Gradus Ad Parnassum

THE COMMITTEE of the Alumni Council charged with the responsibility of operating the 1938 Alumni Fund campaign has chosen wisely in selecting a synthesis of President Hopkins' definitions of the aims of the College as the opening announcement of this year's drive. "College Responsibilities in Modern Life," a folder that has been sent to every Dartmouth man, is an interpretation of the objectives of the College that will surely be a very welcome addition to the Dartmouth sections of alumni bookshelves.

What the chances are for the Fund to equal or exceed its remarkable record of last year no one can predict. It is certain that the loyal and energetic body of class agents will carry the burden of campaigning with zest and resourcefulness. It is equally predictable that the alumni will rally behind their class groups as they alway have since the Alumni Fund began 25 years ago. The tradition of contributing to the Fund has become firmly rooted in Dartmouth affairs. It is recognized that every man gives according to his abilities but that the great majority do respond. From this tradition have sprung impressive records both as to numbers of contributors and total amounts of contributions. Last year seven out of ten graduates sent gifts to Hanover.

A thoughtful and stimulating message from the President has opened the campaign paign that will end in a few weeks. The response of the widely scattered fellowship of Dartmouth men can be predicted, even though the final figures will not be known until June 30. The response will be a great demonstration of allegiance to the College—to something that shall endure.

A QUESTION that officers of the College are frequently asked by alumni is "How are the fraternities getting along?" The answer, in our opinion, can be briefly and accurately stated that the fraternities took a new lease on life last year; that the Interfraternity Council by virtue of excellent undergraduate leadership did a notable job in the process of revitalization; that the creation of the new administrative position, the College adviser to fraternities, was a most favorable and helpful move; that the officers of national fraternities, chiefly through their special committee of five appointed to work with and on the Dartmouth situation, have been a steadying and constructive factor; and that it seems generally agreed in Hanover that the College is now enjoying more valuable fraternity life.

"How about national affiliations?" is the logical question next in order. This matter could not be discussed with profit to anyone at this time. The fraternities are in the midst of a trial, or experimental, period. They are attempting in all sincerity and with a pretty high order of accomplishment to date to prove their usefulness as social units of the greatest importance in the College. Whether national affiliations should be retained or should eventually be dissolved is beside the point just now when a widespread program of building fraternity activity on the campus is in progress.

WITHOUT THE fanfare and national publicity that attended the report of the Social Survey Committee, submitted and published about two years ago, but of vital significance in the fraternity situation in Hanover, the report of a special committee on rushing and chapter size appeared last month. A summary of its findings appears in the Undergraduate Chair. The work of the group, which was appointed by vote of the Interfraternity Council, has proceeded quietly and thoroughly during the year. The committee found, according to the introduction to its report:

"There has been a large body of opinion, both within and outside of the undergraduate body, that the great variation inthe size of chapter memberships and theexistence of a fair proportion of exceptionally large chapters at Dartmouth constitutes in itself a condition which, withothers, conspires to prevent the renascenceof a valuable and more vital fraternity lifein the College."

One of the factors in the question of reduction, or limitation, of chapter size was bound to be the matter of possible financial complications. It is reassuring to learn that Charles W. Sargent '15, professor of accounting in Tuck School, a member of the committee and official financial adviser to fraternities during the past year, does not feel that limitation of chapter size as proposed will work any financial hardship on the fraternities. The committee emphasizes the point that all members of chapters must be required to pay dues in full except for a few members who will receive awards of "scholarships," or exemption from this requirement on the basis of financial need, or the plan will fail.

IT MAY not be generally realized by alumni that chapters have grown in size, even without membership of freshmen, to the point where 70 to 75 men in a house is not so exceptional as to be a rare case. The unanimity of feeling in the committee's report does not allow for argument in favor of chapters of this size as compared to the recommended limit of 55. There are no arguments in favor except that large chapters will find strength in numbers and will be easily financed. The committee finds these points non-essential and greatly outweighed by the desirability of promoting the "intimacy, cohesion and group responsibility which fraternity implies" and a limitation of membership "which will tend to distribute the available fraternity material more equitably in numbers if not in quality, and bring some measure of security and stability to all existing chapters."

It is our opinion that this last point is the most valid of all. Four fraternities have given up the struggle and gone out of business in the past four years and there have been reports that others of the remaining 22 will find the same drastic action necessary unless they are able to attract a required minimum number of members. It is apparent that these groups need help to get back on their feet. The greater spread in fraternity material that limitation will bring offers something really helpful to several of the houses.

A MOMENT'S reflection will recall to the mind of every living graduate of the College the perennial appearance on the campus of the "demand for changing the rushing rules." It must have taken courage for the latest fraternity committee to tackle this old chestnut but attack it the group did and with excellent results. Hereafter pledging is to take place, during the day-time, in the office of the College adviser to fraternities; there is to be no chance of last-minute midnight hotboxing; pledges will be signed up over the course of several days and that odorous tradition, "pledge night," may be dimmed in its recent intensity of observance. At least all these things will happen if the recommendations of the committee are adopted.

Perhaps this change in the rushing rules will last for more than a year. We are hopeful, even optimistic. But it wouldn't be a good even bet.

