1921

On a lovely Sunday afternoon in September, when Cape Cod can boast of perfect weather (warm sun and cool ocean breezes), the Dartmouth Cape Cod Club held a clambake at the East Dennis Yacht Club, which brought out over 100 club members (and Cornell joined us with an additional 40).

Naturally, your scribe was the oldest of those present. Secretary Dana Bent of 1924 was next (my brother Simon's class). Then came Hal "Rip" Ripley, 1929's secretary (and an honorary member of 1921), followed by a heavy representation from the classes of the thirties. When it was all over, if Martha and I could sing, we would have let go with the musical Oklahoma s famous "It was a wonderful picnic." "Duke" Lyon '39 was master of ceremonies. "Do it again next year, Duke."

Those of you who subscribe to the Smithsonian I trust did not miss the review of a book entitled Iberian Villages, Portugal and Spain by Norman F. Carver Jr. (Yes, the son of our own late, distinguished Norman Carver.) It was reviewed by the senior editor of the American Institute of Architects. You will have a few enjoyable evenings if you phone your local library to reserve this book.

Randy Spalding (M.I.T. '22 and adopted Dartmouth '21) returned to Whitefield in September to run the U.S.-Canada Lawn Bowling 'Championships, a date that kept him and Anna from attending our Penn game fall reunion. They will be at all the other home football games, however, even though grandson Bill 'B2 will no longer be a star in Joe Yukica's back field. Bill was married in August before returning to edit the Law Journal at Washington and Lee. A great honor, as all '21ers recognized when Warren Ege became the editor of the Harvard Law Review in 1923.

There are many areas in which 1921 has been a recognized leader. One such area is the quality of the individuals who have accepted membership in the 1921 fellowship throughout the years. In fact, Russ Bailey is considering for "The Smoker" a series of thumbnail sketches on the dozen or so distinguished men who have honored 1921 just as the class in turn was seeking to honor them.

What gives rise to the above paragraph is the following story that appears in the winter issue of Kaleidoscope, a respected film journal edited by Leo Dratfield:

"Let me pay tribute to another wonderful 'young man,' Arthur Mayer, who died last April at the age of 94. Arthur was a legend in his own time, both as an exhibitor and distributor offilm. However, it was as a lecturer on film history that he touched the lives of many filmmakers. His annual circuit of resident lectures at Dartmouth, Stanford, and the University of California, with itinerant stops at Columbia, Fordham, Brandeis, and dozens of universities in between, endeared him to thousands of students.

"Few, if any, last wills and testaments make for good reading. Arthur Mayer's will is a significant document. Acting on his own behalf, and that of his wife, he made the following bequests to 'his progeny and theirs in turn': A Love of Justice; A Love of Laughter; A Love of Your Fellows; A Love of Beauty; A Love of Nature; A Love of Perfection.

"Having spoken at, and attended, several of Arthur's classes, one can easily understand the devotion of his students. E. J. Kahanjr. in TheNew Yorker magazine concludes his profile of Arthur Mayer: 'Mayer was having dinner with an ex-student, and the subject of life after death arose. Did Arthur believe in it, his companion wondered. Yes, Mayer did. In his view, nothing perished; he thought he would go on, in one guise or another. He rather hoped it might be as an oak tree, rooted on top of a hill, observing everything. The ex-student said afterward, Arthur doesn't know it, but he is already an oak tree.'

Commenting on bringing his old friend, Arthur Mayer, to Dartmouth as an adjunct professor, I have heard Ort Hicks say: "Dr. Mayer (he received an L.H.D. from the College in the mid-seventies) is my sole contribution to the academic life of Dartmouth."

3575 S. Ocean Blvd., #304 South Palm Beach, Fla. 33480