THE UNDERGRADUATE CHAIR
Viewing anything at Dartmouth with alarm may or may not be silly, what with a World Civilization tottering in the balance. But we are somewhat tired of the reiterated "This is a small college" and that therefore the rules and standards of outside life do not apply here. They do, most emphatically—Dartmouth is not an abstracted Utopia, but a very real, if specialized, segment of a world into which some five hundred white hopes will graduate this June.
And that is why we are perturbed by something very unusual in the history of the College as we know it: the present almost complete lack of student leaders. If the sociologists are right—now is the time, and this is the college for the evolution of such leadership. The cultural base is at hand: two thousand students are, at different times, in varying states of emotional and intellectual unrest. There is creative energy ready to be utilized; there are Things to be Done: the fraternity system requires revision; the Hanover merchant-student battle demands investigations; campus thought on world affairs seeks direction and effectiveness.
Then, if this is true, why has no student or group of students assumed leadership of these nascent movements? The answers we can evolve are equally numerous. If oui first is really adequate, then our case is childish and we withdraw. That answer is, that these movements, these "student awakenings" are puerile, "kid stuff" —that the student body is too grown up and too preoccupied with the Large Values of education to concern itself with such immediate and trivial problems. This sincere and intelligent answer draws with it an equally unintelligent corollary —"What's the use?"—in other words, that anything accomplished up here, by virtue of its locale, is essentially futile. Another reply might be that the College has loaded too heavy a burden of work on its students to permit them to interest themselves in such "extra-curricular" pursuits.
These suggestions may or may not answer the question. We know that they do not satisfy us. And so, in a silly collegiate fashion, we will contine to View with Alarm the quiet that is Dartmouth, until it is enlivened by something more inspiring than the sound of departing motors, Northampton-bound.
ALL IS NOT LOST
One ray of hope, however, relieves this otherwise completely hopeless situation, in which we might as well all be dead. That is the recent formation, under Administrational sanction, of a non-fraternity club, open to all non-fraternity members of the three upper classes. Club quarters are about to be assigned from Parkhurst as we go to press. Fees will be nominal, membership apparently unrestricted, and a good time had by all.
This movement, supposedly sponsored by Some Big Fraternity Man, seems to arise from a belief that Dartmouth fraternities at the present time are little but self-perpetuative financial organizations, with the cover-charge quite a bit too steep for modern economic conditions. Nor can the fraternity entirely deny this charge, nor that its system must be reformed for continued vigorous life.
An interesting fact may be noted here, that the Interfraternity Council has not yet come forth concretely (although attempts in this direction have been made) with any suggested changes. But then again, everything may be rosy with the fraternity system also, and we are just out of step with Dartmouth serenity.
ONWARD! EVER ONWARD!
Palaeopitus, that Grand Old Mouthpiece of campus opinion, has at last decided to heed the admonitions of the President of the College. The gist of these suggestions has been something to the effect that the student should attempt to reach mental manhood while at College. Therefore the "Student Governing Body" has decreed the return of Freshman Rules, to take effect with the class of 1937. The rules themselves are simple: that freshmen will not be allowed to smoke on public streets, nor walk on the grass; that deference must be shown to upperclassmen, etc. The freshman will be taught their place; insolence will be punished; and the class of 1937 will get an idea of what College is really like.
What with paddling by sophomores, and a few heart-to-heart talks with those splendid tradition-preservers, the Vigilance Committee, it seems likely that freshmen of the future will become orientated to Dartmouth much more easily than the less fortunate classes of 1934, '35, and '36. And thus Palaeopitus does its bit to prove that the College advances ever onward.
SPRING GREEN KEY
With a wisdom that passeth all understanding, the student body solemnly decided that having a party was more worthwhile than preserving a legend; and therefore it must be reported that the Green Key Prom of May 13 was an exceedingly orderly and quiet affair. That glorious saga so long sung by Dartmouth men (and whispered to Smith girls by their mothers) —that Dartmouth parties were the wildest of all possible events—is no more. We cannot ascertain whether or not the five hundred guests were disappointed.
From an entertainment angle, however, the Prom was quite a time for the freshmen (for whom the occasion is designed, they say) and their young friends. A baseball double-header, which Dartmouth divided with Columbia just to show that they were in the spirit of the thing, followed golf and lacrosse matches. In the evening Mai Hallett's band made music and, as a special-added-attraction, an Auto Show was thrown open to the public. But all bicycles, significantly enough, were padlocked out of sight.
TEAM! TEAM! TEAM!
Ice hockey at Dartmouth is apparently due for a renascence. From the D.C.A.C. office comes news of the appointment of Mr. Herb Gill as successor to Mr. Bowers as coach of the team. Scarcely had the campus quieted down from this bombshell, when it was informed of the formation of a new Hockey League for next winter, to consist of Yale, Harvard, Princeton, and Dartmouth. McGill, will now have to trim their fellow-Canadians and let the Americans alone, at least leagually.
Wired Mr. Gill to The Dartmouth: FORMATION OF LEAGUE WILL STIMULATE
INTEREST. WELCOME NEWS AND I'M HEARTILY IN FAVOR OF DECISION." It is reported that Mr. Gill is working on some idea this summer relating to artificial ice or something.
