1926

There is a rapture in the breeze That chants its wandering lyric tune, In leafy beauty bide the trees, Proud and majestic; it is June.

By the time these notes come to life in printmany of you will already be on your way toHanover for the long anticipated and glorious 30th reunion. Chairman Harry and Mary Fisher will have set up headquarters. Others from the shorter distances will be leaving soon. This is, indeed, the time when all thoughts have turned to old friends of those days 31 years ago. We will also have the opportunity to participate in Hanover Holiday with Dick Eberhart and Hugh Morrison, who are lecturing Monday night and Tuesday morning re- spectively.

Your secretary views the approaching days with mixed emotions, for the time has come to turn over the reins to a new administration with its fresh ideas and vernal zeal. Tubber Weymouth and his nominating committee of Al Louer, Don Norstrand, Okey O'Connor and Bob Salinger will have some interesting news for you at the class meeting on June 11.

It hardly seems possible that this is really the last of'those 55 columns that seemed such a monumental and gigantic task six years ago. Now those years have in retrospect passed very quickly with the great joy of renewing so many friendships that had temporarily faded by distance and time. It was a priceless reward to have those calls in the office, to see you when on the road, to read your many unique and interesting letters and to know of the birthdays, anniversaries, the weddings, the grand-parenthood and even the occasional marriages and births in your lives. It has been tempered at times by the sad news of classmates who have passed to the great beyond, and to share the grief of those of you who lost loved ones during these years. It has been a never-to-be-forgotten experience to know all of you as only your class secretary can.

It has been wonderful to work with Don Norstrand who has done such a magnificent job in restoring class credit as Treasurer, Okey O'Connor and Don Hopkins who have led the class to new records in the Alumni Fund and Carle Blunt and Dick Nichols as our first bequest chairmen. Each have wished to express their great satisfaction and privilege in this association with you.

Don sent in his brief resume of his feelings:

"Hub recently inquired if the incumbent 1926 Treasurer bad any final remarks to make in the fading twilight of his term of office. Usually such words of farewell (Ed. note: From retiring financial wizards) are spoken from the deck of a South America-bound steamer. Be that as it may - it has been an enjoyable six years recording the financial responsibility of the first and finest of the Selective System. The results of six years of cheerful, painless dues extractions will be made apparent at 1926's Therapeutic Thirtieth (Reunion - Recreation - Relaxation) on June 10-11-12."

Okey O'Connor collaborated as usual withhis colleague, Don Hopkins in sending thismessage:

"Dear Hub - As we approach the completion ofsix years as class agents for '26, we can't help but feel happy that our tour of duty is over. As our successors will find out, there s a lot of dog work involved, but contrary to first appearances, there's a whale of a lot of fun and satisfaction in it too. We think we know more about more members of our class than we ever did in college, and the more we know, the more we like every one of them. We'd like to take this opportunity to thank you and every member of the class who has helped to make our work so enjoyable and worthwhile. It's a real kick to know that during our tenure the annual gift of the class has increased from the vicinity of $16,000 a year to over $30,000 last year and we hope even more this year. And many thanks too, to Holt McAloney, Gordon Chipman, Herm Trefethen and all the assistant class agents who worked together so well to make this possible."

Dick Nichols wrote this all too modest note which the Secretary would only dare print in his final column.

"It was an interesting and rewarding experience to have the privilege of serving as bequest chairman for the Class of 1926 during your regime now drawing to a close. If my efforts had been equal to the splendid work you have done as secretary the capital problems of Dartmouth College would now be solved for generations to come. It has been a real inspiration to work with you."

Turning to the more material problems at hand, we are still faced with the responsibility this month, in addition to the pleasures of reunion, of the closing days of our Alumni Fund campaign and the need for your support. We can only add to the many exhortations of the past — it is more important than ever.

Ed Hanlon who has been a mainstay over the last six years in contributing to the success of these notes, writes that he joined the New York delegation of Andy O'Connor (Okey), Larry Wolff, George Scott, Gordon Chipman, Nick Nickerson, Herm Trefethen and Holt McAloney in turning out for the Alumni Fund kick-off dinner at the Union League Club.

The night before, Bill Barclay, Russ Clark and Hub Harwood were on hand for the dinner at the University Club in Boston which also honored John Dickey '29.

Sympathies of the Class are extended to Class Agent Okey in the loss of his father, Frank A. O'Connor who was almost 90 years old and had been elected to public office in West Orange, N. J., for more than 50 years.

