1931's Big, 25th

THESE notes could well be titled "The Miracle-Just-Off-Main-Street," or they could be appelled "Who Stole the Ding-Dong." Somewhere between those antipodal bounds is the story of the Big 25th. Where to start? How to put in words those things which can exist only in the subdued exaggeration of memory? How can smiles of reawakened friendship be translated into type? Where are the words that express the peculiar ineffability of a hesitantly eager handshake? Where do you start the sentence that says "Sure, it's the 25th, but I'm always '31." With the mirror do you reflect the look of bewilderment and pride that shines in the eyes of a child-of-'31 who sees Dad, perhaps for the first time, the way Dad sees himself - more playful than paternal, more mature than middle-aged, more human than hide-bound? How do you say Dartmouth without using that word? Well ... that's what we're about to do, because the burden and the opportunity of this column is to say all that - and so much more!

The gang began to gather sometime during the early hours of Thursday. At first, it was a kind of seepage that filtered into Russell Sage, and Butterfield, and Hitchcock, and Streeter, and Lord, and Gile. Then it swelled and filled until it flooded Tuck Drive — and the Big 25th was under way. Registration ... trying on the Reunion jacket, and giving the Palaeop-like hat the jaunty tilt so characteristic of the BMOC ... finding the assigned room, and explaining to an eyebrow-raised spouse that "it isn't exactly like home, but you have fun"... wondering if you will be able to call the guys by name ... strolling proudly out of the dorm under the paternal spread of three Reunion tents ... parading self, and family, around campus (and how proud is that man who needs no other proof of success than the arm-in-arm evidence of an affectionate wife and doting offspring) ... the camaraderie that bubbled up everywhere from an almost forgotten fountainhead ... the gabfests (alias bull sessions) ... the never-out-of-control raillery and noisemaking that is the clearest expression of unleashed nostalgia. Yes, that was the 25th. That, and so much more that will always be as unexpressed as it was expressive. And it was fun ... the kind of fun that puts laugh lines in your face and irons the worrylines out of your brow; the kind of fun that makes you want to tell others about it, and leaves you devoid of explanation; the kind of fun that makes you wonder what you are laughing at, while making you completely incapable of stifling a laugh; the kind of fun that is pride, and warmth, and fellowship, and Dartmouth; the kind of fun that says it's good to be "home."

Jim Godfrey did a magnificent job in organizing the Reunion and keeping the machinery going. The only adequate compensation for a man who does a job like that is the personal satisfaction of knowing that he did it superbly. However, to give it some measure of permanence, let it be here recorded that the Class of '31 gives Jim a king-sized vote of gratitude. Probably as clear an indication as any could be of the overall mood of the shindig is the fact that, although the Reunion didn't officially start until Friday, by midday on Thursday, the tents were full, and the Reunion was well under way. There was a reception and a buffet supper at College Hall, and then everybody ambled over to the lawn of Baker Library to hear Professor Bill McCarter treat the subject "Dartmouth, Past, Present and Future" with great good sense and deep humor. That night, there was dancing and gathering-togetherness, and there are even those who say that some of those harmonic strains that were reverberating around the place at four in the morning were somewhat more strained than harmonic. (For some reason, they sounded all right to me; but that's probably only the normal prejudice expected of a participant.)

Rumor has it that Friday morning came in its usual sequence, but there were many who had to be told about this later. The morning was well filled with two sessions of panel discussions on Baker Library lawn. Appropriately, the first was on the subject of "The Future of Medical Care." The audience was about equally divided between those who wanted to know about medical care and those who needed medical care. It is indeed remarkable that an amber color in a highball could produce such a rosy hue in an eyeball. Perhaps this will be the subject for " the next panel session. On the platform were fellow '31ers, Drs. Ralph Hunter, Sey Burge, BillConklin and Joe Rushton - and a fine job they did, too. The second session had to do with "The Economic Outlook," and JohnnyBenson, Johnny Martin, and Spence Miller were among the panelists who made this a fascinating experience. As the Reunion progressed, the pertinence of this second panel discussion became clearer and clearer; because, as hearts began to fill up, pockets began to empty ... and more about this later.

