1911

It is our sad duty to report that within less than a month four classmates have had their last reunion. Harold Wampler, WalterHarriman, Rupe Luey, and Sticky Pendleton passed away on the following dates: March 28, April 5, April 13, and April 16. Of this group Sticky had signed up to attend our 55th next month. Further information about them will be found in the In Memoriam columns of this or a later issue.

As the hour of reunion approaches plans are being perfected and arrangements finalized. By the time that you read these notes (if you do) there will be but a few days to change your minds if you had not planned on coming. If any urging would encourage a return to Hanover for this occasion, this plea from a wife, now a widow, written before our 25th Reunion would be more appealing than any words of ours. Here are some extracts from the letter. "The ALUMNI MAGAZINE has just arrived and has precipitated a family row. My husband said he included my name but it is not there. I therefore take no more chances and hasten to write you that I shall not be left out of any 1911 reunion. We missed the last one and I still feel as if something vital had gone out of my life. I have tried to analyze why I feel so strongly and have concluded there are several reasons.

"First there is New Hampshire itself. Our spirits soar when we cross the border and sniff that glorious mountain air. Then as we go on past the white farm houses and the pines and climb the last hill to Hanover, it is coming home - even to one who is only a Dartmouth wife. And what do we find at our journey's end? A warm and friendly welcome from the 1911ers who have preceded us and who are sitting out in front of the dormitory waiting for us. I know very few of the class and fewer wives, but that will not matter. There will be fellowship and fun. There will be lovely new buildings to see and there will be as many activities as we care for through to the impressive and dignified Commencement exercises in their beautiful outdoor setting. We may go to the Glee Club Concert or the Players in a sweater suit and feel perfectly comfortable though the person next to us may be in evening dress. Who can forget the thrill of the Trumpeters from the Library tower or the band concerts on the Green in the starlight?

"And then there are the special 1911 doings where we may be off by ourselves and there are rocking chairs and talk. The 55th will be a new experience. The added years even with their gray hairs and extra pounds have their compensations. No - I cannot and will not miss reunion and I hope other 1911 wives will feel the same."

We extend our sympathy to Cap Maynard whose wife Rose died on April 9 in Tours, France. After Cap's retirement from the faculty at Dartmouth they moved to live permanently in Paris, and were residing at 201 rue de Grenelle, Paris 7.

During the winter it was pleasant to receive calls from several 1911 couples who were passing through Clearwater. We also made a few calls on other classmates principally on our drive home, and can make brief reports on them. We found Ken Knapp, seriously ill in the hospital, but he had gained sufficiently to be transferred to a new nursing home just before we left. A phone conversation with Betty (Curtis) Smith gave us the cheering news that she had discarded her walker for a cane, and she was even cheating on that. She broke her hip over a year ago, after which a second operation was necessary. Don and Fanny Cheney were bribed into serving some of his delicious and famous grapefruit wine preceding a luncheon in the Rollins College atmosphere. Don is very busy acquiring property for the county for the extension of its utilities. It is reported that Don in his quiet persuasive manner makes condemnation proceedings unnecessary. He and Fanny have sold their fruit orchard but have retained many trees around their attractive new home fronting on one of the many lakes in Orlando. Both are planning to come north for our reunion. They should get the prize for longest distance between home and Hanover. In Daytona it was a real joy to see Heine and Livi Chase who made us most welcome with real southern hospitality. He retired with the rank of colonel in the Army several years ago but has had a rough time physically much of the time since. However he is now improved though much confined. He astonishes you both with his enthusiasm for and his extensive information about Dartmouth.

While in Daytona we tried to find the Deac Trasks who have recently made this their permanent home. We located their apartment in a large new apartment house but they had left for the north for a few weeks. We regretted not seeing more of the year-round 1911er residents, but with the brand of weather that Florida enjoyed (?) we did not do much tripping. We did stop long enough to make sure that Sarge andEsther Eaton will be at Reunion.

There are still many return reunion cards to come in, so the statistics are not complete but we will not be far off from our original estimates. Only a very few have had to change their plans because of illness, which is the only excuse given so far. Over 25 couples and several singles have already reaffirmed their decisions to be with us and at least half of these will go to the Mountain View first.

You know the College does not arrange formal reunions after the 55th, so let's cash in on this one while we are still young and vigorous, and if we are not let's show up anyhow.

It may not be as late as you think.

1911 Class ReunionHanover - June 10-12, 1966

Secretary, Box 171, Hanover, N. H. 03755

Class Agent, 30 Federal St., Boston, Mass.