Letters

For Tomorrow

The symphony of the whining ski Is dearer music to my ear Than any melody I hear. The masterpiece with bended knee Wants only to be put in stone To vie with anything Greek-done.

But nature would not have it so(The sun is hostile to the snow) Far better to hold these apart, Not for eye, nor ear. . . .but for wistful heart.

[Mr. Neal is not a member of the class of '33 or anyother Dartmouth class. We are grateful to our anonymous contributor of this verse and hope we may hearagain from him, or her.—ED.]

Free Root Beer

To THE EDITOR: It is not difficult to understand the necessity, in your February issue, of running quasihumorous letters to relieve heavier blasts and counter-blasts regarding the Rugg article. It is impossible, however, to comprehend the logic in opening your columns to mail from parties signing themselves "Jerry Spingarn '35" ("Jersey City, N. J.").

if time did not permit of your checking the College Alumni Records, it would seem to me that the text of the letter itself would have raised serious doubts as to the very existence of "Spingarn" in that fine Class of 1935. (There was a Merry Spongeon in 1936, though—a "Dartmouth" heeler.) Certainly you, the Editor, or any member of your Editorial Board, could not have credited for a moment Spingarn's "assertion" that Corey Ford, as guest of honor at the 1935 Jackobite dinner, was met at the door by a ticket collector; and at the end of the meal was presented by the headwaiter with the check for the whole banquet.

Well, regardless of your personal opinion, Mr. Editor, Spingarn's statement is a tissue of feeble inventions from beginning to end. The dinner in question was held at the Dartmouth Club in New York, and you know as I do. that there are no headwaiters on the staff norwere there any in the room, as the attached photograph indicates. (Abner Dean '3l, it is true, is wearing a "tuxedo," but he had come direct from a formal afternoon wedding, and was roundly excused.) Furthermore, no check for the meal was presented to Ford at all, in view of his free-will, written promise to stand the entire organization to root beer at Delmonico's later in the evening.

It is no wonder that "Spingarn" is discreetly silent about that sequence in I'affaire. The minutes o£ the organization indicate that a certain Spongeon ('36) was drummed out of the room for ribald balladry after the second root-beer, while the legitimate membership proceeded to "21" on Ford. All were admitted to this rendezvous of the haute monde except Corey, by the way. A Mr. Kriendler, the proprietor, advised us that he had no choice but to bar Ford forever, after the contretemps which had arisen the previous week, when Corey had refused to honor the tab run up by a group of Penn Punch Bowl editors, whose guest of honor, it so happens, he likewise had been.

1 write this only to clear the name of a true friend of the College, needlessly and ineffectually besmirched by one who, for all we know, is hand-in-glove with Harold O. Rugg and Leila M. Blomfield. (I will grant Mr. Roscoe Peacock that Mrs. Blomfield's publication office is in New York City, but there has been talk of a residence in Jersey City, where taxes and labor-costs are so much less New Zealandish.) It is to be hoped that vindication will be Ford's before he has become too embittered for solace and Alumni Fund support.

New Rochelle, N. Y.

Irish Confetti

To THE EDITOR: The pages of the DARTMOUTH ALUMNI MAGAZINE are no place for the dissemination or the discussion of the pedagogical and social ideas of Harold Ordway Rugg. The net result of the Rugg article to date has been a series of vituperative and unconsidered Letters To The Editor as lacking in sound argument as was Dr. Rugg's own article, which reminds me of Mike Jacobs' prize ring classic—"We wuz robbed." It is extremely regretful that the college itself, in the person of Alexander Laing, should become involved in the controversy, in his acrimonious reply to the heated letter of Roscoe Peacock. Nothing is gained by the mutual bestowal of abuse and Irish confetti. The ALUMNI MAGAZINE gains little in dignity, and loses much in interest by converting its pages into the cheap forum of the sensational newssheet. After all, this is an Alumni Magazine, not a Newspaper, an Educational Review, or Town Hall Tonight.

Edgewood, Pennsylvania.

Sidelight of Controversy

To THE EDITOR: After Harold Rugg's article appeared in the January ALUMNI MAGAZINE, I received a number of anxious inquiries from Dartmouth friends and classmates asking about the sixteen thousand cancellations Scholastic Magazine received after publication of the article in the September issue of the American Legion Magazine. Most of them wanted to know whether the subscribers renewed after we obtained a retraction from the Legion magazine.

Actually, of course, we didn't receive sixteen thousand cancellations from that many separate individuals. We sell the magazine in quantities to schools, through teachers or school administrators. Orders from various schools range from ten to several hundred subscriptions. Consequently, it didn't take very many school cancellations to mount up to a total of sixteen thousand copies. We did have many of the orders reinstated after we received a retraction but far from all. Fortunately, we had a gain in circulation in many sections of the country in the fall; consequently, the net result of the attack simply left us with practically the same number of subscribers we had the previous year. I am glad there was an improvement in general business in the fall of 1940; otherwise the attack on Harold Rugg might have been disastrous to Scholastic.

The loss Scholastic sustained as a result of the attack is an example of the insidious nature of attacks of this kind. Harold Rugg has never had anything to do with directing the editorial policies of Scholastic. He has simply written articles in the magazine at regular intervals, about once a month, for several years, and apparently because we published articles by him we were not fit, in the eyes of the person who wrote the American Legion article, to be read by the high school boys and girls for whom we publish the magazine. I thought you might be interested in this sidelight on the Rugg controversy.

