Social Survey

The full membership of the Committee for the Study of Social Life at Dartmouth College assembled for the first time on March 22, when the 14 alumni, faculty, administrative and undergraduate representatives began their three-day session in Hanover. Prof. Russell R. Larmon '19, chairman of the President's special survey group, presided at the various meetings.

The four alumni members present were J. Frank Drake '02, of Pittsburgh; Dr. Arthur H. Ruggles '02, of Providence; James M. Mathes '11, of Plandome, N. Y.; and Lloyd D. Brace '25, of Boston. Other members present, in addition to Chairman Larmon, were Prof. William A. Eddy, Sidney C. Hayward '26, Albert I. Dickerson '30, William W. Fitzhugh '35, Philip N. Guyol '35, George F. Hill '35, Aldis P. Butler '36, Paul S. Cleaveland '36, and Albert L. Gibney '36.

The first meetings of the full Committee were devoted largely to a review and analysis of the mass of factual data gathered since the start of the social survey in December. Discussion was confined almost entirely to the fraternity side of life at Dartmouth, and reports were heard from the three subcommittees dealing with the financial, intellectual and social factors in fraternity life. Future meetings of the full Committee will deal with other phases of undergraduate life at Dartmouth as well as with fraternities. No decisions were reached, and the Committee's final report will not be made for some time to come.

CLERICAL FORCE KEPT BUSY

During the past two months, a clerical force and all members of the Committee have been constantly at work tabulating and analyzing the data collected by means of questionnaires, correspondence and interviews. Of the 1315 detailed questionnaires, sent to fraternity men in College, 1170 or 89 per cent were returned; while 258, or 74 per cent, of the 351 questionnaires mailed to non-fraternity men in the three upper classes were sent in. All alumni advisers of fraternities received a questionnaire soliciting information on finances and alumni participation in fraternity affairs, and a letter from Professor Eddy to all faculty members asked for their comments and suggestions.

In addition to these activities, the Committee has written to the national headquarters of all fraternities represented at Dartmouth to secure accurate and complete data from their point of view. Undergraduates and alumni have also been invited, through the columns of TheDartmouth and this MAGAZINE, to submit criticisms and suggestions in writing, and members of the Committee have met with the Interfraternity Council to discuss certain points of the survey.

Visits to other colleges are now being made by members of the Committee. Dr. Ruggles and A. P. Butler '36 visited Yale, Brown and Amherst during the week preceding the Committee meeting, and Mr. Hayward will visit the University of Minnesota on March 30-31 while on an alumni speaking tour. Other members of the Committee will visit leading colleges and universities during April.