D. C. A. Work with Freshmen

THERE are many phenomena that greet the Dartmouth new comer after he has successfully passed his twelveyear apprenticeship to the cause of higher education. The time has come when he must experience the greatest transition of his life. He has been selected from the most representative schoolboys of the nation, he has been thrown into a melting pot along with six hundred of his fellows. He is momentarily stripped of earlier thought-patterns and left without much of his former self-assurance.

As a result, the problem of orientation has made itself felt more and more accutely during the past few years. The size of the freshman invasion has increased from two hundred to more than three times that number, the various extra-curricular activities have expanded to a place where nearly every man is a member of some society, competition, or team—in brief, the college, along with the world, is increasing in complexity and difficulty. Consequently, the freshman of today is confronted with a problem much more difficult than the one solved by the man who entered college a decade ago.

Now, the college has realized the need for guidance during the initial period and has given over more than a week in September to an orientation program. Lectures on how to study, how to use the facilities of the library, and how to keep physically fit are given by the dean and various members of the faculty. Placement and sectioning examinations are conducted to ensure all a fair chance in scholastic work. The worth of this conditioning program is unquestioned; it has paid big dividends in satisfaction to both student and instructor. However, the program seems to need one thing, a thing of utmost import- the development of the so-called hyperorganic self, the self of ideals and personality as well as the expression of those ideals and personality. That, one might say, is in a way the purpose of college, a goal to be achieved by Commencement.

The Dartmouth Christian Association has made a definite attempt to bridge this important gap by conducting a program of freshman work by which it hopes to further the development of the ideal, social and religious sides of the beginner. In addition to the Association Office located in College Hall where information is always available to the freshman, it has included a complete orientation program of its own in which one finds: a system of advisors, the editing and publishing of the Freshman Handbook, a reception for the freshman class held on the first Saturday evening of the college year, a Bema service held on the following Sunday afternoon, a series of fifteen feeds run for each dormitory group, an opportunity to participate in a rural school program, a group of informal discussion gatherings, and several cabin parties. The work is executed and supervised by the D. C. A. Cabinet working in conjunction with Mr. C. E. Butler, graduate secretary of the Association. R. P. Goldthwait '33 supervised the general committee for the 1931 season.

Dividing the program, for convenience sake, into three sections, the pre-college contacts, the early entrance work, and the afterorientation service I will try to give a complete and comprehensive survey of the whole field. First, in chronological order is the Freshman Handbook—often referred to as the Freshman Bible. In this pocket-sized manual are included: pictures of the college and landmarks in Hanover, instructions concerning the shipment of furniture to rooms, a brief description of every activity, club, and society at the college, and nearly everything of importance that is not included in the catalog. Along with this book comes the name of an upper-classman who has volunteered to act as an advisor to a group of three or more. Usually these men are chosen to live in the same dormitory as the advisee, thus enabling frequent calls and continued contacts. This year's Handbook was published under the direction of B. M. Estes '33.

SYSTEM OP ADVISORS

Through the advisory system the D. C. A. seeks to secure a spirit of friendly helpfulness between freshman and upperclassman. Each advisor introduces himself to his advisees by a letter in which additional suggestions concerning preparations for Hanover and personal elements are included. This letter is written during the latter part of August and contacts between advisor and advisee are arranged for early in September. As soon as possible after arriving in town the neophyte is called upon by his advisor who attempts to assist in any manner possible. It is not infrequent that these calls develop into real friendships. This phase of the work was handled by a group of over two hundred upper classmen under the guidance of S. H. Durkee '33 and W. M. McCombs '33.

At the close of the first week an informal reception is held in the trophy room of the Alumni Gymnasium. There among the records of athletic achievement of many years gathers the freshman class to partake of an evening of sociality, singing, and interesting informal talks by members of the faculty, the Christian Association, the school at large. This year's program, as have those of former years, featured Dr. Leland Griggs '02 as the speaker of the evening.

He presented in his unique manner the story of his treatise on the Bull-frog's Eye which has never been completed because of so many demands by the various organiza- tions of the college on his limited time. Incidently, the treatise will never be finished and he is going to be featured as the speaker of the evening for many years to come at freshman receptions. We might accept his suggestion and find another title beside "speaker of the evening," but we absolutely refuse to allow a reception to take place without the address by Dr. Griggs. Of course, refreshments were served. W. T. Snead '33 managed this important event.

A Bema meeting is held on the first Sunday afternoon of the college year. There out among the pines where so many have spent their most enjoyable hours in college the group is introduced to the purposes for which the college and the Dartmouth Christian Association stand. This year S. E. Greene '32 spoke for the Cabinet and Bob Wilkin '32 for Paleopitus, the governing body. It might be interesting to note here the purpose of the Dartmouth Christian Association:

"It is the purpose of the Dartmouth Christian Association to bring together those students who are seeking to find the place of religion in life and to find adequate ways of expressing the spirit and insights of Jesus in their own lives and in the life of the college."

Later in the fall a series of fifteen freshman feeds is conducted for all the dormitory groups at Mel Adams' cabin. A leader is chosen from among the previous advisors to visit each freshman in his dormitory, explain the object of the feeds, to sign as many of them as feel they would be interested, and to lead the group out to the cabin on the eve of the feed. The assembled group of one or more dormitories hikes out to the cabin where a hot supper is waiting. After the meal a discussion takes place around the fireplace. And by the hour that the logs have been reduced to glowing embers and it is time to return once more to lessons, the fellows have broken down the stiffness of the early evening and many a world problem has been settled for all eternity. This year 360 freshman attended the series which was managed by B. C. Davis '32, W. M. MeCombs '33, C. Lippe '34 and B. T. Twiss '35,

As a result of connections made during the early part of this work many are interested in other phases of the association program. Regional group meetings are sometimes arranged (as this article goes to press a Vermont freshman group is planning a cabin party). Many men who have previous connections with Hi-Y groups or Student Christian Associations desire to continue their activity at college. For these men a meeting is held and a permanent group is organized to help in aiding preparatory and high school movements similar in purpose to that of the college association.

A FRESHMAN CABIN PARTY Secretary Butler standing, third from left

CHAMPS OF 1891 Allison Hobbs Watson Kelliher Woodcock Pond Heath Pollens Viau Abbott Richardson