Letters

Closer Relationship Needed

To THE EDITOR: May I give my approval to the thoughts expressed by Mr. Ben Ames Williams in the March issue. In these days of crumbling ideals, the opportunity to fall back on such a stable relationship as that existing between college and alumni is invaluable. Mr. Williams rightly asserts that it is the duty of the College to strengthen that relationship. The question is —how may the College do this? Mr. Williams has made one suggestion. Are there other ways?

I believe that the College should make known to the alumni its problems and policies to an even greater extent than it does now. By asking alumni counsel on such important problems as admission standards, the value of extracurricular activities, the merits of conflicting theories of education, the College accomplishes two things.

First, it ties the alumni more closely to the workings of the College, it gives them a more concrete attachment to it.

Second, it brings to the College the opinions of men engaged in widely varying activities, and living in widely scattered sections of the country. The College should encourage particularly the evaluation of College courses in the light of experiences in life after college. In what respects and why have these courses failed to prepare the student for the problems of a complex world? Has college training given the individual a philosophy of life which enables him to adjust himself to ever-changing circumstances?

This and many other problems should be threshed out between College officers and alumni, either through the ALUMNI MAGAZINE or discussion meetings. The latter, if practical, would more likely engender more valuable advice than any other means.

New York City,March 7, 1940.

C'est La Guerre

To THE EDITOR: Perhaps after the anti-Qua letters in your February number, you will publish this one, just to give the poor old Tory a bit of comfort.

Unlike Mr. Millimet, I have not "visited the College countless times since my sad parting with its pleasures"; and although I am acquainted with several members of the Faculty, I cannot say that I know them "intimately."

But I do say that when I was an undergraduate (1921-1925) at Dartmouth, the then newly hatched Sociology teachers acted and talked precisely as Mr. Qua's young friend quotes them. And, contrary to Mr. Millimet, I "hasten to assure him (Mr. Qua) that to the best of my knowledge and belief, "most of the Sociology instructors, at that time, were, above all, not open-minded. Their chief bugaboo was Capitalism, and their chief idol was Communistic Russia. A student who dared even

mildly to suggest that there might be some good in the former, or some defects in the latter, was shouted at by the teacher until the said teacher's voice cracked in a womanish falsetto.

Of course they weren't all as bad as that I remember Malcolm Willey, and Bowen the Welshman, and "Socy" Woods, who were quite human teachers of the "Cap-sheaf and crown of all the other Sciences," as the Sociologists modestly used to describe their racket.

I could go on here, like Mr. Alden, to give my autobiography, and ideas of "what this country needs," but I don't see what that has to do with Mr. Qua's letter. Though I do not agree with Mr. Alden's implied statement that there can be no pedagogical middle ground between "sensationalism" and an "academic graveyard," I do agree with Mr. Millimet about the ultimate conservatism of the juvenile undergraduate. What he omits to mention, however, is the great harm the young man, filled with half-baked ideas, can and probably will do before he attains "conservatism." A splendid example is Rexford G. Tugwell, now a bloated capitalist—but Mr. Alden and Mr. Millimet and their children for many generations will be paying for the irresponsible \blunders made by Tugwell (and his ilk) before the happy conservative state was reached. And just to match Brother Alden's Ceci dit, I finish my letter with that cryptic word in a foreign tongue: Dixi.

One thing more: Mr. Alden says he longs for Social Science 1 and 2, where he "could express an opinion without jeopardizing his very existence." You couldn't have done it from 1921 to 1925, Doug old boy!

Great Bend, Pa.

Old Taboo

To THE EDITOR: A sudden revulsion to "fiat" as it appeared in a Boston newspaper describing the recent Carnival caused me to realize that not once during my undergraduate days had I heard a fraternity referred to as a "frat."

Since this abbreviation was in use at Hanover a half century ago my curiosity prompts me to ask if any light can be thrown on the origin of the Dartmouth taboo of this rather universal collegiate expression.

IO9 Bradford Street,Needham, Mass.,March 4, 1940.

Charles Henry Richardson

To THE EDITOR: In his beatification of a living colleague, Professor Dewing devotes an ungracious paragraph in the March issue to a distinguished graduate of the College.

Charles H. Richardson, 1892, Phi Beta Kappa, completed a theological course and then returned to Dartmouth for graduate work in Geology. I knew him both as an instructor and as a fellow student. He was my senior instructor in Mineralogy and two years later we did field work together in a period of summer study in Hanover. Richardson was held in such esteem that during this vacation of the College he filled most acceptably the pulpit of the White Church.

