1910

They're talking about reunion in Hanover in June! And they are writing about it, too. Just returned from New York City where the wind-up of my two days there was a luncheon session with Herb Wolff doing the "entertaining," aided and abetted by Ray Seymour and John VanderPyl. You may recall that these are the three Tenners who just a year ago were putting the finishing touches on the plans for our "45th in '55."

This year they are looking forward to the informal reunion where they will be permitted to enjoy it all without having any details to worry about. One might wonder whether, after going through all the turmoil of planning last year's events (and those of the 40th in '50), they might be fed up with reunion talk. The truth of the matter is that they had such a truly enjoyable time in spite of their cares last year, they are eagerly looking forward to this June. Herb and John have not been able to join us in any of these informal affairs and, to speak frankly, their wives like many other wives of Tenners have not been too warm on the subject. But this year it is dilferent. Ray and I have been emphasizing to them that the informals have been like last year's "official" reunion, in that the whole crowd sticks together practically all the time. There are no signs of cliques nor anything resembling that condition, which was evident at some of our earlier reunions. Everybody present is interested in everyone present. Another point about the informal, is the avoidance of "pressure of events." There are only a few scheduled events: class meeting, memorial service, class dinner. There is time to relax and visit and that makes for better acquaintance and warmer friendships. The proof of all these claims is in the number of Tenners who have "repeated" at each of the informals since the first one in '52. That first one grew out of the generally expressed feeling at the 40th in '50 that we should not wait five long years until the next official reunion in '55. Some wondered whether an informal would hurt the attendance at the official, but those who wondered have been persuaded that the informals were, on the contrary, a big help in making the official reunion so satisfactory. To quote Mac Kendall again, "We plan to be there and hope that we can have all the regulars and many new ones present." That is the feeling of all "repeaters."

My New York visit was not primarily in the interest of reunion. The drawing event was the kick-off dinner for the Alumni Fund. Ray and I attended that at the Dartmouth Club the night before our luncheon. There was an overflow attendance and there is reason to believe that the "drive" will be stronger and more enthusiastic than ever, and that will be something. This is the time of the year when AndyScarlett and his assistants get in their good work. The early reports for our Class show that a number of Tenners get their subscriptions in before the last of December in order to include them in their income tax deductions. And there have been some nice increases, too, indicating that more of our men are realizing that the Fund is an opportunity to pay "now" for some of the privileges we enjoyed "then." It is still the case, as it was in '06-'10, that it costs the College, per student, twice the amount he pays in tuition. We have a number of Tenners who could help make Andy & Co.'s job a lot easier, if they would sense the genuine need for this "pay back." And, of course, every single Tenner who gives any amount helps the class record in the "participation index." We really need some of the non-givers of past years to step into the places made vacant during the past year. We have lost twelve Tenners since last year.

A letter from Bones Jones says, "We have been back from Florida two weeks and it seems like two months, with all the snow we have had and all the signs of winter." Jess Wilson reports that he will start north late in April, and by that time the many other Tenners will have left. Whit Eastman writing in the warmth and sunshine of Florida:

"Bill Taylor and Karen and I went to visit Obie S hens tone. He and his wife have a beautiful home and are very well and happy. Even though Obie was only with us two years and never went back to reunion he is a very loyal Tenner. He went to M.I.T. Their only child - a son - graduated from Dartmouth in '38 and is now a mechanical executive with Ford Motor Co. and doing very well. When Obie retired he was with Borg-Warner as head of the refrigerator (Norge) end of the business. Obie and his wife are very much interested in birds and we had much discussion of this subject.... If any Tenners get to Lake Worth, look up Obie."

When Obie wrote to Easty inviting him and Bill Taylor to drive to Lake Worth for a visit and suggested that they arrive during the cocktail hour, he used one of his personal correspondence sheets showing his address as 4 Harvard Drive. He said, "Harvard Drive. What a street for a Dartmouth and M.I.T. man to live on."

Along with Whit's letter about ObieShenstone, which originally went to HapHinman, was comment by Hap:

"Walter and Isabel Norton spent a few days here when they first arrived and are coming back again soon, as are Jim and Louise MacPherson who are near the Nortons in Sarasota. See Wilsons and Bankarts occasionally - also have seen EdDusham. Lots of Dartmouth men around here.... Baseball soon!"

Andy Scarlett calls our attention to two items of Tenner interest in the Baker Library annual report for the year ending June '55. Under the heading, "The Library's Benefactors" we find, "Dr. Thayer Smith '10 gave a number of volumes of general interest, and a collection of photographic material and memorabilia relating to Hanover and the College." On a later page: "Mrs. Ben Ames Williams added material relating to the career of her late husband, member of the Class of 1910.

Noah Foss is finding retirement "a pleasant but active occupation, its greatest charm being that I am for once free of the tyranny of bells, out-of-hours appointments - and homework! Last winter I drove to Florida for a severalweeks' stay which I greatly enjoyed. This sum- mer I was in Glacier Park for a visit with Horace and Cecilia Chadbourne. ... So life is a pleasant thing and I daily offer thanks that I have had so many of the 'breaks' my entire life." Back in October, John VanderPyl wrote to Jess Wilson, "I expect to keep steadily at work, completing my 25th year of service with American Machine & Metals, Inc. This gives good promise of being the most successful year in its history and the high point of my career, very likely." Well, that is the way it turned out, for we have seen the annual report of John's year. His prediction was correct and John is now ready to ease off a bit. He has been both president and chairman of the board. From now on he will confine himself to the chairman's job.

Ralph Paine in a letter to Andy accompanying his check for the Alumni Fund, sums up the feelings of many of us when he writes, "From this distance the athletic affairs at Dartmouth seem to be rounding into some sort of shape which is understandable to an alumnus, deferrable to outsiders, and I am pleased with the way they are shaping up." If your Sec. may be permitted to add a line, "We seem to be getting back into the League and can begin to hold our head up!" Another Tenner's comments on Dartmouth athletics fit in at this point: "The last games during the football season arrested the departure of about 9000 men from the alumni." This, we hasten to add, is the comment not of any former Dartmouth athlete who was a not-too-good student. This Tenner is a Phi Beta Kappa.

We are reminded, if we need to be, that this June will mark the half-century journey since most of us were graduated from preparatory school. The reminders came from Don Bryant, who plans to return to Nashua, N.H.; HerbWolff, who returns to Exeter to be treated with all the honors and free meals to which a fifty-year man is entitled; and John VanderPyl, who will visit the old scenes at Roxbury, Mass., Latin School. "Yours Truly" is now working on a history of '06 of Troy High, having served in this capacity on Class Day way back then. Wonder how many Tenners will make long trips from their present locations, back to the locale of preparatory days. It's a good year to combine two reunions!

This looks like the end of this chapter and there is nothing we can do to change the situation. Well, we could say, "See you in Hanover June 11-14."

Touring '03ers Mike Farley (1) and Dutch West sightsee in Nogales, Mexico.

At Whitefield, N.H., enjoying the annual Class of '11 reunion are (l to r): Eunice Griswold,Grace Crooks, Bendy Griswold, Esther Eaton, Bee Burleigh, Marguerite Eaton, Jack Crooks,Alice Stout, Ben Stout, Coleen Hedges, Sticky Pendleton, Josh Clark.

Secretary, 501 Cannon PI., Troy, N.Y.

Class Agent, 8 N. Balch St., Hanover, N.H.