1900

A clipping from an Oshkosh, Wis., newspaper describes a new dormitory, now under construction, to be named Fletcher Hall Dormitory in honor of Walter H. Fletcher. This dormitory at Oshkosh State College is Z shaped and planned to accommodate 520 men. From 1918 to 1944 Pete was a professor of English, Journalism, and Latin at the college. He also founded the Men's Association, for many years supervised the student newspaper, and was prominent in Wisconsin musical circles. This building is a well deserved posthumous honor which has been bestowed on Pete in memory of his splendid contributions to the training of teachers at Oshkosh State College. Mrs. Fletcher, who called on me and gave me this clipping, was en route to Groton, Vt., and from there to her winter home in Winter Park, Fla. As is her custom she spent much of the summer at Stinson Lake, Rumney, N.H.

While on the subject of clippings I must mention one from the Laconia Citizen which was sent to me by Bob Jackson. Your secretary is at a loss to know just what the correlation is between a TB. conference and football. However, at the end of a report on tuberculosis in New Hampshire with mention of a medical research project under way at the Hanover Clinic, the editorial continues: "And speaking of Hanover we met as usual at yesterday's meeting the Grand Old Man of the Association, Dr.Arthur Wallace, president of the N.H. TB. Association forty years ago, and he told us that he plans to be at the Dartmouth-Brown game Saturday, seated with two fellow members of the class of 1900 - Robert Jackson of New York and Judge Benjamin Prescott of Milford. What a trio of distinguished Old Timers!" But Bob takes a very dim view of the epithet "Old Timers" or "Venerable Men." He says in a covering letter: "I suffer from a permanent disability to adjust to a realization that we deserve the appellation 'Old Timers.' The only evidence in its support is chronological which like Napoleon's definition of history is no more than 'a fable agreed upon.' It has no probative force whatever." Well, I elect to leave the argument at this point although I must confess that I have a deal of sympathy with Bob's state of mind on so important and touchy a matter to those of our generation.

A delightful letter from Ruth Hodgkins, Lem Hodgkins' daughter, informs me that she and her husband, Edward Hodgkins, visited the Dartmouth campus last spring. High lights of this happy experience were a talk by President Dickey, talks by heads of departments, meeting and chatting with some students at Dean Seymour's home, and, of course, the new buildings and the spring loveliness of the Dartmouth environs. The Hodgkins had a grand time, felt their visit was an unqualified success, Dartmouth hospitality tops, and that, to all outward appearances, Dartmouth was progressively on the way to new accomplishments in collegiate education. Through this trip Dartmouth stock rose even higher, if that were possible, in the minds of these two very loyal members of the Dartmouth family. Ruth in her letter also tells of the great joy which has come to her sister, Virginia, Mrs. Fernald White, who on June 2 became a grandmother; an event especially pleasing to her since the new baby is named Virginia for grandma. The Fernald Whites after spending five months at their cottage in Kennebunk Beach, Me., left on October 1 for their winter residence in San Antonio, Tex.

Secretary and Treasurer Box 714, Hanover, N.H.