Letters
Local Torquemadas
To THE EDITOR:
I was disturbed in Dartmouth's refusal to hear Earl Browder as reported in the press and the apologies of the Council on Student Organizations do not allay the issue. I am sure the Bill of Rights was not conceived in the sweet righteousness expressed by the Council and contrary to its opinion, the "existing circumstances" to which it objected should have been welcomed as a proper flint on which to strike its boasted liberalism. Under Constitutional guarantees a man is innocent till proven guilty and since Mr. Browder had the courage to appear in person, it was but a matter of lesser courage to permit him. Nor do the threats of local hoodlums reduce the citizen's rights to speech as were clearly stipulated by the Supreme Court in its blistering decision against Mayor Hague. That only a minor "pressure group" wanted him is no defense; and if they were "vociferous," so much to their credit. Ideas like oaks out of acorns grow, as did incidentally our Bill of Rights.
I have in mind a similar occasion in the early 1920's when I was a student. William Z. Foster, a communist under U. S. indictment, spoke in Dartmouth Hall after being refused in other universities. He spoke on a subject that was very unpopular in those post-War years, a subject that called for great courage and that recent years have proven to some degree true. His example and the courgage of the College stuck by me for years. It was a living healthy experience, a practical demonstration of classroom theory. It made for good citizenship.
The Council in its objections to Browder has denied this generation of Dartmouth students a great experience in political tolerance and besides denying the wishes of a minority group has, probably unintentionally, comforted the local Torquemadas.
North Rose, New York,
January 8, 1940.
Ogres of the Faculty
To THE EDITOR: Will you please register one strong but not very alarmed dissent to the opinions of Francis M. Qua '11 as published in the January issue of the MAGAZINE?
I use the word opinions in its usual sense of a personal expression of belief, and I write this chiefly to soothe Mr. Qua's no doubt sincerely troubled spirit. Although I am a much younger one, I am an alumnus, too, and I can sympathize with Mr. Qua's resentment at change in the thing most of us love above everything except our God, our family and our country. Mr. Qua's difficulty, I think, can be laid at the door of sudden discovery. It seems fairly clear that his relationship with the College has overemphasized fond memories at the expense of intimate acquaintance and informed friendship with those whom I consider the real backbone of the institution. I mean the faculty.
When you read your words in cold type, Mr. Qua, don't you honestly believe that you were somewhat less than fair in your off hand condemnation? As a lawyer, perhaps you will be more convinced if it is pointed out just ever so gently that your freshman's testimony is quite manifestly hearsay? And I might add that it is extremely doubtful whether the "Bulletin" is the best evidence of what the courses are all about. Perhaps a more accurate impression could be gained from the classes themselves—or from a frank discussion with some the ogres of the faculty.
I do not wish to take issue with Mr. Qua on specific statements, but I do wish to say that for one who is so loyal to the College he is strangely bitter about its present status. Unlike my brother of 1911, I have visited the College countless times since my sad parting from its pleasures three years ago. I know many of the faculty intimately and I should hasten to assure him that they are, to the best of my knowledge and belief, honest, industrious and above all open minded. If anything, they lean over backwards to avoid expressing their own convictions. I would say that they are the least opinionated group of men I know.
As for Mr. Qua's fears for the tenderminded undergraduates, may I commend him to a chapter in Van Wyck Brooks's recent Flowering of New England. I believe it is called "The Younger Generation of The Forties." As I remember it Mr. Brooks says there was a young red in every family and this was particularly true of those who sent their sons to the old New England colleges. Dartmouth is specifically mentioned as one of the hotbeds.
The College and the country have both done pretty well since then, and there is reason to believe that if we keep our sense of proportion (and continue to contribute to
the Alumni Fund) there are some hopes for the future.
Really, Mr. Qua, the College, is doing fine, and I will personally indemnify you against Stalinism in the family if you will send your four sons to our most respectable alma mater. I am sure it would be of benefit to all hands.
Concord, N. H.,
January 10, 1940.
