'39's Titillating Twentieth
To paraphrase that parrot, it was a short retirement. It seems we must have an account of reunion. Well, so be it....
On the dark and rain-splashed afternoon of Friday, the thirteenth of June, 200 middleaged mommas and poppas, and 86 of their offspring in assorted sizes and sexes, descend on the green Hanover plain. Ripley, Woodward and Smith, and a large part of South Fayer, too, are taken without a struggle.
The tents are pitched on the old camp ground. One for the big people, just astern of the Sphinx tomb. One for the little people, over behind Dartmouth Hall.
A well-uniformed army. Beribboned boaters and forest green vests for the ladies. Black bowlers and green vests for their gentlemen friends. Baseball caps for the little shavers. An army clean of mind, of heart and of feet. Two towels per person, just like those in a real fancy hotel, suitably and permanently inscribed.
Night falls. But all is light. Thirty-nine's Titillating Twentieth has begun. It is Black Friday only to 400 fine fat lobsters who are being dropped in for dinner.
The Stite begins to flow. The suitably inscribed green steins (no tin cans for this class!) are unlimbered. The lobsters go to their reward. Everyone calls for Charlie Gluek to take a bow. Charlie Gluek is no- where to be found. Stite is everywhere. Charlie Gluek becomes by acclamation Mr. America of 1939.
By midnight, hush and quiet has enveloped our village. We are, after all, an elderly group. The children and their mommies and daddies are snug in their beds, sleeping the sleep of the just, that only the voices of angels can disturb. The voices of angels disturb it.
Saturday dawns clear, bright, windy and cool. Fortified with black coffee and Sugar Jets, the class gathers in 105 Dartmouth to transact business. The nominating Committee — Bill McCarthy, chairman, Skip Morse and Bill Carter, presents a slate of candidates for election to the Executive Committee. They are elected without contest. The new Executive Committee: Tom Brooks of Boston, Jack Coulson of New York, Jack Cumming of Providence, Walt Darby, Lou Merriam and Irv Naitove, all of New York, EndieSmith of Boston, Ed Wakelin of Holyoke, Moose Wyman of Boston, and your reporter, who lives in New York.
A date on the campus with Bachrach and Karsh. Everyone says "cheese" and "whiskey." The class picture becomes available to posterity at a dollar a throw. The luncheon for all returning classes on the lawn of the gymnasium. A meeting of the Alumni Association. A speech by President Dickey.
The afternoon free to do as you wish. A bite of Stite. A trip up-river to see the surprising crew, racing M.I.T. A chat with a classmate. A stroll to the '37 and '38 tents. More likely, a snooze.
Late afternoon, the high point of reunion. Cocktails on the lawn at the D.O.C. House. The sun sinking over Occom Pond. The fragrance of charcoal smoke and 200 steaks abroiling. Dinner in the clubhouse. The drawing for prizes. Stan Brown wins a Toro and faints; Bud Finck, from the open spaces of Arizona, gets an acre in Oklahoma; Jim Garnett, who sells electric broilers, wins one; Phil Sanborn, who sells picture frames, wins a picture....
Back to the tent. Lights, laughter, exotic dancing to the haunting beat of the tom-tom, a bite of Stite, and on into the night....
Sunday morning. The three classes gather in the Bema to remember those of us beyond reunion on this earth. Gil Tanis 38 leads a memorial service that is simple and touching.
The Executive Committee meets and elects new class officers: Bud Clifford, chairman; Bob Davidson, secretary; Jack Coulson, treasurer; Lou Merriam, class agent.
Cars moving, people waving, the crowd thinning. Three o'clock on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Hanover is all but deserted. One might be able to hear a pin drop. We drop one. We hear it. It is time to go.
That was Thirty-nine's Titillating Twentieth. And anyone who doesn't go for reunions is a skiball....
Herewith a letter from the man behind it all, Walt Darby: "I've thanked them personally, but I want to take this opportunity of publicly extending my thanks and the thanks of the Class to those people who made our Reunion a success: Bud Clifford acted as co-chairman and took the brunt of the last minute details; Bill Webster arranged to obtain the uniforms which were the hit of the campus: Howie Chivers made all the arrangements for the children's program; Bob Kalaidjian arranged for the wonderful meals, Bill Carter had the unenviable job of treasurer but made it look easy; Dick Jackson got out the publicity and kept the ball rolling; Herb Mattlage helped out on the kids' program as did Jack Cumming on the uniforms. Needless to say the respective wives, 800 Clifford, Bunny Webster, Jane Chivers, Adene Kalaidjian, Ethel Carter and Math Jackson (Not to mention Dot Darby! Ed.) had to suffer through all of this and their suggestions were greatly appreciated.