To muscle in on Phil Sherman even further, the return of Spring Football practice after nearly a decade of abeyance looks worthy of note. It seems eminently sensible that the boys be ready for action a bit more thoroughly than usual when faced with a schedule like next season's, which includes such teams as Pennsylvania, Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Cornell, and Chicago. Said The Dartmouth sagely:
"Football is important to Dartmouth, our entire athletic program, although it may appear sanguine, is based upon football receipts. By this we do not propose a state of hysteria to increase boxoffice intake, for we have always kept a nice balance about such matters. But there is no point in avoiding this consideration. It is an important factor without being all-important."
Which seems a neat way of presenting all four sides of the question at once.
FEUDS OF THE MONTH
Two major conflicts have disturbed the campus of late, as well they might. First, Colonel Thompson, Dartmouth columnist, suggested that the baseball team might be losing games because (he thought) some players were breaking training (he alleged). This was not to be borne; and Manager Lyons and Captain Maskelieson immediately countered with an Open Letter saying that the Colonel was mistaken (it is reported). The Colonel apologized, the team went out there and fought, and the campus breathed more easily.
The other and less important battle occurred between the Jack-O-Lantern and The Dartmouth, friends at heart. Jacko drove home the first blow with a parody of The Dartmouth interviews, which have delighted readers of the paper for months. The Dartmouth retorted with a stinging critique of the Jacko's policy of using old cuts to save money. The "Ballyhoo" effect of one of the pages in the Spring Number was likewise attacked. Unfortunately, TheDartmouth of the very same day carried four "Ballyhoo" cuts for comic effect in its Anniversary Supplement—a four page humorous insert, liberally sprinkled with advertisements to insure no financial loss.
3.2 FOR EVERYONE
Loyal Americans as they are, men of Dartmouth are not going to support Franklin Roosevelt very enthusiastically on the subject of beer. That old college favorite, without which their fathers could not sleep, eat or study, very decidedly has little attraction in its present state. Hundreds of students dashed over to Norwich all day May 1, when beer became legal in Vermont, but they returned quickly with evident dissatisfaction. They had learned the bitter, bitter truth—which Ella Boole will never know—that it is impossible for a normal citizen to achieve bliss via 3.2. But there is always the bare possibility—or so the Cafe and Grill hopesthat a new race of men may be bred up here who will drink the innocuous brew just for the taste.
MILESTONES
Gym Letters: E. S. Blakesley '33, Westhampton, Mass.; D. L. Hatch '33, Upper Montclair, N. J.; J. B. Hunley '33, Cincinnati, O.; T. V. Purcell '33, Evanston, Ill.; F. L. Engel '34, New York City; I. Sager '34, New York City.
Gym Captain: D. M. Schuyler '34, Chicago, Ill.
Forsell Cup: H. F. Miller '34, Rome, N. Y.; D. M. Schuyler '34.
Graydon Cup: D. L. Hatch '33, Upper Montclair, N. J.
Interfraternity Bowling: Psi Upsilon. Non-Athletic Managers: E. D. Rogers '35, Detroit, Mich.; D. J. Kerwin '35, St. Louis, Mo.; F. H. Croninger '35, Fort Wayne, Ind.; C. G. Shaw '35, McKeesport, Pa.; M. Gelof '35, Long Beach, N. Y.; R. A. Stone '35, St. Paul, Minn.
Athletic Managers: 1935— G. H. Colton, Springfield, Mass.; R. N. Stowell, Dixfield, Me.; L. T. Carlisle, Ashtabula, O.; S. P. Dorsey, Omaha, Neb.; L. F. Ruether, Clifton, N. J.; H. W. Wolff, Highland Park, 111.; D. C. Swander Jr., Cleveland, O.; R. W. Hube, New Britain, Conn.; S. B. Karlen, White Plains, N. Y.; J. H. Berkey, Huntington, N. Y.; C. T. Huck, Riverside, 111.; W. L. Russell, Red Bank, N. J.; J. H. Shuttleworth, Clinton, Mass.; H. F. Ritter, Bridgeport, Conn.; R. H. Maida, Long Branch, N. J.; R. L. Millane, Springfield, Mass.
Intramural Managers: A. S. Brush '35, Brooklyn, N. Y.; O. Calderari '35, Greenwich, Conn.; D. B. Close '35, Cleveland Heights, O. Jack-O-Lantern: Business Directorate- D. H. Callaway Jr. '34, Brooklyn, N. Y.; R. M. Compton '34, Chicago, 111.; A. Bennett '34, Brookline, Mass.; J. F. Anderson '34, Cleveland Heights, O.
Green International: Officers—S. B. Hare '34, Paris, France; H. Maurer '34, burgh, Pa.; R. A. Kraus '35, New York City; P. M. Day '35, Milwaukee, Wis.; C. N. Lafazanos '34, Lowell, Mass.
The Dartmouth: Business Board, 1936 J. B. Arnold, Brooklyn, N. Y.; L. E. Caffall, Larchmont, N. Y.; A. C. Gibney, Madison, N. J.; L. F. Hoefler, Larchmont, N. Y.; B. L. Moyer, Madison, N. J.; H. G. Turner, Waterford, N. Y.
Kappa Phi Kappa: Officers, 1934— G. L. Brown, Lewiston, Me.; W. P. Stowe, Torrington, Conn.; R. A. Page, New Haven, Conn.
Bait and Bullet: G. P. Hoke '35, Lake Minnetonka, Minn.; D. A. Korper '35, West Hartford, Conn.; A. L. Washburn '35, Hanover, N. H.; D. J. Holland '36, Scarsdale, N. Y.; F. A. Lagorio '36, Chicago, Ill.; R. C. Williams '36, Chestnut Hill, Mass.
Fast Water Thrills on the Canoe Club's annual White River trip.
