WHAT THE STUDENTS THINK ABOUT AND WHY
Professor of Marketing in the Tuck School
One might like to start off with a rambling discourse about "when I was in College," proceed amiably but footlessly through the intervening years and finally arrive at some exalted spot where the spyglass, or magnifying glass or something, might be focused upon the student, and his horrid shortcomings (the student's, I mean) be laid bare against the roseate background of the author's reminiscence. One might like to, but one can't. The editor said, "Make it brief and snappy—but (on second thought) not too snappy." So we will proceed to dissect at once this 1924 model student in terms of his mental wanderings, vain and otherwise.
It would be wonderful if it were possible to divide students like all Gaul into three parts. Unfortunately, their activities, their interests and their studies, have increased in direct ratio to the alumnus' absence from college. There are hosts of things to do today that were unknown to the College generation of even ten years ago. New subjects in the curriculum, new outdoor and indoor athletic activities, an ever widening contact with the world of art, literature, politics and business through the visits of noted and worth-while men to Hanover, have vastly expanded the undergraduate horizon. Still, the student remains fairly normal. He is still interested in many of the things that interested you, when you were in college. His first and primary interest—and mental question—is the same as it has been through the ages, namely, himself.
HIMSELF
Right now we are suffering under an influx of curiously shaped trousers, sort of a cross between the bell-breeches of the sailor and a pair of good American pants, made in Quechee, Vermont. These are (originally!) in a beautiful shade of dove gray. They are made of flannel. In the colorful language of the Campus, they are indeed "The Cat's". These, plus an abbreviated, broadly checked mackinaw of Dartmouth green, constitute what the well-dressed man will wear. Not exactly a lounge suit—far from it—it appears at breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner, and when flanked or outridden, as it were, by a pair of flapping galoshes, it offers a nobby not to say neat appearance! One wears them, that's all, and if one can't wear them, one feels as the author felt in 1904 when he was unable to purchase a beautiful pair of squeaking corduroys, the college uniform of that date! Yes, they are still standardized as to clothes, hats and shoes. It still seems "pretty terrible" if they can't conform. They plan great plans; they dream wonderful dreams; their future is alternately black, and rosy. They translate the future and present in terms of self entirely. The freshman knows he is going into his fathers business or profession. The sophomore knows he isn't—having discovered that his father does not understand him! The junior is becoming vaguely uneasy regarding his future, and the senior really begins to worry about it. They are sensitive to ridicule and they must be taken seriously. In other words, they are young.
WOMEN
This absolute normality is paralleled by the second of their interests, women. The freshman thinks of the girl at home —and writes to her until February. The sophomore has put away all childish things and "drags" a woman up to Carnival or Prom. What woman doesn't matter. He's a gay dog—in spots—and he feels that he has to prove it. The junior, seeing the error of promiscuity of his sophomore haze, selects one or occasionally two, to whom he may pour out his soul. This is the pathetic age in college —just as it used to be. It's so deadly serious. He reads books on the divine passion; he compares notes with class and fraternity mates—whom he bores stiff— he even writes poetry. But senior year gives him pause. His state of mind upon entering the world in June is about the same as his freshman state of mind upon entering college. He observes a "stop, look and listen" sign and if there is no real entangling alliance, he loses his interest in the fair sex for the spring period of his senior year.
All colleges have been through a difficult situation. The close of the war developed the over-tired, jazz-nerved women, who were aggressive in their pursuit. It was the thing to appear to be "hard-boiled." If there were laws of decency they must be broken to prove that the then type was right. But as the marriage rate failed to increase with these methods, the younger feminine generation paused. The first tendril of the "clinging vine" crept out over a year ago and now—oh well—we are again approaching the "weaker sex" method of attack and our troubles as institutions are over. College men are interested in women. They should be. Their interest in this year of 1924 is exactly the same interest as in 1854, and as it will be in 1954. It is normal, natural and human. The danger point is past for the present at least.
ACTIVITIES
After women, come activities. We do not have the same enthusiastic interest in football that we had in 1903-1904. Center College had it. Notre Dame had it. It appears to run in cycles and yet, those cycles appear to be pretty closely tied up with the size of the institution and the prowess of the team. Perhaps we would win more games if we still had our former white-hot enthusiasm to win. Nowadays, we are satisfied if our men play the best game they know how— whether they win or lose. This state of mind may not suit the football enthusiast, but it's a fact. Today, football must share the honors and interest with baseball, hockey, basketball, the Outing Club, fencing and even handball! Athletics are a means now, not an end. Health, friendships with men in other colleges, exercise and a wider interest in all indoor and outdoor activities, have taken the place of the single enthusiasm builder, football.
