Hanover Holiday Plus Alumni College

THIS JUNE'S EXPERIMENT IN A WELL-ROUNDED VACATIONINCLUDES AN INTELLECTUAL PICK-ME-UP

FREQUENTLY alumni have suggested that in the midst of the daily hurly-burly they would like to participate vicariously in the reflective calm of the College's "Ivory Tower." Most particularly in these parlous times, with rapid social change and immensely confused public issues, some alumni have expressed the recurrent wish that they might have periodical opportunities to return to the perspective of the classroom for clarifying analysis of their own ideas on the issues which push themselves to the fore in such rapid succession these days. With these wishes go other desires to refresh aquaintanceship in the sundry cultural fields opened up to them as undergraduates. Relatively few men have had more than limited time for maintaining and developing the interests aroused in their undergraduate days. Those who have been forced largely to neglect these interests want to reawaken them, and those few who have been able to sustain them are curious about the changes in emphasis and points of view, always existent in all fields with the discovery of new knowledge and so especially notable in some rapidly developing fields.

It has been urged that the College should accept some responsibility for saving from stultification in the busy press of daily affairs the minds that were awakened and made hungry under her auspices. She should, it is argued, occasionally rekindle the fires of inquiry, keep her sons informed of significant developments in their respective fields of special interest, give their limited reading moments guidance toward important books amid the chaff poured out by roaring presses, and maintain in general an active link between the intellectual life of her classrooms, seminars, and library, and the minds of her alumni.

There has, however, been no satisfactory answer to the question how this link was to be maintained. An occasional reading list has been published, awakening only fairly widespread interest. THE ALUMNI "MAGAziNE has offered reading guidance through lts book columns. Tuck School has published reading lists. How to supplement, how to expand these services to provide the more direct, intimate and complete intellectual contact which is apparently sought?

From time to time, the "Alumni Col'ege" idea has been advanced, frequently With reference to the notable and still inleasing success of a project of this sort at our sister institution down the Connecticut Galley, Smith College. But some degree of truth has to be granted to the contention that circumstances are quite different for the college woman, who apparently welcomes the idea so enthusiastically, from the circumstances that apply to the college man who, weary from a pretty hectic life of breadwinning, wishes to devote his brief vacation respite from his daily pressures to complete relaxation of mental and nervous tension. In such a frame of mind, one will not eagerly take up any project which strikes him as a sort of summertime night school.

Making what would appear to be a safe assumption, that there are some number of Dartmouth men who would enjoy intellectual fare under Dartmouth auspices if properly prepared and presented, those who have interested themselves in an informal way with the Alumni College idea have wondered how, without pandering simply to superficiality or invading the proper sphere of sewing circle book clubs, a worthwhile and stimulating lecture program could have incorporated with it the holiday idea which is, and properly, the primary vacation-time interest of him who, up to depression times, at least, was known as the Tired Business Man.

The Alumni College idea is not a new one in Hanover, and it has sporadically been advanced and discussed. In fact, series of summer alumni lectures were given on the Guernsey Center Moore Foundation some years ago, without arousing sufficient interest to justify their continuance. Those who have recently interested themselves in similar projects have been content to let this earlier experience stand as sufficient indication of the probable lack of success of any new venture along this line.

With all this in the background, what are the new factors in the situation which have led to a new experiment in this field? It happened that a number of people in the College community spontaneously became interested anew in the idea. These, comparing their ideas more or less by coincidence, developed them further and came to a pretty firm conviction that, properly presented, the project under new conditions could be successful.

Indispensable as a favorable element is the original interest and subsequent active participation of Dean Bill. No less indispensable is the energetic administration of the project being given by Mr. and Mrs. Sayre, managers of the Hanover Inn, which has lately become the active scene of so many original developments. And finally, the warm reception of the idea by some of Dartmouth's best-known teachers, selected to represent a diversity of interest, when the project was taken up with them with a view to their participation, gave the informal committee further assurance concerning the possibilities of working out a successful enterprise.

Some new conditions which make the present auspices for such an enterprise more favorable than those previously existent are to be found in Hanover's recent development as something of a summer recreational paradise, with all of the facilities which are to be found in the usual summer resort, plus the unique atmosphere of the college town and all the natural charm of Hanover's setting. The construction of Storrs Pond, providing opportunities for water sports which are so essential to a vacation community, has filled the last remaining requirement. Without wishing to lapse into the style or the subject matter of the usual summer resort booklet, one can now point to an exceedingly popular 27-hole golf course, an excess of tennis courts, good facilities for swimming and all the other water sports, excellent country for riding, and an attractive location as a center for automobile drives. For Dartmouth men, there are added the happy associations of the College, with the "back home" feeling which so many enjoy. Some families have taken over fraternity houses for the entire summer, and traveling faculty members are only too happy to rent homes and apartments. The Inn has begun to sponsor dances and other social activities, and has already established itself as the center of a vacation life lively enough to satisfy the young, and yet not sufficiently hectic to offend or annoy the more sedate.

That a combination of these recreational features with intellectual'work is attractive has already been proven by the visiting scholars from other colleges and universities who have come in increasing numbers year by year, with their families, to enjoy the hospitality of the Baker Library, which throws its facilities open to them and gives them private studies in which to work.

And thus we come to the Hanover Holiday, the announcement of which has recently been made. By scheduling this immediately after commencement, a special bid is made for the interest of members of classes holding reunions. Being already in Hanover, and many of them taking all or part of their vacations at that time, it was felt that they might be attracted to prolong their stay into an inexpensive vacation and enjoy as part of it the Alumni College. The ten lectures have been so timed as to leave ample opportunity for all of the recreational activities mentioned above, or for just vegetating in the sun, with plenty of evening hours for cards and dancing, and the browsing facilities of the comfortable Tower Room of the Library in reserve for rainy days. All these seem to combine into as complete and enjoyable an opportunity for relaxation with intellectual refreshment as could be sought. And wives and friends are invited to participate in the whole program.

Taken all in all, this seems to be about as appealing a program as could be devised. As an experiment in a direction in which many have been interested, its success will be observed eagerly.

THE HANOVER INN LOBBY NOW A THING OF BEAUTY After going through a process of repairs and redecoration the first floor of the Inn presentsan entirely new and attractive appearance. Renovations in other parts of the house havealso been completed but the first floor changes are perhaps the most striking. The verycasual figures in this picture are three of the busiest folks in Hanover (although they donot look it here)— Peggy Sayre, assistant manager of the Inn, Mrs. Bishop, secretary of theOuting Club, and Ford Sayre '33, manager of the hotel.