1909
A SALUTE TO 1908.... The class with which we had the closest contact as freshmen was 1908. The lads in that group were our mentors from the day we hit the Hanover Plain after we crossed the covered bridge that spanned the Connecticut and negotiated the hill to the campus. They had us doing menial jobs, such as hauling their furniture, cleaning their living quarters, running errands. They sold us gadgets of little or no use. They supervised the hazing process. They arranged for the Delta Alpha banquets and then charged us enough extra for the feed bag so's they'd get theirs free. They were distinguished by crazy headgear which they wore with nonchalance. Withal they were a bunch of good Joes, and many were the lasting friendships that developed after we got to know them.
As X recall it, 'OB won the football rush, but when we had our freshman class picture taken that sunny day in the spring of 1906, nary a sophomore put in appearance to break it up. We completely out-foxed 'em. By then, however, it didn't make much difference. We were fairly well adjusted to college life, and accepted as members of the big, happy family that constituted Dartmouth.
In the Memorabilia I kept during undergraduate days, I ran across a picture of the "Back-to-Nature Boys" of '08. I'm willing to place a modest bet that its duplicate doesn't exist, for the shot was taken over fifty years ago. It was good, clean fun, then and now, to go swimming in the nude. Of the eight in the picture, four have passed into the Great Beyond: Ike Locke was the first to go, in 1927; then, Florence McAuliffe in 1940; and Jack (Greetings) Norton and Larry Griswold, in 1947. The other four, Peter Florence McCarty, Dana Parkinson, Gordon Blanchard and Larry Symmes, are very much alive and kicking. "Greetings" Norton, who was given a glowing tribute in Coronet magazine last fall, was a campus character whom everybody knew and admired. He was a warm-hearted Irishman from South Boston, one of those guys you'll never forget.
The man from 'OB who influenced me to go to Dartmouth - you guessed it, Ev Marsh, - was one of the most enthusiastic rooters the College has known, although he was there only his freshman year. Around Chicago where he lived before retiring to Florida, we called him "Wah Who Wah" Marsh, because he was ready to lead sheers on any and all occasions. Towards the end he developed throat cancer and died. Now, most likely, he's organized a cheering section Up Yonder where he'll have a big gang to draw on. Another reason I've felt close to 'OB is because of Gene Prentice who married my sister, Mildred. Gene died in 1938, a few months after his 30th Reunion and the graduation of his son Miles from Dartmouth.
I remember the two Anderson boys, Art and Frank. The latter didn't live too long, for his passing came in '22. You don't forget Johnny Glaze who became captain of the football team in 1907; or Jack Clark, football manager, who hailed from my home town of Evanston, Ill. Jack had some exciting adventures during his life. One such, I remember, was during a spring vacation when we remained in Hanover. He had an unusually good brain and was considered as the man in his class most likely to succeed. Skinny Beckett, the baseball pitcher, was a handsome youth, all except for his teeth which he had sadly neglected. Maybe he got a good pair of choppers before he died in 1944.
The five members of the 'OB delegation of that grand and glorious frat - Psi Upsilon - who survived the four years at Dartmouth, were George Squier who writes the '08 Class Notes and their newsletter The 40 and '08er; Clint Bills, the good looking little fella; Charlie DeAngeles, the determined football player; Cleve Foot, the hockey player whom we nicknamed "Moon Face"; and Percy Skillen, the uninhibited baseball pitcher with the infectious laugh. Percy died in '24, and Cleve in '34.
The '08er with the most unusual given names, in my opinion, is Erastus Beethoven Badger who would also answer to the name of "Tat." Little argument would be advanced as to who proceeded farthest up the ladder in the fighting services. You'd name Admiral Don Frothingham. The three Beta '08ers who impressed me most were Count Joe Donahue, the orator, Jack Corcoran, and Ralph Crowley. Joe passed on in '45, Jack in '52, and I think Ralph died in Hawaii last year. (If I'm mistaken, Ralph, sue me.) Joe was a great guy to sit around with and chew the fat.
In musical circles I came in touch with John Hinman, the big paper tycoon who was manager of the Musical Clubs his senior year; Bob Rugg, leader of the Mandolin Club who departed this earth a decade ago; Porter Smith, Mort Hull, Pop Chesley, Larry Adler, Art Soule, Park Stickney, to name some of them. In the spring of 1909 it came as a great shock to learn that Porter had shot Helen Marsden, Smith senior, and had killed himself. He and Mort Hull were a well-known musical team who performed when Radash came to town with his gents' furnishings. I have a picture of the three of them standing on the Inn steps. Larry, undoubtedly, was the musical genius of the class, and Pop was no small shakes on the piano and a character in his own right. Art, as you'll all remember, was a singer and always impersonated leading ladies in college shows; Park was a mean trombone player and knew his way around on the piano. I seem to recall that Allan (Cy) Perkins, the smooth Theta Delt dresser, was in the Glee Club. That guy looked good in a dress suit.
I liked to listen to the drawl of Colonel Peebles, the Kentuckian, but I never did run across him again before he died in '52. Art Stuart was another smoothie who didn't last too long in his span of years. He died in '27. Remember the dame he brought up to his Commencement? Another good '08er was Queech Safford, a frat brother in Sigma Chi of Gene Prentice. Queech made his exit in '50. It might be that those who knew Art Rotch in college would not have tagged him to become the sage of Milford, N. H., a highly successful newspaperman, insurance agency head, director in a number of enterprises. Sad I was to learn that he died last fall.
From Denver, Colo., came Chick Currier who, I recall, was a direct descendant of Eleazar Wheelock. A couple of the Phi Psi boys I well remember are Jack Everett and Dr. Eben (Wink) Fiske. Since graduation days I've had mail contact with Pauline Batchelder, who's spending his twilight years in Austin, Texas with Al Chandler, the erudite professor at Ohio State University, whose hobby is geriatrics (look it up if you don't know what it means). I saw Dick Merrill when I was out in California in '41 and he. recognized me without guessing, a stunt I wouldn't be able to pull if I'd met myself 32 years after graduation. Howard Cowee, however, didn't know who I was when I saw him at '08's informal reunion last year.
A number of '08ers show in Hanover every June, and as I get back at the same time, I have the pleasure of seeing them: General Ben Knox (Yours in Old Dartmouth) who's sure enjoying his years of retirement after spending his business life in South America; Mike Stearns, as voluble and vociferous as ever; Joe Blakely and Freddie Munkelt, who trek over from Montpelier, Vt.; W. Hartwell (call me Harry-but-not-after-Truman) Harriman; Art O'Shea, with the heavy thatch of white hair; Syd Ruggles, the scientist; Long Phil and Robert Fears (No Man) Thompson; Larry Treadway, the inn-chain operator, who's the youngest looking guy in his class. I've seen Art Lewis, one of the successful '08ers who retains the New England twang; and I keep up with Bill Knight, the successful Rockford, Ill., lawyer and former football official.
Autaters, as George Squier calls 'em, rate high in my book. In fact, I would have been one of 'em, if I hadn't taken five years to get through high school.
And now, friends, as we come to the close of another season in which class notes will appear, may I recommend to your generous impulse the worthy project of the Dartmouth Alumni Fund whose campaign for the current year will close as of June 30. So long until next October.
Class Notes Editor, 141 Pioneer Trail, Aurora, Ohio
Class Agent, 18 Spirea Dr., Dayton 9, Ohio
