SOCIAL SURVEY REPORT

National Affiliations

"The report of the Social Survey Committee recommending the breaking off of national fraternity affiliations appears to go directly against the prevailing current of campus opinion as evidenced in the poll taken last year.

"By this fact alone the report justifies the attention of every undergraduate and alumnus, whether members of a fraternity or not.

"The Committee's apparent contradiction of undergraduate opinion is justified by the statement: "'lt seemed probable that the studentvote favoring the nationals was an emotional one, and that it could not have beenbased on a knowledge of conditions at allequal to that achieved by the Committeeduring a long period of concentrated studyion this and other questions related tofraternities.'

"The Committee contradicts sentiment rather than opinion. More important, the majority proposal springs directly from their conception of the essential function of the College.

" 'Dartmouth's primary social aim is notto train disciples but to develop personality—personality which is strong instead ofweak, positive instead of negative, activeinstead of passive.'

"It is with this concept in mind that the whole report should be approached. Resentment at the apparent discounting of student wishes must not be allowed to obscure the real value of Dartmouth's first major contribution to the clarification of this increasingly confusing question. In considering the report there is need for the same clear, unemotional thinking that the Committee has displayed in analyzing the problem and in drawing up the report.

"The minority defense of national affiliations can be expected to find considerable support particularly on the basis of their contention:

" 'lt is intended that all the present national fraternities should become local clubsor societies .... but it is apparently notrealized that they would also be withouthouses and without alumni members. Noris it apparently considered that severalthousand alumni of the College would bedeprived of a living home on the campus,and that their corporate organizationswould find themselves the owners of costlybut empty houses, mostly built at the personal sacrifice of alumni, which they mustperforce sell to the College or to the newlocal clubs that would succeed the abolishedfraternities, and in which they could haveno membership and less interest.'

"We feel that this overlooks two basic factors of the relationship between undergraduate fraternity groups and their alumni brothers. The bond between the two groups is fundamentally one of common loyalty not to the national organization but to the individual Dartmouth chapters. The elimination of national ties could scarcely lessen that bond. The relation of alumni to the local clubs which might be expected to grow out of the present set-up would remain as secure as at present. They would return to the same houses. They would find the same welcome they do now.

"It is particularly significant that the only major point on which the committee was divided was the issue of national affiliation. Immediate response to their recommendations on this question may overshadow consideration of the remainder of the report.

"Yet a major contribution o£ the committee is contained in their specific proposals for the improvement of the Dartmouth fraternity system, regardless of whether national affiliations are to be retained.

"We heartily endorse the majority proposal to abolish national ties. Feeling that remaining sections of the report merit separate consideration, we postpone comment on other conclusions of the Committee such as the proposal that a College administrative officer direct fraternity activities, and that chapters be limited to fifty men."

CORRESPONDENCE WHICH has come to the attention of editors of the MAGAZINE since the Social Committee's findings were made public has ranged all the way from one statement that the fraternity report is "lousy" to commendation for the courage which the Committee showed in adopting recommendations for improvement of the social system at Dartmouth that are "ahead of the times." Although some rather strong protests have appeared in print and have been made orally, the fact is that the Committee's report has not seemed to disturb the majority of alumni fraternity members among Dartmouth graduates.

The sincere affection which some men have for their national fraternity ties and associations has prompted them to question the validity of the Committee's adverse majority decision. It is to be said to the credit of these objectors that they are willing and eager to read the exhaustive full report of the Committee on the subject before they take a definite position one way or the other. But from that great group of alumni who form the bulk of fraternity membership among Dartmouth men there has been no appreciable response one way or the other to the Committee's indictment of national fraternal organizations in Hanover, nor has there been any interest shown in the undergraduate body to any such extent as one might expect to be the result of the indictment.

What the significance of this apathy may be is a question that can only be answered by the gradual and thorough accumulation of alumni and undergraduate opinion, arrived at over a period of time sufficient to allow for reasoned opinion on a subject of future concern to the College, as it is of importance in the immediate present.

