1939
We've just recovered from the mumps and happily report that these notes are not written in soprano. This afforded time to languish over the 17 Xmas cards received from classmates. In those instances where the printed, heartfelt greetings were augmented with penned comments, nearly everyone was champing at bits to clasp hands at reunion except for Col. Bob Loughry, who wrote from South Vietnam after two months of 90° heat and a "small war, requesting us to throw a snowball for him. He will write us some censored impressions later but feels currently "out of bounds."
Santa Clauses playing golf, holding birds, water skiing, and eating goodies predominated. Jane and Colin Churchill's Santa held an address book noting new home: 1336 Kenilwood Lane, Riverwoods, Deerfield, Ill. 60015. Betty and Jack Cumming, with' all three kids away at school or college, bemoaned that fact that after 21 years they are alone and now that they don't need sitters they can't afford to go anywhere. They're nevertheless going "en famille" to reunion. Betty and Hank Bagg feel the same. We spent an evening with them in Holyoke in early December growing old gracefully with memories of firehose water fights on the third floor of Lord Hall.
Jane and Bill Kent's card picturing, appropriately enough, a bunch of snow-covered, beached fishing boats, wailed the lack of unusual activity in Penn Valley, and wondered what had happened to Janie andBuz Waters. Oddly enough we had a phone conversation with Buz from the Hartford airport. His gravel voice announced sensual degradation, but his paper - was good and Janie continued to tolerate him at least until reunion.
Glenn and Jocko Vincens' card killed off the annual antics of their fat and skinny monks and substituted Noel things. Jocko said they got married after eighteen or so years. Meaning the monks, we guess. Pattyand Rodger Harrison, on the back of a burnished gold picture of Levantine barques on the Sea of Galilee, cry out about a reunion at Reunion. And Jean and Bob Field, on the back of their restored farmhouse at Norwell, Mass., announce their son Bob graduates from Dartmouth this June and their Hanover holidays will be many (if Fieldy can dig up that necessary $160,000.00!).
Our guest editor this month, Ralph Nading Hill (Zeke), pays tribute to Dartmouth in Vermont. He is senior editor of the state magazine "Vermont Life," has published eight books that have gone into 21 editions here and abroad. Most recent: "Yankee Kingdom" about Vermont and New Hampshire for Harper's series on the Regions of America. He wrote two books for the Random House Landmark Series for young readers; is currently concluding a book on Dartmouth. Zeke was once president of the Shelburne Steamboat Co. operating a 220 foot sidewheeler on Lake Champlain. It is now a museum. An exmember of the Dartmouth Alumni Council, he was on its public relations committee and on the board of proprietors for "The Dartmouth." He is currently serving on the Advisory Board of the ALUMNI MAGAZINE.
"One of Vermont's few liabilities is that cries of ' '39 out!' through the mountains bring but a faint response, for the compelling reason that there aren't many thirtyniners here to respond. Furthermore, they're spread out: Bob English and Lester Terry in Poultney, Henry Hastings in Moscow (Vermont, that is), Francis Holland in Derby Line, Archie Mallon in Lyndon Center, Henry Merrill in Greensboro, John Parkhurst in Castleton, and Bob Schill in Rutland.
"The enviable advantage of living within a hundred miles of Hanover is, however, ours and I count myself lucky to have made dozens of pilgrimages during the last three years in the interests of the Dartmouth book which, with the help of Providence, will appear next spring. I have seen fairly recently Dave Smith and Moreau Brown, who have enriched my impoverished relationship with the Class.
"Maybe you are wondering what, after all the searching, digging and assaying in the College archives, my impressions are lo these nearly 25 years later. They are that in most ways - the ways that count - Dartmouth is very much the same in feeling. Substantial changes have, of course, taken place on Main Street, on the Campus, in the associated schools, in the Administration, Faculty and curriculum. The shockingly young faces in the dormitories and fraternities are, however, the same kind of faces you will find in your 'Aegis.'
"Recalling my struggle with the curriculum I have from time to time been bothered (even as you) with the suspicion that if I applied for admission today I could not get in, and if I got in, could not pass, but am assured that if we had to meet the present competition we could have done so. (It's comforting that no one will ever know.) I do have it in for the students for inviting screaming rock-and-roll outfits for houseparties, which I consider an infamous decline in taste and from, for example, the spring houseparties of 1938 when we had both Tommy Dorsey and Artie Shaw. I suppose that arguing about this and the architecture of Hopkins Center belong in the same category.
"With the perspective of nearly 200 years stretched out in front of one it is much easier to judge how far the College has advanced in the 20th century, what vitality it has and what personality as compared with almost any other college or university you want to name. If this is gilding the lily, so be it. You are thinking that I am winding up for a fast curve in behalf of the Alumni Fund and the 25th reunion. As a matter of fact I am not because, like John Hess, I've never been an apostle of some of the frowsy, beery back-slapping that has in the past gone on at reunions (of other classes, of course). But the 25th is a milestone (President Hopkins recalls that the then Governor Spaulding, on dedicating the gymnasium, announced: 'We have reached another millstone') and I look forward to it. And, while on the subject, may I suggest that since it's doubtful that any of us ever become members of a fraternity that has afforded more lasting satisfaction, we ought to make a special effort this time to display it with dollars. How else can we achieve any sort of record for class fealty by the time of our toothless 60th in 1999?"
Secretary, 1908 Coolidge Drive Dayton, Ohio 45419
Treasurer, 25 Sound View Drive Bay Hills, Long Island, N. Y.