Thoughts on Siwash
To THE EDITOR:
ALTHOUGH MR. FRANCIS M. QUA'S comments on educational practice at Siwash may provoke some more pertinent reply from Professor Umpdedunk himself, the present writer has difficulty restraining his feelings and offers them for what they may be worth. Since Mr. Qua sees eye to eye with Mr. de Voltaire on the question of academic freedom, he will doubtless grant me an audience and all the more so because we have a common meeting ground: he admits that he is a rank capitalist and I admit that I know no better system than capitalism for maintaining individual freedom which, to my unsocial mind, counts most in this world.
Ceci dit, I cannot refrain from enjoying the jubilation of Mr. Q.'s amorphous freshmen when he exclaims again, "I told you so!" In fact, Mr. Q. anticipated that remark; he knew that he incarnated the very principle of reaction which the freshman's artificially induced iconoclasm sought to overthrow. Why do the wiser minds of the administration not only encourage but initiate this destructive attitude? he queried. The answer would seem to be: so that there might not be men like Mr. Q. in the world, for Mr. Q., in spite of the open-mindedness with which he judges his conservatism, is far more dogmatic than liberal. Does he not urge the teaching of that "solid basis of non-controversial fact" as though there were such a thing as ultimate truth and we had discovered it? American education, of late, has been so preoccupied with frills and thrills that the present writer is tempted to applaud Mr. Q.'s demand to get back to the fundamentals. But, on the college level, getting back to fundamentals does not preclude thinking. This writer, as a teacher of French, would like nothing better than a return to the old curriculum providing for the study of language as one of the fundamentals: he would even argue for the now obsolete theory of the transfer of knowledge, but he would argue even more for language as a tool to get at something else, first of all beauty, secondly this mass of controversial evidence which constitutes reality.
The writer is teaching in a state institution where a premium is put on numbers and where the curriculum is designed to give the graduate an immediate means of livelihood, a far cry from the liberal arts college. Although the curriculum is not founded on a broad basis of non-controversial fact since typing ranks in course credit with philosophy, ideas and discussion have no place in it either. There is no place for such frills in a town where an English professor is telephoned out of bed at midnight by an irate mother who tells him: "Dr. X. has been preacher at the Methodist church longer than you have been a professor and will be here after you leave." (The professor had asked his class to discuss recent sermons and had not suppressed a student who had said that the aforementioned Dr. X. was boring.) Such a town needs to be startled out of its conservatism even at the risk of shaking its social foundations. Anything, even revolution, were better than that.
So the present writer, as he drills verbs and discusses the Encyclopedists in a literature course with historical detachment and quite unbeknownst to Preacher X., thinks back longingly to the congenial days of "Cit" (as Social Science 1 and 2 was called in the recent past) when he could express an idea without jeopardizing his very existence. To be sure, he got little more out of the course than a distrust of advertising (he remembers only a discussion of Stuart Chase and Consumer's Research), being himself younger than Mr. Q.'s freshman, but, deep in his subconscious, there must have been planted the roots of an attitude which will make him malleable when, and if, the time comes for social change. He will never be an iconoclast for the sake of iconoclasm, but he will not espouse reaction when there is something better to take its place.
I think that is the attitude which Social Science 1 and 2 seeks to inculcate. I may be wrong since this course as outlined by Mr. Q. is a strange beast compared with what I encountered in friendly Choate House. It must indeed be a weird course which places the American constitution prior to Rousseau's Discours stir I'origine de I'inegalite. Perhaps the faculty is composed of young fry, as Mr. Q. somewhat vehemently suggests, seeking sensationalism in preference to an academic graveyard. In my experience, at least, the professor, Stacy May, was neither young fry nor small. But, whatever the application, the idea is fundamentally sound; what this country needs is more courses in Social Science 1 and 2.
Or, I might put myself in the shoe of some of the radicals and inquire whether it is not ironical that a rich man's college like Siwash should teach revolution. After their fling at intellectual independence, won't these impressionable young men return to the conservatism of their elders when the time comes to take the reins of industry or business from the hands of these same elders? My wife, who is the only critic to whom I dare submit these ideas, suggests that a social order whose leaders do not believe in it is doomed. That is, if they cease to believe in it, which is a moot question.
