Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-05-22
TWENTY j. Y. N. MEN
Dine IN COBLENz
Alumni and Undergraduates,
Members of Army of Occupa-
ton, Staggered by President
Bent0n's Description of Cam
pus as He Saw It Last

On Friday, April 25, 20 of the alumni
and under graduates of the University !
of Vermont, who are members of the |
Army of Occupation, met at the Monopol /
| Hotel in Coblenz, Germany, for a din
ner. A good meal was served, which |
was finished with ice cream which the
| secretarys letter says was VERY good, |
| but not as good as Coon's."
President Benton presided as toast |
master and gave a sketch of the founding |
and history of the university, mentioning |
the part it's men had played in previous |
wars, and in the great war. He alluded |
to those who had made the supreme
sacrifice, but this subject was too tender
| to be touched on for more than a mo-
ment. Then he told the men assembled
how the varsity campus looked when
he saw it last, with the Student officers
Training Corps in full swing, a descrip-
| ton which rather staggered his audi
tors; how the old Hash House" had
boen made a dining room for thousand
men and barracks had been erected on
| the beautiful campus. This last detail
caused those present to hope that the
| beauty of the grounds had not been
| seriously harmed by this occupation. DR..
Benton told how the fraternity houses
had been turned into barracks in which
the students were put to bed at a GER
tain hour at night, turned out at GER
tain hour in the morning. and marched
| in formation to mess at the Hash House,
where they ate in assigned seats. were
marched out in formation and turned
over to the instructors in the class
rooms like candidates in a training
camp. All this seemed like an unbe-
lipV1blp thing those who had hean
away from everything civilian and
American for nearly two years.
DR.. Snow, rector of Kings chapel,
Boston, was guest of honor and
spoke briefly. Following his remarks,
an opportunity was given for short
speeches from those present and a
! spirit of loyalty and appreciation
} for the university and it's services
was shown in all the addresses. The first
speaker was Major Hanson, the oldest
alumnus present who was a graduate
of the college of medicine in the class of
1896 Others spoke in the order of their
classes. Major Paul Ransom, of the class of
1916, was in the first body of American
troops to march through Jaris in July, 1917.
, He told of meeting various Vermonters, one
q during the battle of the scissors, and
, Dr. Benton at Gondrecourt, when he was
G first on his way to the front. Major Hack
I cit, Of the class of 1917, was characterized
o as having led the first battalion to the
: Rhine. Lieut.. c. II. Styles, of the class Of
b.. 1916, who had been a prisoner. bore the
= distinction of having been the first YER
: monter to cross the Rhine although he did
a it unwilingly.
.: Miss Mildred Best, of the class of 1918,
j. whose military title the company was
# not able to determine, although she is a
| ofn ion, 1-a
e a few words from the viewpoint of the
If U. v. NJ girls. Lieut.. w. r. Teachout. of
n the class Of 1918, one of two or three men
e present who wore wound stripes, men,
): toned his ambition to return and get his
8. degree from the university. Finally a
s. private, f. H. Bottum, of the class OF 1871
a gave the view Of the way one of those
If who spoke only when spoken to- and
L then only very respectfully" saw life In
H. the Army of Occupation. CThe phrase last
quoted belongs to Roy Sawyer. who has
l. lately been promoted from buck privacy
lie to civilianship and is now back at his ole
A. task helping DR.. Benton in his educa
g. tional work..
I'd During the meeting such degree OF en-
1T thusasm was shown that it was decided
ID to form the University of Vermo t Asso
S. citation of the Army of Occupation
e, Colonel Whipple of the 3O1st engineers was
I'd elected president and Cassius H. styles o.
/, the air service was chosen as secretary
e: President Whipple suggested a. repetition
u, of the dinner and that report OF TN
s, evenings activities be forwarded to Bur
n lington.
of Roy D. Sawyer was the committee
$. arrangements and he assembled a hst o
3. names of twenty-five Vermonters wlthi
IS. reach. twenty of whom attended. Tw
Il l. In, tha hnSnifllf
II. left their wards to he present and tn
ne letter transmitting this information says
ce 1--WE returned them better than the
pa lcame. spiritually as we'll as physically.
ne Those present were:
Ia Guy Potter Benton.
la Mildred Best. is. Army Educationi
n Corps.
n H. c. Bowey. 10. Pvt, So1st sanitar
ma Train.
No f. Fl. Hottum, ~, Pvt. 417th Telephor
Battalion
IA d. C. Brundage. rs, LIST Lieut., End SUI
ply Co., End Engineers.
as James w. Bunce, Is, Major, Medlc'
ty Corps, Evacuation Hospital No. 40.
he Frank Burke, II, Major, Attn Infantr
ar f. W. Hackett, IT. Major. S9th 1nfantr
70. Samuel w. Hamilton, '9S, Major. Medic
Corps
Herbert B. Hanson, &c. Major, Medic
, Corps, Evacuation Hospital No. 40.
y Charles Rich, Is, LIST Lieut.. Medic
Corps, Evacuation Hospital No. 4s.
Ow /. M. Kicker, 49, End Lieut., 18th l.
fantry.
Roy D. Sawyer. II, Army Education
~. Corps.
.he Chester l.. Smart, 10, Captain, Medic
,ity 60 r.tior Hosn;taI No a.
VIZ c. H. Styles, '16. LIST Lieut. Air Servic
OF III. III, Sunderland. Is. End Lieut., Is
s Infantry.
re- w. Il. Teachout. IS, LIST Lieut., Al
Infantry.
10 Robert L. Whipple. '06. Lieut.-Col, 3ol
an. ,,r.,.,oars
by -1"' "