1926

On April 9, at the 117th annual dinner of the Dartmouth Alumni Association of Eastern Massachusetts (oldest and largest Dartmouth alumni association in the world and obviously located in Boston, the hub of the universe), ten members of the class shared the event: Russ andBetty Clark, Hub and Det Harwood, Charlie and Helen Clare Macdonald, Don and LibbyNorstrand, and Stew and Mary Lou Orr. Prexyto-be Dave McLaughlin '54 was welcomed, and he in turn introduced the speaker of the evening, President Kemeny, who gave his 11th and farewell talk to the association always a feature of the meeting.

Last call on "Dear Jack" notes received by treasurer Jack Roberts: Ken Johnston hoped he could be at the 55th if for no other reason than to hear as of yore Jack on the drums; Frank Poor celebrated his 77th on the day Ronald Reagan was inaugurated a very adequate birthday present; Wes Ford was sorry to report that both he and his wife are still incapacitated, both having suffered heart attacks in 1974; Chuck Morton related that after 37 years in harness he retired for keeps at a mere 77 years in age; and Jim Sullivan reported he still practices law in Boston again a mere 50 or so years in harness.

When Don Church was a freshman, he and Jack Tarr boarded at 8 Sargent Street in Hanover. Answering an inquiry as to its whereabouts, Don sketched a map worthy of a Thayer School honor student, showing it to be on a ridge overlooking the Connecticut and Ledyard bridge.

The "Jazz Age" 55th reunion has come and gone and will be reported in "Smoke Signals" and the September class notes. (See you at the 60th?) Meanwhile, relaxing chairman Art Wilcox turned over these notes from classmates unable to attend: Kermit Nickerson expressed his appreciation for a Dartmouth education, feeling that the respect for the College helped his progress from teacher in a small high school to principalship, superintendency, and the privilege of serving as commissioner of education for the State of Maine. Also, he was doubly fortunate to belong to the great brotherhood of 1926; Don Dimick wrote that while he had left College because of grades, his son was a West Point graduate, a colonel in the Army, and an executive engineer with General Motors, and his daughter is Phi Beta Kappa. Don is now retired, having for 30 years made furniture for fraternities and sororities of Denison University; and Bill Pitney explained that he was in Boston but at the wrong time for reunion and that his retirement consists of golf, bridge, and short-story writing.

Stew Orr, first vice president and luncheon chair of the Dartmouth Hub Club, having completed the season's series at the Downtown Harvard Club, is now as class agent for Massachusetts making last minute efforts to achieve 100 per cent Alumni Fund participation in the Bay State.

Class officers meetings were held May 1-2. They are always of great value to the representatives of all classes, who see the college in session and visit with and hear from administrative officers, faculty, and undergraduates. 1926 was present with Charlie and Adelyn Bishop, Hub and Det Harwood, Don and Libby Norstrand, Les and Dot Talbot, and Art and Inez Wilcox. Tubba Weymouth was on a Mediterranean cruise with Barbara, Jack and Dot Roberts were due back from Florida midMay, and A 1 Louer as usual stays on the job at the '26 Alumni Fund home office also reminding us of the June 30 deadline.

Coming scheduled class events: August 2123, Hanover summer reunion; September 19, Princeton game and lunch and evening class dinner in the Oberlander Lounge; October 17, Boston, for the Harvard-Dartmouth game, lunch, and boatride up the Charles. Reserve now then enjoy the summer!

Reluctantly we close this column with the recent sad news of the death on May 9 of Tom Murdough. We will always remember Tom's active and enthusiastic undergraduate years. They brought him many lasting friendships. We will remember his and Grace's ever-present interest in class affairs. (We missed them sorely at the 55th, and their 50th anniversary due shortly after was not to be). We will remember too his highly successful business career and his and Grace's unbounded generosity to the College. The sincere sympathy of 1926 is extended to Grace; her sons Sam, Charlie, and Tom Jr.; her 11 grandchildren; and her three greatgrandchildren.

Seth Besse '27, an elegant golfer, swungfor the Dartmouth golf team as a senior.

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