1916
What Jib Dingwall described a great Dartmouth affair - best ever held in New York - "and I've seen about all of them," Hoppy's Birthday Dinner at the Waldorf, was attended by a goodly number of Sixteeners. I am not certain of the exact count since we could not all be at one table and were a bit scattered. Bill and Mrs. Brett were expected to be there, as was Johnny Pelletier, but I didn't see them. Irving Wolff tried hard to make it but found it impossible at the last moment. Dutch Doenecke had arranged for a cozy alcove in Peacock Alley and there the clan gathered for cocktails and a social hour preceding the dinner. Jib picked up all the marbles with a gathering of the Dingwall clan - twelve of them. These consisted of his son and three nephews: Dr. James '36, Robert '40, H. Allan Jr. '42, John '44 (absent by reason of illness) and the Old Man himself '06. The wives were present and also Jib's brother and his wife. As Jib remarked, "Lots of fun and no brawls." Other '16ers there: John Ames, Fletch and Mrs. Andrews, Charlie and Mrs. Brundage and their guests, Prof, and Mrs. Samuel C. Williams, John and Mrs. Butler, Ray DeVoe, Dutch and Mrs. Doenecke, Tommy and Mrs. Doyle, Charlie and Mrs. Jones, Ros and Mrs. Magill, Stew Paul, Frank and Mrs. Pettengill, Freddy St. George Smith and his daughter Audrey, Ken Stowell, Beans and Mrs. Sully, and your reporter.
I have good news of Judge Phillips from his home in San Francisco, after having reported in the February column that he was quite ill. Judge wrote me at length on the nature of his illness, which he deprecated, but which was sufficiently severe in degree to get him a disability retirement from Civil Service. Judge stated that the Presidio job was not the place for him. Apparently he doesn't like the contact with Army people, because he said that he had never been able to adjust his attitudes outwardly to acting as if a Major, who didn't know his business, was superior to a Sergeant who did. He also remarked that the three cities which he has liked best, Edinburgh, New York and San Francisco, have all seemed climatically to treat him unkindly.
Good news from Stirling Wilson. He writes that he is home at Ormond Beach and was able to fly up to Asheville, N. C., with Betty and his partner to attend an important meeting of SPEBSQSA (if I have the initials right). I had told him how much I had enjoyed the Buffalo Bills, the barbershop quartet which is such a hit in the Broadway musical, "The Music Man." He informs me that they were the champs of the Society in 1949, good friends of his and swell fellows, and that the tenor used to work for Ken Henderson. Stirling writes he is slowing down in his real estate business so that he can work on the history of the SPEB, to which he has been commissioned and which will be nearly a full-time job.
Further in re Gardner Morey's indestructible sense of humor. He has had three illnesses in the past year, any one of which would be a crusher for you or me - but not Gard. He is making a good recovery and writes to Jack English:
When you see and hear from the other men please remember me to them, and tell them that I am "licking the ol' debil."
Yes, I remember that freight ride to Williamstown to the Williams game in our junior year - the Connecticut valley bathed in bright moonlight, so much more beautiful to us sitting in our sidedoor Pullman than on the plush of a day coach the transfer at Greenfield and the scramble to get into an empty box car before entering the Hoosac tunnel. Hack Tuttle and I were squiring two girls from Pittsfield, so we left the party at North Adams and checked in at the hotel for a few hours' sleep. I had sent some dress-up clothes by parcel post, but they never arrived and I had to wear my hobo clothes to the game, and was I embarrassed. It was quite a trip. Oh yes, on the way back we were bounced off the freight at Bellows Falls and had to finish the trip in a coach. What a hot Sunday that was!"
A nice letter from Hobey Baker tells me that he retired from the First National Bank of Boston on the first of the year and, not one to sit around and twiddle his thumbs, took a new job almost immediately with the American Vault Co. of Belmont, Mass., which is opening a new plant in Watertown, Mass. Hobey describes this as an excellent opportunity. Those of you who attended the Fabulous Fortieth will recall his reading a short paper suggesting that the Class sponsor a request to the College that Public Speaking, Argument and Debate (after the fashion of Prof. Lemuel Spencer Hastings of revered memory) be made a required subject. Being one to practice what he preaches, Hobey is about to take such a course in public speaking at Sever Hall, Harvard College. That, to my mind, Hobey, puts you on an upper plane, along with Jake Mensel and those other classmates who are never too old to learn and who are constantly striving to improve themselves. More power to you fellows! Incidentally, Hobey's son, Austin L. 3rd '41, has recently entered the employ of the Wellesley (Mass.) National Bank, thus continuing the banking tradition in the family.
Gran Fuller has sold his lumber business in Boston and has taken a position with the Federal Housing Authority in Washington. He and Ruth have taken an apartment, No. 203, at 2647 North Van Dorn St., Alexandria, Va. Alec and Estelle Jardine were in Washington recently visiting their daughter and took the occasion to call on Gran and Ruth.
Class Notes Editor, 7 Swarthmore PI., Swarthmore, Pa.
Secretary, Box 1998, Ormond Beach, Fla.
Class Agent, Box 151, Sagamore, Mass.