It wouldn't be fitting to close without ourspecial thanks to Charlie Gluek who supplied the Stite which made the party go 'round till the early hours of Saturday morning. And thanks to Bob Gibson, Bob Davidson, Whit Cushing, Bud Finck, Ed Oppenheim, Hank Schueler and Paul O'Brien for their contributions to the raffle.
And most important, our special thanks to the classmates and their wives and kids who came back and, we hope, enjoyed themselves."
Here, now, for your memory book, is a list of those present at reunion:
Harriet and Al Abbott; Jean and Roy Allen; Jean and Kim Ayers; Lillian and Al Balboni; Sue and Dick Baldauf; Peggy and Joe Batchelder; Irene and Stan Beskind; Muggsy Bly; Phyllis and Dick Brooks; Sue and Tom Brooks; Moreau Brown; Thalie and Stan Brown; Rita and Bill Buge; Ethel and Bill Carter; Ruth and Jack Cathcart; Jane and Howie Chivers; Colin Churchill; 800 and Bud Clifford; Billee and Jack Coulson; Doris and Jim Corner; Elizabeth and Jack Cumming; Bill Cunningham; Whit Cushing; Dot and "Walt Darby; Jeanne and Charlie Davis; Doris and Hack Davenport; Catherine and Bob Davidson; Bill Deal.
Mary and Bob Dickgiesser; Priscilla and Moose Dudis; Florence and Dave Dutcher; Myrtle and Bob Elkins; Haven Falconer; Rhoda and Dune Farr; Jean and Bob Field; Bud Finck; Ellie and John Fisher; Jane and Jim Fuller; Jim Garnett; John Gauntlett; Margery and Monty Gray; Beatrice and John Haartz; Shirley and George Hanna; Patty and Rodg Harrison; Jack Haverfield; Dick Hawkins; Peter and Budd Hayward; Peg and Lou Highmark; Ralph Hill; Louise and Bob Howe; Bess and Dick Huisking (guests); Jeanne and Austin Iglehart; Math and Dick Jackson; Lorraine and Lew Joel; Jacqueline and Dick Johnson; lola and Howie Johnston.
Adene and Bob Kalaidjian; Charlotte and Gordie King- Viola and Jack Kuhlke; Sidney and Al Ley; Marjorie and Al Loberg; Julia and Duke Lyonl Jeanne and Hal MacGilpin; Carolyn and Bob MacLeod; Catherine and Bill Mason; Virginia and Herb Mattlage; Patricia and George Mcllroy; Marie and Jim McKeon; Mary and Hank Merrill; Joan and Dick Monahon; Trudy and Hugh Mc-Laren; Hope and Les McMillin; Marjorie and Junie Merriam; Janet and Cornie Miller; Florence and Irv Naitove; Pat and Charlie Neer; Ginny and George Neiley.
Jane and Bozo Noland; Elizabeth and Lou Oberdorfer; Paul O'Brien; Ginny and Lou Oldershaw; Sherry' and Dick Ordway; Marilyn and John Perry Esther and Bill Prudden; Janice and Dave Reid; Audrey and Dud Richards; Earle Robison; Dick Ruebling. .
Collen and Pete Salom; Ginnie and Phil Sanborn; Jean and Bob Schill; Martha and Jim Schofield; Connie and Hank Schueler; Dick and Shirl Schumacher; Georgette and Endy Smith; Shirley and Chick Spiltoir; Leone and Brownie Sullivan; Jacqueline and Bob M. Sullivan; Alma and Mert Tarlow; Glenn and Jack Vincens; Jane and Loren Vulte; Hort Wainwright; Jane and Buzz waters; Bunny and Bill Webster; Lucille and Toby Wing; Betty and Ted Wolfe; John Wood; Marjorie and Ralph Wright; Betsy and Moose Wyman.
P.S. Want a reunion hat? Vest? Steins? Towels? There's a surplus. Write or call Bill Carter— 70 Pine St., N.Y.C. WH 4-2200.
P.P.S. Who lost a red plaid lined ladies raincoat?
Black derbies distinguished members of the Class of 1939 during Reunion festivities.
RETIRING CLASS SECRETARY
