1926

Our senior classmate Gob Des Marais rose early (clocked at 6:00 a.m.) to thank the class for his birthday card, his letter saying, "Good morning! All is well in Rock Hill, S.C." His 8:00 a.m. class greeted teacher with a surprise birthday cake. Marion and he are planning to teach one more year before complete retirement.

Hap and Pat Johnston missed the 55th because of minor surgery on Hap's wrists to eliminate carpal tunnel syndrome. Hap thought this must be some exotic disease, but an unromantic medic told him it is quite common and apparently readily cured.

New Jersey news was forthcoming from JackBickford, executive committee member-elect, in response to birthday greetings. Jack Roberts stopped by while passing through, and the two Jacks rehashed the 55th; Brant Wallace was checked in as continuing to do well; Bob Cleary is back on the golf courses, having made a remarkable recovery; and Charlie Bishop saw fit to have some minor surgery but is now back home enjoying the beauties of Jamesburg.

Thank-you letters from various parts of the country acknowledged the passage of another year, with the hope of an even better one coming up. The class heard from George Starke, East Hampton, N.Y., where gentle Long Island breezes keep him cool; Bob Patten, Port Richey, Fla., where, though temperatures can hit 90 degrees, golf is still fun; Fred Hurd, Darien, Conn., executive committee member-elect* hardly home from reunion, promptly reminded that he was 77; Chuck Morton, Darien, Ga., where the chief difference between the two Dariens is the presence of shrimp boats in the Mcintosh County, Ga., harbor; Wally MacDonald, Ridgefield, N.J., who noted that while many years have rolled by, his four years at Dartmouth seem like yesterday perhaps the happiest of his life; and George Leyser, Cape Coral, Fla., where he and Van Van Duyn, Naples, and Jack Roberts, Ft. Myers (in winter), keep an eye on southwest Florida happenings, whether they be Dartmouth events or tropical storms.

Closing dates for class notes sometimes delay news as much as six months. For example, a letter received late in April can miss the May 1 deadline for the June issue of the MAGAZINE, and the next issue with class notes arrives well into October. Last May Ducky Heacox wrote that his 1926 birthday card always gives him a warm feeling about our remarkable class and the Dartmouth we knew and loved. He was about to miss the 55 th reunion because his wife Dottie had been stricken with a rare eye affliction and her doctors hoped to avoid an operation. On our 50th, Ducky was with his mother during her last few days she lived to be 101.

Hank Lamb, when sending thanks for the class birthday card, told that last January his wife died peacefully in her sleep without any advance warning. The class certainly shares his loss. Hank recently bought a small house and some woodland in Freedom, N.H., and has moved there from Bronxville, N.Y. somewhat nearer to Hanover. He retired ten years ago.

For 45 years, 1926 has held an annual August get-together in Hanover, whether or not one of our regular reunions had just taken place in June. Highlights this year: cocktails and dinner Friday at Hanover Inn; class meeting Saturday in the 1926 memorial room in Baker Library, Tubber Weymouth presiding; action naming Ed Hanlon class historian bound copy of Ed's "Class History" being on display; besides doing a grand job with Dot on weekend plans, Les Talbot reporting 2,600 rare books now in our memorial collection; picnic lunch on the banks of Occum Pond at Dartmouth Outing Club; and lastly, Emmie Merrill and Charles Dershaw entertaining for cocktails at Emmie's Norwich home.

9 Gammons Road Waban, Mass. 02168