FROM THE UNDERGRADUATE CHAIR

Spring recess was a glorious holiday. And the morning College reopened was a tj-pical "morning after,"—judging from the listlessness and the resigned attitude of the group which about half-filled Rollins Chapel for the regular first meeting. The "worshippers," composed of many men happy in that this Chapel-credit was the last of the required number, and as many others sleepily regretting that they had not gone oftener earlier in the term, were occupied with study and the exchange of vacation anecdotes. Then:

"Each undergraduate may consider his Chapel-credit requirement for this semester filled."

Chaplain Janeway was speaking. What did it mean? Mr. Janeway explained. There were to be no more required attendance at week-day chapel exercises.

The happy men scowled, because they had practically filled the number of re- quired Chapels already. The unsmiling ones smiled, glad that they had not gotten up earlj- those winter mornings. Now, again, they could remain abed in the spring.

It took about three days before the undergraduate body could realize fully the meaning of the new system; and it was not until Mr. Janeway explained his posi- tion and the circumstances of the change in The Dartmouth that the significance of the move was appreciated. The letter follows:

To THE EDITOR OF THE DARTMOUTH : Permit me to make a statement in explanation of the announcement made yesterday morning about the change in the regulations governing morning chapel. First of all, let no man assume that this change means the abolition of the institution of morning chapelj Chapel will continue as heretofore. And these new regulations are announced as but tentative, to be in operation only for the rest of this year.

I have made this change, with the approval of the Administration, for these reasons: The daily service in Rollins Chapel has not been satisfactory. The details in which it has been unsatisfactory are known to all who have attended and need not be discussed here. But in the opinion of a number of men of the college one large reason for the faults of the service has been the fact of compulsion in attendance. They maintain that it militates against a true spirit of worship, even for those who can and do worship, though their presence is required, the behavior and spirit of the others, expressed, albeit thoughtlessly, in ways both irreverent and discourteous, seriously diminishes the religious efficacy of the service. As a matter of fact the majority of men of the college have already completed all but a few of their required attendances at morning chapel for this term. The attendance at chapel during the remainder of the term, had no alteration been made, would steadily decrease. It seemed therefore not a serious departure to put to the test this contention that compulsion and routine nullify the highest religious value of morning chapel, by removing these elements of compulsion and routine from the chapel service for the remainder of this term. And that is what we have done.

It becomes us all to suspend judgment on the wisdom of this procedure until the new arrangement has been given an adequate trial. All sides of the question and the details as to time and seating arrangements have been given careful consideration. I hope there will be a representative attendance at morning prayers for the rest of the year,— that many men who value an opportunity to see life in the light of the Highest, to cleanse and kindle their spirits, by communion with the Divine, and to renew their loyalties to the supreme values of life, will come together in Rollins Chapel frequently in the mornings for praise and prayer and consideration of truth in the exercise of common worship. If so, the criticism of the past order of chapel will be vindicated and it will be demonstrated that Dartmouth College will be serving its youth in the cause of true religion better by voluntary worship than by compulsory attendance in Rollins Chapel on week-day mornings. I covet the opportunity and privilege of conducting a: service for such true worshippers. The Administration does not feel that any change with reference to Sunday worship should be made. It feels in view of the tradition and spirit of this college and the sentiment of the vast majority of the homes represented in our campus that the college may properly require the student to worship, on Sunday in the church of his choice.

Let no man infer that this change in method indicates any change in conviction or policy on the part of the college as to the place of religion in the education which the college offers. Dartmouth College, by a glorious tradition and by present conviction, believes that it owes it to its students—to use a phrase of President Hopkins—to teach them to "capitalize their souls." It spurns dogmatism. It is proud of its tolerance. But it is not a tolerance devoid of the convictions of faith. Its broad-mindedness is not empty-mindedness. It grants liberty in matters of faith and worship njot because it lacks faith but because it believes so strongly in faith that it is sure that, when adequately presented, it can win its allegiance in the hearts and minds of thoughtful men without the sanctions of compulsion. Compulsion and discipline are ever ends unto freedom and power and peace,— never ends in themselves. Just how far to apply compulsion and discipline is a nice question for statemen and educators to determine. In this particular question of morning chapel in view of the unsatisfactory of a method of compulsion and in spite of certain proved values of a time-honored tradition, we are temporarily suspending the method of compulsion, to try to ascertain whether by compulsory chapel or voluntarily chapel Dartmouth serves its youth and the world the better.

Chaplain of the College.

As compared with the itinerant scattering of the four classes under the old system, which drew (by rough estimate) an average of 450 to the morning chapel service, the voluntary attendance system so far has attracted to the middle seats an average of 70 students. 'The general attitude has changed noticeably, in that the fifteenminute period is no longer one in which to read The Dartmouth or brush up for current quizzes, but the congregation listens whole-heartedly to the remarks of the Chaplain, enjoys the music and joins in the prayers and singing. It is also easily evident that, whatever Mr. Janeway has lost in worshippers, he has gained much in the direction of undergraduate esteem for his spirit and willingness to try out the new plan on his own responsibility.

