1921

This is my valedictory as secretary pro tempore of the distinguished class of 1921. Perhaps valedictory does not reflect the accuracy to be expected of a lawyer, because it may be defined as a "farewell at parting," and I have no desire to depart from y'all! The years have in no way diminished my respect and affection for my classmates, and besides, you will be reading these notes after your return from a glorious 60th reunion, or if you could not return to Hanover this year, you will be reading them with regret that their deadline was May 1, meaning that you will have to wait for the next issue of the "Smoker," with which Bob Burroughs is doing such a fine job, or for the September issue of the MAGAZINE, to get a reunion report by our new secretary to be elected in June.

Let me thank you for having given me the opportunity to fill in for (but by no means replace) our late beloved classmate, Joe Folger. Joe's brief tenure as class secretary gave evidence that he would have continued the long line of great secretaries with which 1921 has been blessed. Again our sincere sympathy to Marion, and all of us hope that she remains an active and interested member of'2l. And in this farewell may I once again on behalf of the incoming secretary urge every classmate to send in at least one news item each year, if not about himself or family, then about some classmate with whom he keeps in touch.

I have some news about the Burroughses. Martha suffered a couple of heart attacks last fall and her doctor advised in early December that she should not take the chance of being exposed to the expected extreme cold. The cold weather did indeed set in on December 16, but the Burroughses had left for a warmer clime on December 15. They went to Tucson, Ariz., and there stayed at a hotel called the Hacienda del Sol. Bob said that the hotel was excellent: "We found that the meals were the best that we had ever experienced in any hotel or restaurant, so I made the acquaintance of the chef, who is called Arne. He is a Norwegian, and showed me pictures of some of the 'Tall Ships' which were in New York Harbor and Boston Harbor a few years ago. Particularly he showed me the photograph of one that is the yacht of the King of Norway, and informed me that after the Hacienda closes for the summer on April 30, he is expected to go over at once to Norway and be the king's chef for the summer."

The name of the hotel rang a bell with your scribe and he wrote to remind Bob of a classmate who died in 1968, George Ferguson. After studying for the, priesthood at the General Episcopal Seminary and serving as rector in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, George moved with his wife to Tucson. There he left a permanent memorial in a church which he built and called St. Phillips in the Hills, but when the Fergusons first went to Tucson they either bought or operated a school for girls called the Hacienda del Sol. The hotel may be carrying on the name on the property of the old school. There is also a book that Fergie wrote highly regarded and beautifully printed and bound entitled Signs and Symbols in Christian Art.

That gracious and modest classmate, Dana Lamb, whom we were all glad to welcome back at homecoming last fall, has responded to my pleas for news: "Some years ago, when I was active at Alumni College, I might have had some news half worthy of your pen, but as of now the only thing I can do is brag of relatives. Let me be shameless: My youngest Massachusetts granddaughter, sophomore Sandra Bryan '83, seems well worthy of her keep, with half a dozen Dartmouth track records on the wall and high marks in field hockey. She is currently the only Ivy Leaguer on the U.S. team lacrosse that goes come June to play Australia, New Zealand, and, very likely, China. All this with good marks makes me feel rather proud." Dana, we all would be proud, too. Why don't you bring her along with you when you return for reunion? Ort Hicks will challenge her to a few fast sets of tennis!

Paul Graves Sanderson Jr. '52, son of our classmate and former president Sandy Sanderson, and middle member of a three-generation group of Dartmouth graduates of that name, is back in the north country. He lives at Stonecrest Farm in Wilder, Vt., and from there he operates the education program ASSIST, of which he is president. ASSIST (American Secondary Students for International Students and Teachers, Inc.) brings students from all over the world to study in American independent schools. It was Paul's brainchild and has been his occupation since he left Suffield Academy in 1976 after serving from 1952 to 1976 as teacher of history, director of admissions, and headmaster. He and his wife Gail travel the world over on behalf of ASSIST.

At home Gail has a real estate business, recently opened at the farm as Stonecrest Realtors. Paul, a historian, is deeply interested in the history of the area and has produced a television documentary on the life and career of Dr. Nathan Smith, founder of the Dartmouth Medical School.

Olive and Em Corbin, than whom there are no classmates more active and loyal in attending all 1921 gatherings, report that they occasionally see Art Higgins in New Britain. They have tried to get Art to drive up with them to our big 80th in June, but Art does not feel that his sister who shares the old homestead with him is well enough for him to leave her even for a few days.

And now to all of you, including those whom I hope to see in Hanover in June and those who will not be able to attend our reunion thanks again, and to each of you, auf wiedersehen. Ray

This is Old Handyman Hicks taking over the mike unbeknownst to Ray, to whom all classmates are tremendously indebted. Following the untimely deaths of Bishop Gilson and Professor Folger, there seemed to be no one to whom 1921 could turn in trying to fill the shoes of those great class secretaries. Into the breach rushed Ray, offering to fill in until reunion. He has done a superb job!

Lower Plain Bradford, Vt. 05033