1926's 40th
Our Fortieth Reunion has come and gone. To those who were -there its memory and flavor will long be remembered and savored. For those who were not, it is your new secretary's task to try to evoke something of the experience and the flavor.
To begin at the beginning there were the Pre-Reunions. One at Lake Morey Inn the weekend before official Reunion started at 5 P.M., Monday, June 13; the other at the Hanover Inn. A feature of the former in addition to golf was an after-dinner inter-class hum Sunday night with 1916. Ritchie Smith ably abetted by Henry Andretta, Brant Wallace, Nate Parker, and a few assorted wives led us down memory lane (to a world that was gay without being frenetic, serious without being pompous) via those great tunes and lyrics composing the score of "The Sahara Derby." Brant by the way came up with a marvelous recording machine that came in loud and clear on 1926's rendition of "You Can't Fool Fate." A collector's item to be, no doubt.
The highlight of both and of the entire Reunion was the quiet recognition of old friends, the appreciation of mature development in an atmosphere of unhurried, pleasant warmth. This is the refrain this report should keep coming back to for it was the essence of the occasion.
Hal T. and his committee rate an accolade for this. Their efficiency and quiet assurance set the tone and that soft Maine accent didn't hurt any. You can take the boy out of Maine but you can't take Maine out of the boy and if the name is Trefethen - '26 is for that.
To get on with the action of the first evening - cocktails at the Top of the Hop were followed by dinner at Mr. Nervi's magnificent new Field House with dinner in turn followed by informal visiting, some in the President's garden, more elsewhere, broken by some to take in a production of "Once Upon a Mattress." Those attending were so enthusiastic in their praise of the performance they thereby induced others to catch the show the next night.
A beacon of the next day was our class dinner. The head table was graced by our esteemed mentor and beloved honorary classmate, Professor Royal Nemiah. Chairman Hub Harwood kept a sure hand on the tiller at all times. Bill Hughes MC'd magnificently. President Dickey paid us a short, appreciated and, as always, felicitous visit. Associate Dean Doc Dey '52 in the only formal address compared then and now and closed with quotations from our Sid Hayward's writings on the North Country so dear to his heart which fitted in with our previous unveiling of a beautiful painting by Paul Sample of that country with man, dog, and gun silhouetted in the foreground. This is to be given by the Class to grace the Sid Hayward Lounge of the new Inn. The only business conducted at the dinner was election of the new class officers and executive committee for the next five-year term.
We all appreciated John Manser's inviting Cindy and Abner Oakes 3rd, the son of our own Ab Oakes and future varsity hockey coach, to join us. Also worthy of note was the reception of two degrees at the '66 Commencement by sons of '26. Robert Cleary Jr. earning his A.B. from the College and John Heavenrich Jr. his M.B.A. from Tuck School. Incidentally we won a couple of attendance cups. Hap Johnston's hobby show was nostalgic and interesting. Helen McKenna's needle-point memorable.
A constant beacon was the intellectual side of Reunion. The fare was varied and stimulating. See the college announcement, because space limitation forbids adequate comment, but of the two symposiums run- ning Tuesday perhaps it is fair to say '26's sponsored "Forty Years of Change in Education," so ably chaired by Henry Bixby, was the best because of Kemeny's mind and Bond's spirit. Nevertheless Pearl Herlihy's comment is worth recording. Questions no. Equal time for talks by the alumni, si. A situation 1936 and 1937 on Monday settled properly by advanced reading for those interested and two day seminars after the first morning's talks, a la Alumni College. A suggestion hereby seriously proposed for our 45th.
Wednesday was one of those unbelievable days: crystal clear, sunny, warm, breezy cool, all at the same time with the low, billowy, white, cumulus clouds hugging the Tower of Baker and keeping the flag over the green so straight it made you glad to be alive even forty years out. In short, the weather like Reunion was in crescendo as we made our way to the lovely old white Church where Wee McClintock voiced ma- ture thoughts on the subject of life and death in tribute to our departed classmates in the course of a memorable service.
The Class meeting in 105 Dartmouth followed the memorial service. Tubber Wey-mouth looking every inch the chairman of the board was on deck and Hub, preliminary to turning the gavel over to Tubber, was in the box thereby reminding us all of the outstanding leadership he and his fellow officers had given us these last five years [which Bob Cleary had so ably attested to and warmly thanked him for on behalf of the class at the class dinner].
A special tribute to the able and devoted service Ken Weeks gave to '26 must in gratitude and heartfelt appreciation also be recorded here as it was at the class dinner and is in our hearts. A vote of thanks goes to our retiring treasurer, Ed Hanlon. His final report of our riches and news worthiness was a show stopper. [Collecting dues and news from you fellows can't be as easy as Ed made it sound but on behalf of new treasurer Jack Roberts, new news dispensers Hub Harwood and myself I bespeak your continued support of the one and plentiful contributions of the other.] But Reunion, with the weather, was in crescendo and it was left for Hal Gibson via the medium of class movies to produce the big bang. And produce he did. All Hal did was rescue from the archives of the college film library our senior movies, edit them and produce a show that had us roaring in our seats, darn near rolling in the aisles. They don't make movies like that any more and more is the pity. Thanks, Hal, from us all. We know it wasn't easy but the end product was terrific. A picnic in the Bema was the official finale of the '26's fortieth Reunion.
We are back to where we came in. You fellows and girls of '26, you made the Reunion memorable. Perhaps, Kay Hurd summed it up best: "Wasn't it a great Reunion, so well run and everybody had such a good time." Anyway, we all now know what "Frabjous" means.
Reunion chairman Hal Trefethen '26 (I)and president Hub Harwood display theevidence of 1926's winning turnout forthe Monday-to-Wednesday reunion period.
Class president Dick Parkhurst (I) andreunion chairman Cliff Bean with the attendance cups 1916 won for their reunion period. With 47% of graduates back,1916 won the Class of 1894 Cup for theentire reunion period.
CLASS SECRETARY
