1900

I deeply regret to report the death, on January 29 in Brookline, Mass., of Walter P.Rankin, our class president for 63 years and trustee of our Class Fund for the past ten years. Walter was devoted to the Class and the interest of the Class was ever in his thought. In all of the years since graduation Walter was the animating spirit behind our reunions and round-ups. No one can quite take Walter's place in the affection and respect of his classmates and his many friends.

Alice Proctor, widow of Charles Proctor, is gifted with a lively sense of humor. She has shared with me two episodes which reveal the fun she finds in life. The first, reported in a previous issue of the MAGAZINE, had to do with an adventurous bear in the Yosemite. This time the scene shifts to Hanover and to yellow jackets. During the past summer hornets built a nest outside one of the upstairs rooms of her house. Now this was perfectly all right until cold weather set in. Yellow jackets have the remarkable facility of squeezing through the tiniest crack, and soon advanced scouts of this band of marauders had invaded the room. One day Alice discovered a number buzzing about the window. Armed with a newspaper, she advanced on the enemy, and with sharp shooting accuracy disposed of a number of them. However, this gave only temporary relief. Then one day, on the arrival of her son's family, she decided to use a more lethal weapon; a bug bomb. Thereupon her daughter-in-law protested vigorously: "Don't, mother, I am allergic to bombs." The net result of this invasion of yellow jackets was one sting suffered by Alice, and the vehement protest of daughter-in-law. What ultimately became of the invaders is still somewhat shrouded in mystery.

A note from Loring Dodd tells of his being in good health for one of his years. He and his wife are grateful that they are able to make occasional trips from Worcester, Mass., to Boston where they greatly enjoy theatre and art exhibits. Many evenings are spent quietly at home reading aloud from the books in their library. Over the years Loring has collected 3500 carefully chosen volumes for his private library. And now the Dodds are getting reacquainted with these books. Their love for literature, art, music, and drama is a great asset in these years of retirement from active professional service.

Olivia Allaway, daughter of Olive Foster, sends me a lively Christmas letter. This year it is in verse set to music, and presumptively it records the musings of her husband. It tells of the fortunes and minor casualties of the family during the past year. The letter is entitled "The Twelve Days of Christmas." At the top is a short musical score which is followed by twelve accumulative stanzas and every verse of this musical round concludes with: "The bills from her European spree." The score ends in a grand burst of repetition as follows:

"On the twelfth day of Christmas My true love gave to me Christmas trees a-'blinking, Wine glasses klinking, Family all singing, Eve's red hair curling, Letters to France flying, Weedless garden gleaming, Three kids on wheels, Ben's missing tonsils, JK's two front teeth, Paint and a brush, and The bills from her European spree."

I believe it is said that chickens will eventually come home to roost, and so it inevitably is with bills whether incurred on a European spree or otherwise. In this little musical ditty is the story in a nutshell of a year's experience in the life of a thoroughly happy and wholesome American family. A "Wah-Hoo-Wah" for the Allaways.

We were glad to get a Christmas card from Dorothy Ashton, Arthur Hayden's daughter. The Ashtons' card had a picture of father, mother, and granddaughter. Ralph was really resplendent in kilts, shako, bagpipe, and other accessories of a doughty Scots highlander; granddaughter was decked out in a wee Scottish bonnet, but mother clung to a normal American costume. It is all most impressive and bespeaks the sturdy and valiant background of the family. The Ashtons' son is studying at Johns Hopkins to become a certified public accountant, and also has a part-time job in the comptroller's office of a fire insurance company in Baltimore. Mr. Ashton is employed by the Maryland Casualty Co., and is currently engaged in writing his third book which is due for publication in 1963.

Lynda Redington, John Redington's widow, is now satisfactorily and happily located at the Elizabeth Carlton House, 2055 Columbus Ave., Boston, Mass. During the spring and summer she traveled quite extensively visiting relatives in various sections of the country.

Agnes Foss, widow of Cal Foss, reports a visit to Hanover during the past summer; she was fortunate to be able to see Hopkins Center within and without in its then state of being. She was much impressed with its possibilities and the great benefit the building would be to the College. The benefits to both the College and the community are now appearing. One who lives in Hanover and participates in the activities of the Center realizes what a gap in the cultural life of the entire surrounding area is being filled by this building. The Center is a hive of creative and social activity. Recitals, lecclasses for young and old, plays, art exhibits, conferences, banquets, faculty conclaves, and various types of social gatherings find a place in its generous, comfortable, convenient, and even luxurious facilities.

Secretary, Box 714, Hanover, N. H.