Gradus Ad Parnassum
THE SENIOR living graduate of the College, Edward Tuck of the class of 1862, observes this month the 75th anniversary of his graduation. As Professor Childs points out in his article commemorating the event in this issue of the ALUMNI MAGAZINE, there have been very few alumni who have achieved this distinction in all of Dartmouth's history. Our "grand old man," the most thoughtful and generous of benefactors, will be 95 in August. In the ranks of all the alumni his age is exceeded only by Zeeb Gilman of Redlands, Cal., who graduated one year later, in 1863.
That a man should live, or exist, over such a tremendous span of years is remarkable. But more astonishing is the fact of mental and physical vigor that now characterizes Mr. Tuck, as has always been true of him. He is positively youthful at 95. The occasional Dartmouth visitor at his home finds him alert and keen, witty in conversation, and so well informed on American affairs as to shame the average caller from the United States; his championship of bimetallism and his up-to-the-minute knowledge of world financial affairs makes him an authority of great prestige in economic and banking circles; from the goings and comings of President Hopkins to the fine points of investment policy and the hopes and dreams of the President and Trustees for the College, these things and a hundred others he knows about the Dartmouth of today. George Hull '18, president of the Dartmouth Club of France, reports Mr. Tuck's interest in seeing more young residents of Paris enrolled in Dartmouth. To this end he recently contributed 5,000 francs to the various activities sponsored by the alumni group over there.
WHETHER OR not alumni are in Hanover later this month to join in cheering his name, and to vote "Aye" to the felicitations that will be sent across the sea to him, all Dartmouth men will pause as they read the words of tribute in this magazine, as they see his photograph on the cover, or as they otherwise learn of the event, to pay honor and homage to Edward Tuck. And to his long-time, everfaithful secretary, Mr. Burke, go our respects and appreciation. And to the memory of Julia Stell Tuck, a helpful mate and a noble woman, we also pay our tribute.
Mr. and Mrs. Tuck are Dartmouth immortals.
lARGELY BECAUSE of erroneous information that reached authoritative bureaus of education in the national government (and the data was released to the press of the country) Dartmouth has been critically hailed as the "most expensive college in the country." It is doubtful if any college craves the distinction of heading the list of educational institutions in this respect. It is certain that the costs of attending Dartmouth are not higher than for many other colleges.
But the agitation of this question of comparative expenses, particularly among the historic eastern colleges of liberal arts, continues almost unabated. Especially in the centers of the country more distant from Hanover are alumni confronted with the inquiry "Is Dartmouth the most expensive? And if not, what are the facts?"
There is no disposition on anyone's part to underestimate the costs of going to college. It is not an inexpensive matter. The colleges are candid in stating to prospective students just what they will be up against in the way of fixed charges and the more variable personal expenses. The chairman of the Personnel Bureau at Dartmouth and director of financial aid, Mr. Neef, is well qualified to estimate the costs in Hanover for he is concerned with daily conferences with undergraduates in regard to budgeting their expenses. In order to give the whole story and to make it as clear and complete as possible, the section of official publications of the college titled "College Expenses" has been revised. It is reprinted in the following paragraphs, highly recommended, if not required, reading, for all alumni who are exposed to questions on this important point.
THE ANNUAL expenses at New England colleges have become well standardized during recent years, and investigation shows that there is only a negligible variation in the costs stated by the various institutions commonly compared with Dartmouth College. In making comparisons, care should be exercised to ascertain whether "estimates of expenses" include or omit essential items such as laundry, traveling expenses, books, clothing, etc.
The annual tuition charge at Dartmouth is $450. There is no additional charge for the College Health Service, which is described more fully elsewhere in this bulletin, or for the various services for which other colleges usually charge special fees, such as for the library, the gymnasium, the recreational athletic program, and the respective laboratories.
The average annual room rental in the College dormitories is approximately $200, although students obliged to economize are usually able to find satisfactory living quarters for $150 or less. Charges for dormitory rooms depend upon the rooms occupied and range all the way from $80 to $300 per occupant.