THE ATTENTION OF readers of the MAGAZINE is called to the discussion in the College News section this month of a plan for holding informal summer reunions in Hanover under the aegis of the Hanover Inn. The plan is explained by the manager of the Inn, Ford K. Sayre '33, and is endorsed by the Secretaries Association. Particularly low rates for rooms at the Inn (on European plan) and for golf and other recreational pursuits in Hanover are available to those who wish to come back to town for a brief or a longer vacation early in the summer.

The original proposal of the plan came from one of the class secretaries who felt the lack of contact with men in other classes than his own during the regular five- year June reunions. Some colleges operate the so-called Dix Plan of reunions which allows many of the classes which were in college together to reune in the same year. In the absence of any strong sentiment for a change of the Dartmouth system of reuning to the Dix Plan it appears possible that enough alumni may be interested in spending a few days' vacation with their families in Hanover to permit class secretaries to arrange for a period in the summer when men from classes which were in College together will be back at the same time. Although the lack of sufficient time to arrange this somewhat ambitious plan is a definite factor this year, it will be of interest to see just what response to the Inn's very reasonable hospitality may be made in the next few weeks.

ONCE AGAIN THE Secretaries Association has held its annual Hanover weekend gathering. In his address at the annual dinner of the Association President Hopkins recalled the first of the thirty-two annual gatherings, called by President Tucker and himself in 1905, and at which about fifteen men were present. From that beginning has developed the present far flung organization and at this last meeting there were present 95 secretaries of classes and alumni clubs and associations. Discussions of how alumni can be of greater assistance to the College are now as prominent on the program as was that subject at the very beginnings of the Association. To the secretaries who have through the years been so largely responsible for the development of concern and interest of alumni in the College must be given a major portion of the recognition which Dartmouth's plan of alumni activity receives. To these men, giving so generously and freely of their time and energy, Dartmouth is tremendously indebted.

IF THE PRESENT pressure keeps up we will have to add a song editor to the staff of the MAGAZINE. In response to the publication in these pages of the words of a suggested Dartmouth song, "The Bells of Dartmouth" submitted by Charles S. McDaniel 'l3, some number of settings for the song have been sent in. All of these we have turned over to our song experts in the department of Music and particularly to Prof. Donald E. Cobleigh '23 of that department. It is gratifying to have such a good response to requests for both words and music for a new Dartmouth song. A layman's opinion is that not all songs can be good even though the intentions of the composers are of the very best, so not all songs submitted to the editors can be included among the official songs of the College. But occasionally a composition of real merit is submitted and for such ones, and for all others, we record our appreciation.

IT is ALWAYS enjoyable to read the praise o£ subscribers. To,Mr. B. T. Fitzpatrick '3O we are indebted for his kindness in writing as follows: "I derive a great deal of pleasure and enjoyment from the MAGAZINE and its arrival each month is awaited with an eagerness that is accorded to no other periodical to which I subscribe. Much favorable comment as to both its form and content has been expressed by graduates of other colleges associated with me in the office. I think, therefore, that it is altogether fitting if there occasionally appears in the eyes of the editors a gleam of satisfaction."

Much as we appreciate bouquets, and a chance to get a gleam in our eyes, the opportunities and the need for constantly improving the editorial quality of this publication are too apparent to the editors to give room for any attitude of complacency. If there is, however, any department of the MAGAZINE that merits unstinted praise it is the class notes section, which is, in its quality and variety, a constant source of amazement to all who see it. This section is, indeed, the very heart of this magazine. Without it there could not be much interest among the more than 6,000 subscribers to this publication. It is, then, the aim of the editors to supplement class notes with a constantly improving quality of other editorial material to give a well rounded and complete picture of College month by month.

