GRADUS AD PARNASSUM
The President's Addresses . . . Snow in April ... A NewColumn . . . Beer . . . ContributorsHow Old is Old?
"Unity as an Educational Ideal" was the subject of President Hopkins' address on the occasion of the anniversary of the foundation of the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration, held at Cambridge, April 10. Complimentary editorial comment in the Boston and New York press followed close upon the address. The New York Times said editorially:
Dartmouth whenever he speaks. He didnot disappoint in his address at the celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary ofthe founding of the Harvard School ofBusiness. After a rapid review of thechanges that have taken place in thepolitical, social and economic world in aquarter of a century-changes that wouldhave seemed incredible even two decadesago—he faces the new conditions with thestatement that if education is to makeany contribution to life in our rapidly We have become accustomed to expectgood counsel from President Hopkins ofdeveloping world "rather than simply to bean observer in it," it must extend itsfunctions beyond mere acquisition ofknowledge. "Traditionalism of methodmust give place to flexibility"; what constitutes "real culture" must be re-examined and re-defined; the ability for "developing character" and "personality"among their students must be includedamong the qualifications of great teachers; and colleges and universities mustrecognize in their teaching that we knowlittle in regard to any subject until weknow its relation to other subjects. "Fewthings are as unimportant as an isolatedfact—or even an isolated group of facts."
His plea is for "unity" as an educational ideal. He reminds us that thewords "holiness" and "healthfulness" and"wholeness" have the same root. Education does not deal with "disembodiedminds," but with men of flesh and blood,of varying mental capacities, "obscureneuroses," emotional sensitiveness andspiritual aspiration. Colleges and universities should look to the wholeness ofman, "which is healthfulness and whichis holiness." But they have in narrow specialism "wrought grave injury." In them,as in our national life, the displacing ofwide interests and varied contacts by specialized interests and efforts has contributed to the "cumulative breaking downof the will and the ability for cooperativeactions among men.", It is from uncoordinated thought that the world is suffering today.
Never was there more brilliant thinking| and never was thinking more productive of accomplishment, but the thinking and the accomplishment of one groupare entirely detached from the thinkingand accomplishment of another.
Specialized education is an advantage tothe individual and most profitable to society when it "demands acquaintanceshipwith knowledge in general before it begins to particularize." What we are witnessing in Washington at the moment—the drawing of specialized wisdoms into acommon understanding and concert ofaction—suggests the educational idealwhich is unity and wholeness.
Dartmouth men need only such evidence as the widespread respect with which the President's Harvard address was received to acquire assurance, in theirown minds, of the value of activity of this sort as compared to his following an extensive itinerary of alumni speaking every year. In making plans for a season of Dartmouth dinners and meetings no alumni club has any other first choice for a principal speaker and guest than the President himself. To meet with most of the clubs, as he has done in several past years, has now become an impossibility if the President is to maintain in any degree the valuable contacts and opportunities for public service that are his.
The question must be faced as to whether the clubs prefer to stress their desire to have the President tour the country for their meetings to the exclusion of his participating in private and public work of great significance. Even though recognizing the value of devoting some proportion of his time to activities outside the Dartmouth sphere, alumni will look forward to his appearance, arid to the inspiration of his speaking, at club dinners in the larger centers of the country, at the opening of College, and at Commencement. An understanding of the demands made upon his time, all of which seem to have definite advantages to the College, makes one wonder how the few hours of every day could be used to advance Dartmouth interests to any greater extent than he is doing now.
When Dr. Wheelock predicted in his Almanack last month: "Don't forget that we always have fnow in April" it seemed a rather pessimistic note. And if there should be fnow in April it wouldn't amount to much. But the Reverend Doctor was right and Hanover was fnowed under with more fnow than we've feen all winter. The fole confolation in this rude interruption of nice progreff toward an early Spring is the fpeed with which the fnow difappears.
Bill McCarter '19, perhaps Dartmouth's best-known-young-alumnus, consents to write a column in the MAGAZINE next year on undergraduate doings ofclasses since the War. This will offset thepublicity being given by Hap Hinman'10 to the "Good Old Days" of 25 yearsago! Suggestions of topics and contributions of pictures will be appreciated bythe prospective author of "Just A FewYears Ago" who may be addressed: Prof.W. H. McCarter, Baker Library, Hanover. Practically nothing can be said at this writing as to what may eventually be done in regard to making the new 3.2 brew available to students—or faculty and townspeople. The prospect now (middle of April) is not very bright that New Hampshire will pass legislation entirely favorable to beer as far as Hanover is concerned. Down at Concord the General Court has passed a bill favored by the Governor. This allows every town and city to sell beer unless the locality concerned goes to the trouble of voting itself dry. If the Senate approves, New Hampshire will soon be wet.
Even if beer is permitted in this State the provision preventing minors, persons under si, from buying it promises to make it difficult for students to drink beer. This same qualification in the Massachusetts law prevents Harvard from serving beer in college buildings and has precipitated most unwelcome complications down there. On May 1 the Vermont legislation will become effective and westbound traffic across the Connecticut will probably be heavy. Since there is.no age restriction in the Vermont law it now appears that Dartmouth will need to travel a few miles for its refreshment. But, after all, little can be predicted and nothing can be said now that promises to hold true for more than the next few weeks.
Dr. William Gerry Morgan '90 is the contributor of the final number of this year's series of vocational articles. The MAGAZINE has attempted, through articles by alumni of the College, to interpret as a matter of general interest six careers open to college men. The series has dealt, successively, with journalism, religion, law, politics, aviation, and now, medicine. It is planned to continue the discussion next year with articles to include business, fine arts, farming, science, and teaching.
Dr. Morgan is recognized as probably the foremost authority in America on diseases of the digestive tract, and has been professor of this subject in the Georgetown University Medical School since 1904. He served as president of the American Medical Association in 1930 and in June of that year was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Science by Dartmouth. He is a member of many medical societies and has received distinctive honors both in this country and abroad.
Palaeopitus has decided that freshman rules must again be enforced. Allowed to lapse since John Martin '31, the "Great Emancipator," freed the freshmen from their bondage, the rules will be clamped down on the class of 1937. The hoped for results are that class unity will be encouraged and ultra-sophistication in freshmen will be discouraged.
Dr. W. G. Morgan '90 Author of article on "Medicine As A Vocation" in this issue.
