. Sanders (2), T. S. Saunders (6), G. A. Scheller (2), H. T. Schneebeli, E. R. Schuster (3), A. P. Schwartz (4), F. C. Scribner (4), E. W. Seldon (4), G. B. Shattuck (3), M. G. Schultz (4), H. H. Sherburne, A. V. Shurts, C. R. Sigler (4), C. E. Simmons, J. T. Smith, W. C. Smith (2), E. J. Sprankle (3), S. H. Stark (4), S. M. Stayman (3), W. E. Stearns (2), W. E. Steers (5), L. H. Sturman (2).

J. M. Tiedtke, R. G. Tilt (3), F. C. Tobey (2), P. J. Tory (4), W. H. Truex (2), F. K. Uhlemann, W. S. VanDerbeck (2), A. W. Van Leer (3), A. R. Vogt (4), C. J. Vogt (4), E. C. Warren (2), W. J. E. Wasmer (3), F. K. Watson (5), S. Weaver (2), H. Weinstein, H. C. Weston (4), J. S. Whipple (2), C. E. Widmayer (4), J. W. Wiggin (4), W. A. Wilkinson (4), J. R. Winter (4), T. R. Wolf, B. C. Wood (5), H. N. Wood (3), J. R. Wooster (2), R. B. Zeigler (2).

The cup-winning Class of 1930, with a record 681 persons back for the Big 25th/almost had to have its picture taken in two sections.

CLASS SECRETARY