IN HIS EXCELLENT report (in fact, all his talks on the subject are excellent) Jack Hubbell 'si, chairman of the Alumni Fund Committee, told the secretaries that the promise of a successful campaign this year is somewhat greater than it was one year ago. The number of contributors to date is larger and the total gifts received is higher. Whether or not this situation will hold true to June 30 is, however, far from certain.

Mr. Hubbell stated that the Fund Committee's policy of "no pressure" on alumni to contribute to the Fund, and the class agents' method of promoting this policy, is well illustrated by the correspondence between a junior in college and his father. The boy wrote home that after full deliberation he had finally decided to marry his girl at the end of the college year, that he would have to leave college and go to work, and that he knew this wouid be a great shock and probably a disappointment to his parents. The father replied: "Dear Son,Your mother and I have indeed been surprised to learn of your decision to get married this summer. We do not know your girlbut we will have no objections if you canfeel certain that she is as fine a woman asyour mother. Will she be as faithful anddevoted to her husband as your mother isto me? Will she be as loving and tender toher children as is your mother? If thesequestions can be favorably answered, thenyou will make no mistake.Affectionately yours,Dad.P. S. Your mother has just left the roomdon't be a damn fool!"

THE FACT IS that the class agents in achieving good records for their classes for participation in the Fund do urge classmates to contribute through personal correspondence, bulletins, and conversations. As Mr. Hubbell and his committee of Alumni Councilors have often stated, the Dartmouth Fund campaign is an annual alumni venture. It is not a solicitation of funds by the College but is rather a campaign conceived and operated entirely by alumni. Each class approaches the campaign differently and under the direction of the class agents the class may adopt one or another of many different procedures. Last year the fine record of the Fund enabled the College to balance its books and apply nearly $20,000 toward the reconstruction of Dartmouth Hall. Mr. Edgerton in his treasurer's report made the following statement which truly indicates the value of this voluntary gift to the College every year: "If it had not been for the Fund, theDartmouth College of today, as we knowher, would not have been possible."

VISITORS TO HANOVER for the Commencement week-end will be treated to the first appearance of the new Hammond organ of which the College is the proud possessor. Under the direction of Prof. Fred Longhurst sweet organ music will flow from the trees in the Bema at the graduation exercises. The explanation of this phenomenon will be that amplifying horns will be concealed in the trees. The Hammond organ, a marvel of fine workmanship and electrical genius, consists of a small portable console. Its music is produced with the aid of amplifying apparatus and its tones range from the slightest pianissimo to the thunderings of a crashing fortissimo. This amazing and useful instrument will be in evidence at various events during the festivities. A public demonstration of its accomplishments will be given in Webster Hall, Sunday afternoon, June 14.

THE FLY FISHING season is under way. When apple trees blossomed out in Hanover and vicinity a week or more earlier than usual the veterans made the most of the early fly-time. Nearby streams, the Mascoma River and the White River, have proved to be just as good waters for rainbow trout as ever, in spite of the bad spring floods. Waite's River up near Bradford is another good early stream. The Ammonoosuc is probably without a peer in the east as a fly fishing stream par excellence. Unlike the others mentioned, the Ammonoosuc doesn't provide much sport until late in May but it continues to be good right through the summer. There isn't any better dry fly fishing in this whole section of the country in the summer months.

Both New Hampshire and Vermont are doing much improved jobs in fish and game conservation. Long range planning is in evidence in both State departments and generous stocking of legal size trout is bringing our nearby streams and lakes up to the standards set by Maine and other states. When you catch the fly fishing bug you have got hold of something virulent. It won't let you go, and you don't want it to, either. If it has got you, or you want to expose yourself to it, do some big stream fishing up in this North Country (or anywhere else) in the next few weeks.

THE ITEM comes from Dr. J. Gile 'l6 that he bought some flies from an old woodsman during a salmon trip down east and when he saw him a few days later asked what he did with the money. It turned out that the money had gone for gum, candy, tobacco and, of all things (for the old feller lived on fish the year round) the rest was spent for canned salmon!