Undergraduate Publications
The publications representing undergraduate opinion at Dartmouth have reflected to some extent the growth of the College in general. A college newspaper is as much a necessity to the college world as the city newspaper is to the world at large.. At Dartmouth our oldest publication is The Dartmouth. This is now running in the 32nd volume, though not in the first series. The first issue was in 1839. It will be remembered by most of the alumni as a weekly pamphlet with a white cover featured by a green cut of the belfry of Dartmouth Hall. This time-honored style answered all purposes admirably for many years. But in 1907 with the growth of the College progress came in the change to a semi-weekly paper, although the management was still conservative enough to adhere to the style so long in vogue. This year, however, an enterprising board of editors is issuing The Dartmouth three times a week. It is now a four-page paper 12 x 18 inches in size. The front page presents an interesting appearance with columns and headings showing the important items at a glance. Editorials are not numerous but, on the whole, creditable, and there is a considerable amount of advertising. Taken all together it is an up-to-date news-sheet and is waited for with interest by the college body.
The next publication in point of age is The Dartmouth Literary Magazine, now in its 25th volume. This paper has experienced frequent upheavals of intellectual indignation at the lack of support from the College, and each upheaval has been accompanied by a change in external form. It now appears as a magazine of small size in a cover adorned with various conventionalized symbols including the Dartmouth coat-of-arms. Recently, in an attempt to raise its own literary tone by the help of intelligent criticism, it has asked the English Department of the College to review each number in The Dartmouth. It must, of course, be a never-ceasingstruggle amid the constantly changing generations of undergraduate writers to maintain a high literary standard. Still the Literary Magazine presents much in its chosen field that is excellent.
The latest publication in good and regular standing is the Jack-o'-Lantern, the comic monthly. This is offered to us on the assumption that there is a field for distinctly college humor. Some of the matter is of the type that used to appear in the Aegis, humorous references to college characters, courses, or incidents. Much of it, however, is general, and shows that the college humorist and artist can occasionally tickle our risibles as well as the professional humorist.
Another publication, as yet of uncertain status, is called The Agora, appearing weekly. Briefly stated its aim is to serve as a medium for all legitimate criticism dealing with the College as a whole. It is to be open to the faculty, alumni, and undergraduates of the College, and is intended to be constructive as well as destructive. It will call to its aid an advisory board composed of members of the faculty. The first two numbers have received no very hearty support from the student body.
The Aegis still serves as a faithful mirror of college life, though it is now merely a mirror and omits the abusive appendices of earlier years. A man need no longer read of his faults in a classical or pseudo-classical quotation. This publication serves as a very valuable record in word and picture of the activities of the college year.
Among these various media of expression it will readily be seen that, if anyone has literary aspirations, he need not lack for a" field in which to try his especial talent.
