THE UNDERGRADUATE CHAIR

News of undergraduate life and affairs which has come to light since the last issue of this department defies classification. Student functions and activities have been so varied during the past month that the "Chair" for this issue might be entitled "Typed Timely Tidbits."

The proposals for football reform which President Hopkins left in ;his wake as he steamed into the Carribean Sea aroused as many varied reactions as it had individual critics. An attempt to secure an opinion from Dartmouth gridmen was made by The Dartmouth and, if the criticism of excaptain Horton, captain-elect MacPhail and others can be taken as representative, it was learned that the spirit of the suggestions were praised but the plan was deemed weak in certain spots such as the two-game feature and senior coaching.

Winter did not relinquish its throne without a struggle but Spring finally won out and no sooner had snow left the sidewalks than senior canes appeared on the campus and now the motto is: Gouge to the line and let the chips fall where they may! And the proud senior swings his totem pole as his last weeks in Hanover slip past. When 1925 made a weak attempt to establish the junior blazer custom and 1926 failed to continue the idea, it seemed as if sudh class symbols were not going to be popular. But 1927 gave the style another forward push and with 1928 clad in costume, the tradition is here to stay. This year's junior blazers are dark green jackets, bound with white, having a silhoutted Indian head sewn on the breast pocket.

The fres'hmen gathered in the gymnasium and filled the crowded Trophy Room with smoke at a second get-to-gether while Prof. Lew Stilwell and J. R. Chandler '98 offered words of wisdom to the clan of 1930. "It's the ideas that count," declared Prof. Stilwell, "and I am wondering if, when people in the future have some problems to solve they will say 'Get a Dartmouth man, for they have ideas up there.' That time has not yet come, but it may." Mr. Chandler spoke of ideals which should be the aim of every Dartmouth man; these are, he said, simplicity, cooperation, an earnest desire to learn, and a faith in himself and his fellows.

A college debating team of M. R. Preuss '27 and L. W. Taylor '28 outpointed their opponents from Western Reserve University in Cleveland, debating on the affirmattive side of the question: "Resolved, that the United States should cancel its inter-allied debts." The interest and drive which motivated its first meeting seems to indicate that the Dartmouth International Club is soon to be a definite fixture in the College. Although over-organization of the campus may be a danger, this case is certainly one in which an organized group is justified.

We thought that we had dispensed with campus elections last month when we announced choices of officers in practically every group, but still they come. It is the Dartmouth Christian Association and the Union Club (non-fraternity) this time. George Bristol Pitts '2B of Jamestown, N. Y., is the new President of the D. C. A., and as such is slated for a white hat at Wet Down. Kenneth Malcom Beal '28 of Melrose Highlands, Mass., is vice-president, Irving Havington Beebe '28 of Wheaton, Ill., is secretary and Carl Spencer Piatt '28 of Waterbury, Conn., is treasurer of the organization. Although riveters erecting the steel framework of the new library are maintaining a din in the backyard of the Union Club house on North Main street and the temporary quarters will soon be .torn down to make way for the "Cultural center of the College," the non-fraternity club has voted to continue its existence and has chosen a new directorate which will be faced with the problem of securing new club rooms. Those upon whom this responsibility rests are: G. Warner '2B, president; C. H. Fleischer '28, vice-president; W. J. Embler '2B, secretary; an.d D. W. Benson '28, treasurer. The Junior board of Governors includes; G. G. Wright '29, F. M. Brown '29, and R. A. Moulton '29.

The Musical Clubs spent most of their vacation rolling over the country in Pullman cars and in dress suits as they gave twelve concerts in cities as far south as Washington and westward to the Windy City. The barnstorming trip opened in Concord, New Hampshire and from there the clubs went to Troy, Albany, Glen Falls, White Plains, and the city of tall buildings itself. Philadelphia was the next stop on the tour and in Washington the student musicians grouped around President Coolidge for a still picture. From the White House and its environs the party jumped to Chicago and gave concerts on the Eastward journey at Toledo, Buffalo and Rochester. Alumni clubs were hosts to the undergraduates in most of the cities visited.

To effect a better central control of fraternities, the Interfraternity Council is working on a new constitution. While the terms of the new document are still being discussed among the fraternities, the Council has made a number of proposals which will have the following effects: 1. A regrouping of council delegates.