I found him a superior teacher, well read, accurate in his knowledge and indefatigable in his pursuit of scientific data. He was a friendly man, he explained in conversational terms, he used only words that his hearer might understand, he had human interests. He"was a student for a PhD and he got it. He engaged in scientific study in uncharted fields. Over 100 of his scientific studies were published. He made Who's Who. For over 04 years he was head of the department of Mineralogy in one of the greatest eastern colleges, Syracuse University, and he died honored and respected in 1935.

As to college nicknames, none ever sticks that was not fairly earned. His was earned. He was enthusiastic in a decade of stoical veneer; he was friendly in a community of Brahmin castes; he was simple in a society that affected superiority; he was reverent while unbelief was a professorial affectation. He was at all times a gentleman.

Hartford, Conn.

Hartford, Conn.

Increasing Secretaries

To THE EDITOR: I think attention should be called to a fundamental change taking place in the constitution of The Secretaries Association. That body originally consisted mainly of class secretaries, representing the alumni in vertical section (chronological distribution) from the oldest living to the latest graduate, always a definitely limited body. Balancing this, the Alumni Council was planned to represent a cross section of the geographical distribution. Now coming into the Association are the secretaries of the rapidly multiplying clubs, upsetting the chronological balance. Together with the associations they already outnumber the living classes, and the secretaries of both are predominately young, 70% of them representing classes of the '20's and '30's, and 90% graduated since 1910.

The distinction between clubs and associations seems not to be sharp. Some of the later associations approach the club type. Of those whose founding dates appear in the address list of the Secretaries Association, half the clubs were started between 1930 and 1938, while half the associations date back to 1910. The clubs represent the alumni upon no particular basis unless it be the area of densest alumni population. Their rapid growth is mainly due to the great increase in the alumni body, but possibly in part to a notable widening in the variety of social interests around which good fellows are prone to gather, as illustrated by the development of luncheon and outing clubs, with perhaps other types in the offing. Both these causes are bound to continue, and new clubs to abound accordingly, making for an unlimited membership in the Secretaries Association.

Moreover the fact that most of the clubs and some of the newer associations are within the jurisdiction and included in the membership of the older associations, giving them double representation, seems to point to a problem of defining eligibility.

I am not sounding an alarm; only offering food for alumni thought.

Fitchburg, Mass.,February 23, 1940

Most Expensive College?

To THE EDITOR: Talking with a wealthy alumnus some time ago, I was astonished and greatly disturbed when he said: "I no longer take the slightest interest in Dartmouth. It is not the college we knew. It is now a rich man's college. Statistics show that it costs more to send a boy through Dartmouth than any other eastern college." Is this true?

Kennebunkport, Maine, [See article in this issue beginning on page 19—ED.]

An Old and Good Friend

To THE EDITOR: What a charming and most appropriate cover for the ALUMNI MAGAZINE for March. Yesterday I had a day at home and commenced with page 1 and read every word through to page 34 and enjoyed it immensely. It seems to me it is one of the most interesting numbers that you have brought out.

I won't attempt to comment on the various articles that interested me except to say that I was very glad indeed to read the article on Professor L. B. Richardson, by Arthur Dewing '25. I don't know which I enjoyed morelearning what Professor Richardson has done, much of which I didn't know about, or the very entertaining and scholarly manner in which Dewing presented this biographical profile—in fact, on each one of these thirtyfour pages I found something that especially interested me.

15 Ashburton Place,Boston, Mass.,March 4, 1940.

Faculty Cooperation Needed

To THE EDITOR: Following the alumni dinner in Philadelphia recently when Dean Neidlinger gave an interesting and stimulating address on the purposes and fruits of a college education, I hoped to talk with him about a matter concerning College policy. Like a solitary Finn taking on scores of Russians, the Dean was surrounded, and I did not get near enough to see the whites of his eyes.

In connection with the article by Ben Ames Williams '10 in the ALUMNI MAGAZINE on the general subject of the obligation of the College to help the alumni lead richer lives, it may not be out of order to mention my experience with some departments of the faculty.

Last May I wrote to two of the faculty members at Dartmouth for information. I did not request long letters of explanation but asked for suggestions as to where I might look to get the facts I wanted, and I enclosed stamps. In neither case did I receive a reply. Nor had I received a reply to a similar letter sent to Hanover several years previously.

Meanwhile, I have written three letters to members of the faculty of other colleges and in each instance they answered cordially. Please understand that I fully realized the faculty are under no material obligation to anyone to reply to requests from persons seeking information. However, if one does not abuse the practice, if members of the Dartmouth faculty are interested in fostering a relationship between themselves and those of the alumni interested in their academic fields, I should think they might be willing to reply to letters of this sort, at least to the extent of using the enclosed stamps to say they are too busy.