STUDIES
Strangely enough, studies have come to occupy a fairly important place in the minds of the students. This is due to many things: broader and sometimes better preparation for college; a widened curriculum, better instruction and better instructors, have opened up new and interesting paths to the student of today. Special courses are available to the interested student in almost every department. Poetry, prose, art and literature generally; sociology, biology, psychology and philosophy; political science, history and economics; chemistry, physics and mathematics, all offer new and interesting courses to the students, taught by interesting men. It is truly significant that in the last three senior elections, the Phi Beta Kappa key has been voted more of an honor than making one's letter. The standards are higher and with the increased opportunities now available, they should be higher.
RELIGION
It is quite the thing today to say, "The college student has no religion; he is atheistic if not pagan in his tendencies." No statement could come further from the truth. As a matter of fact, the college man at Dartmouth comes nearer to being a fundamentalist than an atheist. He is terribly in earnest in his search for the truth. He is bitterly disappointed when instead of being given the truth, he is told bedtime stories! His early religious training does undergo various changes. As he grows older, as he becomes more and more dependent upon himself and upon his own soul, feelings or conscience, he wants to know—not guess. You can easily imagine the effect of all this religious (I prefer to say sacrilegious) controversy now broadcasted from pulpit after pulpit, Sunday after Sunday! It's simply demoralizing and is convincing many students that the truth must be sought within, if it is to be found at all.
If it is religious to live clean lives, to maintain personal standards of purity and decency never before attempted by mankind generally, if it is religious to attempt to do the decent thing daily without broadcasting our acts, then the college man of today is religious. Please remember your own feelings at his age. He is just as sensitive as you were. He hates labels and he hates cant. He bluffs about his good deeds. He will fight rather than answer the impertinent question, "Are you a Christian? If normal he will probably look you in the eye and tell you, "None of your business." And it isn't, either; it's his business and it's so terribly important to him that he resents your good intentional bungling. During my five years back in Hanover, I've seen more real, honest religious conviction than I thought could exist in a college community anywhere. It's under the surface to be sure, but it s there.
MOVIES
Perhaps movies come next; it is hard to determine definitely because everyone likes to go to the movies once in a while. Most of us who were here in the premovie days, regard the movies as a real menace. Take comfort. The management informs us that there are only about four hundred regular attendants. Considering a resident population of over two thousand, this isn't quite up to the normal percentage of attendance in our own suburb! Much as we may regret the failure of the great outdoors to attract these four hundred, there is at least one comforting thought: since the management of the movies is now in the hands of the Village Improvement Society, the support of the four hundred has taken concrete shape in the form of a new sidewalk from Main Street to the bridge—which makes easier the way of the returning pilgrim. So, if we cannot improve this weak-minded four hundred, we can make their wasted time improve the community at large!
LIQUOR
The writer would probably be accused of ducking the issue if he omitted liquor from the list of things occupying the minds of the students. Therefore, the issue will be met squarely. There were years immediately following the war, when liquor was a real issue. It no longer is. If you remember your own days in college, you remember that certain things just weren't done. Tired of criticism, disgusted with men who overindulged, saddened literally, when the fair name of the College was smirched by some unthinking undergraduate, the College turned square about face—and it isn't being done. This fall, Palaeopitus went on record as objecting to drinking in college and offered its services as a group and individually, to stamp it out. Many other leaders in undergraduate life signed a similar statement and published it in the Dartmouth. The administration, appreciating fully this splendid co-operation, has given the movement its solid backing and support. There is some drinking in college. There will be as long as men are men, and the present nonenforcement situation is applauded by parents, doctors, lawyers, judges and prominent citizens. But as a problem, it has ceased to trouble either the undergraduates or the faculty. Without at- tempting to be preachy, it would be fine if returning alumni would respect this situation.
MEN
Finally, the greatest impetus to all undergraduate thinking has come from men. Outstanding men in the faculty who make the interests of the men, their interests. Men who "have time" to talk to undergraduates outside of the class room. Men who mean something on the Campus and in the world at large. These men have developed and are daily developing undergraduate thinking. There are groups who carry curriculum inter- ests outside the class room into the homes of instructors, outdoors even, to the cabins, on long hikes and into the various tea houses. Perhaps this group system with its own selected leader, is the natural outcome of a larger College. Anyway, it's here and it is performing a very real service.
These men are not "gods" to the undergraduate. They are human, understandable friends. And being friends, they occupy much of the thought of the undergraduate. In fact, some of the leaders become in effect, "The College" as far as the particular student is concerned. This is as it should be. As an alumnus, I am proud of our present undergraduates. They have passed through a very trying period of our national development. They are normal, sane and inquisitive. Their accomplishments will be greater than bur accomplishments because their opportunities are greater. Again as an alumnus, it is gratifying indeed to watch the development of real leadership in faculty and administration and to find the undergraduates worthy of this effort. The situation is not perfect. Italy still lies beyond the Alps but every now and then we do get a glimpse of the spires in the Eternal City.
The toboggan slide on the new Memorial Field, grandstand
