Architectural Critic

TO THE EDITOR: Looking over the lavish and thrilling plans for the new theater plant as de- scribed and pictured in last month's mag- azine, most everyone is at first glance probably saying: "swell," "wonderful," "just the kind of place we've been need- ing," "fits in so well with everything else on the campus," "great spot for everybody to get together in."

But because I can still remember some things that I gleaned from my Freshman English course that dealt in architectural values, John Ruskin, the place of function in design of structures, and because I have a love of Dartmouth that is partly centered in the virility, ruggedness (even rugged individualness), and appropriate grace of its buildings, I hereby desire to register—if it's not too late—at least one vote of protest against the new theater plans as now drawn by the College architect for the following reasons. The project is, I believe, important enough for alumni discussion.

1. One specific point: Can you imagine the whole Dartmouth family sitting in solemn and holy Convocation in an "artificially lighted" room whose walls are covered by "hangings painted in abstract designs." Contrast that to the actually stirring scenes in old Webster with the College assembled in the sun-drenched room, walls white in true colonial meeting-house style, portraits of Dartmouth's famous gazing down on all sides. Much of this can be recaptured in a modern larger auditorium by proper designing.

2. My primary point is that the strength of the Dartmouth Campus plan of architecture aesthetically speaking lies in the fact that all its buildings were not designed in one era, nor any great number, as yet, by any one man. The true spirit of the age and of the men who first trod their halls is expressed in such buildings as the Old Row, Crosby, Reed Hall, and even Rollins Chapel, not to mention many others. Go to Duke if you want absolute uniformity of style.

That certainly is not what individualistic Dartmouth wants. Contrast the new White Church, not designed by the College architect: its inherent spirit and feeling are refreshingly different after the sameness of the new College buildings. (And I have visited Hanover as late as August 1938.) Deliver us from more of them.

My primary objection is not in the new structure itself standing alone, but with its stereotyped design, and dull unexhilarating exterior and interior pattern compared with the growing number of new College edifices. One knows what to expect over every doorway, around every windowsash, and at the capital of each column and pilaster.

To get new and fresh life into so important an addition to the College plant as this theater will be, I suggest we do as other colleges have done and continue to do—in fact an eastern college has just finished a theater designed similarly—hold an open competition for design of a new theater given certain requirements as to use, location, and tradition. Certainly our Art department has helped to turn out a few good architects, even if no one else can be found who is interested in injecting some adrenalin into our deep blue architectural funk.

I am certain a competition of this sort would increase enthusiasm in our theater project from the viewpoint of its housing as well as its future use. The architects and those who appreciate good architecture among the alumni must have dreams galore of what they would like to see on the Hanover Plain. Why not give them a chance?

Cleveland, OhioDecember 15, 1938.

[ln the months intervening since plansfor the proposed new auditorium andtheater were first drafted the planning committee working in collaboration with J.Fredrick Larson, College architect, hasmade several revisions in the sketches published in the December issue of the ALUMNIMAGAZINE. One of the most interesting andimportant changes is a different design forthe exterior of the building, facing thecampus. This new perspective does not attempt to retain the present portico of Webster Hall. When the new plans are finallyadopted by the committee they will be reproduced in these pages.—ED.]