1917

Greetings to each and all of you, and best wishes for a Happy New (College) Year. My fond hope is that each of you will have the will and fortitude to send news of your family and activities to ye secretary so that it can be reported in this column for the information of all 17'ers and friends.

Just prior to our reunion in June our Class lost two classmates, both of whom had expected to be with us as we celebrated our so-called 45th. Fate intervened and on May 12 Hank Bomgardner passed away after a brief illness. Twelve days later, on May 24, Bud Steele died suddenly as the result of a heart attack following a golf match. Notes of sympathy were sent to the widows of both of these men on behalf of all 17'ers. The Bud Steele In Memoriam notice was published in the July issue of the ALUMNI MAGAZINE, and the Hank Bomgardner notice appears elsewhere in this issue. With the passing of these two men both the College and our Class have lost devoted supporters.

An unfortunate omission occurred in my list of deceased classmates who were memorialized at our recent reunion. The name of Earle L. Carter was inadvertently omitted from the list. My apologies to all concerned.

Boothbay Harbor, Me. has been getting quite a play this summer as a vacation spot for 17'ers. Bob and Gail Boynton have spent practically the entire summer entertaining family and friends at their place on Capital Island, while Gil and Marie Swett have occupied an apartment in the village ever since our reunion. During July Ralph and EthelSanborn journeyed to Boothbay and, as Ralph put it, "tore lobster claws" with the Boyntons and Swetts. Some time later Spiqueand Ruby Maclntyre arrived on the scene, and they reported that they had had a wonderful time with the others there.

Walt Walters continues to lead a very busy life! Very soon after our reunion he went to New York where he attended what he termed a "tremendously interesting meeting of the American Medical Association. Then during the latter part of September he is to go to Houston, Texas, to deliver a surgical paper. From some time m November until May 1 Walt and Phoebe will be at Tucson, Ariz., and then will fly to Munich, Germany, where Walt is to attend a World Gastro-enterological meeting.

On April 7 George Clark, proprietor of Merrill's Insurance Agency of Lisbon, N. H., since 1933, was the honored guest at a luncheon at the Horse and Hounds Inn, Franconia, given by representatives of the Travelers Insurance Company to commemorate fifty years of representation of the Company by the Agency. George was presented with a gold plaque, and high tribute was paid to the record of the agency over the past half century. In addition to George's operation of the agency, he has found time to serve his community as a member of the Legislature, as a Village commissioner, town moderator, School Board member and Municipal Court Justice. Also, he has served as president and national state director of the New Hampshire Agents Association and as chairman of the New England Agents Advisory Committee.

August was a very busy month for RalphSanborn. On the 5th he took part in the Hampton, N. H., Old Home Day exercises sponsored by the Meeting House Green Memorial and Historical Association. As the "Honorable Ralph Sanborn," chairman of the State Historical Commission, he delivered the dedicatory address at the laying of the cornerstone for Tuck Hall, an historical museum. Then, later in the month, he put on his other hat and as Governor of the New Hampshire Society of Colonial Wars, he presented to Col. and Mrs. Alan B. Shepard '13, parents of Commander Alan B. Shepard, America's first astronaut, a certificate symbolic of life membership in the Shepard.

During the latter part of April Ev Robie, principal of the Glenbrook and Stark Schools, Stamford, Conn., was honored during the 61st annual convention of the Parent-Teacher Association of Connecticut when he was awarded a life membership in recognition of long and distinguished service.

Gene and Lucile Towler were happy to have Hank Bomgardner's widow, Erma, as a house guest for a few days during July. At the conclusion of her visit on Cricket Lane, Erma took off from Idlewood Airport for Europe, Gene and Lucile seeing her off. Soon thereafter Gene and Lucile went to Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard for their vacation. While there they met Island friends of Arch Earle who told them that Arch has re-married. Efforts have been made by this writer to confirm the report, but without success. It is hoped that complete details can be provided next month.

Reunion in Retrospect: There are so many pleasant memories connected with our "45th" reunion that it may be dangerous to single out one as more important than many others. But to this writer, one really stands out and seems to be deserving of mention. It was the manner in which Ruth Sisson, Anita Stillman and Jo Weeks, Class widows, returned to the campus their husbands had loved so well, and so thoroughly enjoyed themselves. It must have been hard for each of them to return alone to Hanover, but they did so graciously and by their very presence, added much to the enjoyment of all other reuning 17'ers.

Mrs. Porter Perrin took the grand sweepstakes cup at the annual Puget Sound Lily Society show with a deep orange lily which she calls Canadense. This is Mrs. Perrin's second sweepstake cup. It was reported that Porter also has taken up the art of growing these exotic plants.

Our perennial golfer, Bob Scott, reported very recently that for several days he had been playing the Algonquin Golf Course at St Andrews, N. 8., and was about to head for St. John and a match with another of 17's top-flight golfers, Perc Streeter. No report yet as to the victor.

The Brookses have been fortunate in seeing a few 17'ers since reunion. During July Jo Weeks stopped by with a friend for a brief visit. Then, during August, we enjoyed dinner and a pleasant evening at Hanover with Tommy and Dot Thompson. A few days later Guy and Marjorie Richardson arrived at Woodstock to spend a couple of days, and we also enjoyed dinner and a good evening with them.

Secretary, R.F.D. I,' Box 27 Woodstock, Vt.

Treasurer, 315 Oxford Rd., Havertown, Pa.