Fifth Hanover Holiday

Dartmouth's Annual Post-Commencement Week of Recreation and Stimulation for Alumni Still Grows

IT is A COMFORTING yet somewhat bewildering thing to have one's expectations and prophecies fulfilled. That is what happened with the Hanover Holiday last June. It was very pleasant for those who had been nursing along this addition to Dartmouth's educational structure to have so many alumni here for the week. They have recognized a good thing, and have begun to plan in numbers to take advantage of it. We hope that this June will find even more on hand to enjoy what is unquestionably a great opportunity for a blending of relaxation and stimulation.

The changed plans for reunions this year have caused new problems for the Holiday. The returning alumni from the five-, ten-, fifteen-, and twenty-year classes, with their guests, and the class secretaries, treasurers, and agents will fill Hanover again the week-end after Commencement. New arrangements for rooms and meals have been made, and new planning for the conduct of the Holiday, especially on the recreational side which has meant so much.

The series of lectures, as last year, will start Monday night, June 16, and end Friday night, June 20, with meetings at 9:30 A.M. and 8:30 P.M. each day. These hours have seemed to suit most persons best, and certainly leave plenty of time for other things. The central topic around which the lectures will be built is "Democracy in Crisis"—certainly not a topic which exaggerates the difficulties ahead of us. First of all will come a talk on "Our Changing Democracy" by Professor John Mecklinnothing more need be said to prove that this will be something to look forward to. The Holiday Committee is very glad that it was able to persuade Professor Mecklin to take part once more in its program, on the eve of his retirement. Professor Earl Sikes is scheduled for "Economic Efficiency in a Democracy"—the vital question of how successfully can we compete with the totalitarian states. On how this is answered in the next few years depends more than can be briefly stated. Professor Sikes is well qualified to discuss the possibilities, as the author of a recent and successful book on contemporary economic systems.

At times it is suggested that science has had its part in getting the world into its present mess. Professor Leon Burr Richardson is going to take that up. In "Civilization and the Scientific Mind" he will speak on what science can do to straighten things out again. No Dartmouth audience needs to be told how good an evening this will be, and the same thing can be said of one planned for Professor James Dow McCallum. In "Eleazar Revists Dartmouth" he will describe the most significant changes since the earliest Dartmouth, and picture the College as it actually is today. There seems to be a lot of talk in various places as to what Dartmouth does and does not, should and should not do, and Professor McCallum will have much to say on the subject. So, no doubt, will his audience.

"Democracy in Practice" should interest everybody. Professor Dayton D. McKean has just published an excellent biography of Boss Hague of Jersey City, and will use that to illustrate a talk on practical politics. It sounds like a good chance for those who think democracy works fairly well, and those who don't, to hear and say something. And it leads into another topic, "The Prospects of Democracy," for which the committee has selected Professor Stearns Morse of the English Department, a most able and interesting speaker, "so concerned personally with democracy as to have' been a Farmer-Labor candidate for the U. S. Senate, and to be now spending his time with the American Defense Committee.

When the Hanover Holiday first started in 1937, the lectures were very good and the audiences small. This year two of that pioneer group of speakers will be on the program again. Professor Churchill Lathrop in "Enjoying Modern Art" will explain what modern art is, and what it is all about. With one of the largest courses in college testifying to his popularity and success as a teacher, he will range ably from Benton to Dali, from landscapes to streamlining. The other of these two men, Professor Leland Griggs, will talk on "Animal Life Around Hanover." I don't know how often I have heard Professor Griggs on this general subject, and don't care. I do know that I shall go to hear him just as often as he can be persuaded to talk, and so will many others. Even if it does turn out to be a wonderful morning for golf, don't under any circumstances miss this one.

The ninth and last lecture will be announced later, and will probably deal with the international situation.

Living arrangements will be somewhat different this year, but the expenses can be made rather lower in some respects. The Hanover Inn is again offering very low rates for those staying the whole 5 days, but it was crowded last year, and simply will not hold everybody this June. The College, therefore, is preparing dormitory rooms, which will not be used at Commencement, but will be during those days made rather more attractive than reunion classes have been used to seeing them. They will be ready on Monday or even Sunday, for all or part of the week. The rates will be even lower—for example, the 5 days of the Holiday for $6 a person. As for the supply of rooms at the Inn, and the better rooms in the dormitories, the early reservations will win out. And then the fraternity houses and so on are always private possibilities. For meals, the Inn will continue the special rate for Holiday members only of $2 a day, at the long tables where you get to know everybody and eat very well indeed. This, year the Hovey Grill in Thayer Hall will be open, and possibly the cafeteria. The Outing Club House on Occom Pond, the splendid new Coffee Shop at the Inn, and Main Street shops are other possibilities.

Further details and applications will soon be mailed to all alumni, or may beobtained from the Hanover Holiday Committee. In brief, the range of expenses is. wider, from below $20 to about $30 for the very best, for the 5 days, including tuition. We hope that all this will tempt a good many to come for the Holiday, or to come back earlier for their reunions. The same arrangements for caring for children of all ages will be continued, and will be available to all no matter where they stay. There will be a special low golf rate for the week, with picnics, band concerts, and ball games. There will be more fun and recreation than ever before, and plenty of sound intellectual fare as well. More of your friends will be back than in the past.. It will be the best Hanover Holiday ever.

HERBERT W. HILL, HOLIDAY CHAIRMAN

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF HISTORY