1905

It would have been interesting to know, if I had thought to inquire, how many of those present to enjoy our annual mid-July reunion have never missed any of the reunions of this glorious class. Among those who I might guess would qualify would be “Tub”Besse, Charlie Brooks, Roger Brown,“Camp” Campbell, C. C. Hills, ‘“Cy”White, Dick Tolman, John Tuck and your Scribe. The wives of this group and our faithful Anne Reid and Bea MacMillan are to be added, starting from the time they joined our ranks. Some, like “Sliver” Hatch, would surely have been with us each time, except for being away off. in his case, in Central America, or “Elsie” Grover, when kept away by illness. It goes without saying that those who have been absent at various times for good reasons are all the more wel- come now; for instance, Shirley Cunning- ham, Charlie Goodrich, Percy Ladd. Lest I seem discourteous in not having mentioned the wives of our men by name, we were very happy to see the complete quota of wives rounding out our company.

We think that 15 men and an equal num- ber of ladies is a good annual showing for the class. Chet and Jane Lawrence met some of us at the Norwich Fair (an event that some of us never miss). We were glad to see Chet looking so fit after the hard stretch of ill health that he had had to struggle through. Of those that we had expected to see and missed were “Lil” and Ethel Lil-lard; they are among our most “regular.” Family matters had arisen to keep them away. . , _ ,

The reunion was, as always, a delightful affair with the usual pleasant gatherings on the Inn porch and in various rooms. Our first dinner was on the Inn terrace; the sec- ond, a new spot for us, at the Montshire in West Leb.; the Sunday luncheon accord- ing to custom at the Outing Club.

Our class meeting was held m College Hall, which we recalled was in the act of being completed when we first arrived on the Campus. After a moment of silence out of respect for those who had passed on the previous year, we heard reports from the class officers. Bequest Chairman Lillard wrote that that program was making fine progress. He is planning to send out infor- mation later. Treasurer Brown’s report was very gratifying as to our financial situation. Agent Hatch received congratulations for his continued success with our share of the Alumni Fund. Reunion Chairman Hills re- ceived a vote of thanks for the particularly good arrangements for this year. Your Sec- retary, after a few general remarks, read m full the account given in the Rhode Island Pendulum of the great and highly deserved honor that “Sliver” Hatch had been ac- corded last May when he was presented with an Alumni Award at the Class Offi- cers’ Meeting. This press report included the citation which enumerated the various activities and outstanding services rendered by Sliver to his community and to his Col- lege. .

To continue with the meeting, kind let- ters of regret and good wishes from absen- tees were read, among them a card from Marjorie Wust, daughter of our well re- membered Frank McCabe. From one note addressed to me I wish to quote an amusing excerpt. It was from Bill Blatner. In the note he expressed his regret that he and Dorothy had not been able to be with us this year and his hope for better luck next. He closes with this prayer (with which a little girl ends her evening): ‘“Bless Mother and Daddy and please, dear Lord, take good care of yourself. If anything happens to you, we’d have no one to depend upon except President Kennedy, and he hasn t quite come up to Daddy’s expectations. Amen.” - , 1 1 1M i „ T>:11 n/vni'n

Here also I should like to quote Bill again in a more serious vein. It is a note of appre- ciation for the card he had received with the signatures of all the reuners. This is, I believe, characteristic of the feelings of all who had been so remembered: “Thanks, thanks very much for ‘Greetings from 1905’ signed by you one and all who attended the reunion. In retrospect 57 years are as yesterday because time is static and we humans pass in review, Dorothy and *■ would have been very happy in your midst for the few days you spent in Hanover. Per- haps another year we can join you in the annual trek to the Hanover Plain. Till then may good health, good cheer and content- ment dog your trail.” •

My last item is to report tnat word nas reached me of the death last May of Thomas Eastman. The meagre information that we have will be found in the In Me- moriam section.

Secretary, 358 North Fuller Ave. Upper Montclair, N. J. Treasurer, Box 91, Cambridge 40, Mass..