1927
Hello again: The 1981 fall reunion is all over as you read this. But it wasn't by the October 1 deadline by which this had to be sent in to the editors, so you'll just have to wait till next month for details.
We can mention,, though, that several months back our favorite hostelry, the Hanover Inn, won the top gold award of the American Hotel and Motel Association at the association's annual convention in Washington, D.C. The prize was for promotional publicity in connection with the inn's 200th anniversary celebration. New York City's Waldorf Astoria and Ramada Inn were tied for second place, with the Hyatt Regency receiving honorable mention.
John and Dorothy Rintels were back in Chilmark on Martha's Vineyard for most of the summer. In July, John celebrated his 75th with his entire family, including his three sons, one of whom came from California and another from Virginia. Later John and Dorothy flew to California, where they set out on a two-week boat trip to Alaska.
Jay and Helen Willing expected to spend much of the summer at their place in Rockport, Mass. They now have five great-grandchildren, and one of their granddaughters was accepted for early admission at Dartmouth this fall. In acknowledging his birthday card, Jay noted that keeping active is no problem for him as numerous trustee and director responsibilities keep him busy.
On a small island named Bustins, off the coast of Maine in Casco Bay, where there are no telephones and there is no transportation except bi-cycle and bi-ped, Owen and Harriet Garfield spent the summer as usual. There, for septuagenarians, the two main events of the day are walking to the post office at noon and, at 5:00 p.m., wondering who will drop in for a happy hour. Charlie and Ruth Paddock's cottage is about 200 yards down the shore road on the same island. Need more be said?
George Van P. Marks was back in White Plains, N.Y., after having escaped last winter's cold by going to Sun City, Ariz., as has been his wont for several years. And Al Wellman was back in Jamestown, N.Y., after spending the previous seven months in Naples, Fla., where he is now a legal resident. Al's card indicated that he is now fine after losing a kidney last February.
When reminded of his birthday, Jack Thees responded that he and Jackie had just returned to their home in Pompano Beach, Fla., after a month's drive to Houston and New Orleans, where they visited a son in each city. Jack allowed as how, "In New Orleans I got my fill of crawfish etouffee and other Cajun specialties, which I love."
In his card from Reston, Va., Brugy Brugiere confessed that in looking forward to the 55 th, he was experiencing some apprehension over seeing women on the campus for the first time; but more than that, he worries that he might not be able to withstand the shock of seeing some of his old friends after 55 years and vice versa.
There's the good news that Fritz Kortlucke, when last we heard, had nearly recovered from a serious auto accident of last spring and was looking forward to retiring this fall to his farm on Lake Waramaug, in New Preston, Conn.
We appreciated the thank-you replies to birthday cards from Bill Pelton, Marshall Cleaves, Frank Polachek, Don Megathlin, Paul O'Connell, Bunny Smith, and Charlie Huntley.
The class extends its sympathy to the family of Albert V. House, who died July 28.
Memory jogger: Just in case your memory bank does not include details of the College in the late 17705, here are a few:
The faculty at that time consisted of Eleazar, two professors, and one tutor. The plant comprised the president's housed a better house for servants, the main college building, a smaller building for classes, a barn, a wash house, and a bake house, plus several huts for students who could not be accommodated in the main building.
The daily routine began when Eleazar appeared at chapel at 4:00 a.m. (or, in winter, "as early as he could see to read the Bible"). The first recitation followed in a room where the pine benches, firewood, blackboard, and instructor's chair and table were furnished by the students. Breakfast was next, then study, and more classes in the afternoon. The day ended with prayers at 6:00 p.m., or as late as the president could see to read. On Sundays, the students were forbidden to leave their rooms except to attend church twice (in addition to the morning and evening prayers). At all unspecified hours, they were expected to remain in their bare and drafty rooms, where they were visited at least once a week by a member of the faculty.
Next time, a few words about Eleazar's last days. . . . And don't forget to include our 55th, on June 11-13, in your plans for 1982, which will soon be here.
11 Rolling Lane Wayland, Mass. 01778
