LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
In Praise of Jess Hawley
TO THE EDITOR:
In reading of the football dinner honoring the 1962 and the 1925 teams I saw no mention of the coach of the 1925 team, Jess B. Hawley '09.
He was a Dartmouth great on our '07 and '08 teams and an outstanding track athlete. In the N.E. Intercollegiates, when Nate Sherman '10, the predicted winner of the 100 and the 220, pulled a tendon in the trials, Jess, not even mentioned as a place winner, won both races and then the discus for 15 points, as we barely won the meet.
Someone else could do him more justice as a football player in 1907 (8-0-1) and in 1908 (6-1-1). My knowledge of his part in the 22-0 victory over Harvard in 1907 and the 10-6 win over Princeton in 1908 (which I saw at the Polo Grounds) convinces me that Jess made the greatest contribution to our athletic prestige of anyone, and he had only two years of eligibility after his transfer from the University of Minnesota.
After graduation Jess was chosen as the football coach at Phillips Andover. In early 1910 he came to live with us at the Dartmouth Chateau in Chicago while he sold bonds in lowa for the Chicago Savings Bank at $10 a week. The husky blond must have sold something besides bonds because on one of his weekend dominations of the Chateau sociability he announced that he had landed a contract as head football coach at the University of lowa.
Jess wired me from lowa City, while I was on the Chicago Tribune to come out and serve as his assistant. My Tribune boss gave me a leave of absence and (perhaps in spite of it) Jess gave lowa their first state championship in ten years. We never had more than 23 men out for the team in a school of 2600, 1400 of them men. And in the big homecoming game lowa overwhelmed Purdue, the predicted conference champions, about 39-12.
Thereafter Jess, the "gymnastic" coach from the East who emphasized calisthenics and rhythm, had lowa in the palm of his strong hand and coached there until the Dartmouth Athletic Council woke up!
Now, let's look at the record: After serving two or three years as advisory coach at Hanover under Spears and Cannell, he posted this record as head coach: 1923: 8-1-0; 1924: 7-0-1; 1925: 8-0-0; 1926: 4-4-0; 1927: 7-1-0; 1928: 5-4-0. Grand total: 39-10-1.
Jess retired to his very prosperous manu- facturing business, perhaps forgotten the other night but certainly the hero of those good old days.
Suncook, N. H.
"This Heady Wine"
TO THE EDITOR:
Just finished a couple of pleasant hours with the January ALUMNI MAGAZINE. I was particularly interested in Cliff Jordan's very timely article on the 1962 football team, as a reminder of a somewhat uncomfortable afternoon at New Haven, and a very satisfy, ing one at the Palmer Stadium - even in "preferred" seats!
Cliff has traced out so very well, it seems to me, the generating of the confidence curve that was characteristic of this fine team. Of course nobody gives away points just as a demonstration of ability to recoup, but I think that, particularly after the Holy Cross game, one could sense a new assurance in the overall performance, and I believe that made this a particularly interesting bunch to watch.
Needless to say, living as close to Princeton as I do, certain social amenities have a uniquely satisfying aspect these days. What a shame some of our people like Sam Adams, Ellie Armstrong, or Tom Longnecker could not be here to drink this heady wine!
Doylestown, Pa.
The Hero Made Known
TO THE EDITOR:
Anent the Fayerweather fire and Stan Weld's inquiry as to the identity of the unsung hero, may I suggest the name of one Ralph "Shing" Sherwin '10, Thayer School at the time. There must be some mention of him in Dartmouth publications of that date.
Need ham, Mass.
The South Fayerweather Fire
TO THE EDITOR:
When I read Allen Foley's Fire Special, I wondered, as Stan Weld did, why South Fayerweather was omitted. Few of my recollections are as vivid as those of that night. I was a freshman, living in Fayerweather (middle). My brother John ("Fanny" More, 1912) lived in South Fayerweather. The fire alarm awakened me, I hurried into shoes, shirt and trousers and went outside.
South Fayerweather was an inferno. It had a wooden stairwell to the top. I can't remember whether there were three stories only; my recollection is there were a few attic rooms above the third floor. The fire started underneath the stairway and instantly roared up, making egress impossible, save by the windows.
John's room was on the second floor, just to the left of the stairway. The crowd stood there, absolutely helpless, watching the boys come out. As Stan says, snow was deep around the building. Every boy got out, either by sliding down a gutter pipe, or jumping into the snow. A window would open, and we all would yell, "Jump." And they would.
But John's window didn't open. Finally, it seemed as though everyone had come out but John. And then I heard his voice behind me, "Gosh, Bob, wasn't it lucky I slept on your couch last night." And then I remembered we had been "bulling" late and John said, "It's too cold to go back, I'm going to sleep on your couch." We both had been so excited by the fire alarm that we dressed and went out without consciousness of the other.
There were heroisms and feats of unbelievable physical achievement that night. Boys that couldn't chin themselves three times leaped for gutters and came down three stories on them! Beloved Dean "Chuck" Emerson had to extend much credit the next two weeks. Term tuition bills were due, either the next day or a few days thereafter! Many a check from Dad, or the cash proceeds, was burned up. One senior ruefully related next day that he rushed everywhere about the room so as to get his keys before jumping. He did, but left his tuition cash!
Will someone check my recollection that the dormitory did not have fire escape ropes; that they were installed the next year because of this fire. Those fire escape ropes furnished means for many practical jokes thereafter. Any room below the top could always be entered if a window was left open. That field can furnish Allen Foley with good source material.
Shell Beach, Calif.
"More Reviews, Fewer Critiques"
TO THE EDITOR:
This is to comment upon the review of No Substitute for Victory, by Frank J. Johnson '51, which appeared in the December 1962 issue of the ALUMNI MAGAZINE. The author of the review, Charles B. McLane '41, has used it to condemn a point of view which obviously runs counter to his own. I have always been of the opinion that the purpose of a book review is to briefly summarize the content, and criticize the style of writing and presentation "of ideas. It should not be used as a forum to bitterly attack a political ideology which is distasteful to the reviewer and the exponents of such an ideology. There will always be many widely divergent viewpoints on how we may best cope with the communist conspiracy which exists in the world today. Surely, Mr. Johnson is entitled to present his solution to this burdensome problem without being the subject of an attack by Mr. McLane which can only be characterized as vitriolic. I make reference to remarks in the review such as the following:
"The sobering effects of the Cuban crisis - which had not, of course, unfolded when Mr. Johnson was composing his study are too closely with us for these recommendations to give comfort to any except possi bly the demented few seeking corroboration of wild schemes for American grandeur." (Emphasis added.)
"The fact that Mr. Johnson is a recent Dartmouth graduate is a reminder that the College has still some distance to go to instil wisdom in its sons."
It is my understanding that Mr. McLane is a member of the Government Department at Dartmouth. As a former Government major it particularly disturbs me that we have faculty members who apparently are unable to tolerate views which do not coincide with their own. I also feel that a review such as this can do nothing but give the College a bad name among those sufficiently enlightened to appreciate the publication of many different ideas, and not only those which conveniently fit into one's own political philosophy. It would be encouraging in the future to see more real reviews and fewer critiques designed to condemn a point of view, whether it be conservative or liberal.
Washington, D. C.
