1924
Class Reunion - The 35th Hanover — June 15, 16, 17
As this is written (March 2) Hanover is sloshing around in the melting snow and enjoying the first teasing suggestions of spring. Duckboards will surely be out before you read this, for they're making drainage canals off the main campus paths today; and the portable steam engine is being taken here and there to unfreeze drains, etc. This has been, by common agreement and by my oil bill, a severe winter.
Also, as this is written, we have to come to the bitter conclusion that Ralph Miller and his flying companion, Dr. Robert E. Quinn, are presumed dead. As the New York, Boston, and other newspapers have told many of you, the two doctors were returning from Berlin, N. H., on Saturday, February 21, where they had flown to see a heart patient. The best guess is that they were caught in a severe snow squall and forced down. After one of the most intensive and exhausting searches of possible routes, following up every clue offered, and using Air Force helicopters, Civil Air Force planes, Outing Club students on snowshoes supported by radios manned by students back here in Hanover, the search has been terminated by New Hampshire and by the Outing Club. Vermont took over today to continue tracing clues.
One of the unfortunate aspects of this tragedy is that we had a heavy snowfall on Monday the 23rd; also the temperature dropped as low as 30 degrees below zero some of those nights just after the plane was downed. Unless you have seen such a snow squall, as all of us did here in and around Hanover, it is hard to grasp its sudden appearance out of nowhere and the fierceness of the blinding snow that was driven from the north almost horizontally. I shall use the next News Letter to add to these few notes, but felt it would be inappropriate to omit it from this column. Betty Miller, their son Ralph Jr., the Olympic skier, and their two daughters and families, have had our sympathy and prayers here in Hanover, to which I know the Class wishes to add continued hope that both fliers may be found to end their ordeal of doubt.
Elsewhere in this or a later issue you will find an obituary for Whit Gowrie, whose widow Dorothy writes of his death by cancel on February 6, after a brief illness. They had been planning on joining us for the 35th reunion in June to meet old friends once again. I hope she may be persuaded to come just the same. I have sent the sympathy of the class to the family, and a special Memorial book will be secured and placed in Baker in his name by the Class. This is a good time to mention the fact that 1923-1924-1925 will join in a Memorial Service during the June reunion.
NOW regarding the reunion. Doug Craig as in town with his wife, Doris, and we had the pleasure of having them, also daughter Carolyn, who is looking over the girls' colleges against the future, with us for coffee hour on Sunday. Plans for reunion are well advanced, with many arrangements already committed, won't spoil the story by going into detail now, but be sure it will be a family party and the best of all to date. As I have urged all of you with birthdays about now, it's time to make your plans now to be with us. One thing has become very clear to some of us: our Class becomes more unified each year, and many friendships have been made and are now being made that are deeply valued for much better reasons than that we spent part of our lives together here at Dartmouth. We have a relatively large group of nongraduates in the Class, and it is important to acknowledge the fact that several of these have become very strong members of the class and its doings. More power to them.
Frank Harrington adds another star to his glittering crown, as a Director of the Worcester Gas Light Company. It may be in order to mention a few other stars: President of his companies in 1954 (Mass. Protective Assn. and the Paul Revere Life Insurance Co.); Trustee of the Hahnemann Hospital, and of the Five Cent Savings Bank; Director of the Guarantee Bank and "Trust Co. of Worcester; and his family of six includes son George '61 and pre-medic.
Art notes: Stuart Eldredge, who designed the attractive birthday card you are now receiving, was given a reception at the opening, March 2, of another exhibition of his paintings at the Wood Art Gallery. Which reminds ine that Margaret met the Dick Morins in Boston a while ago, where Dick was showing three of his water colors in with a Paul Sample '2O showing at the Vose Galleries. Several classmates have Eldredge pictures in their homes; perhaps some of Dick's are also just as well received.
Last weekend was Freshman Fathers-Sons weekend, which is growing bigger each year and now includes mothers who come along for the ride. Two classmates were here with their sons: Stan and Woody Chittick; Don and Dave Wilbur. Nat Ryder could not be here with his son John; Bruce McCollom (Dad Bob) was busy with the Freshman Swimming team, beating Exeter. These four boys are my advisees in the freshman class a program which gets better as we all learn by experience.
Paul Synnott, who is now in his 34th year with Time, has a son, Pete (Paul Jr.) who is a sophomore here at Dartmouth; his older sister (Audrey) is teaching at the University of Buffalo, and a younger sister (Joan) has just been accepted for Mt. Holyoke next fall.
Add travel note: Butts and Harriet Lamson will ride the rockets to Europe soon. They sail for England and France on April 23; of course they- will be back in time for the 35th Reunion, and there will be another Class Letter before they take off (in which I'll beg some space). They plan to drive by car around England with another couple for part of the time. Bon voyage!
Seen and Missed in Hanover: Red Maloney retired from business for a few days to renew his youth here, take in a few sports events, and found time to chat by the fire with us. I'm very sorry to have been out when Rog Stephenson called. He is Vice President of W. C. Mason & Co. (oil burners, fuel) and lives in West Hartford, Conn., along with the Roily Taylors, and with the Art Watsons in nearby Wethersfield. Another West Hartford clansman is A 1 Robinson, who reports that at the Dartmouth events such hearties as the Paul Kanes (Hartford) and the Bob Braggs (Wethersfield) were to be seen, and much interest shown in the Reunion in June. I remind you all again that the College will be sending out official registration cards to all on our rolls, and that fairly soon. PuttyBlodgett, who again will be Treasurer for the Reunion, was in the office yesterday for a chat on this topic. I had the pleasure of giving one of his four grandsons a psychological test the other day.
Which reminds me: Your scribe is grandpa for the third time, when daughter Sylvia added Katharine to her family on January 30. Let's have more such information for the record.
I have had a news clipping from the Boston papers, but not able to pin down the date. But we are happy to report that Sally and Himself Luitweiler were parents of the bride a month or two ago. Gretchen was married to Dennis Doucette, both of Winchester, Mass.; she graduates from Lawrence College this June; and her husband was graduated from Williams last June.
As we go to press, we are saddened to hear that Myron H. Watkins Jr. '50, son of Mike Watkins, was killed in an automobile accident on February 6. We have no further details at this time.
An honorary Doctor of Laws degree was recently conferred upon Karl Williams '23 (1) by Rockford College, of whose Board of Trustees he has been chairman for ten years. With him is Rockford's President Carlson.
Secretary, 2 Brewster Rd., Hanover, N. H.
Class Agent, 328 Orchard PL, Ridgewood, N. J.
