1919

"As we sat on a sunny bank..." not far from "...Christmas Day in the morning..." we were startled by the headlines in our Florida paper, "Vermont Disaster Area as East Starts Cleanup." The story told of 50 inches of new snow, drifts as high as 20 to 30 feet. We hope the report exaggerates as reports of northern storms sometimes do down here. But it put us to thinking that your reading of these prosaic periods may well coincide with Carnival at which time the whole north country will be praying for more snow. Carnival, we find, falls on Valentine's Day this year and, as we arouse ourselves from our reverie, it occurs to us that there were many lovely things common to the two ... ah, well!

Few would argue, we're sure, that our shiny, slick-paper, offset MAGAZINE is not a great improvement over the old-time smoke signal for which Batch's sheet is named. Nevertheless the smoke signal had a certain immediacy which was admirable. No month-ahead deadlines, no proof sheets, no space problems, no correcting, deleting, retyping, binding, and mailing. You simply thought of what you wanted to say as you lighted the fire by rubbing two boy scouts together and, as the kindling caught, you snatched up the old blanket and swished it across the smoke. The message went out right then with the speed of light and was received right then even in Acworth. We find it hard to believe that anyone cares now, on Valentine's Day, who was at the N.Y. City Dartmouth Club Luncheon on December 1, last year. Just in case we're wrong, here's who was: Windsor Batchelder, Red Colwell, ChetDeMond, Dick Dudensing, Bill Goldberg,Bri Greeley, Ken Huntington, Nick Sandoe, and Stan Mauk.

Batch very kindly sent the names and Nick included them in a letter which said also, "Stan and Alice Mauk are in the midst of their annual New York visit and they are galivanting about doing the shops, theaters, restaurants, exhibits, etc., like a couple of kids. We have had dinner with them twice and hope to again. ..." It is a sad comment on the suddenness of such things for us, that even as we were writing that list, we received word from Carleton Broer '27 that Stan died two days before Christmas, instantly and without warning. His obituary will appear in this or a subsequent issue of this MAGAZINE. We can only express the shock and sadness every member of the Class will feel and send our deeply felt sympathy to Alice and her family.

Before we forget in the bustle of the new year, we hurry to acknowledge with our warmest thanks Christmas Greetings from: Ray and Pearl Adams, Batch and Harriet Batchelder, Tom and Claire Bresnahan, Dis done and Mildred Chipman, John and Betty Clark, Howie and Doris Cole, Bunny and Mad Collins, Art and Janet Havlin, Ken and Marge Huntington, Cotty and Kitty Larmon, Spider and Bea Martin, Fred and Eleanor McCrea, Jack and Hester McCrillis, Lou and Harriet Munro, Max and Helen Norton, Bob and Hattie Paisley, George and Marian Rand, Nick and Dorothy Sandoe, Ingleton and Maud Schenck, Bob and Florence Stecher, Charles and Kathryn Warner, and Polly Wilson, the old sweetheart. Our wife Mary, who is otherwise a great helpmate, chose to string all the cards around and around the room on garlands of something, in an attempt to enhance the appearance of our drab quarters. So if we have omitted your names, we assure you our thanks are just as warm, and secretly sometime we'll tell you whom to blame.

We have in hand a newspaper clipping (paper unknown) which features a fine picture of Spider Martin, his dimple at its most photogenic, surrounded by North Attleboro dignitaries to one of whom he is handing a deed. The headline: Martin Family Land Gift Accepted by Town. The story, in part, states: "A member of the Martin Family, whose ranks have contained some of the best known personalities in North Attleboro history, has donated a 35-acre tract of prime land on the shores of the Falls Pond for use by the town. ... The presentation was formalized last night... when Edward E. Martin of Wellesley Hills turned over the deed to the property. ... Mr. Martin, a retired Graybar Electric Co. executive, and brother of the late Congressman Joseph W. Martin Jr., in responding recalled that he had enjoyed many hours of pleasure at the Falls Pond and expressed the hope that the land can be developed so that the kids of North Attleboro can use it for fishing, boating, and swimming. ... The land, with 1000 foot frontage on the west side of the lower pond, will be called, 'The Martin Family Memorial Recreational and Conservation Area.'"

Incidental Intelligence: George Rand reports from Delray Beach playing bridge with Eddie Bowen '20 and casually mentions making a few bucks. He also reports a few rubbers with the Gordon Meaders making no reference as to the outcome. Howie Cole mentions on his Christmas card a cataract operation in mid-November. He marvels at the success of the operation and the great improvement resulting from it. We all wish you nothing less than complete success, Howie. Ray Adams sends a note from Vernon Burke who is "...busy as usual... expect to teach Economics at the University of San Diego in California Feb. 2 through June as a visiting teacher... not bad for 73 years old." Dennis Sullivan writes Ray... "received the Smoke Signal and matched names to faces and faces to figures... looked like a happy fiftieth. Chapel attendance seems up since 1919.... I was saddened by the death of Jack Vliet and Ed Sawyer." And from MiltTucker a note remarkably cheerful considering that he has just recovered from an illness... "feeling just great now"... and now his wife, Ruth, is not at all well. Rockand Alice Earle Hayes are now in the south but not at Delray Beach as we said they would be. They are in Boca Raton until their condominium in Delray is finished, but are playing golf at the new Delray Dunes Club at which they have become members.

Mrs. Eldin D. Lougee has written to the Class, "I received a card from 1919 of Dartmouth College telling of the book given in Eldin's memory.... Our sons join me in thanking the Class for their thoughtfulness - I know Eldin would be pleased to be remembered."

Tom Bresnahan, who makes stories the way most of us make double bogeys, has done it again. Nick Sandoe writes that Tom did not make the New York Club luncheon because he was off somewhere on his magic carpet, but that he returned a few days later with the following tale... he had flown to Boston intending to drive around New England a bit. He went to the Hertz desk. The young lady in charge examined his proffered credit card and driver's license and said that all was in good order except the driver's license. "What's the matter with that?" asked Tom. "It says your birth date was April '96," the girl replied. "And what's wrong with that?" said Tom. "We haven't come to that year yet," she said. "Oh, that was another century," Tom explained. "Well, I'll be Gol Darned," said she, and calling a porter instructed him to pick up the gentleman's bags and help him into his car.

Secretary, Box 122, Chandler Rd. Wilder, Vt. 05088

Treasurer, 184 Summer St., Springfield, Vt. 05156