1914

The calendar swings around again and many, many years ago in February the following men decided to say "hello" to the world. And nobody, so far as we can determine, has ever regretted it: Barsaloux, Burleigh, Castle, Colby, Dillingham, Crandall, DeWitt, Gilbert, Griffith, Harrison, Howe, Kittridge, McDonough, Marceau, Overton, Shields, Smith, Stillman, and Webster. Perhaps a quote from our long-forgotten Latin might apply with a hand-shake and congratulations. "Forsan et haec olim meminisse juvabit."

If you want a perfect picture of a handsome, distinguished man, ask Lester Bacon to send you a copy of the photograph taken at his wedding anniversary celebration. "Bake" has always been prominent in the insurance business, but now he thinks he has done enough for insurance so he slacks off occasionally so that he and his wife, Olive, can enjoy life a little more in New Jersey and at his place down at Wareham on the Cape. From this vantage point, "Bake" encounters several 14'ers, including an occasional fleeting glimpse of Charlie Batchelder, Win Webber, Howie Fahey, and others who are fortunate enough to visit this most famous summer resort.

Now comes along a warm greeting from Walt and Connie Humphrey. This, of course, is distinctive — so is everything else that Walt does. He writes that he has a new commission to do a mural for the new headquarters of the New Rochelle Board of Education. Walt is glad to have what looks like a final flourish of his talented brush devoted to a serious subject rather than to the kind of cartoon that adorns Thayer Hall and the new Dartmouth Club headquarters in New York. These have delighted thousands of people and 1914 has a right to be very proud of "Walter Beach."

"Pen" Aborn is trying to extract some news out of recalcitrant 14'ers. So far the results have hardly been exciting but Pen keeps on trying. His last note includes a circular of the Bay States Society for the Handicapped in which Phil Coe and Howie Curtiss are listed as members of the group.

Even our ironclad Ellsworth Buck is occasionally laid low. Bill Hands reports that "Bucky" is recuperating from a serious attack of "insiditis." I do not know the specific malady but we are glad that the chief of the Golden Book is recovering nicely. He chose a perfect place for his "dry dock" — Dick's House in Hanover.

Charlie Batchelder reports that he went swimming Thanksgiving morning. This would be quite a feat in our Northern clime, but Charlie very wisely chose to do his swimming in Florida.

At long last, a dandy letter from Paul Brown. Paul writes from Santa Rosa, Calif., of course extolling the virtues of that climate, that he has long been associated with a prominent brokerage firm, Reynolds & Company, not yet retired, but is looking forward to it. At that time he hopes to return to Hanover to visit "the scene of his childhood." His sister-in-law still lives in the old Rollins house which has been in Paul's family for over 150 years. It was a relative of Paul's who gave Rollins Chapel to Dartmouth, and thereby started the "break-neck" rush after breakfast so that we could make chapel just before the doors slammed and drowned out the cacophony of "Skeet" Tibbet's dog howling against the chapel bells. Remember?

They are going ahead full speed with preparations for the Golden Book. I just saw a report of the meeting held in November and we can promise 14'ers a very memorable publication.

"Rocky" Flanders lays himself wide open again! He lives in Bermuda, and was brash enough to give us not only his address but his telephone number - and this is extended to any 14'er who may have been lucky enough to stray to this idyllic spot. He is even enlarging his house. This may portend a serious invasion by thirsty classmates.

Clyde Buckley tells me that two words characterize his life "unspectacular and undramatic" while at Hanover. The striking exception was when "Tim" Joyce, a varsity hammer thrower, ran in front of a hammer that Clyde was tossing and scared the daylights out of everybody. Fortunately Tim was not seriously injured. Remember? Clyde writes that he is one of three generations of Buckleys who graduated from Dartmouth. That is a record we are all trying to emulate.

"Al" Richmond writes from Norwalk, Conn., enclosing some excellent pictures taken during the tenth reunion.

I am sure that Ted Main did not mean to stir me to envy, but his letter from Santa Ana, Calif., did exactly that. He has been all over the globe with his good wife, Marion, including visits to his son, Fred, Dartmouth 1942. Then to Holderness, N. H., where he has had a summer home for years, and now the itch in his heels having been somewhat satisfied, he expects to settle down - at least for 15 minutes - and then on to Cocoa Beach, Fla. "His lines are cast in pleasant places."

Holiday greetings from "Herb" and DotAustin in Wellesley. They have included in their recent itinerary a vist to the Virgin Islands to visit their son, Bob, and then a proposed visit to their daughter, Judy, who is Director of Student Activity at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu. Somehow or other Herb manages to get out the "Wellesleyan Townsmen" and serves on all sorts of committees directories.

From way down in Jackson, Miss., comes an excellent letter from Paul Applin. Paul writes that, after eighteen years with the U. S. Geographical Survey, he has reached the age of "statutory senility," and that he retired in September. However, retirement has brought few idle hours, but just gives him an opportunity to extend warm greetings to all 14'ers and an invitation "come down and see us sometime."

Remember the cute little derby chiseled into your senior cane? That, of course, was done by our own Derby Hall. I still have mine. Derby writes that he is still working, but tapers off now so that he can give more time to his nine-year-old grandson and his five-year-old sister. Derby is very active in the Royall House Association which maintains one of the most beautiful Colonial houses in all New England. Derby writes that it is the only house in all New England where George Washintgon did not sleep.

Several trips down to Massachusetts - six times in the more than two years that we have lived in New London - and some dire fate conspired to get Paul and Mary Perkins to call on us when we were away. We knew nothing about the visit until we went to the village drug store where Dick Lull said, "There was a tall, handsome man in here yesterday looking for you. He said his name was Perkins from Lowell, Mass." Sorry to miss you, Paul, try again soon.

Harry Haywood has recently had his picture in Life magazine taken at the Convention of the American Medical Association. We wish we could publish this picture of our distinguished surgeon during a demonstration of a new surgical technique. Harry is in active practice in New Brunswick, N. J. - where he is one of the best known surgeons - and says he expects to continue as long as he can pick up a scalpel and snatch out an appendix.

You never appeal to Dan Chase without a favorable response. This time, in reply to my query, he says he has not anything to report except that his golf game continues fairly good and that he occasionally sees "Lize" Wheelock, "Win" Snow, and "Chuck"Kingsley.

Secretary, Farwell Lane, New London, N. H.

Treasurer, 165 Marlboro St., Wollaston 70, Mass.