Gradus Ad Parnassum
WITHIN THE Dartmouth memory of the editor (the memory is getting longer it is a decade and a half now he is beginning to reminisce about the Good Old Days) Dartmouth Night has taken various forms. Not so long ago Dartmouth Night was celebrated on the eve of a big home football week-end. A torchlight parade formed on the campus and marched to Prexy's home and then wound its way back to the big tent on the campus or to Webster Hall. Young ladies often participated in the affair, marching with their house party escorts and shrieking "Hail, hail the gang's all here" which was the theme song of the parade. Dartmouth Night was not conceived as a co-educational party but it was apparently developing into one. It was, in fact, about even parts a football rally and what it was supposed to be a gathering of the clan in every center of this country, and abroad, and in Hanover.
In late years the complexion of Dartmouth Night in Hanover has changed. There is no band leading a parade because it is now scheduled in the winter and the loyalty of musicians and marchers Would be sorely taxed by an outdoor ceremony in zero weather. Instead the College gathers in Webster Hall for a truly family party. "Men Only" has become the custom and for a couple hours the crowd sings, hears its president, and listens to the talks of distinguished alumni, with more or less abandon. Coincident with the Hanover celebration alumni meetings are held in scores of cities and towns. Messages come from far and near to provide Dean Laycock with ample material for his traditional role of interpreting the spirit of the alumni to the student body. The alumni were well represented at the Webster Hall meeting last month. In addition to President Hopkins '01 and Dean Laycock '96, Ben Ames Williams '10 and Jim Erwin '12 spoke most effectively. The tone of the meeting was by no means entirely serious nor was it wholly otherwise. If you ask us the mixture between these two extremes was just right. Some of the stories do not qualify for retelling here but they will be retold in other places and doubtless for some time to come.
THERE WERE two great athletic events in Hanover last month.
One was the successful attempt of Glenn Cunningham to break existing indoor and outdoor records for the mile, on the alumni gymnasium board track. All of Harry Hillman's predictions came true the big track did what he said it would do for the great runner.
The other important event was the hockey game, between the faculty and the intramural champions of the College, the Tri-Kap team. An assortment of deans, teachers, and other officers surprised everybody, Including themselves, by winning the game. This has done much to bolster the prestige of the faculty with the students. As one of the last ditch replacements for the old timers we expect to get over the effects in time for another game next winter.
THE APPOINTMENT of Paul Sample '20 as "Artist in Residence," to take effect next semester, receives highly complimentary comment from the Art Digest. The editors write that many liberal arts colleges, "leaning over backwards to avoid anything 'vocational,' have gone to the extreme of shutting out all knowledge and inspiration of artistic activity." The move to bring a first-rate American artist to the Dartmouth campus is hailed as a progressive idea and one that the Art Digest predicts will do as good a job of character building as the influence of the coaching staff or "those arcadian conferences with the faculty advisor."
When Orozco was at work on his Baker Library murals, over a period of nearly two years, he was officially listed as a visiting lecturer in art, and it was on that basis that he was' remunerated for his work. Groups of students could be seen frequently during Orozco's long working day standing around below the scaffolding, watching the frescoes in progress. The department of Art, first under the chairmanship of Professor Packard and more recently directed by Professor Lathrop, has endeavored to repeat this type of demonstration of art at every opportunity.
Paul Sample has made a fine name for himself as an artist of the very first rank since the days in Hanover when he was prominent in athletics and was also versatile enough to be the master of a saxophone in the Barbary Coast orchestra. His canvases hang in many of the great museums of the country and his medals and prizes are numerous and give evidence of his fame. The addition of this distinguished alumnus of the College to the Hanover community, with freedom of the studios in Carpenter Hall to practice and demonstrate his art to all who care to avail themselves of his presence, is a most promising development.
IN A CONGRATULATORY note in this column last month we called attention to the three young alumni of the College who have recently been successful in passing the Foreign Service examinations. Of the considerable number of men who were candidates for these much sought-for places in the government service only 21 were accepted on the basis of the examinations. Dartmouth leads the group of the colleges represented among the successful competitors, with three (Parker T. Hart S3' William L. Krieg '35, and Carl F. Norden '29); Yale and Harvard each placed two men in the group, and no other college placed more than one man among those who were successful.
This is indeed encouraging news and particularly to those who have feared that the College is not placing as many men in public and government service as might be expected. The congratulations of the alumni go to these men on the honor and distinction they have already received, and also our hopes that many more will follow in the future to strengthen the record of the College in the public service.
