1894

For obvious reasons (though the reason for being a little late may not be so obvious) this columnist will devote his space this month to the eleventh president of Dartmouth College, Ernest Martin Hopkins.

The Class of '94 will never forget the decisive part which Dr. Hopkins had in making possible our Fiftieth Year Reunion. It was the most successful reunion we ever had. It was held during the war years. There were very sound reasons for postponing it. Because of Dr. Hopkins it was not postponed, and it was doubtless because of him that we were given the entire Inn as our headquarters. So we are everlastingly in his debt.

But there is another tie which forever binds us. We were the first class to graduate under William Jewett Tucker, and perhaps because we had him only one year we came to appreciate him more than if we had had him a longer time. The man in all the world who knew Dr. Tucker best and appreciated him most is Dr. Hopkins.

Why do Dartmouth men love Ernest Hopkins so? For the same reason that the lamb loved Mary!

Why did the lamb love Mary so?

Because Mary loved the lamb, you know.

This writer has looked again at some letters from Dr. Hopkins which came during the presidential years and is amazed at the painstaking care that they show. Because he was so interested in Dartmouth Alumni in a personal way they have been personally drawn to him.

It happens that this Class Secretary was on the ground floor when Ernest Hopkins '01 was Secretary to President Tucker for four years and Secretary of the College for five years. We soon came to recognize that Dr. Tucker had selected as his "fidus Achates" a young man who soon proved of inestimable value to him and to the College. Almost at once a Secretaries Association was formed which was the beginning and forerunner of the extensive Alumni organization we now have. Hopkins was its leader and inspirer and the editor of the ALUMNI MAGAZINE which was brought into being. Ere long it became evident that the combined leadership of Tucker and Hopkins was to make Dartmouth the outstanding College in the whole country for Alumni devotion and loyalty, and this would perhaps be the most significant characteristic in making Dartmouth an outstanding leader in the liberal arts tradition.

So, in 1916, when the Trustees looked for a president this writer was not surprised, but felt that the one inevitable choice had been made, when Ernest Martin Hopkins was selected as the real successor to William Jewett Tucker. It may be noted that there was an interim after Dr. Tucker's retirement when his ultimate successor advanced in age from 31 to 38!

It is not necessary here to dwell on the 29 years that followed. Hopkins carried on in the Tucker tradition, but in no slavish way. He was his own man, stood on his own feet, and made his own very distinct contribution. Tucker had been president for sixteen years. It seems natural to add to these 16 of Tucker the 29 years of Hopkins and to say that Tucker and Hopkins together led the College for 45 years.

In all simplicity, but in all truthfulness, may it be suggested that while Dartmouth College was founded by Eleazar Wheelock, and at a most critical moment was saved by Daniel Webster, it was re-founded by Wil- liam Jewett Tucker and Ernest Martin Hopkins.

Secretary, 74 Kirkland St., Cambridge 38, Mass.

Class Agent, 18 Center St., Nutley, N. J.