January 10, 1940.
Hanover Holiday
To THE EDITOR:
An extra large portion of fresh snow inside our shoes as we just dashed across the campus served as a reminder that it was time to begin plans for Hanover Holiday in June. It should be rather easy for everybody to remember at this time of year how pleasant Hanover is in
June, and we hope equally easy to slide from that into the resolution to spend the week of June 17th here, getting improved and reinvigorated. For this year an even better program is promised, and lower rates at the Inn are guaranteed. With every other index of living going up, a grateful public should rush to Hanover, and frankly we'll think it foolish if it doesn't. Full details will appear next month.
Chairman, Hanover Holiday Committee
Hanover, N. H.
January 13, 1940.
Bowlers Beware
To THE EDITOR:
The organization of a Dartmouth bowling team now being in progress the members are eager to arrange a schedule. We would like to contact the alumni to see if a few matches with them could be arranged. We realize there probably are few organized bowling teams among alumni clubs, and that these may be far from Hanover. Nevertheless, we would like to know if any club would be interested in a match, regardless of whether they are presently participating in organized bowling.
As for expenses, we can clear the air of that trouble right now. The fellows are willing to go "Dutch" and will pay for their own expenses incurred en route. All we ask is a chance to bowl with the alumni, providing, 0fcourse, we don't have to go too far from Hanover to do so. Just how large a radius this will be depends on many things. First of all, We would like to hear from alumni clubs that are interested; then we shall be able to make our plans accordingly.
It would certainly be our pleasure to visit the alumni any time arrangements can be made, and if we can bring Dartmouth just a little closer to any of them for that evening, we feel sure the evening will have been well spent Thanks, Ed., for placing this in your column. Any replies may be addressed to:
108 Crosby,Hanover, N. H.
A Green Tie
To THE EDITOR:
This is to inform you of the passing of one of your Dartmouth alumni, Fred S. Stripp 'O8. He was one of the most loyal college graduates I have ever known. He thought more of Dartmouth College than any person in my personal experience has thought of his Alma Mater.
Our family has been "Dartmouth conscious" as long as any of us can remember and I think we know as many of the songs as most of your undergraduates. He was always active in the West Coast alumni activities and was deeply disappointed when he was financially unable to send his oldest son to Dartmouth.
Near the close of a three-year illness when we were extremely hard pressed, one of the last things he insisted on was a $2.50 payment to the Alumni Fund—and though all of us knew we couldn't afford it, we all understood and it was sent.
He has been wearing green ties for 32 years and mother went out and got a new one for him to wear at the services. I know he would have been very pleased to have that symbol of Dartmouth with him at the very last.
You have lost a great booster and a gentleman who thoroughly believed that Dartmouth men somehow are different—in fact, he believed that so sincerely that he made it come true in his own life.
I know—I am his oldest son.
28 Wilkie St.,Watsonville, Calif.,January 2, 1940.
Henry Clinton Fall '84
To THE EDITOR:
The following obituary of Henry Clinton Fall '84, from Science, December 29, 1939. should be of interest to Dartmouth men:
"Most people are not aware that the fauna of the United States is still very imperfectly known. Among the insects, in particular, new species can still be found in great numbers, and of most of these which have been described, little or nothing is known of their life and habits. There is thus an immense task before us, to culminate eventually in a work of many volumes, describing the life of this continent in all its details. Such a work can never be really complete, but it might be as nearly so as existing treatments of the fauna of the British Islands or Central Europe. There is no organized effort to reach such ends, but many workers are dealing successfully with particular groups of animals, defining families, genera and species, arranging them according to their apparent natural affinities. During the past 45 years, the name of Fall has been well known to all those concerned with American beetles. Henry Clinton Pall was born at Farmington, N. H., in 1862, and died at Tyngsboro, Mass., on November 14, 1939- He graduated from Dartmouth College with the degrees of B.S. and Sc. D., the latter honorary. When I first knew him he was resident in Pasadena, Calif., happy in the extraordinary opportunities for the study of Coleoptera which he found in the arid southwest. He had been interested in the subject for 15 years before he began to publish, but once he began to record his observations he soon became a prolific writer, especially known for his excellent revisions of various groups and important faunal papers, such as those dealing with Southern California, with New Mexico and Alaska. He described over 1,400 new species of beetles, and had one of the finest collections extant. All this was done in his so-called leisure time- he earned his
living by high-school teaching. His entire
collection goes to the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University.—T. D. A.
