TOWN AND GOWN

HANOVER DOGS — 1963(Sequel)

Last May we printed some comments about the present status of dogdom in the Hanover-Norwich scene. It was reasonably well received by the local community and our readers in the alumni family from coast to coast. And it was very much appreciated, you may be sure, by our canine friends who were mentioned in that column, ranging from "Jet" to "gentle Minnie." But no column can ever bring complete satisfaction and this particular one had hardly left the post-office before I began to hear from some of our local dogs who were deeply hurt because they had not been included. After this first raucous howl from the dogs themselves I began to hear from their owners and then all hell broke loose. As a bachelor I am well aware of how sensitive parents are about the merits —or demerits —of their dear offspring, but I hadn't quite realized the tug-at-the-heart that dogs appear to have. Space does not permit complete atonement on my part, but I do want to make at least a passing bow towards a few of my omissions.

First of all I want to mention my Labrador retriever friend "Gus" who has his office right here in Reed Hall and is a friend of long standing. I don't know how I happened to omit Gus save for the fact that I have always accepted him as a member of our academic faculty. Having been born in high-country Colorado, Gus takes naturally to the top floor of Reed Hall and is restless when he is unable to get into his office (really the sanctum of Professor, Bill Carter '20) and it is sometimes my pleasure to let him in to await Bill's arrival and the business of the day. If I offer him the latest issue of The New York Times he settles down contentedly but a copy of the Herald Tribune leaves him cold and restless. A discriminating intellectual is Gus and even in retirement certainly not to be overlooked!

Passing mention only can be made of two other Reed Hall dogs who expressed sorrow at their omission. It is particularly embarrassing to the writer, and very sad, to mention the wonderfully lovable golden retriever, "George," who lived with Cotty Larmon '19. Since our last column George has passed on to the canine Valhalla reserved for all noble, well-behaved dogs. George was regular in keeping office hours, up very close to the end, and as human as a dog ever cares to be, even to the extent of enjoying a nickname, for his real cognomen was Marshgrass Highland Piper. May he rest in peace and enjoy forever the biscuit handouts which were a regular part of his working days in Reed. The other dog is in Economics, a modest, quiet little beagle named "Jeff" Clement, who is somewhat more irregular in attendance but like Gus is often eager to gain admission to his office and to start the day's work.

One of the best known dogs in Hanover, who should have been mentioned earlier, is Professor Wayne Broehl's "Susie" who like Gus is foreign born. Susie first saw the light of day in rural Indiana hill country but like Gus has accommodated readily to Hanover's characteristic mixture of town and gown. Susie stays at her faculty home enough to acquire some intellectual background but then has a regular long morning route which takes her to many ports of call on Main Street and gives her a wonderful chance to rub elbows with the town at work.

Some Hanover dogs are better known than their owners and in some cases it is the other way. There is the present companion of President John Dickey '29, a golden Labrador named "Rudy," who comes pretty regularly to the office with the President to see that the day's work is properly begun and then usually is escorted back home - often by Mrs. Dickey. And there is little "Patsy," a small terrier, who belongs to the very well-known Manager of the Hanover Inn, Big Jim McFate. If you really want to see the big and little of it - in the flesh - stick around to watch Big Jim and Patsy having a gambol on the now somewhat restricted Hanover Inn lawn.

In John Meck's list of the Norwich dogs who frequent the Hanover scene are the Dalmatian coach dogs "Hop" and "Peter" of the household of Ford Whelden '25. They really make the town and gown rounds from the hospital kitchen to President Dickey's office, though always, in the case of Hop at least, their distinguished Virginia background is much in evidence.

A great favorite among students is Vermont-born "Tiki" Milovsoroff, a happy cross between a collie and a Newfoundland. Tiki comes to all of Basil's classes and is making good progress in Russian. When Mrs. Milorsoroff was asked last fall by a neighbor why Tiki wasn't seen around the house, she was able truthfully to reply, "Oh, Tiki goes to college now."

But to illustrate that not all Hanover dogs are academically minded, mention must be made of "Bessie" who lives down Park Street way and who, particularly in the winter time, has a great liking for the Gymnasium. Every day finds her on tour, and after the proper exercise in checking on activities from squash to basketball she returns to the gym floor up-top. There a pile of gym mats offer a bed deluxe where she can snooze to her heart's content, with one eye out for her friends Sadler '28 or Sampson '20.

There are, incidentally, a couple of other addenda to my column of last May. I reported that I had never seen a dog at a funeral in Hanover but I have since been told about one who, in the old days, performed in true dog fashion on a wreath at the services of a very unpopular professor. I also learned that last June in St. Denis a visiting stray in the middle of the mass proceeded with great solemnity across the front of the church from the Chapel of the Virgin to the altar of St. Joseph. And I should also record that I have been told that though at our last Commencement a dog deterrent was sprayed all around the platform it was apparently not strong enough to keep the Hanover-Norwich breed away. I saw with my own eyes several dogs come close to the throne and one made bold to mount the platform itself.

This then is our second list, and there are many more dogs who have not somehow caught my eye or my ear. I have heard of birds who became treasured pets and have known cats who held high places of affection in the life of their particular families, but one of the superior joys of a dog is that he may be and very often is much more widely shared. Many of our Hanover dogs have a very wide acquaintance - both canine and human, both town and gown - and there would be a great void indeed if suddenly we lost them all!