Friday afternoon turned out to be one of those ideal days for a picnic, and the caravans headed for Interlaken. A slight spurt of rain in the late afternoon created only a minor defection in the greatest stretch of unadulterated fun that anybody had had in a long lime. The food was wonderful, the swimming was ideal, the lounging-about was readily attractive, and there were a few who were heard to remark that, for some strange reason, they found it a lot easier to float on the water than was once the case. This is probably no reflection on physical proportions, but I do recall something about the buoyancy of the body being in proportion to water displacement. Back from Interlaken for the reception at President Dickey's home; and then to the Alumni Dance at College Hall, and eagerly back to the tent for more dancing and quaffing, and dancing, and tilting the bowl, etc., etc., again far into the night. By this time, voices were really getting in tune, although no two voices were getting into the same tune. The dance floor had been shifted from the tent in front of Russell Sage to the tent in front of Streeter; and, in the move, it acquired a very definite tilt. Though accidental, this proved to be highly beneficial for those classmates who found it easier to dance downhill and then walk back up again for another joust with Terpsichore.

Saturday was full of main events, starting with the class business meeting in the 1902 Room at Baker Library. Pete Evans gave his Treasurer's report and it appears that the Class is reasonably healthy financially. Although the Chairman was accused of attempting some railroading in the voting, the Class ultimately voted to adopt the new Class Constitution which, in essence, sets up an 11-man Executive Committee from which is to be chosen a Class Chairman, as well as a Class Secretary. Don Stoddard reported the Nominating Committee's recommendation, unanimously adopted, that the following men constitute the 1931 Executive Committee for the next five years: Russ Beckwith, Ed Brummer,Charlie Engstrom, Pete Evans, Jim Frame,Jim Godfrey, Dick Holbrook, Jack Reno, FredSlaughter, Bill Steck, and Bill Wilson.

Various reports from Dick Holbrook and Jim Godfrey brought everybody up to date on class functions and on the Reunion itself. Charlie McAllister got in his last licks on the Memorial Fund. There's something electric about being party to an event like that. Everybody in that room knew that Charlie and BillSteck had been breaking their backs for months to get this Fund built up ... and, yet, the goal had not been reached. What went on during the few minutes after Charlie finished his pitch is something I'll never forget. It was somewhat akin to the feeling that comes over you when you stand at attention and pledge allegiance to the flag. You can't quite understand it, but it does things to your stomach. As men got to their feet, to pledge their own money or to exhort others to do so, you suddenly knew that you were watching Men of Dartmouth.

From the class meeting, we went out on the campus to have the class picture taken, but a sudden downpour put the quietus on that, temporarily. So, we hied ourselves to the gym for the Alumni Luncheon. We were all more than a little proud that Johnny Martin, as President of the General Association of Alumni, was up on the platform presiding. At the same time we heard that GeorgeNickum had been elected President of the Alumni Council. '31 UP! The sun came out in mid-afternoon, and everybody finally got together for the class picture. As this goes to press, I haven't seen which picture was selected for publication, but, if it's the one in which all the men were asked to remove their hats, it is suggested that smoked glasses be worn during any inspection. Like the proverbial hole in the head, we needed a cocktail party, so we had one on the porch of College Hall. And then the Hall filled up for the class banquet. Never was the title, Master of Ceremonies, more aptly used than in referring to the job that Dick Holbrook did. He was the Master of every part of the ceremonies. The youngest man in the room was President Emeritus Hopkins. Just to be in the same place with that man does something to you. Dean McDonald gave a very learned discussion on the subject of necking, the implications of which were highly flattering. The Executive Committee handed in its report of officers selected for the next five years. These are: Chairman - Dick Holbrook; Secretary Jack Reno; Treasurer - Pete Evans; Chairman of the 30th Reunion — Ed Brummer; Bequest Chairman - Charlie Engstrom; Editor of the Wah-Hoo-Wampum - Jim Frame; Fund Agent - Bill Steck. To each of them, a garland of laurel in advance.

