1899
Feb. 22, three days after the April MAGAZINE picture had been snapped, Louis Benezet had a second stroke - the first was last July. Daughter Genevieve Butterfield from Connecticut, and son Louis '36 from Colorado flew to Honolulu to visit him. Late in March, son Roger '32 reported that their father was in Maunalani Convalescent Hospital, and that "his great physical strength had brought him back to a stable condition." We hope improvement will continue.
The 61st annual Round-Up occurs at noon Saturday, May 20, at University Club, 40 Trinity Place, Boston. The all-inclusive charge for the luncheon will be $2.50. Reply cards have gone to all men, and to older or younger '99ers living within a reasonable distance. But if anybody else is to be nearby, just drop a card to Joe Gannon, 22 Vera St., West Hartford 7, Conn.
The Alumni Fund Drive is on again. Warren Kendall on April 6 attended the head agents' meeting in San Francisco. He hopes for the same generous response as usual from the men, and from those women and others who have so faithfully continued their memorial gifts. More news in the June column about Helen's and Warren's visit to the West, and Rodney Sanborn's to South America.
A recent item in this column about Clarkland inspired a delightful letter from John Sawyer '36 secretary, and classmate of '99's Louis Benezet's son Louis, N. P. Brown's n.p. Jr., Al Greenwood's John, Fred Walker's Stanley, and George Clark's cousin Myron. "A crowd of lucky '36ers, picked up by George's '22 Reo, Molly Ann, would arrive to find the latest books and periodicals piled on the table by the fire. We could stay cozy and read all day, or sleep, if we didn't want to roam on his 330 acres. Our response to the dinner bell was like feeding time at a kennel. Sometimes we'd be half a mile up the hill behind the barn and we'd ski at breakneck speed novice and expert alike - down the wagon trail across the field to the kitchen door. However, at the table the Squire expected and received a semblance of good manners and constructive conversation. At breakfast there was always a pitcher of milk and of cream, besides homemade butter, bread, cheese, preserves, and occasionally home-slaughtered beef, pork or fowl, all cooked and served by the farmer's wife from the old-fashioned kitchen. After dark the rooms were lighted by oil lamps or candles. Sometimes the Squire would arrange for Dave Austin to entertain us at his Water-ville Valley Hotel with never a mention of cost or inconvenience.
"Often we'd find the old house already full of guests, mostly 'ggers, but other classes too, like Ned Warren '01 and his wife. I remember Peddy Miller, Warren Kendall, Cliff Fifield, Judge Donahue, Guy Speare. Once in a while we'd find a well chaperoned young lady from Radcliffe or N. H. University who would turn the stag weekend into a tailspin. Whatever his attentions to '36, our host was continually painting a golden picture of '99: Principal Silver of the local Normal School, Phil Winchester, Hawley Chase, Rev. Fuller, Lynch the school teacher, Long Jim Richard-son — my poli-sci prof, the Oriental scholar, K. Asakawa, Joe Gannon of the N. Y. Times, Luther Oakes, a sort of Paul Bunyan character from Minneapolis, and many others." Thanks, Jack, for your friendly greeting.
Postscript: Because of some bothersome eye strain the secretary has had to postpone the "April" newsletter until summer. But tune in, he likes to listen!
Secretary, Newbury Rd., Bradford, N.H.
Class Agent, 1050 Hampton Rd., Sarasota, Fla.