Two ARTICLES have been published, recently, which try to prove whether Webster actually said: "It is, Sir, as I have said, a small college. And yet there are those who love it!" This "purple patch" has always puzzled Webster's biographers because it appears in none of the printed versions of his speech and was first quoted in Choate's eulogy on Webster delivered at the Dartmouth Commencement succeeding his death. Choate gave as his authority a letter which he had just received from Chauncey A. Goodrich, a Yale professor who had been present at the trial.

The first article, "Webster's Peroration in the Dartmouth College Case" by John W. Black is printed in the Quarterly Journal of Speech for December, 1937. The second and longer one, "Familiar 'Small College' Quotations. I. Daniel Webster and Dartmouth" by Carroll A. Wilson is to be found in The Colophon, new series, v. 3, no. 1. Both authors discuss the pros and cons of evidence but while Mr. Black is willing to call it a draw, Mr. Wilson has found the long-sought contemporary testimony and comes out flatly in favor of the genuiness of the passage.

HANOVER HOLIDAY promises to be a success. To date, about two months in advance of the opening date (Monday, June 20) of this year's "Alumni College," the Hanover Inn has received more reservations than last year's total in June. Some 25 persons have already signed up for the series of talks and discussion groups that are being widely publicized among the alumni. As we have pointed out in earlier issues of this magazine there is much to be said for the carefully planned effort that is being made by the College to provide alumni and their families with a week of combined recreation and intellectual stimulation. Ten well-qualified' speakers will discuss subjects of importance and general interest. It promises to be a week of pleasant and profitable reunion with the College and the countryside.

THERE IS almost no limit to what might be written in commenting on the extremely valuable contribution that Professor W. A. Robinson makes to our columns this month. As a graduate of Bowdoin he undertook some months ago to locate among the thirteen thousand-odd persons in the Dictionary of AmericanBiography the names of Bowdoin men. It was a tremendous task and no sooner was it accomplished than the editors of the ALUMNI MAGAZINE asked him to consider doing a similar work for Dartmouth. This he very kindly consented to do. Indices that are now available have hardly lessened the magnitude of the undertaking. We are grateful and much indebted to Professor Robinson.

Considering the fact that Richard Hovey of the class of 1885 is a member of the most recent class having a member included in the Dictionary there is a rather large and gratifying total number of graduates listed in the volumes—156 in all. It is a sound observation that Professor Robinson makes—that "going to college was a serious business" in the last century, and earlier. The boy who reached the highly advanced stage of the educational process represented in attendance at college had been selected, or had selected himself, in a natural way far removed from the Selective Process of Admission, or any other policy of admissions. Many of these boys possessed the makings of greatness in youth or they would never have pushed on to a college education.

It is a pity that much more than the space allowed in this issue could not be given to Professor Robinson to describe in greater detail the careers of alumni who are included in the Dictionary. The editors will endeavor to present, from time to time, stories of the lives of these men who reflect glory on the College.

IN A RECENT issue of the New Yorker Morris Bishop appeared as the author of an original bit of research on the American college song, indigenous to the traditions of Alma Maters from coast to coast. Although the department of music in the College, largely in the persons of Professors Longhurst and Cobleigh, are constantly on the watch for new Dartmouth songs, stating that "we don't have enough songs that can be sung with gusto," Mr. Bishop assigns high ranking to songs sung by wearers of the Green. In fact, the opinion of Mr. Bishop was so favorable, after he studied and presumably sang hundreds of college songs, that he committed himself as follows:

"Blessed among colleges is Dartmouth. Blessed in having mothered Richard Hovey, of the class of '85. Hovey, a true poet, gave his college a series of great songs, rich and masculine. 'Men of Dartmouth,' 'Eleazar Wheelock,' 'Hanover Winter Song,' 'My Love's Waitin',' 'A Stein Sang,' 'Comrades,' 'Barney McGee,' and 'Our Liege Lady, Dartmouth' make a garland which no other American college can attempt to match. I allege, in support of my contention, the first stanza of 'Men of Dartmouth': Men of Dartmouth, give a rouseFor the college on the hill!For the Lone Pine above herAnd the loyal sons who love herGive a rouse, give a rouse, with a will!For the sons of old. Dartmouth,The sturdy sons of Dartmouth,Though round the girdled earth they roam,Her spell on them remains;They have the still North in their hearts,The hill-winds in their veins,And the granite of New HampshireIn their muscles and their brains.

"When we turn from these brilliant examples to the typical specimens, we cannot but be impressed by their standardization. College borrows from college with the sans-gene of an undergraduate borrowing from his fraternity brothers. At least thirteen American colleges and probably the majority of our high schools use the tune of 'Annie Lisle' ('Far above Cayuga's Waters') for their Alma Maters; and ideas, to use the word in a loose sense, are appropriated more readily than tunes." THERE IS magic in the name of Richard Hovey for the many who recognize him as a truly great American poet and one whose career, of the greatest promise, was cut short by untimely accidental death. Dartmouth College Publications has announced a new edition of DartmouthLyrics by Hovey, with an introduction by Francis Lane Childs 'O6. It will be a limited edition and subscriptions must be received in Hanover not later than the early part of May.

Some years ago, while browsing in a Beacon Hill bookshop in Boston, a copy of the original Edwin O. Grover '94 edition of Dartmouth Lyrics turned up. It was a valuable find for the earlier anthology has lately been available only at a premium.

Two SPEAKERS ON HANOVER HOLIDAY PROGRAM IN JUNE: PROF. FRANK MALOY ANDERSON (LEFT) AND PROF. LEWIS D. STILWELL, BOTH OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY.