1916
The Glee Club Concert and the presentation of the Stirling Wilson Memorial at the concert in Washington on Sunday afternoon, March 28 was a memorable occasion. Betty Wilson, her daughter Peggy Piatt and her son, Stirling and his wife were present, as were a number of his Classmates. There were also many other personal friends, and some barbershop comrades, among the nearly one thousand persons who attended the concert. The presentation was made at the intermission. The opening remarks were made by President Dick Parkhurst, who then called on Gran Fuller, Chairman of the Memorial Committee, who in turn introduced young Stirling Wilson, who made the presentation of the commemorative library of barbershop favorites to the Glee Club. Paul Zeller, Director, accepted the gift in behalf of the Club. The concert was followed by a reception and cocktail party given by the Dartmouth Club of Washington. Later 18 members of the Class, including their families, sat down to a dinner at the Army and Navy Club which was arranged for by John Ames. Beside Dick Parkhurst and the Wilsons, the out-of-town people included Stew and Louella Paul from Gettysburg; Art and Marion Marsden from Lawrence, Mass.; Kay English from Stoneham, Mass.; Sally Gammons from Wilmington, and your Secretary and his sister-in-law, Catharene Cleaves.
As I write this Dave and Marion Shumway, who live in East Aurora, N. Y., are planning to come down here to attend the Seventy-fifth Birthday Dinner honoring Victor Smith '17, given by Vic's company, Victor C. Smith, Inc. Dave and Vic were partners in the furniture business when they were in college, and thus got their start in the business world. Many of you doubtless dealt with these shrewd traders when you furnished your room with second-hand furniture. Dave and Marion will be staying with us in Swarthmore, but unfortunately I will miss seeing them, as I will be attending the Class Officers Weekend in Hanover. ... Nine members of the Class attended the Get-together at the Dartmouth Club of New York on March 31, among them Dick Parkhurst, who came down from Boston for the occasion. Beans Sully had to regret at the last minute, and Ken Ross was reported to be crossing the Atlantic to study the rivers of Europe. ...Ed and Virginia Gumlbart missed out on the Washington party in March, having just left for a three months' trip to Europe. ... A card from Hong Kong tells of the good time Ken and Marie Henderson were having on their trip to the Far East. ... EI Brill wrote that he hoped to see Rog Evans as Rog passed through Torrington in April. If that didn't work out the Brill family planned to hit Scarsdale on their way to the Fair. El also said that in their jaunts about the state (Connecticut) he came across Joe Gannon, treasurer of the Class of '99, who lives in sight of the Covered Bridge in West Cornwall, and added, "Joe is one of the real old time Dartmouth greats." ... Word from Ralph and LossieParker, who were enjoying Cocoa Beach, saying that they saw the Ranger and Gemini shots go up the last of March. When they wrote they were expecting Bill and RuthMcKenzie to stop by on their way North from Boca Raton. ... For those who are statistically minded the present Class count is: Living grads, 156; living non-grads, 73; deceased grads, 101; deceased non-grads, 78.
Ken Stowell, a distinguished architect in his own right, has this to say about his home town of San Francisco: "This city is one of the most interesting, as it displays every conceivable kind and variety of domestic architecture, and much that is unimaginable, yet withal is most pleasing and amusing and human, rather jolly than drab. I'm sure you have enjoyed it, too. While it is nice in a way to have the Ghiberti doors reproduced here in San Francisco, I wish they had had a competition among American sculptors and let a new 'Ghiberti' execute the doors, and put the Florentine copies in a museum. Ghiberti's are the acme of sophisticated perfection of execution, elaborate and knowing composition; to me 'overdone;' a superb demonstration of the artist's skill, but lacking in the direct, simple impact of the doors at Ravello, or at St. Zeno in Verona, or Pisano's doors at the south of the Bapistry of San Giovanni, Florence where Ghiberti's grace the east. There is much joy in seeing the wonderful and beautiful and interesting work of past and present men; and I'm constantly lost in wonder in seeing them, and even in thinking of them and seeing them in memory. It is a selfish pleasure, except as one shares it with one's companion. There's not a day goes by but what we recall to each other something we enjoyed together - a face, or a freize, or a delicious dish - a thunder storm in Glencoe, a peasant bambino in Assisi, all things large and small that have made our travels so delightful." The above was written to Rog Evans and Ken explains to me that Rog had written to him that he had read of the famous Ghiberti doors being used (in replica) on the cathedral in San Francisco - therefore Ken's remarks. I read that the sculptor worked on one of the doors, with the assistance of twenty artists, for twenty-one years; on the other for twenty-three.
Whether you go North, South, East or West - or simply stay at home in your own pleasant bailiwick this summer - HAVE FUN. And the summer will prove all the more enjoyable if you have done your full duty to the Alumni Fund.
Balmacaaners everywhere extend congratulations and best wishes to the stalwart Class of 1915 and hope that its Fiftieth Reunion this month will be the most enjoyable of all so far.
Secretary, 7 Swarthmore Place Swarthmore, Pa.
Class Agent, 50 Rugby Rd., Manhasset, L. I., N. Y.
