Class of 1902
Somehow, I hadn't realized just how much of a pest I am, till I began to see between the lines of some of my correspondence. Of course some of you forget that while I ask you only once a year to send me a cheerful word I am writing to you at least nine times a year. Somehow the situation reminds me of the old fellow back home. "Terrible nuisance, nephew o' mine. Keeps writin' me for one thing or 'nuther, all the time. Two letters 'n'a postal since July." "I should think it would take all your time answering his letters." "Oh, I dunno. Hain't answered any on 'em yet."
It is a great gift to be able to get at a job at once. I always wonder when I send out my annual call who will make the first return. This year the prize goes to Leslie Farr, whose letter was postmarked within 18 hours after I had mailed my letters here in Leonia. The big news about the Farrs is that they have moved. After twenty-seven years up on Washington Heights they have installed the household gods at 601 West 113 th St., of course still on Manhattan Island. And some folks think that everyone in New York City moves at least twice a year. Remember Tad Merrill? Big lawyer fellow now. Out in Aurora, 111. Has two daughters. Doesn't see much of 1902 men, but thinks enough about the rest of us to send us a note, and wouldn't object to brushing a few cobwebs off some old memories.
Add to grandfather class—Fitzgerald. "And sometimes feel like one." Maybe so, but no fellow who feels over-grandfatherish does a good job on the Alumni Fund, the way Fitzie did last spring. If that had anything to do with the fine work you did for us in 1935, young feller, I hope you'll keep on being a grandfather.
Add to grandfather class—Gilman. "John Lake Gilman, born May 19, 1935." John adds that his daughter Barbara graduated from Russell Sage College in June, and was to enter Yale School of Nursing to study for a Master's degree.
Well, I guess I'll hold off on grandfathers for a bit. It's somewhat of a stretch for me to think of some of you fellows as grandfathers, and it is just as well to go at it gradually. For example, here's one of the crowd who writes about his family, "Three children, ranging inage from three to nine, who raise morehell thayi their father ever did." Of course that's George Elderkin, whose energetic young son is, I believe, the youngest of the class sons, and considerably younger than the oldest class grandson.
And this is probably the place to note by way of contrast that the class baby, Robert H. Field, has been transferred from Springfield to Washington, where he is assistant production manager for the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company. He made a fine record in Springfield, and has the best wishes of the class for a successful career in Washington.
You will of course note in the obituary column the death of Bert Perley, who was with us for two years. He left a host of friends in the class, many of whom lost touch with him as time passed. Bert simply took up the responsibilities of a business man in his home town, and carried on with all the energy which his active body possessed. From the lips of those who knew him in later years we learn that he was an outstanding man in his community, with a fine record of accomplishment. Danvers will miss him, and we in writing his name over on the last roll record with pride that he was one of ours.
I am so intrigued by Phil Thompson's note that I want to get at least a part of it to you as soon as possible, but even then you'll probably not see this in print until Phil has learned whether or not he must keep traveling.
"Every year for 12 years I have journeyedto New Haven in the fall, and I am stillgoing to keep it up until failing healthor a Dartmouth victory stops me. How areyou betting?
"I took a trip to Barbadoes via the Leeward Islands last winter on the FurnessLine. I have no interest in the FurnessLine, but for a wonderful trip at littlecost and the most glorious weather I recommend it to all. The scenery of Guadeloupe is tropieality beyond the pen, thewomen of Guadeloupe glorious to behold.The harbor of St. Lucia Columbus saidin a letter to Queen Isabella was 'as if alady had dropped a crumpled lace handkerchief on a cloth of purple velvet.' Stop inBarbadoes, where the tradewinds temperthe heat at all times, and the—something thatlooks like 'rum swizzles'—bring content."
Now the rest of you do what I did and get out the old atlas and find out where those places are. If I were betting, instead of betting on the Yale game, I'd bet that half of you have no definite idea of where Phil went. I think it would be a safer bet.
How much I wish for the ability rightly to interpret the undercurrent that runs not completely hidden in more of my letters than I could wish. Old deals or New Deals, it's all the same, the glory of man is in his work, not in his play. And we have gotten over caring for mere outward show, for we know that many a shiny apple has a worm inside. What do I care whether you drive up to Hanover in '37 with a chauffeur ruining your Rolls-Royce or come in on foot, so long as you are there. Even with "head bloody," if unbowed. And some of you say "Mush" and "Rot," and I still reply that no man ever went out from college with the love and respect of his classmates, and came back after years of honest toil and sacrifice to find that he had lost them both. Sure it's a hard world, there'd be no living in it otherwise, and none of us has had a soft seat, but we aren't licked yet, no, not unless we quit, and quit we won't.
Secretary, 130 Woodridge Place, Leonia, N. J
