Gradus Ad Parnassum
AFTER STUDY and reports by its Committee on Educational Policy the faculty has added higher qualitative requirements to the student's work. Advancement beyond the sophomore year and award of the bachelor's degree have become goals to be achieved only by those students who demonstrate their ability to do work of higher quality, as well as meeting quantity of work requirements. The regulations governing attendance also have been changed to abolish the old system of cuts from classes. The penalty for excessive absence from classes is now discretionary with each instructor.
From the descriptions of the revisions by the faculty given in this issue by Professor G. C. Wood and Dean Neidlinger it is clear that the faculty and administration have the objective in mind of encouraging self-discipline and stressing the responsibility of the student for his own progress, year by year, and semester by semester, toward graduation.
There have been numerous movements originating in the undergraduate body for adoption of an "unlimited cut" system. The faculty has shown its interest in committee studies but not until the past two years or so has a frontal attack, in the most thorough sort of fashion, been made on the question of required class attendance. The changes in regulations that are now in effect are sweeping. They will interest every reader of this MAGAZINE, and are fully described, both in principle and detail, in this issue.
Far, however, from setting up an "unlimited cut" system there is truth in the sobering thought that has come to students that in effect, the new plan is a "no cut" system. To term the system as either of these extremes is not correct, however. The objectives of self-discipline on the part of the student, and a closer relationship between him and the instructor in their cooperative enterprise of education, are goals that the requirement of greater emphasis on quality work seek to achieve.
PLANS FOR THE development of Moosilauke, the "Dartmouth Mountain" are now far from dormant. The impetus of an anonymous and substantial gift together with the assurance of backing by the trustees of the College again brought architect's plans and discussions of the project onto an active basis last year. Under the direction of Ross McKenny, who is the woodsman and guide and outdoor teacher for the D.O.C., logs were cut during the winter for camp buildings at the base of the mountain, in Jobildunk Ravine. It was the first and long awaited step in building a mountain campus.
The Outing Club has pioneered in many different branches of outdoor activity. Its national fame and the trade mark by which it is recognized is skiing. In addition to taking credit for beginning and nurturing competitive skiing in this country, the Outing Club also merits recognition for its great share in building the interest of the public in skiing as a recreational sport. The bug that has bitten the country and the place of skiing as a recreational activity of the first importance is the result of stimulation and encouragement and planning by many different groups and individuals. But far back in the history of the sport and constantly during its development the famed initials —D.O.C.—have played a major role.
The Outing Club wants Moosilauke to be much more than a skiing camp or headquarters. The vast wilderness in which the lofty summit of the mountain is centered is a setting that the Club and the College want and plan to take full advantage of in creating a greater interest and participation among students and alumni in year- round outdoor life. It is a great satisfaction to have the plans of the Club maturing to the point where the first buildings are being erected on what may and should eventually become a wilderness retreat for Dartmouth men and their friends and families for skiing or hunting or fishing or loafing.
BY FAR A larger issue than student publications, one that rocked the campus last spring, is the question of changing the name of the Nugget. "NEVER!" cried the student body, in answer to the announcement of a contest to pick a new name for the local movie palace. The new name was needed, it was explained, because the old Nugget was to be so thoroughly done over that it wouldn't be recognized in the fall.
Lest the alumni fear for the old traditions, the name is still the Nugget. And the Nugget stands on its old location, but now there's a gallery, new chairs, and a ventilating system. Perhaps peanuts, hisses, and boos will again fly through the pure atmosphere of the luxurious new and bigger Nuggett. But to date law and order, and even a moderate decorum, prevails. It's a first rate little theater and merits much more respect than the old place deserved, or got.
ANNOUNCEMENT in "News of the College" in this and the October issues of gifts to the new-born Friends of the Dartmouth Library are the first of what may very well become a long and impressive list of donations to Baker Library. Alumni and other friends have contributed books, manuscripts, and other literary items of value to the library through the years. The present movement, to found and encourage the organization of Friends of the Library is designed to give greater emphasis to the needs of the library and to give some, though quite informal, unity to a program of searching for benefactors where they might not otherwise appear.
It is appropriate that the first two gifts should come from two of the library's staunchest friends. Mrs. Bella Landauer (mother of James D. Landauer '23) and Prof. Herbert Faulkner West '22 have both been interested for years in the present movement. Mrs. Landauer's gift of books from the personal library of Ted Marriner 'l4 (whose distinguished career in the foreign service ended tragically, and futilely, with an assassin's bullet) is very much in line with her thoughtful generosity in earlier gifts of numerous collector's items that are highly prized by the College. As for Herb West's constant and devoted efforts in behalf of literary endeavors in the College no eulogy is needed in these pages, where he is a monthly contributor of the widely read section "Hanover Browsing" and his work is appreciated by the alumni. For a book collector with well-developed acquisitive instincts to donate 123 valuable items, that have been searched out and saved, and that are the apple of the owner's eye—for the collector to turn these over in toto as a gift is a very generous act. This Professor West has done. His virtually complete collection of R. B. Cunninghame Graham ("Don Roberto") he has just presented to the College through the Friends of the Dartmouth Library.
Richard H. Mandel '26, and his brother, Frank E. Mandel '24, have frequently demonstrated their concern for the literary activities of the College. Dick Mandel's gift of his valuable Mencken collection is another boost for the Friends of the Library.
Other gifts of value—collections that will be useful to students and faculty—are known to be heading toward Hanover. The keenly interested group of founders of the new society have already established their usefulness to the College. And we'll hear more of them in the future.
