DARTMOUTH NIGHT

The observance of Dartmouth Night on October 3, was fully in keeping with the tradition of the seventeen similar occasions that have preceded it. It was the pleasure of the College this time to welcome back home the alumni from the Connecticut Valley and Eastern New York. Immediately on their arrival in town they had been escorted by the undergraduates to greet President Nichols at his home, and then on to Occom Ridge to the home of Doctor Tucker. At both places a few words of welcome were spoken and now as guests of honor they filed into a crowded Webster Hall, ringing with vigorous wah-hoo-wahs, and took the seats reserved for them. President Nichols welcomed them as members of a widely-scattered family, returning home again, and then introduced the first speaker, Governor Samuel D. Felker '82. In his brief address, Governor Felker made it evident that the years since his graduation had not estranged him from the College, but that the chief executive of the state had closely at heart the welfare of Dartmouth.

Great enthusiasm was evident on the announcement by President Nichols of recent gifts to the College, and especially at the continued generosity of Edward Tuck '62, the chief benefactor of the College since its foundation. Further mention is made of these gifts in another part of this issue.

Professor John K. Lord '68 was the next speaker, and in a happy vein, with reference to the place of residence of many of the returning alumni, traced the importance of the Connecticut River in the early life of the College and of northern New England. As descriptive of the meaning of the College to its members, he read the words of Doctor Tucker at the dedication of Webster Hall, and suggested the substitution of the word "college" for that of "hall", in the dedication speech, as the best expression of his thought.

As representative of the under graduates, J. P. Margeson, Jr., '14, of Winthrop, Mass., spoke of the deep realization of those for whom he spoke of the common bond which united them with the Dartmouth men of other. generations.

James P. Richardson '99, former president of the Dartmouth Club of Boston, brought greetings from that most vigorous and loyal organization. Although noting the outward changes and- remarking that Sanborn Hall, the acme of luxury of a former collegiate generation, was now tottering down the lane to the graveyard, he emphasized the fact that the spirit and ideals filling the College were still the same.

As the next speaker, Doctor Charles A. Eastman '87 was introduced by President Nichols as one of the two Indian graduates of the College who had attained wide distinction. He received an enthusiastic welcome and amused his audience with a racy account of his first experience in a Dartmouth football rush. In closing he testified to the rare opportunities of the Dartmouth undergraduate from the standpoint of natural location of the College and urged that these possibilities be improved.

Charles F. Mathewson '82, spoke for the trustees, taking as his share of the evening's proceedings the duty of emphasizing to the class of 1917 some of the advantages that they would find as members of Dartmouth College and temporary residents of Hanover, which they might otherwise overlook in the excitement of the first few weeks of college life.

The last speaker of the evening was Professor Craven Laycock '96, Dean of the College. With deep feeling, he traced the analogy between the love of country and the love of one's college; and welcomed the class of 1917 into the Dartmouth brotherhood.

Not the least inspiring part of the evening was the reading of a large sheaf of telegrams by Professor Burton, showing that the celebration in Webster Hall was not an isolated meeting but that alumni all over the country had met to sing the praises of Old Dartmouth. The singing of the Dartmouth Song fittingly closed the celebration of the evening, and the alumni were shown to their quarters in the new Hitchcock Hall, which had been given up to their use by its occupants.