2. The betterment of fraternity scholarship.

3. A stronger central group which can deal with offenders against interfraternity decrees.

4. A more satisfactory method of approach to the pledging of members.

5. The institution of a spirit of fair play among fraternities in the matter of pledging.

6. The creation of a new fraternity attitude.

The constitutional revision committee has analyzed the present situation as follows; "Several years ago the fraternities through the Interfraternity Council enjoyed complete autonomy in fraternity matters. They adopted whatever rushing, chinning, and scholarship rules they saw fit to pass. Complete jurisdiction in these matters was their privilege and their right.

"However, a council can enjoy these rights only so long as the fraternities have a fairly clear conception of healthy interfraternity relations, and the part each individual fraternity must play, both as a member of the fraternity system, and as a member of the college. When individual fraternities lose sight of this broader relationship, when they become selfish and forget the gentleman's ideal of fair play, when they are unwilling to make sacrifices for the good of the fraternity group as a whole, the inevitable result is a weakened, impotent Interfraternity Council, which slowly but surely will lose its autonomy in fraternity matters. When a council is so weakened that it cannot conduct its own affairs effectively, then the administration will of necessity step in and gradually usurp the power which the fraternities formerly exercised over their own affairs."

Fraternity men are optimistic over the situation, feeling confident that the evils charged to their system can be eradicated and autonomy in fraternity affairs retained.

Dartmouth won another victory in debating over a team from the University of Pennsylvania just before vacation; the question was "Resolved, That this house approves the policy of the Coolidge administration in Nicaragua." The College defended the negative side of the question and was represented by D. B. Bonsai '28, T. E. Hayes '29, and A. A. Armstrong '27. Delta Tau Delta won the interfraternity bridge tournament which was held throughout the winter months, W. C. Munnecke '27. H. V. Parrish '28, and C. E. Schuster '28 representing the winners in the course of the play. Psi Upsilon was second in the final standing. The Dartmouth Travel Club is active once more with the approach of the summer months as preparations are underway to secure jobs on cattle boats for boys needing a chance to work their way across and to arrange for passport visas in addition to providing information on travel in general. Dean Craven LayCock and Class Officer Prof. James D. McCallum are satisfied with the sophomore class if one can judge correctly from their general remarks made at the first 1929 smoker of the year on the eve of vacation. "There is no special necessity for growling at the sophomore class tonight," the Dean commented. But they have two years left!

Prof. Roule of the French department announces the cast of "La Poudre Aux Yeux" wlhich will be presented by Le Cercle Francais about the time this copy reaches you. Those participating are:

Ratinois, A. C. Lund '27; Malingear, R. F. French '27; Robert, G. E. Kennedy '29; Frederic, W. R. Barney '28; Un maitre d'Hotel, P. E. Biron '29; Constance, Mrs. L. Verriest; Blanche, Mrs. F. E. Guyer; Emerline, Mrs. F. R. Drury; Un domestique, C. A. Eastman '28.

L. W. Taylor '28 of Waban, Mass., (Yes, another election!) is the new president of the Forensic Union. I. Rubin '28 and E. H. Lyman '2B complete the list of officers for next year. The Eastern Intercollegiate Debating League will hold its annual convention here on May 7 with the following colleges represented: Amherst, Dartmouth, Brown, Pennsylvania, Williams, Wesleyan, Harvard, Yale and Princeton. D. P. Hatch '28 has been appointed hutmaster at the Moosilauke Summit camp for the summer and will be assisted by the following: C. N. Proctor '28, captain of the winter sports team and ski champion of the College, R. B. Sanders '29 and W. G. Dodge '29. The summit camp is open from June 15 until the middle of September and meals and overnight accommodations are available.

The players presented Eugene O'Neil's "The Great God Brown" in two performances toward the last of the month with E. B. Dooley '27 in the leading role. Much of the drama was impressionistic and facial masks were used to interpret the doubleaspect characters of the play. The use of such masks was a new experiment for The Players. These masks are made from life by making plaster cast negatives of the actors' faces.

Negotiations are underway to complete the arrangements suggested by Middlebury Thespians for an exchange of plays. The Middlebury group wishes to produce "Lawless" in Hanover and have The Dartmouth Players give "The Great God Brown" on the Vermont campus.

The New England finals of the third national intercollegiate oratorical contest will be held in Hanover on the evening of May 6. This contest was held in New Haven last year. This competition will bring representatives of 11 other New England institutions to Hanover including Holy Cross, Harvard University, . Boston College, University of Maine, Boston University, University of New Hampshire, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Yale University, Wesleyan University, Providence College, University of Vermont and Dartmouth.