THE ARTIST who is painting an ambitious set of murals for the walls of the Rathskeller in Thayer Hall, Walter B. Humphrey of the class of '14, is pictured in these pages this month with his model for Dr. Eleazar Wheelock and, what is equally if not more interesting, with sketches of other figures to be used in the mural. The entire project, according to the announcement of the plan some months ago, is designed to illustrate both the spirit and the letter of Richard Hovey's great song "Eleazar Wheelock."
It will not be easy to achieve this objective. A straight and serious interpretation of the song, and the mythical legend of the founding of the College, would leave much to be desired. On the other hand, to burlesque the Hovey tale to the point of the ridiculous would be equally unsatisfactory. Mr. Humphrey has stated his desire to portray the humor of the song and to interpret the words in the joyful spirit in which they are sung, appropriate to the masculine atmosphere of the new Rathskeller. Certain anomalies appear in his sketches "the Big Chief who met him" will wear a large D . . . . the venerable Dr. Wheelock will be pictured with an overflowing bowl "for he mixed drinks for the heathen in the goodness of his soul" .... and to our surprised but nonetheless observing eye the "ten squaws and more to come" appear to be more Parisian than North American in general configuration.
In commenting on the Orozco frescoes a lot of folks have said what the College needs is "a real Dartmouth mural." This is now shaping up.
THIS is the annual Undergraduate Issue of the ALUMNI MAGAZINE. If space were available the editors would like to invite other contributions from the ranks of students than it is possible to use this month. Over the years the April issues have been distinguished by wholly worthwhile undergraduate writing, and on subjects of general alumni interest. This year is no exception. The editors are again glad to present a sampling of undergraduate writing and reports on some of the diverse activities of the College.
It is appropriate at this time to call special attention to the valued services given this MAGAZINE by the senior who is editor of the Undergraduate Chair department. Care is taken every year to select a senior who promises to fill this important position in a highly creditable fashion. We appreciate the capable coverage that Ben Ames Williams Jr. '3B has given to undergraduate affairs during the past year.
ALTHOUGH HIS good works are not widely known to the alumni we are glad to point to the highly useful and important services rendered to the College by Earle C. Gordon '11, assistant treasurer. In delving into the financial records (and he does a good deal of delving during the year) Mr. Gordon has discovered some interesting data on the number and variety of memorial gifts or bequests included among the endowed funds. In the general funds of the College there are 55 special funds of which 14 are memorials; among the special gifts or bequests to the Alumni Fund, where only the income on principal is used, there are 10 special funds of which three are memorials; no less than 83 scholarship funds have been established as memorials to fathers, mothers, sons, favorite teachers, or others. Other bequests or gifts of a memorial nature are included in endowment funds for instructional purposes, for the library, for prizes and honors, and other uses. It is interesting that the total number of 364 special funds on the books of the College there are 125, or 35%, carried as memorials.
Within the past year the College has become the beneficiary of several bequests. Two of these are from particularly well known and prominent alumni. Gov. A. O. Brown '78 named the College the residuary legatee of his estate. According to information recently received the College will benefit from the estate of the late Judge Cohen '79. Although definite and even substantial results may sometime accrue to the College from the Gifts Plan now being launched under the direction of the Alumni Council, and concerned with persons who not alumni of the College, the future security of the institution will depend to a major degree, as has always been true, upon the support of its alumni.
IN THE DEATHS of two of the finest of Dartmouth's fine old men, the editor concludes these notes this month with a personal expression of deep regret, and an expression of great loss to the College and all the alumni. Dr. Spalding '66 and Judge Cohen '79 have long been among the elder statesmen whose loyalty to the College has been so enduring as to seem eternal. Although the fourth oldest living graduate Dr. Spalding never missed a Commencement until ill health forced him to bed two years ago. Judge Cohen achieved great distinction in his profession of the law. He was very generous in sharing his success with the College. His influence and example have been great and good in affairs of both the distinguished class of '79 and the College.
ELEAZAR MURAL FOR THAYER HALL IN PROGRESS Walter B. Humphrey 'l4, the artist, expects to have one or more panels for the Rath-skeller mural completed by Commencement. Mr. Humphrey is shown here working withhis model for Eleazar Wheelock who is Mr. Charles Morton, father of William A. Morton'52 and Roald A. Morton '34. Sketches of other figures included in the painting tomemorialize Hovey's great song, are shown in the picture.
