A NEW STORY OF DARTMOUTH

For opinions which appear in these columns the Editors alone are responsible

THE publication of a history is an event of large importance in the life of the College. The announcement in this issue of the appearance of the two-volume work by Leon Burr Richardson is welcome news. His authorship stamps the history, sight unseen, as painstakingly complete, scholarly, and of equal importance, thoroughly readable. For this work does not carry on from 1909 where John K. Lord ended his detailed record in continuing the earlier history of the College (up to 1815) as written by Frederick Chase. It is rather the complete story in itself. Its 800 pages give the story of Dartmouth from Dr. Wheelock's earliest plans to the present year. "A running account of the institution, written as a unit, sufficiently detailed to make for completeness, but not overburdened with particulars"This is Professor Richardson's statement of purpose.

It is left to the reviewer to comment in another column on the treatment given Dartmouth's long and colorful history. Here may better be emphasized the value of the work in the literature of the College. Certainly it may be said that every Dartmouth man will want to read these volumes. The slogan has many times been used "A book every Dartmouth man will want to own." Here is one we want to read as well, to thumb through leisurely, gaining a realization of the significance of each administration and, perhaps for the first time, sensing the unity of purpose, seeing clearly the running thread, that follows the course of decade after decade on Hanover Plain. Professor Richardson's inference in his preface that his work is not overloaded with detail should not be misconstrued. It is true that all graduates of the College are not listed in the index and that the Chase and Lord histories are more complete as historical reference sources. But the Richardson history would be comfortable in the others' presence. Its exhaustive and excellent index may be consulted confidently for all general uses. Considering the book's character as a "story" it does remarkably well.

The publisher of this latest history is the recently formed committee on "Dartmouth Publications," sponsored and financed by the College. The Richardson work follows closely upon the "Letters of Eleazar Wheelock's Indians," the first product of the committee and one giving every promise of success. Notable designing and printing add to the distinction of both "Indian Letters" and the history. Many will regret the absence in the latter of illustrative material in the form of photographs, engravings, and maps. But this may be the work of some future publication. The old Dartmouth campus and the new—what a vast change! The transition has taken a century. The story in word and picture would be an interesting one.

Little introduction of Professor Richardson is needed. He is a graduate in the class of 1900 and except for two years of the intervening time has been a member of the Dartmouth faculty. His researches in the realm of college administration and curricula have been widely heralded as a most progressive influence in the development of educational ideals; his clear thinking during his years of service as chairman of the faculty committee on educational policy was invaluable at the time when the Dartmouth curriculum underwent its major operations. In his chosen field of chemistry—he could have qualified for any other department in the CollegeProfessor Richardson is a recognized leader. He has won respect as a teacher, friendship from those hundreds to whom he is and renown as an author and speaker. "History of Dartmouth College," Volumes One and Two, is the latest major achievement to be added to the many credited to him.