One of the unusual coincidents of this term of office has been the opportunity to visit the West coast on two occasions, in fact the only two trips since college, and to see so many classmates. It is interesting to note how our class, too, has followed the trend to the West as evidenced by the listings in the latest directory of "Dartmouth Men of Northern California and Nevada." In addition to Ritchie Smith who is perhaps by now the oldest living San Franciscan born in San Francisco, we find WaltArmstrong, the Chief Engineer of the Nevada Northern R.R. at East Ely, Nev., Bill Behrensof San Francisco, Jud Bellaire, Sales Manager, Pacific Division of the Dromedary Company, living at Oakland, AI Bishop of Sacramento, Dick Dimond, Dodge-Plymouth Distributor of Reno, Jack Dunn of Carmel. Bill Forrest of Redwood City, John Horan and Gordon Linkeof San Carlos, Ralph Smith of Stockton, JimSomerville of Santa Rosa, Carl Stanley of Fresno, Charlie Starrett of June Lake and Weldon Wilkinson of San Jose.

We have had a note from Charlie and Mary Starrett which would indicate they have retired permanently to June Lake. "The days slip by too fast here in the High Sierra Country and consequently my slow reply to yours of the 9th. Or maybe I'm getting like the natives - just don't hustle too much at 8000 ft. ... We have rented our house in Beverly Hills and love our new one up here in the forest."

Then from Southern California which has an equally large representation comes a nice note from Bus Heydt in Hollywood.

"I didn't receive your letter 'til returning over the weekend from a month of playing tough in a western over in the Canyon Country. . . . Thanks for your interest in keeping us alive to each other and to the College. ... Last September after a spell in Cuba on the John Ford "Wings of Eagles' picture, I spent a month at the Players Club, 16 Gramercy Park, New York. Sorry you couldn't have dropped in. I have a recently perfected Elbow Test for Friends-over-Fifty and it's time you took it."

Also a heartwarming note from Hal Rosenberg on the letterhead of the American Cancer Society - Los Angeles County Branch.

"As of a month ago, I was appointed Administrative Assistant here at the American Cancer Society. It is a job that holds a good deal of challenge for me and one that I am happier in than anything I have ever attempted heretofore. It is good to know that everything one does eventually helps someone else."

Ed McClintock writes from Brush Creek Farm in Dewey, Okla., and has given us a fine rundown on his family.

"Our son, Thomas, is married, lives in Chicago and attends Northwestern part time and works part time. His wife Ann, works also - for Northern Trust Co.

"Our daughter Meredith attends Stephens College at Columbia, Mo., where she is doing excellent work. I'm driving up there Wednesday (it's almost 375 miles) to bring her home for spring rest and get all her winter clothes back home.

"Our 'baby' Mike graduates this May from College High School in Bartlesville. He has commuted back and forth all these years in his Ford. He plans to volunteer for induction at once, and may try for West Point as an enlisted man. He is now over 6 ft. and weighs 195 lbs."

Two Ralphs, Thomas and Bristol, are always very conscientious in acknowledging the greetings of the Class on their birthdays each year. Ralph Thomas our Pittsburgh banker says, " 'Middle Age' is when the side view of your middle is the wide view." Ralph Bristol, restaurateur extraordinaire, philosophizes, "If the younger generation does not know where it is going, it must be following in its father's footsteps." Who was the classmate who recently said, "There is nothing wrong with the younger generation that the older generation didn't outgrow." (Remember the twenties?)

Bob Minton, too, has written.

"Your very kind birthday greeting was greatly appreciated and I want to thank you and the Class for thinking of me.

"I am still slaving in "Wall Street. I am associated with Carlisle and Jacquelin and with the current market I am kept extremely busy. But managed to take time off recently, so we planed to Paris, London, Madrid and then sailed around Majorca, later returning to London for a couple of weeks."

We had almost forgotten about the 50th birthdays as some are now getting close to 60, when Bob May's letter turned up in the files. We are getting straightened out before reunion.

"Have been out of town . . . hence the delay in answering your welcome (and thoughtful) 50th birthday letter. Recalling how I used to be regarded as one of the class young-squirts, I realise that we're really getting along.

"Having attained that supposedly dignified age, and having thrown-out my sacroiliac a few times while tossing about my young daughter and/or her sandbox, I've finally decided that I now have a right to act and feel my age, and to stop kidding myself."

Elsewhere in the Magazine you will find a preliminary report of the findings of Dick Husband on the study you cooperated to make possible of our class to compare how activities both scholastic and extra-curricular may have an effect on development some 30 years later. It is particularly interesting to note what Dartmouth's first selected class has done. Be sure to take the time to read it.

And now, with the exception of the reunion resume next month, the time has come for "Hail and yet Farewell". Thank you one and all for making this pleasure possible and the help always cheerfully given in our attempts to make this class a little greater.

Ah yes, it has passed all too quickly, just as the years all seem to be going now.

Harry Fisher, 1926 class reunion chairman, and his wife Mary in training at the 25th for duties coming up this month.

Secretary,336 South Station, Boston 10, Mass.

Class Agent,c/o Herman J. Trefthen, McCory Stores Corp.1107 Broadway, New York 19, N. Y.