The undergraduate vanity was pricked somewhat late in March when Stuart A. Rice and Malcolm M. Willey, Sociology instructors, published two frank articles in The Dartmouth belittling the intellectual sincerity of the average student. The tone of the . articles was that tolerance in Hanover is too often a screen to mask an ignorance of facts and in the opinion of many this is undoubtedly true.

The articles are worth quoting in part: "Dartmouth College, within recent years, has acquired a widespread reputation for its spirit of tolerance and liberalism. Without inquiring intol the origins of this spirit, it can be said that it has become one of the foundation plans in the policy of the present college administration.

"Thus we find President Hopkins extolling 'the mind tolerant of the opinions of others, and open to conviction in the presence of new knowledge.'

"While this policy has become''familiar tc faculty, alumni and students, its efficacy will ultimately be measured, not in terms of mere familiarity, but to the extent that the principles embodied actually find expression in the attitudes and behaviour of the graduates as they leave the campus and participate in the affairs of life. It will therefore be useful to inquire whether the policies enunciated by President Hopkins are actually taking root in the minds of Dartmouth students in such a way as to become dynamic influences in after years. "A slight amount of inquiry will disclose the almost universal opinion of the Dartmouth undergraduates that tolerance and liberalism have free sway upon the campus. This belief is undoubtedly sincere; and no one can doubt the evidence that it is well founded. Dartmouth is liberal.

'lt is evident that what the dissenting students have in mind is that tolerance at Dartmouth has become a fashion. As such its exitence is no assurance of essential changes in the mental habits of the students who do lip service to the new dogma. If the students, few admittedly, who hold this point of view are right, the question then becomes, How can this lip service be made to develop into a habit of thought that will continue after the student leaves the campus and encounters the prevailing fashions of intolerance and mental apathy that characterize the world outside?

"It cannot have escaped the notice of those in close contact with the campus that the Dartmouth student is more interested in bizarre and unusual points of view than in the facts upon any issue that is in- volved. Speakers whose themes are primar- ily controversial are assured of a large and attentive audience. For Bryan and Foster the auditorium is packed. Speakers, on the other hand, whose contributions are essentially factual and informative, talk to empty seats. What seems to be desired is a tickling of the mental faculties, a titilla- tion of the erogenous zones of the mind.

"-IIU UO Wi. lilt XIUIIU. The same principle dominates the class- room. It is a common complaint that classes must be entertained. That instruc- tor is popular who has the largest bag of tricks. Valid opinions, it is assumed by the students, can be formed through a process that amounts to little more than intellectual juggling. New and striking ideas injected by the instructor are welcomed providing no effort by the student is involved in their reception. Truth is to be attained by merely stirring up the ideas already in the student's mind with those that are attained without effort. This process is called discussion. When precipitation occurs the student believes he has been thinking. He leaves the classroom with a pleasant feeling of satisfaction at his intellectual achievement although there may be no more validity for his transformed ideas than for those with which he entered. Any tendency on the part of the instructor to introduce facts, regardless of their inherent interest, which are nevertheless essential to establish a sound point of view, is, greeted with evident sign; of boredom. Thus the student conceives of 'thinking' as a process very largely divorced from facts. Neither- is the student essentially curious. Witness one of our classes not long ago in which the assignment dealt with forms of marriage. Even though the word appeared frequently in the text, and a knowledge of its meaning was essential to an understanding of the topic, scarcely a man in one section could identify 'monogamy' and not one had taken the trouble to consult the dictionary.

"What then, are we to conclude from this discussion? While it is difficulty to draw sweeping generalizations on a matter so intangible as this, certain tendencies are evident. It would seem that the 'spirit of tolerance' has contributed to a certain intolerance—of facts. It has served to foster an attitude akin to that of metaphysics. Just as the medieval scholars wrangled over the number of angels who could stand on the point of a needle, in like manner many vital, present-day problems are discussed by the Dartmouth student without a recognition of the possibility of putting the problem to the test of inductive research. Nor has he the inclination to do so. It has lead to the conviction that one opinion is as good as another even though it be his own as against the mature findings and conclusions of the scholar. The student resents being 'held' for a knowledge of the views presented in the text if by chance his own inclination is to differ. And he justifies himself on the basis of 'toleration.'

"What then is the remedy? In the judgment of the writers there is primarily one: the attitude of tolerance must be accompanied by a respect for facts. The inductive method should be employed as the essential approach to any discussion. The student should be imbued with a spirit of research. The replacement of habits of unsupported generalization by habits of fact-finding would1 go far to insure a place, in the student's permanent equipment of attitudes, for the broad principles of toleration and liberalism for which Dartmouth College stands, and for which every college should stand."