The judges, recently selected by the contest board, are all members of the Dartmouth College faculty and include Prof. Harry E. Burton of the Department of Latin, Prof. Ralph P. Holben of the Department of Sociology, Prof. Rees H. Bowen of the Department of Sociology, Prof. James D. McCallum of the Department of English and Prof. Donald L. Stone of the Department of Political Science.

W. C. Cusack '27 of Lawrence, Mass., won the College elimination contest and will represent Dartmouth in the tryout for sectional honors.

When college reopened after vacation and reports from the Spring trip of the track squad were circulated it was learned that Karl H. Auer '27, prominent miler and captain of the cross-country team, was A. W. O. L. wlhen the Green runners went to the starting line for their first meet. Inquiry revealed the fact that he was enjoying a brief honeymoon, having married Miss Marjorie Bennet of Evanston, Ill., in New York. In following the steps of E. B. Dooley '27, football star who was married last fall, he is the second athlete to marry this year while still an undergraduate.

The links at Hilton Field were officially opened in the middle of the month and throngs of whackers of the little white pill lost no time in flocking to the fairways at the end of Rope Ferry Road. Robert Frost spent, several days in Hanover holding informal conferences with undergraduates interested in the field of literature and philosophy and also gave a public reading of some of his poetry about New England life. The Dartmouth elected (and still they come!) four men to its board: H. B. Mitchell '30 of Great Falls, Mont., J. C. Murray '30 of Detroit, Mich., F. C. Scribner '30 of Portland, Me., and W. L. North '27 of Waban, Mass. J. P. Waters '28 of Bridgeport, Conn., and W. F. Pitney 29 of Chicago were added to the editorial board.

Palaeopitus inserted a notice in The Dartmouth on April 14 to the effect that all freshman rules would expire that evening and by noontime the released freshmen had stormed local merchants and cleaned them out of knickers, pipes and other forbidden fruit. By eight o'clock that night the campus was in an uproar as the sophomoreselect paraded the campus and danced around a large bon-fire into which they showered their pea-green bonnets. After aimlessly niarching around the streets, the throng stormed The Nugget and then were repulsed from New Hampshire Hall and the dormitories with fire hoses. Soplhomores gathered strength and the issue was brought to a climax with a mild rough and tumble oil the, campus. In a city the demonstration would have been called a riot, but who ever heard of a riot breaking out in this peaceful little hamlet?

1927 is continuing the practice started by 1926 of holding weekly suppers in College Hall. Dean Laycock and Class officer Prof. C. L. Stone were guests of honor at the first gathering when plans for Commencement were considered. President Hopkins was unable to attend.

The College had its own Butler-Borah debate when Dr. F. Scott McBride, general superintendent of the Anti-Saloon League presented his side of the liquor question and W. H. Stayton, National Chairman of the Association Against the Prohibition Amendment followed with counter arguments the following evening.

The Barge Medal and the 1866 Prize oratorical contest will be held on the evening of May 3 in Dartmouth Hall.

Contestants for the Barge Medal are G. W. Friede '27 who will speak on the subject: "This Younger Generation" and E. B. Dooley '27 whose subject is "The Spoken word."

Entries in the 1866 contest are D. W. Orr '29 who will speak on "The Joy of the Useless;" I. Rubin '28 who will talk on "The Monroe Doctrine;" R. B. Mcphail '28 with the subject "William Jewett Tucker;" E. P. Arliss '29 whose subject is "Our Constitutional Charter."

The Outing Club will penetrate regions not usually visited by D. O. C., trips during the coming Spring, by taking advantage of the early departure of the snow and the present dry condition of the trails.

Besides offering unusual climbing objectives to hikers from Hanover, the diversified schedule of official trips for the Spring season will give men an opportunity to visit such widely known localities as the Cornish, N. H., artists' colony, President Coolidge's home at Plymouth, Vt., the Vermont State House at Montpelier, and the famous granite quarries at Barre. In addition to overnight trips on the weekends, the usual afternoon climbs will be conducted to Mt. Ascutney, Mt. Cardigan, and other nearby peaks.

The schedule of weekend trips open to students and faculty is as follows: April 23-24—Blue Mt. Game Reserve and St. Garden's Studio at Cornish, N. H. Open camp by Long Lake (Interlaken). April 30-May I—Coolidge Range including Mts. Pico, Killington, and Shrewesbury, and the Coolidge homestead at Plymouth. Open camp at Deer's Leap Caves, Sherburne Pass, May 28-30— Mt. Mansfield Range (highest in the Green Mountains). Open camp in Smuggler's Notch and by Lake Mansfield.

President Coolidge greets the Musical Clubs at the White House At the left of the President is Senator Keyes of New Hampshire