Cockerell, University of Colorado."
Hanover, N. H.,January 8, 1940.
Intellectual Scrap Heap
To THE EDITOR:
After reading carefully the variety of "explanations" of the Browder issue in the latest ALUMNI MAGAZINE, I'm still convinced that a
large number of students did a finer brand of thinking on the case than that of those entitled to make the "official" College decision.
So Browder might have spoken on the platform with a spokesman for the National Association of Manufacturers! He could have told the student body some interesting things about that organization!
So the American Legion of White River was ready to march on Hanover! And the college has bowed to their prejudices. They can say, "We kept those Reds quiet!"
R. E. Glendinning's summary of the situation in The Undergraduate Chair seemed a much more impartial survey than the cut-and-dried version in the editorial section of the ALUMNI MAGAZINE.
If the college turned Browcter down because they didn't think their liberal ideas needed to be defended and because they were reluctant to offend Harvard, then the official action was even more smug and foolish than I thought. Liberal ideas ALWAYS need to be defended; witness Germany, Italy, yes, and Jersey City and San Antonio.
And if we are satisfied to do nothing more than Harvard in social pioneering, we've confined our Alma Mater to an intellectual scrapheap.
Students who heard Browder at M. I. T. were inclined to believe what he said because they had ample evidence that his charge about the unfairness of the press was accurate. A crowd jam was ballooned into riotous proceeding, and little was quoted of the actual address.
Therein lies the danger of denying free speech. Behind all flag-waving lie a few fundamental facts. There seems to be no sane reason why students should not be encouraged to hear all sides of all arguments and decide the issues for themselves.
It is to be regretted that the ALUMNI MAGAZINE considers "free speech" a "red herring,"
that the College considers itself so liberal it is beyond the pale of criticism, that Dartmouth has decided to be satisfied with the educational standards of Harvard University!
346 Webster St.,
Needham Heights, Mass.,
Dec. 31, 1939.
Class Secretary's Complaint
To THE EDITOR:
I have received an unsigned communication enclosing a certain section of my Alumni Notes for the January issue with the statement that these notes cannot be used for lack of space, although they-may be included, if I so desire, in the copy for the next issue, to be published or not as space is or is not available.
Of course the editors of the MAGAZINE have definite limitations in the amount of material that can be printed and must exercise their prerogatives in fitting what they have in hand to that space. The notes omitted in the present case are unimportant (although one item is more important than anything else which I sent in) and can be left out without any loss whatever. The same statement can be made of 99% of the items in all the Alumni Notes. In view of the elapsed time they could hardly be included in the February issue under the guise of "news." I have not the slightest objection to the omission of this or, for that matter, of all the rest of the material which I have sent in.
Nevertheless, this ruling places the Secretary in a position of some embarrassment in his relations with his class. With the adoption of the 100% subscription plan it was my conception that an obligation was placed upon me as Secretary to obtain and publish a considerable amount of material each month which would be of interest to the class, if it were of interest to no one else. To collect such material was a laborious, not to say irksome task. It now appears that it was unnecessary. To meet the needs of the MAGAZINE the better plan would seem to be to send items only when an event of real importance has taken place and to make no demand at all for space in the MAGAZINE when nothing in that category can be discovered, which, for 1900, will be most of the time. This policy will be a welcome relief to me and one which I shall gladly follow in the future.
