1925

Class Reunion - The 34thHanover, June 15, 16, 17

The class was well represented at the Boston dinner in April launching the final drive of the Capital Gifts campaign jointly with the team of class agents. Ford Whelden, taking advantage of the opportunity to make the round trip from Hanover the same day with President Dickey, was a surprise and welcome visitor. Ford reported that Parker Merrow, notwithstanding his interest in cars of ancient vintage, recently showed up in Hanover in a brand-new, gleaming-white Citroen sports job. Maybe Parker's undercover agents had reported to him Ham Thayer's intention to break out with a Thunderbird - also gleaming-white. Ham reported during the social hour preceding the dinner that Charlie Moore had sold him everything but the proverbial kitchen sink to go with the car. Homer Tilton, sitting at the left of your secretary, confided to him that he had been designated to attend a civil defense school to achieve the status of an expert in the problems of water contamination. The activities of Freddie Smith still remained a mystery - at least it was not possible to correlate precisely all the facts disclosed - when the meeting adjourned. Apparently he raises sheep on his farm at West Buxton, Me.; but there was a wide discrepancy between the asking and offering prices when he tried to sell some wool to Ham. And then there seemed to be some doubt as to whether he toiled one day or three days in Boston when he reported he worked there between Tuesday and Thursday. Our Newsletter editor, Herb Talbot, resisting the impulse to remain at home to nurse an aching tooth, showed up at the gathering for several reasons, one of which was based on his intense loyalty, the other (I suspect) to gather a scoop for his publication which will have been issued prior to these notes! Discussion among the six of us naturally centered on our forth-coming reunion. The consensus seemed to be that as this would be the last opportunity for many to join with their classmates (our 40th reunion will be six years hence in 1965) and every effort should be made to make the trip to Hanover on June 15.

At the meeting of the reunion committee in April, attended by Ellie and Frank Wallis,Bill Sleigh, Pete Blodgett, Lydia and KenNugent, Ann and June Chamberlain, WoodyWilson and your secretary (Joe Leavitt and Herb Talbot' were unable to be present), it was learned that the Wallises recently had flown with friends in a private plane to St. Petersburg, thence to the Americana at Miami Beach for a two-day meeting of the American College of Trial Lawyers, to Naples for a meeting of the Sportsmen Pilots Association, to Cypress Gardens and finally to Jacksonville where Frank left Ellie to stay with the Lou Kimballs for a week. Lou is reported to be keeping busy with his fingers in several financial pies and is happy with the presence in the same city of his daughter Babs and granddaughter.

Helen and Mott Garlock got some publicity recently when the engagement of their daughter, Barbara Alice to W. Hinckley Jr. of Springfield was announced. It appears that Phil Evans prefers a warmer climate than that which prevails in Massachusetts. He is reported to be president of Dynatron Corp. at Miami and living on North Hibiscus Island, Miami Beach. Larry Welch has moved from Washington, D. C., to 4223 Vermont Ave., Alexandria, Va. Karl Friedmann was recently elected president of Girard College, Philadelphia, Penna., having served as acting president since August 1957. The newspaper account indicated Karl had "been associated with the school for fatherless white boys for 24 years." Allen Bickford, biometrician for the Northeastern Forest Experiment Station, is conducting a statistical course for research foresters at Laconia, N. H. "Eastward the Sea" is the title of a new 304-page novel by Charlie Hayward, who relates the salty adventure of a ship on a dangerous mission to the Mediterranean during our war with Tripoli.

We hear the class is in line for further prestige by the nomination of Herb Talbot to serve on the Alumni Council in his capacity as president of the Newsletter Association. Herb of course is deserving of any honor that comes his way. It's amazing how he manages to fit into his heavy schedule of responsibilities the time he devotes so ably to both the class and the college.

We are sorry to report the loss of another classmate, Win Rice, from a heart attack. A more detailed account will appear in the In Memoriam section in a later issue.

Hamilton Webster Thayer

Ham Thayer is mentioned in these notes from time to time as the natural result of activity arising out of his devotion to Dartmouth. It seems fitting, therefore, that we should sketch his career.

Born in Worcester, Ham prepared for college at Worcester Academy. While at Hanover he was a member of Psi Upsilon. During his junior year he left college to become employed by Draper Corporation of Hopedale, Mass., producer of textile machinery and the largest manufacturer of automatic looms in the world. During the succeeding 35 years he moved up from the bottom to his present position of Vice President and Works Manager.

Meanwhile his inexhaustible energy has been directed to activities of benefit to others. For 23 years Ham served on the Hopedale School Committee. He is a trustee and on the managing board of the Milford Hospital, a director of the Milford National Bank & Trust Company, trustee and chairman of the board of the Hopedale Foundation, a member of the Rotary Club, a member and past president of the Milford Club and a trustee of Tabor Academy. Ham entered into the realm of matrimony in 1929. Early in 1956 through the misfortune of death, however, he was left the sole parent of his three children, Harriet, Rosamond and William, now 28, 24 and 21 respectively.

Secretary, 225 Wyman St., Waltham 54, Mass.

Class Agent, 305 Crosby Hall, Hanover, N. H.