Then, the result of the hard slugging for the Alumni Fund and the Memorial Fund came to a head. Bill Steck turned over a check for $17,650 to President Dickey for '31's share in the Alumni Fund; and Charlie McAllister turned over a check for $90,000 as '31s addition to the Memorial Fund. Some classes have contributed more, some less; but John Dickey turned to Charlie and said "In my ten years at Dartmouth, I have been on the receiving end of many such gifts, but I have never heard it done better or felt its impact more deeply." $107,650 is a lot of money. For some of you, your part in this represents real .sacrifice not only for you, individually, but for your families. I can only hope that you fully understand the great good you have done. Your head should be held a little higher even though your wallet may be a little thinner.

It's impossible to remember or recount everything that goes on at a time like that, but, for those of you who were not there, I feel it my duty to pass on to you John Dickey's opening remark: "Gentlemen of '31, you have now reached that stage where you realize that you can no longer handle all the things you can afford." The heads that nodded agree- ment indicated that the rigors of Reunion were beginning to take their toll. The amazing Dick Holbrook did it again. What kind of attic he has at home must be something to behold, because each of the classmates at the head table received a special class gift, and each was not only singularly appropriate, but came out of Dick's private horde of memorabilia. I know I shall always treasure that section of the 1935 Yale goal post.

Following the banquet, some went to Webster Hall for a very delightful play "The Rainmaker," and others drifted back to the tent for a little keg-draining, wax-tamping and revving-up the motors again. Along about midnight, the auction started, and here's where the ding-dong comes into the picture. I can't tell you the names of those involved, but it seems that, last spring, somebody stole the clapper from the Rollins' Chapel bell. Where it has been, who has had it, how it was done, etc. must probably always rest in limbo. One tall character in the Class of '31 knows who stole the ding-dong, and he also knows how it got back to the '31 Reunion tent and took its rightful position on the auction block. Anyway, the massive hunk was bought, and deposited on President Dickey's front steps (quietly and anonymously, of course), and it's assumed that the Rollins Chapel bell is ringing again. Something in the neighborhood of $500 was raised by the auction, and this was added to the total class contribution. Thanks to all of you who so thoughtfully donated so many items for the auction. Sometime during that night, some of the more musically inclined compatriots discovered that firehose nozzles can be made to emit trumpet-like tones closely resembling the mating call of the moose. It's too bad that it has taken 25 years to uncover talents like these, and it's altogether possible that various sets of ear drums will ultimately recover almost their original sensitivity.

As it inevitably had to do, Sunday morning came. The physical let-down was noticeable, but spirits were still high. Jim McElroy conducted the Memorial Service at St. Thomas Church in memory of all the '31ers who have died. It was effective, warm, and inspiring. Along toward 11 o'clock, cars began to pull out of Tuck Drive on the homeward trek. Many stayed for a final lunch at the Outing Club and then, by mid-afternoon, the Big 25 th was a throbbing memory.

Though late in this account, affectionate mention must be made of the children of '31. What a wonderful gang of youngsters that was. Ed Brummer had set up a steady round of things-to-do for youngsters of all ages, and they seemed to be having the time of their life. Walt Gehring pramming around his 7-months-old charmer was a never-to-be-forgotten sight.

Did it really happen? Was I really there? Were you there? I'm not sure, but I can still see your face, I can still hear your voice I'm .still there. For those of you who couldn't make it, perhaps you can still understand the thrill of sitting by the canvas-covered hearthside and feeling the spirit of Dartmouth enter your soul through a hole in your heart. Well ... that was it... the BIG, BIG, 25th.

This is my final column as ye olde class sec., so ... my sincere thanks to all of you for having given me this opportunity to be one of you.

One of two panels for the 1931 Hanover Holiday was a discussion on "The Economic Outlook," held on the Baker lawn.

The 25-Year Class of 1931 staged a four-day program hugely enjoyed by the largest family turnout.

John Martin '31 (right), president of the General Alumni Association, shown at the annualmeeting June 16 with President Dickey (left)and President Emeritus Hopkins.

RETIRING CLASS SECRETARY