1911
When we had our commencement in June 1911 the class of 1861 were having their fiftieth reunion, having received their diplomas from President Nathan Lord four days after the battle of Bull Run. Do you remember how old and decrepit they seemed to us? Well, here are the facts, and compare them to what you think the seniors of 1961 will think of us. There were 66 graduates. Of these 23 were living and twelve were at reunion. The average age at graduation was. 23.9 years and the average age of the survivors at that time was 73.25 years. As is still the custom this group led the academic parade behind the President, Governor, Trustees, guests and faculty. Marshal Ingersoll directed the senior procession. When we take the place of '61 in the commencement procession there will be more than 50% of the living alumni in line and their average age will be a little less.
The other big day was of course Class. Day, where exercises were held in front of Dartmouth Hall, the Bema and around the Old Pine. Marshaled by Ingersoll and Conroy the class formed at the Senior Fence with Judge David Cross '41 and Hon. '11 at the head of the procession. President Jim Irwin gave the Address of Welcome; Harry Butler, the Address to President Nichols; Ken Clark the Class Oration; George Morris, the Address to the Old Chapel; Ed Stafford, the Sachem Address; Earl Karr read the Class Poem; Art Jackson gave the Address to the Old Pine followed by singing of the Class Ode written by Gabe Farrell. These customs still exist and if you get to Hanover early Friday afternoon you may participate all over again.
Just to keep the Reunion statistics alive, here are the latest figures: Yes, 95; Wives, 71; No, 29; Maybe, 7; and no answers, 34. These account for all the living members of the class. Jinks Morton and Kingsley Moses are welcome additions to the "will come" list. The disappointed 29 who cannot come, in almost every instance will be kept away by failing health. Surely among the 34 who have failed to declare themselves there will be some who will be answering the roll-call. There must be at least five in this group who can write "I will" and bring the number up to one hundred.
Harold Hill whom we knew as Mike is the latest addition to our list of departed brothers. We honor his name and extend our sympathy to his widow.
Christmas greetings from Jack and Dorothy Steeves in France brought the regretful news that Burt and Ellen Burbeck will not be able to get back for Reunion.
The Dutch Waterburys are spending the winter at 61 Sharps Circle, Eustis, Fla. Dutch has retired but is retaining his home in Clinton, N. Y. He sends his regrets that he will be unable to be in Hanover in June.
It is still Somersworth, N. H., for Jim Malley but he has just moved into a new home on Rochester Street. He and Marguerite can now take time off to join us in June. He has made a fine record in the New Hampshire Legislature where he served for seven consecutive terms and was recognized as an outstanding authority on taxes. He has been an advocate of a broad-based tax as a needed feature of the state's tax structure.
It seems that we shall have to transfer the title of world travelers from the Steeves to the Pattens. Barbara has recovered from her hospital stay and'on January 19 left with Brad for another trip around the world. Here is the route: Detroit, London, Bombay, Delhi, Benares, Calcutta, Bangkok, Sargong, Djakarta to Perth; then three months in Australia, two at Adelaide as visiting professor and another month under the auspices of the Australian Post Grad. Medical Association, visiting all the major medical centers in Australia. The other invitation is from New Zealand to visit their centers. Then back to U.S.A. via either Fiji Islands or Samoa, Hawaii, and Hanover and Lake Morey by June 9. From February 25 to April 25 they may be reached c/o Prof. A. A. Abbie, Dept. of Anatomy, Univ. of Adelaide Medical School, Adelaide, South Australia.
This column does not ordinarily carry news concerning the trials and tribulations of classmates, but so many have been inquiring about Walter Morgan, it is only fitting bring you up to date. Our last report on him was that he had left Bedford, N. H., in 1958 following a touching going away party. He and Cora moved to a "Cape Codder" in Sunapee, N. H., which their daughter Ruth and her husband, Rev. Otto Jonas, had acquired and winterized so that both families might enjoy their summers and it would become the permanent home of the Morgans. In September Walter entered the New London Hospital, where he underwent radical surgery, to return home at Thanksgiving time. For twenty years prior to that he had carried on his work suffering from a slipped disc and twice since that he has been hospitalized in Boston hospitals. In order to be near his Boston doctors they are living with their daughter and her family in Walpole, Mass., where her husband is pastor of the United Congregational Church. Walter has now been a bed patient for two years. They celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary by having his name taken off: the danger list at the Deaconess Hospital. Just to be helpful five years ago Cora fell and broke her hip so she could spend a third of the year in the hospital! With it all Cora writes: "We are grateful for the friends and happy contacts we have made over the years and there are many happy memories to recall. Walter would be so happy could he be at his desk writing a story or a letter in rhyme or browsing among his books. Do be sure our thoughts will be with the class in Hanover in June. Walter and I both join in greetings for you and for I he class always."
Jack Randall keeps his address at 100 Central Ave., Stateg Island, but has given up his active practice. I he school at Mohonk, N. Y., with which he was connected has been given up but he still goes there in the spring and fall. Also he travels a bit, stays in various places and especially enjoys his place in Putney, Vt. He has been made a life member of the Richmond County and New York State Medical Societies and of the New York Academy of Medicine. He hates to miss the 50th but he and Mrs. Randall will be in Mohonk.
"Harker" Nead writing of the brochure said: "What impressed me most was the 168 living against 189 deceased. Surely it behooves the 168 (now 165) to attend the First Fiftieth. There will never be another for us."
From Fred Long in Santa Barbara, "We have a good bunch of Dartmouth men here - about fifteen - and I am going to see what I can do in the line of sending a good man or two for Bob Blackman to teach."
One of the bright spots of undergraduate days was the year with Doc Carroll as a roommate in Mass. Hall. A coronary three years ago has quieted him down a bit and will preclude his going to Hanover in June. However he has lost neither his wit nor keen sense of observation, as witness this jingle following his reference to the past and the present state of confusion in the world; Sput, Goofnik, ring the bell, Pick your way to go to hell, In a basket, in a hack, May be in a Cadillac.
Missiles, H-Bombs, brink of war, Univac to keep the score, Pour us out a hoot of Bourbon, What price rural vote or urban?
O temporal O mores!
Jet propulsion, bed-time stories.
Through the courtesy of Andy Scarlett '10 we learn why men go west, in the words of Bob Hatch in Suquamish, Wash.:
I am retired but doing more physical work than before. We have our own place on the beach, on the Sound, about twenty miles north of Seattle. It was Helen's childhood country place long before there were roads, etc. Now we have all except a phone which I do not miss. The gardens, flowers, vegetables, fruit and holly trees, the private road, land slides, bulkhead on beach, the brook and wood supply keep me young. Of course I have to fish and watch the boats go by too. Summers we have many weekend guests and in the winter Helen spends several weeks in Seattle on the social end while I go native.
Hap Hinman '10 has been so close a friend of 1911 that he almost seems one of us and I am sure we all will sympathize with him in the recent loss of his charming wife, Marion.
TIME IS SHORT ONLY THREE MONTHS TO REUNION
Secretary, 1123 Drew St., Clearwater, Fla.
Treasurer, Seaside Ave., Saco, Me.
