1923

Just 60 years ago this month, most of us were closing the books on high or preparatory school days, laying plans for the summer, and wondering what it would be like at Dartmouth. Many others of us, however, had delayed our educations a year or more to join the armed forces. The result was a class mix of youthful inexperience and the maturity that military discipline brings. It took several years for the two to meld into the reasonably homogeneous group that we became by 1923. It seems to me that this process of coming more closely together has accelerated over the years since then.

As I write these notes in late April, we are looking forward to the annual two-day Class Officers Meeting in Hanover. Ike Phillips will give you a full rundown on the program. The College, in an effort to bring undergraduates and class officers into closer contact has arranged a number of events, many of which feature student participation. Among them is the opening of several regular classroom sessions to the visitors. I have elected to sit in on Professor Colin Campbell's Economics 101 class. He and his wife have made some recent interesting and constructive studies of land use as it prevails in New Hampshire. As one who. has done a fair amount of critical talking and letter writing regarding the New Hampshire Current Land Use statute, I am looking forward to the opportunity of meeting him.

I am sure that many of you will not remember our classmate, Roy Burgess. He joined us at the beginning of junior year after two years at Bangor Theological Seminary. While at Dartmouth, he spent most of his weekends as supply minister at various small churches nearby in Vermont and New Hampshire. This, plus his very limited financial means, kept him from most of the campus social contacts he would have liked to make. Following graduation, he received a master of arts degree from Bates College and a master of divinity degree from Bangor.

Roy combined his ministry with teaching until his death in 1977. His widow Agnes has had his principal religious works reproduced in typewritten mimeograph form, bound in paper, and has distributed a few copies to her close friends. I have read them and find them scholarly and inspiring. She is now trying to find a publisher who will undertake to produce them in hardcover form. So far she has been unsuccessful in doing this. She intends to persevere, however, and will appreciate any suggestions from Roy's classmates.

From Truman Metzel comes a group photograph of the top officers of Bixby International, who are cutting a large cake in celebration of the firm's 105th anniversary. Included in the picture are Chet, of course, his son Ben '57, nephew George '57 (whose late father Henry was Class of 1927), and Henry's son-in-law David Lamb, who admits to a Yale education but explains that his son is Dartmouth '80. Chet and Barbara left in March on a two-month trip, which includes, among other exotic spots, a three-week visit to China.

During an intermission at our March town meeting, a young man who had expressed himself well and effectively on several issues introduced himself to me. He turned out to be Henry Perkins's grandson, David Barr. David has what, to me at least, is the unique job of "media specialist" in the Contoocook Valley school system. Secondary school education long ago became a mystery to me, but it seems that a media specialist plans courses, orders books, puts curricula together, locates appropriate films, reviews television programs and in general coordinates with teachers in course preparation and development. Quite a job!

Nat Harmon writes that he and son Hobie have moved to 140 Highland Ave., Jaffrey, N.H. 03542. Hobie has a new job in Gardner, Mass.

Sorry to hear from Step Riddle that she had a major operation last winter. She is now back at her comfortable farm home in Center Tuftonboro, N.H., not doing much driving and taking it easy.

David Hilton has written me a fine letter about his father Ward, who passed away on March 25. Bill Wallace and Ward Hilton married twin sisters. Jane Wallace still lives in her and Bill's home in West Hartford.

Also, many thanks for letters from AnnetteHaigh, Ted and Olive Caswell, and Bus Dodge.

This is the last issue containing class notes until October. Until then, good health and much happiness to you all.

Box 2 Francestown, N.H. 03043