However, some exposition to the class should be made of this policy. I suggest that I include in my Alumni Notes for February the following statement:
"A portion of the items sent in for the 1900 notes in the January issue was omitted for lack of space. In the opinion of the Secretary, the material was as good as the average of that which he writes, but, of course, the MAGAZINE cannot be expected to assume the size of an unabridged dictionary. Only items of real importance can claim insertion. So, in the future, if the 1900 notes are brief or, in some issues, are omitted entirely, that will be because of the scarcity or absence of material of the type thus described."
While I am in accord with what appears to be the policy of the MAGAZINE in this respect, I should like to take this occasion to say that I heartily disapprove of the admission to its pages of the crude insults to the Faculty and especially to the admitting officers contained in the article of Bill Cunningham published in the December issue.
Hanover, N. H.,December 23, 1939.
[At its May meetings the Dartmouth Secretaries Association (publisher of the ALUMNI MAGAZINE) voted to limit maximum space allowed for class notes on a base of number ofsubscribers, as follows: 1-100 subscribers, onecolumn of type; 100-200 subscribers, two columns; 200-up subscribers, three columns. Variations from this schedule may be accountedfor by exceptions in favor of classes comingup to reunions in June, if reunion publicityrequires more than the alloted space; slightover runs may be forgiven; or errors by the MAGAZINE staff, as in the case of of 1898 nateslast month which ran beyond one column andwere not cut, while Mr. Richardson's valuednotes were slashed. We hope a full column of1900 items will appear in every issue.—ED.]
Earliest Alma Mater
To THE EDITOR:
Traveling through Columbia today on Route 89, about 200 yards west of the Willimantic-Marlboro road, I saw the following sign hung from a post in front of an old- looking building painted white:
MOOR'S CHARITY SCHOOL FOR INDIAN EDUCATION
KEPT HERE 1754-1770 BY ELEAZAR WHEELOCK
Columbia used to be known as Lebanon Shank.
Wonder how many alumni might notice and visit the real alma mater?
Hartford, Connecticut,December 13, 1939.
Confidential
To THE EDITOR:
Valentines, of course, are supposed to be confidential but, as one of the lesser Ledyards of 1912, it does seem to me as though this one should be added to the endless saga of "Our River." No one but Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Pennock of Norwich and the Chem. Lab. will suspect. Ben Adams is the only one who might ess. "Cupe" Clark may remember loaning me his meat 18-foot ark of a sailing canoe with its battleshipbeam and the mast and sail that served us as a rainnroof awning before our campfire—but unless he reads this he'll never know that all those missing cushions went careening over Wilder Dam at flood-stage that memorable Memorial Day in 1911 when he was lucky enough to have his canoe returned. Even Bob Belknap and the boys at Wheeler Hall never understood exactly how-come those drenched white flannels on a bedraggled roommate, who came slogging in at sundown.
Twenty-seven years! .... and then comes an unsigned mem-book item like that! Isn't it strange that some people seem to be perpetually puzzled over the "astonishing response" that follows each annual announcement of the Dartmouth College Alumni Fund. What is it, after all, that Dartmouth sells to students with their sheepskins, which is half so precious as the things she gives each year to her sons of the "girdled earth"?
219 Park DriveBoston, Mass.210 Park DriveBoston, Mass.
To My Valentine, 1939
In Memoriam, 1912
They were floating down the river, On a picnic just for two, When a log jam broke behind them. Saints above! What could they do?
In alarm they looked about them. Yes, the shores were far away And the logs would soon o'ertake them— There was no escape that way.
Suddenly, our stalwart hero Plies his paddle—courage high. Downstream, and not far beyond them Lies an island, safe and dry.
On the logs rush, ever nearer. Will they crush that fragile bark! Does a tragic end await them? They, who went but for a lark!
Now the logs are all around them But our Hero, very calm, Winds his cautious way among them, So their craft comes to no harm.
And at last, by skill and prowess, They the wooded island reach; But to find more logs are lying In between them and the beach.
But our Hero, nothing daunted, Skipping lightly, reached the land. By a rope the craft he steadied— To the Maiden stretched his hand.
