LETTERS

Philadelphia,, May 23, 1917.

EDITOR DARTMOUTH ALUMNI MAGAZINE :

I have been made acquainted with facts which show conclusively that Dartmouth College is indebted to Howard F. Hill of the class of 67 for the adoption of our College color.

He appears to have engineered the thing from start to finish, and deserves great credit for his insight, and foresight and hindsight in the whole business.

It also appears that this was not entirely a class matter but that other classes co-operated notably the class of '66, represented by Sellew, (now Bishop Sellew of the Methodist Church), my old room-mate.

I was at none of the meetings. All I ever knew about it was what I heard him say about the preliminary proceedings with some of which it would appear even Hill was not acquainted. But Hill "started" it and followed it up, coming back years afterwards to lick it into shape, and every Dartmouth man ought to feel under obligations to him.

Swarthmore, Pa., June 4, 1917

To THE EDITORS:

It seems strange that Dartmouth archaeologists have not commented upon the Indian origin of the Dartmouth yell.

"Wah-hoo-wah" is clearly the Indian "wahoo," or "the Indian arrow tree," or "the spindle tree," as it is sometimes called. Newhall comments on its deep green leaves, true Dartmouth green without doubt. It "blazes in September," we are told, which is quite natural, because that is the month when College opens. Sara Andrew Shafer, in a chapter on "January," comments on the "shivery, owl-like sound" of the name, "that goes well with the frosty air," a forecast apparently of the excursions of the Outing Club.

The Dartmouth yell is without question an Indian war cry, referring to their favorite missiles, and containing also the various associations just referred to.

It is unfortunate that the tree, whose common name is the white basswood, is not native' to Hanover, its habitat being from Pennsylvania to Georgia. But perhaps an example could be acclimated and its shade made the forum of future Class Day tree exercises.

Yours faithfully,

Windsor, Vermont, June 2, 1917

EDITOR DARTMOUTH MONTHLY, Hanover, N. H.

Dear Sir: —

I am sending you the following clipping, which I found in the New York Times sometime about the summer of 1910.

In view of the recent publicity in New England of President Hopkins' statements before the Boston Alumni Association. relative to the part Dartmouth is now playing in the World War, I thought this very apropos.

DARTMOUTH'S HONOR ROLLS

A. E. Blunt, Dartmouth '59, has compiled statistics and data showing that the Hanover institution sent into the Civil War in the 60's — five hundred and ninety-two commissioned and non-commissioned officers, assistant surgeons, etc., which is in the ratio of 5 to 1 more than any other college. This is a splendid record. The men represented classes ranging from men who received their sheepskins in 1822 down to the class of 1863, or a period of 41 years.

Of the commissioned officers, numbering 155, eight were killed in battle, and 94 have died since the close of the war.

That leaves 53 living, so far as has been ascertained. Among the most important facts respecting their, military career, it may be stated that every one enlisted as a private, and owing to their education, their promotions were rapid and deserving. Among them all, 16 were promoted to Brigadier-Generals, 15 to Colonels, 5 to Lieutenant-Colonels, 9 to Majors, 43 to Captains, 17 to 1st. Lieutenants, and 29 to Surgeons and 20 to Chaplains.

Not one of these 155 officers were at any time during their military service arrested for any misdemeanor or even reprimanded by their superiors for any minor offenses.

The statement that "those 155 officers with their volunteer commands under them were a most powerful factor in putting down the rebellion," is most reasonable — a great heroic honor to New England's military skill. Each of these 16 Brigadier - Generals commanded no less than three regiments, which, when full, contained 3600 volunteers; each of the 15 colonels commanded 12 companies, each containing, when full, 100 men; each of the 43 Captains commanded 100 men, rank and file — all aggregating no less than 68,000 volunteers — 68,000 soldiers under the command of 74 veteran officers of Dartmouth College, who, in this terrible struggle, wielded in many battles in which they took part all over the East, North, and South, a powerful force and' a potent arm to the Union Army.