As a matter of fact, I believe and am sure that nine out of ten would have put themselves out and that no general conclusion can be drawn from my exceptional experience.

Philadelphia, Penn.

Feared Trouble

To THE EDITOR: After reading Mr. Baxter's letter on page six of your February issue, it occurred to me that you might be interested in a snapshot which I took of Wheelock's first school in October.

The local story runs that the farmers objected to the school for fear the pupils would steal their apples and so were glad when Eleazar Wheelock was granted a tract in New Hampshire.

24 Cannon Street,Norwalk, Connecticut.

Dartmouth-In-Politics

To THE EDITOR: The great quadrennial event in American politics is about to occur. Whatever our individual beliefs, all can agree that active participation in politics on the part of college graduates is to be desired.

To those who are just now feeling the urge to get into political activity, Dartmouth-InPolitics offers its assistance.

Through Dartmouth alumni scattered all over the country this modest organization can help most of those who apply to us for help in taking the first—and hardest—step. Here is a typical case: Mr. Jones '33 writes us that he is a Democrat, living in city X, that he wants to take part in active political work, but does not know just how to go about it. Our files show that Mr. Robinson '24, another Democrat in X. has served a political apprenticeship, has held some offices, and has volunteered to'heln others. We write Jones to call on Robinson and we write Robinson that Jones will call The call is made, and Robinson gives Jones the necessary introductions. After that, if Jones really means business, he can look out for himself.

In the past we have circularized the classes from 1928 to 1936, inclusive. Our offer is not limited to them; and it is a continuing one We now extend it to every Dartmouth man We can say with assurance that our abilities to serve are continuously improving. We invite requests for help from any interested Dartmouth man. We have helped a good many, though we are far from claiming that we have worked miracles.

In order for us to be of maximum aid, the request should ordinarily tell us the writer's party preference. It is needless to say that there is no partisanship in our undertaking, and that it is no part of our project to help secure paying jobs for anyone.

Please address letters either to one of the subscribers or to Dartmouth-In-Politics, 312 Thornton Hall, Hanover, New Hampshire.

Hanover, N. H.,

March 2,1940.

Oldest Living Graduate

To THE EDITOR: I have just returned from a pilgrimage to the home of that Grand Old Man of Dartmouth, Dr. Zeeb Gilman, class of 1863, who lives in Redlands, California, 65 miles from here. I believe that two of the members of the Los Angeles Alumni Association visited him not long ago, which visit was to be written up for the MAGAZINE, but I cannot refrain from adding thereto my own impressions and feelings.

It was truly a remarkable experience to meet a man, lacking only a little over two months of being 99 years old, who is so well preserved physically, and so wonderfully keen and active mentally. Since Christmas he had been very ill, with two trained nurses in attendance, but today he was much improved, sitting up in bed, with only one nurse in attendance. And by the way, the old gentleman certainly knows how to pick nurses that are very easy to loot at! When I entered his bedroom and looked into his wonderful countenance, and bright eyes, I found it impossible to realize that there before me was a man nearly. 100 years old, the oldest of all the many living Dartmouth alumni.

Many a man of 60 would envy that full, wrinkle-less face, and smooth forehead, and those lively, smiling eyes. But the most remarkable of all is his mental activity and keenness and his memory of events and people of long ago. Story after story fell easily from his lips, about his college days and college mates, his experiences while serving in the Union Army in the Civil War, his meetings with Lincoln, and his account of the happenings on the night when Lincoln was assassinated; all told so vividly as to make them stand out, picture clear, to the listener. And his grasp of detail is outstanding: quick as a flash, when I told him the name of ray old home town in New Hampshire he told me that a college mate of his, whom I happened to know very well, came from the same town. And all through it was a delicious sense of humor, as when he related the college nicknames of himself, and a classmate, or when he told about old Prexy Lord. Indeed, this visit with Dr. Gilman was a most unusual and inspiring occasion for both myself and my sister, who accompanied me, and one which we would not have missed for a oreat deal. May whatever length of old age which may be granted to any of us be as serene and clean and happy as that at which I marveled today! And any Dartmouth alumnus within reach of Redlands will be more than repaid for the time and travel he may spend for a visit to this veritable Dartmouth Shrine.

519 South Oakland Avenue,Pasadena, California,February 22, 1940.

ELEAZAR'S FIRST SCHOOL The building as it now stands in Columbia,Connecticut. A tablet to Samson Occom isplaced in the entrance area.