And the Maiden, ker-nees ker-nocking, Cursing well the heels she wore, Grasped his hand and, scrambling, made it! Both, at last, were safe on shore.
But their troubles were not ended. (Was't a blessing in disguise?) Even as they stood there laughing, Rain came pouring from the skies.
Then our Hero, most resourceful, Pulled their craft well up on shore; Tipped it sidewise, crawled beneath it, Crying gaily, "Let it pour!"
There they rested from their voyage, Ate their lunch all snug and dry, Laughed and smoked and talked together. Hours slipped so swiftly by!
When, at length, they thought of going, Skies had cleared. The. setting sun Warned them 'twould be well to hasten Back to civ-il-EYE-za-shun!
When to launch their ship they hurried, Fate had still a trick to play, Just below foamed log-choked whirlpools! Not a chance to leave that way.
So he pushed his bark in water, Bound the rope above his hand, Pulled the craft on, on behind him While he made his way on land.
So he toiled on up the island 'Til a steep cliff barred his way, Running right down to the water, Slimy-coated, wet with spray.
Cautiously he crept along it. Oh! That rock was reckless-steep! Suddenly he lost his footing—Slipped and fell into the deep.
From above the cliff, the Maiden Gazes downward, stiff with fright; Wishing she might aid her Hero In his damp and soggy plight.
But when he bobbed up serenely, Grinning, dripping like a seal; All around the forest echoed With their laughter, peal on peal.
On again, all wet and chilly, His canoe our Hero towed— On again to zones of safety Where the river gently flowed.
Thus and so they left their island— Star-eyed Maid and Superman— Thus and so, we'll leave this story, Back again where it began.
V'ENVOI
So you think you know the ending?Strange indeed, the ways of Fate!Yes, they were—serenely married;Each, my dears, to another mate!
Twitchell Corrections
To THE EDITOR
Your correspondent, Mr. Blaine G. Sutton, in his story of Dr. Amos Twitchell as printed under "Twitchell Genealogy" in your January number makes several errors which I think should be corrected.
1. Dr. Twitchell did not graduate from the "School of Medicine" in 1802, but in 1805. In 1802 he was graduated from the College with SBK rank and given his A.B. degree. In 1805 he was given the degree of M.B. and in 1811 that of M.D.
2. In 1807, Dr. Twitchell was the second man in America to tie the common carotid artery, the first man having been Dr. Mason F. Cogswell of Connecticut, who performed this operation in 1803. Credit is given both these men in that monumental work, Garrison's "History of Medicine," page 502, where, incidentally, it is mentioned that Sir Astley Cooper performed this operation eight months subsequent to Twitchell's case.
3. Dr. Twitchell was elected to the presidency of the New Hampshire Medical Society in 1827, 1828, and 1829.
He declined offers of professorship at Dartmouth (1824), Bowdoin (1826), and University of Vermont (1827).
Hudson, N. H
In Memoriam
To THE EDITOR:
I send the following poem as a tribute to Franklin McDuffee. Knowing that my former English professors, and especially my friend Mr. Pressey, will agree with me that this offering is a very dubious tribute to one who gloried in the finest verse of the Romantic period, I hope that you will accept with courtesy what can only be credited with good intentions. To one other than a Dartmouth man the poem might well be obscure. But to those students who studied under Professor McDuffee there may happily be a spark of appreciation for one who was himself such a tribute to Dartmouth College.
He is gone, the lover of Keats and Shelley, Gone from his home on the hill: He said, "I would travel still," And he crossed over into the Valley.
He who had loved our hill so well, And carried her name afar; He who had builded her image a star, Has left the sound of her bell.
He has followed the deep dark river That trembles beside her banks; A "hill-man" ever, he gave his thanks And departed, no Indian giver.
So his voice speaks yet from the campus In the shouts of our merry men, And the clear crisp snow hymns his words
again With its voice melodious.
He is gone, the lover of Keats and Shelley, Gone from his home on the hill, He said, "I will not rest until I have builded our hill in the Valley."
Torrington, Connecticut