The cost o£ board, books, laundry, clothing, travel, and various personal and social needs will depend entirely upon the individual student. Board at the Freshman Commons is $270 for the college year; upperclassmen find that approximately $320 a year is needed for board. The cost of books and supplies varies from $30 to $70; laundry, from $15 to $50; transportation is estimated at $35 or more, depending upon the distance of the student's home from Hanover and also upon whether or not he intends to go home during the Christmas and Spring vacations. Clothing varies from $55 to $150 or more annually, and miscellaneous living expenses, including recreation and social activities, would run from $115 to $200 or more.
An undergraduate, therefore, who is obliged to economize and live on a minimum budget without sacrificing any essentials should have at his disposal approximately $1,100 a year provided he lives within a radius of 150 miles of Hanover. Students coming from a greater distance should make an additional allowance for traveling expenses. A student who is not obliged to practice rigid economy should be able to indulge in reasonable expenditures and not exceed a budget of $1,500 a year provided his transportation does not exceed $60 for the year.
The above figures are based upon a study of typical budgets of students in residence at the College at the present time. No deductions have been made in these estimates for earnings or for financial aid which may have been extended by the College.
THE BRIDGEPORT (Conn.) alumni have completed negotiations for setting up a revolving loan fund that is expected to reach $ 1,000 by the end of the summer. The principal fund, to which a sum will be added annually, is held by the College; loans made to needy students from this Bridgeport Alumni Scholarship Fund will be collected by the College at a reasonable period after the recipient's graduation, and will be turned back into income available for loans to others; there are no strings attached to the Fund, except the highly desirable one of retaining the privilege in the Bridgeport Association of nominating the boys to whom aid will be given, subject to the final selection by Mr. Neef of the College.
The Chicago Alumni Scholarship with a principal of $2,000 and an annual contribution of $500 was given to the college two years ago. One of the youngest of our alumni associations, recently established in Wellesley, Mass., has set up a scholarship fund with a first payment to the College of $50. Other groups of alumni are discussing the possibilities of contributing either substantially or modestly to the endowment funds of the College by setting up regional funds of the sort described here.
President Hopkins was the first of the college presidents to point out the need, more than ten years ago, of making financial aid available to the most promising of the boys granted admission from all sections of the country. The Alumni Council's current project of encouraging the regional associations of alumni to make a start in a nation-wide movement to achieve the President's long-desired objective is gaining ground steadily.
BEING AWAY from Hanover for 33 years, without a trip back, is something of a record. There are doubtless men who have not returned to the College for as long a period, or longer, but few whose observations would be made as acutely or described as vividly as has been true of Robert Davis '05. The editors are happy to present a contribution from him in this issue.
Mr. Davis' early career was entirely in the field of religion, principally as a minister of the Presbyterian church with pastorates in New York City and Englewood, N. J. After a distinguished war record when he served as a major in the American Red Cross he settled down in Margaux, Gironde, France, and carried on a wine and cattle business. The "ancient and wellreputed vineyards" over which he is lord and master are those of Chateau Dauzac and Chateau Monbrison. During this college year, however, he has taught post-war history at Middlebury College and will return to the neighboring college in Vermont next year.
Mrs. Davis is the daughter of Princess Marie Karadja, of Athens, whose grandfather was the moving spirit of the Greek war for independence. The children, referred to in his article, are girls-Joy, Noelle, and Elizabeth.
EVERY ONCE in a while someone is kind enough to say: "I don't see why every Dartmouth man doesn't want to have the ALUMNI MAGAZINE on his living room table." Yet there are quite a few who don't or who do not to the extent of being willing to part with the necessary $2.50 per year. For four years in succession senior classes have voted to buy group subscriptions covering all of their members for a five-year period, at a reduced rate. Although there is a loss to the management in following this plan it is felt that the long-time advantages to the College, and doubtless to the MAGAZINE itself, are well worth the investment.
The Secretaries Association, which is responsible for this publication, is encouraging group subscriptions by all classes. The plan allows for the collection of class dues, if any, along with subscriptions; it also provides for payments of the combined fee to cover the intra-reunion period of five years, or shorter periods of years. Some progress toward the goal of greater circulation has been made for the report to the secretaries last month showed a total of 6,188 subscribers, an increase of 448 over last year.
CATHEDRAL PINES BACKGROUND FOR DARTMOUTH-WILLIAMS CREW RACE ON THE RIVER
