CLASS OF 1878
Seventeen members of the class gathered at Hanover for our 45th, most of us arriving on Saturday. Others who had promised to come failed to arrive. Vittum, who had been most determined of all to be present, was detained at the last moment by a death in his parish, claiming his services at the funeral. Others apparently were prevented by lesser reasons. Ten of us (Blaisdell, Carpenter, George, Gerould, Gerrish, Gilbert, Harlow, Parkhurst, Parkinson, Stimson) went to Bonnie Oaks, on the shore of Lake Morey, for supper Saturday night, enjoying a delightful ride in the luxurious chariots in which Parkhurst and Gerould are accustomed to disport themselves, and a fine supper and beautiful surroundings at which the rest of us were Parkhurst's guests. Gray and Tucker would have been in the party but for a misunderstanding, and Edson but for a lame back that was causing him a good deal of discomfort. Bouton and Sawyer arrived in Bouton's flivver while we were gone, Brown and Weymouth the next morning.
Brown, Edson, Gray, and Tucker were accompanied by their wives, and Gerould and Tucker each by a daughter. Edson reminded us that the same lady who Was with him on this occasion was also his guest at Commencement forty-five years ago. Mrs. Parkhurst and Mrs. Freley, had they been present, might have exchanged reminiscences with Mrs. Edson. Another lady whom we were all glad to greet was Mrs. I. F. Paul. She and Mrs. Tucker were the only ladies that consented to be photographed in our company. The others eluded us, owing, as they said, to their husbands' neglect to invite them.
The photo was taken on the steps of the Parkhurst Administration Building, and includes in addition to the seventeen and the two ladies, Prof. Worthen, whom we always include when we can, and to prevent the Professor from posing as the youngest looking man in the group, Paul's two sons consented to stand at the ends.
We might, had we then been aware of his presence, have gathered in also Prof. Bradley, and so have had both the tutors who got their first practice upon our class.
Most of us went dutifully to baccalaureate service, which to our surprise was held in the chapel. But it isn't the chapel we knew.
Sunday afternoon all hands visited the golf links and viewed the ski jump, finding the latter not only appalling in its suggestion of human projectiles, but in its artificial immensity somewhat incongrous, protruding into the Vale of Tempe about as appropriately as the aerial railway erects its sordid head along the margin of the infinite sea. Thence we motored to within easy walking distance of Mel Adams Cabin, and so paid a visit to the nearest of the Outing Club cabins. A few of the still nimble ones, and one or two of the ladies, climbed the hill behind it, but most of the number were content with the view to be obtained from the cabin itself.
Sunday evening the ladies had supper together at the Commons, and we old boys had ours by ourselves in one of the small dining rooms of College Hall. The Secretary's mournful tale of a depleted treasury was promptly and decisively quenched. Parkhurst and Brown, now the two senior members of the board of trustees, gave most interesting and encouraging accounts of what is going on at the College, which were supplemented in some particulars by Parkinson's quotation of statements made by President Hopkins to the Alumni Council.
The Secretary displayed a ponderous volume compiled from the entire series of '78 reports with each man's contributions to them arranged in chronological order, making a fairly complete biography of each member of the class. Stimson thought "before and after" photographs ought to be added. A letter from Mrs. Caverly was read and warmly appreciated, as was the contribution to the Memorial Field Fund she enclosed to be credited to the class. A description and picture of The Caverly Preventorium, given and named in honor of our classmate, was passed around the table. Messages from absent members were read, and one or two recent photographs were circulated. Dana's, together with a characteristic communication from him intended for the occasion, arrived too late for exhibition. The Secretary was instructed in behalf of those present to express the sympathy of the group for Hubbell, who had reported himself as now "a shut-in."
Keen regret was expressed at the absence of Andrews, Proctor, Sanborn, and Young, all of whom had assigned precarious health as the obstacle in the way of their attendance. Bouton and Harlow were under the shadow of the recent death of their wives, and it now transpires that Brown was soon to pass under a similar cloud.
After each man present had contributed something to the exchange of experience and sentiment, Gilbert closing the discussion in fitting fashion, the meeting adjourned at a sea- sonable hour, all feeling that our forty-fifth had been observed in a fashion becoming to veterans of quiet tastes and reflective minds, watching the procession as it moves with accelerating pace across the stage and is already passing off.
Blaisdell was the first to take his departure, leaving by the night train. Others left on Monday, leaving only a few to witness the exercises of Commencement, but all hoping to see it through five years hence, and to be joined then by all those who were unable to be present this time.
