The sudden death of Charles F.

The sudden death of Charles F. Mathewson removes a distinguished Dartmouth alumnus in the midst of a brilliant career. As an undergraduate in college he was notable for unusual vigor of mind and of body. He carried the quality into later life: as a lawyer, his fine physical presence gave added effectiveness to cogent reasoning, admirably expressed. Mr. Mathewson's keenly analytical and original mind led him into special study of the intricate problems of public service corporations. Here he achieved eminence: in a community of able lawyers, he was known as one of the ablest.

To Dartmouth College, Mr. Mathewson gave twenty-one years of service as alumni trustee. His many sided abilities made him extremely useful in this capacity. Before his first election in 1894, his legal skill and personal tact, when he acted as counsel for certain of the trustees, were chiefly responsible for securing satisfactory alumni representation on the board. Following his election, he used his large influence among New York alumni to bring about closer relations between the College and its graduates. As a trustee, further, his scholarly attainments enabled him to achieve value on the trustee committees dealing with educational questions and the selection of candidates for degrees. Death came untimely to this man, in the fifty-fifth year of his age.

An editorial in a recent number of The Dartmouth suggests the possibility that opinion expressed in these columns may be looked upon as "official"; that is to say indicative of the belief of the governing officers of the College. Such, however, is not the case. THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE is, for reasons of convenience, published in Hanover, and, as it happens, is edited mainly by College officers. Editorial opinion, however, has always been expressed without regard to faculty or administrative bias. Yet editorial policy has been, for the most part, governed by the belief that the function of comment in such a periodical as this is primarily to interpret rather than to initiate. Emphasis has consciously been placed upon those things calculated to unify alumni interest and opinion rather than upon less fundamental matters whose importance consists mainly in opportunity for useless controversy. The appeal of sensationalism has been scrupulously avoided.

No, THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE is not "official." It is published by and for the alumni of Dartmouth College with a view to keeping that body intelligently informed of the physical and educational progress of their College as manifested in the development of undergraduate opportunity and control, and in the manifold activities of the alumni, whose achievement after all, constitutes the College's excuse for being.

Attention of the alumni is called to the circular concerning the Dartmouth College Alumni Fund which has now been sent out. The appeal is one that should find response in every man who has attended Dartmouth. To be sure, this is not an auspicious year for asking; but it has been a great year for giving, nevertheless. Generous impulses have been stirred where they have been wont to lie dormant. If not in the amount given, certainly in the number of givers, the College should benefit from the urge of the day. Shouting has passed, vociferation counts for less than it once did. Sentiment is no longer something for street corner prating; but a thing to be treasured silently and, if necessary, to be died for. What then of the "Dartmouth spirit"? How will it manifest itself in the face of the first appeal, not for a particular interest, not for visible equipment, but for the support and strengthening of the work of Dartmouth College as a whole?

Contrary to usual custom, the names of candidates for alumni trustee are published previous to sending out the ballots for voting by the alumni. The same procedure is being followed in case of candidates for alumni councilor. It is a fair assumption that such publication will produce more general interest in the election. As a usual thing, out of some 5000 alumni, less than onequarter trouble to exercise their right of suffrage.

Conditions this year are unusual. Despite urgent representation from the committee making nominations, Mr. Hilton has declined to stand for reelection. His reasons are clear: he believes that the actuality of alumni representation on the Board of Trustees would be endangered by too long continued service by any one man. He has set the proper limit of office at two terms.

Alumni in general will applaud Mr. Hilton's motives, while regretting that their fulfilment implies his retirement from participation in control of Dartmouth affairs. To him trusteeship has been accepted as a grave responsibility. It has meant frequent trips between Chicago and Hanover, and in the meantime the assumption of large burdens in connection with specific interest in alumni and undergraduate affairs. To Mr. Hilton is largely due the credit for initiating the alumni fund movement among Dartmouth men. Much of the surprising student enrollment which Illinois boasts at Dartmouth is traceable to his influence and to his ability as an organizer. He originated the idea of bringing together the fathers of boys in College for conference with the President on his western trip. His devotion to the welfare of Dartmouth has cost him not a little in time and in money. But such has been his lack of ostentation that few realize how generously he has given. For him retirement from the Board of Trustees can not imply retirement from the body of workers for the College. He resumes his ordinary relations as an alumnus far richer in knowledge of Dartmouth, its needs and its aspirations, than he could have been save for his ten years' experience.

Mr. Mathewson's death makes a vacancy in the Board of Trustees in addition to that caused by the retirement of Mr. Hilton. Under the constitution of the Alumni Association the existing committee on nominations must prepare an additional list of five names for consideration of the alumni. This will necessitate the choice of two candidates out of ten presented. The same committee as that which selected candidates from the western constituency must now act in selecting a group from the constituency of the middle and southern states. Under the conditions, their task is a difficult one. The chairman of the committee is Robert L. Burnap '94, assistant freight traffic manager of the Grand Trunk Railway in Chicago. Associated with him are Chester B. Curtis '89 of St. Louis, Mo.; F. G. Folsom '95 of Boulder, Col.; Henry A. Haugan '03 of Chicago; Henry D. Thrall '06 of Minneapolis.