1917
The writer was fortunate in seeing part of a letter which Ruth Sisson had written to the Saladines during the Christmas season and found it so very interesting that Ruth's permission to reproduce it here was requested and most graciously granted. Here is what Ruth had to say:
I miss seeing all you good old-time friends at reunions, you may be sure. I am always there in spirit.
My "autobiography" is as follows. I sold our large home, as Walter hoped I could to our Presbyterian church, as a manse, after Walter died. Pete and I lived in a rented home for the next year and a half and then decided last July to buy a small cozy home here in Potsdam. Pete is away at Vermont Academy, Saxtons River, Vt., starting his high school preparation this year. He is enjoying it very much. All his teachers' remarks on his Quarterly Report were most flattering as to his attitude and complete co-operation in everything. That is my nicest Christmas gift. He is athletic like Walter and looks very much like him and like Carol, you saw at one reunion. Remember? He is fourteen and a half now, with a very "crackly" voice and is five feet eight. He is a great comfort vacations and summertime at the cottage where my three married children and their nine children descend on us like a "Happy Hurricane." It is noisy and gay and I enjoy every minute of it. I let them "take over" and they really do the work. It makes an excellent arrangement.
After Pete returns to V.A., I plan to visit my Polly at Amarillo, Texas, then later my Joe (Joseph Emery Sisson '51) at Winter Haven, Fla. It will be a nice change.
Perhaps we can induce Ruth to attend one of our fall reunions. There are many who would be delighted to see her!
Gene and Lucile Towler have asked that I advise you all that they cannot this year set the stage for the party given every spring by the Class at their Darien home. The reason for this will become perfectly clear when I tell you that on March si, they set sail on the "S.S. Queen Frederica" for Europe, and will be gone until September 29. Their first port of call will be Piraeus, port of Athens. From there they will journey in a leisurely fashion through the Greek islands in the Aegean, then up the Dalmatian coast to Dubrovnik, and on to Venice and Turin. There they will pick up a car in which they intend to meander through most of Italy, much of Switzerland, then into Austria and on to West Germany, Holland, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. They will ferry the car to northern Scotland and tour that country and England for some three weeks before returning to the continent and France for another three weeks. Finally, they will drive back to Naples, leave the car and board the "Queen Frederica" for home. That sounds like a wonderful trip and I am sure that you will all join me in extending a hearty "Bon Voyage" to Gene and Lucile.
Trennie Trenholm's host of friends in the Dartmouth family will be interested to learn that on January 5, he was married to Mrs. Dorothy Ormon Lajeunesse at Saint Luke's Cathedral, Portland, Me. I am sure that all 17'ers join in extending best wishes for years of happiness to the newly wedded couple!
Word has been received of the retirement of still another 17'er, namely, Allen Locke. He retired on January 1, as chief of staff of the Newton-Wellesley Hospital after twenty years service with the hospital, the last two years as president of the staff. He will continue as a consultant.
If you have not already heard from some other source, you will be greatly interested to learn that our Memorial Book program, announced in my letter of December 5, has been very successful to date. My letter listed the names of 65 deceased classmates to be memorialized and as of this writing (2-2-60) only six names remain on the list. It is not too late to take part in this program and those of you wishing to do so should write to Vic Smith without delay. Hearty thanks are due all of you who have so generously supported the program.
At mid-January Mose and Pauline Hutchins sought refuge from the snow and cold and took off by car for Phoenix, Ariz., hoping to see a little of America en route. While in Phoenix they will be at the Paradise Inn. They expect to return to Pittsford early in April.
Early in January Helen and the writer made an unexpected trip to Columbus, Ohio, because of a death in Helen's family. While there we stayed at Mott and Fran Brown's home and were most graciously entertained by Fran. Unfortunately, Mott was away on a business trip at the time. While in Columbus I contacted Searles Morton and was fortunate in finding him free to have luncheon with us. He looked well but admitted that he was just beginning to feel like himself again following the surgery he underwent during November.
For the benefit of the distaff side of the '17 family I am happy to advise that early in January Ethel Sanborn was elected president of the Guild for the Exeter Hospital which serves the general area in which the Sanboms reside.
During the Christmas season Spique andRuby Maclntyre returned to New York for a few days to enjoy, as they have done the past four years, the windows, lights, Music Hall show, and all the other attractions which annually draw thousands to the city during the holiday season.
Don Aldrich was the guest speaker at the Wheaton College worship service in the Cole Memorial Chapel on Sunday, December 13.
A clipping from an unidentified paper, but one presumably published in Sarasota, shows a picture of Sumner Emerson being greeted as a new member of the local Dartmouth Club by Clark Collins '19, club president, and Gil Swett, vice president. Incidentally, Sumner's new address is 5131 Jungle Plum Road, Sarasota, Fla.
Secretary,South Pomfret Rd.Woodstock, Vt.
Treasurer, 315 Oxford Rd., Haver town, Pa.
