MORE ABOUT DARTMOUTH SONGS

In the edition of the ALUMNI MAGAZINE for April, 1910, George G. Clark '99, contributed an article entitled "Something About Dartmouth Songs". In continuing his researches, he wrote recently to Dr. J. Whitney Barstow, secretary of the class of '46, the oldest class which now boasts a secretary. In the hope that Dr. Barstow might be able to throw more light on some obscure points in the origin of campus songs and customs, Mr. Clark propounded a number of questions. With the answers returned by Dr. Barstow, they are printed here, not only because of their intrinsic interest, but also with the hope that some alumnus may be able to supplement the facts here given by Dr. Barstow.

The questions proposed were as follows:

1. Were there any distinctive Dartmouth college songs current before the forties or existing during your time?

Porter, in his . pamphlet of Yale Songs published 1858, one of the earliest, says, "College singing was introduced in the 1840's, and previous to Gaudeamus there were at Yale no distinctive student songs, original or otherwise, except the Presentation Ode. Gaudeamus was introduced by R." S. Willis, a student, who had been to Germany, in 1841. Lauriger and Integer Vitae were introduced by the class of 1856".

2. Did anything in the nature of a Presentation Day Ode exist in your time at Dartmouth?

3. Had the Latin songs above mentioned, i.e., German student songs, come in at Dartmouth when you went to college or did they come in during your time? If not all of them were current, were any of them?

4. If any of them came in do you recollect any of the incidents connected with their introduction? Yale was always an exemplar for Dartmouth. We wondered if she may not have been in this matter of songs.

5. We found that at Yale in the 40's there was current a custom wherein the students stuck up their pipes in the grass and danced in and out among them. We have wondered whether the Dartmouth students may not, taking their cue from this, have adapted it into the Pine Tree ceremony of the pipe smoking.

6. Was there an ode written for the occasion sung at the Pine Tree ceremony during your time?

7. In Waite's Collection of College Songs, published 1868, there is a group of songs which might be called a mathematical group, apparently used for the celebration of the burning and burial of Calculus after the Biennial Examinations.

One of them began:— Matthew Matics was a jest, it must be confessed, He used to like to plague us, accordin'; Could he only make us grieve, he would laugh in his sleeve; But he's gone to the other side of Jordan.

Another began:— Let every young Sophomore fill up his glass, He-ta-i-roi Chairete. And drink to the health of our glorious class, He-ta-i-roi Chairete.

Another began:— Let us drink to Junior ease So pleasant and so" near; Cut when we please, lie under trees, And doze away the year.

Do any of these date back to your time? Perhaps the mock ceremony of burning Calculus began in your time and these songs originated then. Any recollection you have of them, their origin, author, or incidents connected with them would be interesting.

Dr. Barstow's reply follows:

Since your letter I have tried to recall what I could of the musical material and habits of the Dartmouth students with which I was familiar seventy years ago and between 1842-6. Much of it comes back to me even now, though many items I dare say I have forgotten, as having slipped away "down the back stairs of time".

I will answer your questions as best I can in their order:

1. No, nothing of the kind in my time. Gaudeamus and Lauriger were never sung at Dartmouth until after 1846.

2. No.

3. No. As I say above, no Latin songs, but the German "Crambambuli", "Three students from over the Rhine", "The Pope, he leads a merriy life" came from Harvard in 1845, brought in by Dr. E. H. Parker of Boston, Class of '46 Dartmouth, and were extremely popular.

4. Vide 3.

S. There was nothing of the kind up to 1846. We all knew and respected the Old Pine, but its worship did not begin until 1848 or '49. In my day the tree was standing and in perfect condition.

6. No, not in my time.

7. At Yale the 'songs at the "Burial of Calculus", etc., were started, I think, and were in use in 1844-5. lam somewhat sure of the date, for the rhymes were nearly all written by my cousin of the Class of '47, Yale. No one of the three songs given in your inquiry were in vogue in Dartmouth during my college life nor was the "Burial of Calculus".

From '42-'46 serenading (sentimental and decent, not charivari in kind) was one of the commonest and pleasantest musical incidents and duties of Dartmouth students, who were musically inclined. We had the Handel Sosoiety and we had our small serenading club.

Not only in Hanover (when not interrupted by a few silly members of the faculty) but in Lebanon, Norwich, White River, and Woodstock, where most of us had young lady friends, serenading expeditions were in order (two or three times in a week) during the summer term, with accompaniment of guitar and occasionally flute (the Dartmouth Flute Club being one of the institutions of the college of very considerable renown).

It was a pleasure (serenading) which involved some labor in rehearsing and traveling, as it was sometimes hard driving to get back for morning chapel. But it was-greatly enjoyed and always appreciated. I mention a few of the songs for serenading. They were old English glees and Moore's lyrics. As follows:

Oh, Lady, Sweet Lady.

To Greece we give our shining blades. Canadian Boat Song.

My Lady Sleeps.

Believe Me if all those Endearing, etc.

Oft in the Stilly Night.

Switzer s Song of Home.

Tell Me, Kind Sir, I Pray Thee, etc.

Of convivial songs and songs for general nightly singing on the college steps (preferably those of the North Building) I may mention:

Landlord Fill the Flowing Bowl. Vive l'Amour.

English Hunting Song.

Marlbrook, with impromptu words and local allusions.

Crambambuli.

Three Students from over the Rhine.

The Pope.

Major Hoffenhoff.

Three Black Crows.

Canaan.

The Bright Rosy Morning.

And the earliest of the Darkey melodies:

Ching ring chaw.

Lucy Long.

Dan Tucker.

but not the recent ones.

You will see that our repertoire was not a meagre one, nor was our work badly done, even measured by modern standards, though seventy years have changed the face and the fashions of the whole musical world.

In a subsequent letter, Dr. Barstow writes:

I have had not long ago some correspondence with Professor J. K. Lord in regard to the old custom at Dartmouth of "Singing out the seniors" with the old hymn, "Come let us anew our journey pursue", always at the close of the senior examinations in the week before Commencement. This is a matter regarding which there seems to have been some dispute, or rather differences of memory, as to the origin of the custom. I was able to tell him that it was in vogue in 1843 as long established and recognized. How long before that I cannot say.

Thank you, very much, for the copy of the '99 Hymnal, which you so kindly sent me. I have carefully looked through every page, but I find only a very few songs or rhymes or even allusions which were at all familiar. It is easy to see that they belong to a different period, the growth of a wholly different college atmosphere from that of seventy years back. Those were the days of the College's "simple life", a period long past and contrasting strongly with the present.

But me judice, the memory of those days is worth preserving and there are few now left to recall Dartmouth College, its students, and its daily methods, habits and atmosphere in the student life of seventy years ago.