Two Emergencies

THE PRESIDENT has announced that reconstruction of Dartmouth Hall on a completely fireproof basis will begin at once. Faced with the alternatives of (1) using the insurance adjustment of $79,000 to restore the building to a condition exactly the same as before last month's fire, (2) spending about $50,000 more to make it fireproof to a considerable degree, and (3) borrowing $121,000 above the insurance settlement to fully protect against fire, the Trustees have wisely decided on the last alternative. Dartmouth Hall will look just as it has since 1787 as far as the exterior is concerned. But the interior will be revamped, modernized, and so constructed as to make impossible a repetition of the disastrous fires that have raged on that historic spot.

Having weathered the storms of recent years in remarkably good shape the College is now saddled with two major financial burdens, both of which are of an emergency nature and both raise serious problems. In addition to financing the reconstruction of Dartmouth Hall (estimated at about $121,000) the Trustees have had to assume the full financial responsibility for recreational athletics. This last and unexpected emergency arose when the Athletic Council's status for the first half-year's operations became known. Disappointing returns from football and exhaustion of the Council's reserves left no alternative but for the College to assume the expense of the intramural and recreational program. It is by no means illogical for the Trustess to take over the $25,000 of expense represented in this part of the "athletics for all" policy, since the health of the student body is a direct concern of the Administration and is directly affected by these activities which are estimated to affect about 90% of undergraduates.

The Alumni Fund committee has come forward to assume a full share of the burden imposed by these two emergencies. Some of the contributions of alumni this year will be turned over on June 30 to help defray the costs of recreational athletics and of Dartmouth Hall reconstruction. Regarding the latter the Committee states :

"It is to be anticipated that thedesire of the alumni to have a partin the immediate reconstruction ofDartmouth Hall will result in returns for the present year substantially above what would havebeen the normal expectation, andover the period of the coming years,whatever funds can be allocatedfrom the Alumni Fund after thecurrent exigencies of the College aremet will be applied to the amortization of the reconstruction loan."