TWO STALWARTS among the alumni are gone. They were stricken so quickly that news of their passing was a sudden shock to friends who had not known of their impaired health. Homer Eaton Keyes '00 ... .Edward K. Woodworth '97. They were both of the same College generation and both served Dartmouth throughout their lives.
Homer Eaton Keyes gave his talents generously to this MAGAZINE in its earliest years. He was a fine literary craftsman. His standards, for his own efforts and those of others, were very high. Most of his career went to the College as administrative officer and teacher. His work in Hanover was important and always creative, and of permanent value Ned Woodworth, as Alumni Councilor, president of the General Association of Alumni, as the staunch supporter of the College in New Hampshire—all his friends and acquaintances have known since the '90's that he was a Dartmouth man, and proud of it. And so was Dartmouth—appreciative of his life- long service in alumni affairs, and glad to have Ned Woodworth among the stalwarts in its long line of sons.
BY THE END of this month it will be known whether the Big Green football team of 1938 is entitled to rank among the greatest of Dartmouth teams, or whether its destiny is to be something less than the highest fame. Major game victories over Princeton, Brown and Harvard have stamped the team as of championship calibre. But this fall there is not the evidence of crushing power, or of equal talent on offense and defense that have characterized Earl Blaik's elevens of the past two years. In fact, at this writing, one feels that a combination of exceedingly skillful coaching, great determination on the part of the players, and the offensive and defensive brilliance of Capt. Bob MacLeod's play have overcome some handicaps and largely account for Big Green success up to mid-season.
Bill Cunningham '19 will tell you all about the season in next month's ALUMNI MAGAZINE. Meanwhile, may we enjoy succeeding Saturdays without great trials and great tribulations.
PLANS FOR THE third National Dartmouth Pow Wow are completed, and announced in this issue. From the time of arrival of the special trains from the east, north, and south, converging on San Francisco the morning of November 25, the two days following will be memorable ones for all participants in the week-end events The Pow Wow idea, which originated among the Chicago alumni under the leadership of Henry H. Hilton '90, offers a medium for major gatherings of the alumni outside of the reunion season in Hanover. Two Pow Wows were held in Chicago—in 1934, and 1928, both highly successful. A somewhat similar event was held in Boston at the time of the Stanford game in 1930. Somewhat less than two years ago the alumni in Atlanta staged a two day Pow Wow, or a "Dartmouth -in-Dixie" week-end.
The Associated Harvard (Alumni) Clubs meet in a different city of the country every year. The week-end program provides talks on various phases of University and alumni affairs and the meetings are bound to create wide interest in that section of the country. These national Harvard meetings are not, held in connection with an athletic event. The Chicago alumni (Dartmouth) reported some years ago their feeling that there may be greater advantage in holding a Pow Wow entirely separate from a football game, or any other game, which was true of the 1924 Pow Wow held in mid-winter without benefit of an athletic drawing card.
The Pow Wow at the end of this month has needed to capitalize on the Stanford- Dartmouth game, to secure widespread attendance of western alumni. To the chairman of the general committee, Guy P. Wallick '21, and his helpers who apparently include all of the able-bodied alumni west of the Rockies, go our best wishes for large attendance at all of the week-end events, November 25 and 26. There is no need to express hope that the events will be enthusiastically attended. There are no groups of alumni anywhere more keenly aware of the satisfactions to be derived from Dartmouth associations, or more devoted to the College and its welfare, than are the western alumni clubs. For the first time alumni from the larger centers (and from in between points) will get together. And visitors from the east and middle west will be given a cordial welcome. It is a promising week-end for giving greater unity of interest and understanding in the College to several hundred Dartmouth men.
GOOD LUCK to the newest and most handsome of undergraduate creations—the new "magazine of Dartmouth life"—PACE. With the notable exception of the Aegis student publications have not kept up with progress in the printer's art. Some issues of the Pictorial have now and then looked good. The Jacko has not appeared to pay much attention to printing style. The Dartmouth looks like the "oldest college daily in the country," which is its proud boast.
Along comes Pace with the slickest sort of coated paper (it is expensive and we are jealous) which makes pictures look like the originals. Care has been given to selection of feature articles and departments and to preparing copy for these. And the cover is striking—an excellent design by Ray Nash, and a first rate picture by Adrian Bouchard.
Here's good luck and best wishes to the sleekest and best-groomed of the student publications. Alumni would enjoy seeing every issue, if the first number is a sample.
IN THE LITERARY columns of "Hanover Browsing" last month the Browser was discriminating and discerning as always. The Browser found Kenneth Roberts' latest book Trendinginto Maine not up to the high standard of Northwest Passage and other famous stories by Dr. Roberts. (Dr. is right—Dartmouth Litt.D. in 1934 ) Shortcomings of the book are admitted but to the editor it is a great book, a work of art. Why?
Just one reason why. It's because Dr. Roberts writes about partridge shooting again. In Arundel he described, in a leisurely and thorough fashion, the methods employed in Maine pioneer days of putting down a tub of partridge breasts against the long winter. Trending into Maine goes into a lot of matters of more or less importance. But the chapter on "Maine Gunning" and especially the pages on partridge shooting make this book a work of art. Reading about the "thunder" of a rising covey of birds, and the sounds of dogs, the calls and shots, the stillness and beauty of the woods—these things are extremely vivid. They are positively criminal when there is office work to be done.... the sun would be slanting now through the white birches and young pines in that cover up near Orford on the river bank
Kenneth Roberts' stories of hunting (and cooking and eating) rank with that famous unpublished series: With PeteBlodgett in New Brunswick, With PeteBlodgett in Alaska, With Pete Blodgett inLyme Center, etc.