Also interesting in the course of the month is the annual set-to between TheDartmouth and The Jack-o-Lantem. Whether it be artistic or professional jealousy, it is true yearly that these two publications write into their histories at least one verbal combat. In 1924 this is voiced in an editorial, codemning college humorous publications in general and the Hanover one in particular, and the reply, in which the Jack'o editor, to ail intents and purposes, effectively answers each allegation.

It would be interesting to quote these word-parries fully, but lack of space dictates no. Briefly: Professor Rogers, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was alleged to have used "The Plastic Age" issue of the Jack'o in an attack upon the college comic, saying it typified the degeneration of the humorous college magazine into an organ for the spreading of petting party and liquor jokes. Mr. Maclean, present Jack'o editor, used statistics in his reply which showed the issue in question to have five petting party jokes and one liquor joke, out of fifty-one "sidesplitters." He went on to prove that Mr. Rogers had not read "The Plastic Age" issue, and indicated substantially that the Dartmouth humorous magazine compares favorably to any other similar college publication in the country. Along with this reply, TheDartmouth stated editorially that the sole reason for the attack was to .fill up space.

Political interest has temporarily been subordinated to contemplation of spring, joys and speculation as to the success of the "prom which isn't a prom." It is nearly a month now since the Coolidge Club and the Dartmouth Club for Independent Political Action locked horns in 103 Dartmouth. That night the latter won ouS on the basis of a standing vote.

But since then there has been little said of the political situation. The student, instead of contemplating visiting Washington soon, is busy arranging to bring a visitor into the New Hampshire hills the second week-end in May—when the fraternities will give house parties.

Palaeopitus has taken over the arrangements for the accommodation of nonfraternity men at the different houses. The principal objection to the new party plan, which differs from the Junior prom only in that no class sponsors it and there is no ball, is that the non-fraternity group will be without means of entertaining their guests, unless they are guests of different houses.

While no change in the present fraternity rushing system has been made, it looks as though sentiment favors the establishment of an eight-weeks' rushing season. 'The alumni fraternity group has reported to the Interfraternity Council as against the proposed revision on the grounds that the freshman's first eight weeks of College would be nothing more than a glorified football "peerade" and rushing time. The Interfraternity Council will discuss the plan and other plans further.

Bertrand Russell famous English philosopher and mathematician failed to impress the undergraduate body as much as he was expected to. His afternoon talk "The Analysis of the Mind" was intended for the Philosophical Club but was open to the public so that such a large number ot students attended the place was changed from Bartlett Hall to 103 Dartmouth. Students found the discourse too metaphysical for their appreciation. "The Trend of Modern Industrialism" given at night under Round Table auspices was more interesting; but it too did not "satisfy."

The audience heard nothing new nor startling. Instead the consensus of opinion semed to be that Mr. Russell, though he was very interesting, had given nothing more than an ordinary "soap box" talk. He stressed the usual "America will eventually) rule the world," "what we need is an industrial democracy," "your educational system is all wrong," themes.

The adoption of the following two rules by the faculty, as regards summer school working and dropping of a "hopeless" course, has been met by the approval of the undergraduates: "A student presenting a report of work passed in a summer school shall be given credit as having ful- filled a specific course requirement for his degree when and only when the number of hours presented meets fully the corresponding hour requirement.

"No summer school credit will be accepted as meeting a junior or senior year requirement in the major subject except by vote of the committee on administration. "Upon written recommendation of his instructor, • and with the consent of the Dean, any student may at any time after mid-semester drop one of his five courses with a grade of E. This privilege will not be allowed a student in consecutive semesters without the penalty of probation."

Each summer finds more and more Dartmouth undergraduates heading for Europe, in positions varying from tutors and guards of youngsters to bell boys, stewards, quartermasters and cattle tenders. In two months numerous others will be making for the Paris Olympics, many men signing up for the College third cabin on the Saxonia and others departing from Montreal on cattle boats. The Travel Club has already placed 50 men in cattle boat jobs, and it is expected that 20 more will take the opportunity offered by the cattleboats for seeing Europe cheaply.

The novelty of the month, which momentarily captured the undergraduate imagination, was the appearance on the Economics lecture platform of J. B. Ford, colored porter of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. Ford was a sensation, because he offered human interest insight into the whys and wherefores of Pullman portering. His pleasant personality is typified by the parting shot of advice he gave to the students, in response to a query about tipping: "It is a case of letting your' conscience be your guide," he said, 'and the sky is the limit."

NOTES

Six hundred and seventy-six dollars was realized for the Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital by the annual boxing tournament, conducted under the supervision of "Professor" Eddie Shevlin, Boston prize-fighter. Tony Sarg's marionettes appeared in Hanover for "Don Quixote" March 20.

Roger Nash Baldwin, pacifist, director of the American Civil Liberties Union, gave two interesting talks on "Revolution and Non-Resistance" and "The Reds and the Government," March 22.