1919

In spite of the rigors of Christmas and a very stiff wind in our face coming up the long" 18th this morning, we are happy to report we are in good shape. We are caulking the seams of our easy chair preparing for a New Year's weekend flooded with play-offs and bowl games. News seeps through our defenses mainly from Christmas cards. Listen:

Bob and Anne Lewis advise that they left the Hanover area just before the snow and cold (precisely why we .are here) and that they plan to head south after New Years. The Cogswells say they were in Hanover only for the Princeton game, but they made it to Cambridge for the Harvard game. Muriel says, "We like to be home for Christmas, but winter came so early to Gould Hill, we started between two of the first snowstorms." From Harry Colwell, "Lil and I were so disappointed to miss the Fall Party—you were all very good to our 'future doctor' granddaughter."

First Lady of the Class Dorothy Sandoe writes out of the rain, sleet and snow of the 12/15 weekend, "Nick Jr.'s middle son, a sophomore at Dartmouth, comes to us for Christmas. Here (N. Y. City) first, then Acworth. He then leaves for two terms in Germany. His older brother is already in Austria as an exchange student. Our son Bob will be in their house across the road in Acworth—a nice family party." Jack Ross says in part, "... Sorry I couldn't be at the Fall Get-together and fill up the foursome. As long as you can still play golf, Jim, you must be in reasonably good health." We hasten to assure Ross and anyone else who cares that our health is a lot better then our golf—we should hope.

Other tid-bits of news: Spider Martin talked to Bob Paisley, back in Melrose for Thanksgiving and found him apparently recovered from his pneumonia, Spider says the best he could get out of him was, "I'm fair." And in a letter about something else, Jimmy Jewett says, "Alida and I still stay at home in the winter, but we do manage to get up to Cape Cod for a vacation every summer, and occasionally up to New Hampshire in the fall. The daughter of one of Alida's friends here was the first woman to graduate from Tuck School. She has come back here to work and was recently elected Treasurer of the Dartmouth Club of Hartford. She is a swell person and—who knows—the new Dartmouth may prove as grand as the old."

Just before Christmas we received the following: "Spider Martin represented the Class of 1919 and the College at the dedication of the John A. Shelburne Recreation Center in Boston on December 3rd." Spider wrote, "This is a new building combining a gymnasium and recreation rooms. The City of Boston has named it after John. The Mayor pronounced December 3 John Shelburne Day. The tributes were grand and demonstrated that to the people of Roxbury John is their number one citizen." Almost in the same mail came a clip from the Boston Globe sent by Al Googins. Under the headline, "Youths he once inspired repay John Shelburne" it devoted about a quarter page to the affair. A great number of Boston's top dignitaries were on the program and it was a full two hours before the last accolade was spoken. Joseph B. Curtis, Boston's Commissioner of Parks and Recreation, said, "Roxbury residents trooped to my office requesting the name change for the new recreational facility. I was repeatedly informed that John Shelburne was the only name with deep significance to youth in days to come." John, in character to the end, lived up to the heading on the program, "A Living Tribute to a Modest Man" and made no remarks other than a few "thank-yous." "I didn't think he'd make a speech," said one member of the audience. "He never was much at grandstanding."

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

Treasurer, 60 Sutton Place, South New York, N. Y. 10022