1905
Among the top of the public-spirited men of our class stands Bill Blatner. I quote from the Geneva Republican of Jan. 22, 1958:
For many years a local resident of Geneva has been acquiring a home library of carefully selected recorded music (played or sung) by the world's greatest orchestras, and instrumental and vocal soloists. This library contains many of the great symphonies and other orchestral masterpieces, concertos for orchestra and piano, violin and cello, string quartets, quintets, sextets, as well as operatic and other vocal recordings.
This library of recorded music has been presented to the Geneva Public Library, with new recordings to be added from time to time, for the edification and enjoyment of the donor's Geneva friends and neighbors.
This gift was made by Bill in memory of his wife, Bessie M. Blatner, and her mother, Mabel M. Simpson. You will recall that Bill gave a portrait of Daniel Webster to the college at our 50th.
Ned Estes has sent me the program of an organ recital he gave January 26. The occasion was the dedication of the beautiful new organ at First Parish Church, Dover, N. H. The following is an excerpt from the local press criticism: "I have no doubt that it has been many years, if ever, that Dover has heard such glorious organ playing." Ned seems to have proved quite decisively that, as he puts it, "some of us are still in the old game." A pleasant additional fact is that Dr. Ernest B. Watson '02, for many years a colleague of Ned's at Robert College, Istanbul, drove down from Hanover for the recital and a grand visit with Ned.
It is regrettable that only one of our class managed to attend the grand dinner in New York in honor of President Emeritus Hopkins. Halsey Loder was, as far as I'm aware, the only representative of 1905. He regards President Dickey's speech on that occasion the best he has ever heard him give.
Stanley Besse tells me he received a nice letter from Emily Day (Rufus' widow). She is in good health and spirits, he says, and had been visiting her children: David, a professor at the University of Illinois, with three daughters; Emerson, well-known for his work in cancer research, in Scarsdale, N. Y., with five children; Caroline, in Williamstown, Mass., with three children, a proud total of eleven grandchildren.
Occasionally I am happy to be able to pass on a word about some of our men whose names have not appeared often in this column. Thanks to Bill Blatner, I learn that Mortimer Cahill, retired from the insurance business, now lives at 1553 North Clark St., Chicago. Likewise Rowland (Toots) Balph is living quietly in retirement in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.
"Cy" and Hilda White, at the time of writing, were enjoying the sunshine of Laguna Beach, Cal. They have reservations on the "S.S. Matsonia" for a three-week trip to Hawaii. On their return they plan to stop off at Evanston, Ill., to visit their daughter and her family; thence home early in April. Happy Landings.
Death has visited our ranks twice within the past two monthts. After an extended
period of ill health, Fred Call passed on January 15, in his native city of Clinton, Mass. Suddenly on February 3, at his home in Miami, Fla., Lou Wallis had a heart attack from which he died before he reached the hospital. His death will come as a shock to his many friends.
The deep sympathy of the class goes to the relatives and friends of these men.
Secretary, 358 North Fullerton Ave. Upper Montclair, N. J.
Class Agent, 11 Lakewood Rd., Natick, Mass.