Editor-Publisher, Scholastic

New York City.

Need Calendar

To THE EDITOR:

Dartmouth men would, I believe, be glad to have you print each month a schedule of coming events for the balance of the College year as far as definite dates are fixed. It should give holiday periods, holidays observed by the College, the beginning of examination periods, Dartmouth night and any other dates of interest. Such a calendar will be especially welcomed by alumni who have sons at the College and it will also be useful to alumni who contemplate going to Hanover. Do you think this suggestion a good one?

Springfield, Mass.

[Thank you Mr. Allen. See page 9 for firstfruits of your suggestion. Calendar will appearmonthlyED.]

Information Phase

To THE EDITOR: 1. In what poem, written two days after what historic event was: "Ye who remembered the Alamo,Remember the Maine!Ye who unfettered the slave,Break a free people's chain."

2. The last lines of what popular poem are these? And why so popular: "For the ages fret not over a day,And the greater tomorrow is on its way."

3. Identify these last lines: "I do not know beneath what sky,Nor on what seas shall be thy fate;I only know it shall be high,I only know it shall be great."

4. Who immortalized: "A life that knows no fear""A song by the fire""Comrades, ,for the parting is with dawn." Answers to the above may be heard over the Boston radio on Sunday, May 4th, at 2 PM. Answers submitted to the undersigned in the meantime will be acknowledged by a mailing of Bill Cunningham's masterpiece on the subject.

Another little "HUM" wouldn't do us any harm.

HO-HUM!

Somerville, Mass.

[Without giving Mr. Liscomb's little gameaway we'd like to refer to him as the originatorof the "Hovey Hum" idea which he feelsshould be widely observed among Dartmouthgroups on the poet's birthday, May —ED.]

Practical Ideals

To THE EDITOR:

While reading, with the keenest interest, the article, "Lewis Parkhurst, Trustee," written so ably and with such appreciation by Edward K. Robinson 'O4, in the March issue of the ALUMNI MAGAZINE, I have tried to imagine the feelings of thousands of Dartmouth men and many others in our world-wide fellowship of those who love and believe in the Dartmouth of yesterday, today and the far-flung future.

The "old traditions" and the present ideals of the College, as expressed and realised in deeds of practical usefulness and service throughout the entire career of Lewis Parkhurst '7B, have given new meaning today to the words, "A Dartmouth man"!

Plainfield, Conn.

Too Much Liberalism?

To THE EDITOR: Readers of the DARTMOUTH ALUMNI MAGAZINE can hardly fail to be impressed by the "Rugg" article and the correspondence concerning its subject and the author printed in the MAGAZINE in recent issues.

Self-appointed critics or supporters of Rugg have revealed the obvious difference in schools of thought. Furthermore, it is difficult to criticize the liberal policies of the DARTMOUTH ALUMNI MAGAZINE in paralleling the liberal administration of "Prexy" Hopkins. Nevertheless, it seems to me that too much liberalism or, for that matter, a strict "middle of the road" course is not now conducive to the best interests of the College, or the Country.

The approaching world crisis, the recovery from which this country is surely destined to play a major role, will demand the straightforward thinking of our young men—collegiate or otherwise. Future leaders should come from our colleges. That more have not, and may not, is possibly due to the trend of the past twenty years during which one college after another has encouraged more and more liberalism, freer thinking, and a relaxation of discipline.

Young men of collegiate age are probably more susceptible of influence than at any other period of their lives. The young men of Germany, for example, are solidly behind Hitler because their thinking and teaching have been directed to serve the unholy purposes of the Nazis. During the same period our schools and colleges have encouraged the serious study of communistic, fascist, and socialistic doctrine of all sorts. Within limits such a policy is praiseworthy in following the principles of free speech, at cetera, as outr d;n our Constitution. But there can be little question that some of our institutions f learning have failed to direct or lead our voung men along paths leading toward a stronger and more economically sound United States. It is indeed unfortunate that nnlv in its dire emergency has our government called upon the Conants and Hopkins: The Corcorans and Cohens, products of liberalism, have had their innings. If capitalism and democracy are to survive, it seems to me a„ain that we shall need the leadership of two-fisted practical and conservative men. In fact, is it not significant that important leaders of industry have been called upon to head our defense program? This fact would be encouraging were our leaders of government practical men and of less liberal tendencies. Therefore, isn't it pertinent that our schools and colleges seriously consider putting the brakes on liberalism?

I have not meant to imply that Mr. Rugg s books, and particularly his teaching, have been un-American or in any way detrimental to this country or, for that matter, to his scholars. I have had no way o£ knowing what may have been the effect of his work, but the airing of the entire controversy of Mr. Rugg's works by the DARTMOUTH ALUMNI MAGAZINE has been of such apparent interest that it appears an excellent time to submit the query, "Are not most American colleges putting too much stress on liberalism and too little on Conservatism, Realism, and Thrift?' Boston, Mass.

Laddie. Myers '20

To THE EDITOR: One o£ Dartmouth's all-time track greats is E. E. (Laddie) Myers '2O. Winner of several intercollegiate championships, member of the 1920 and 1924 American Olympic Teams, and onetime holder of the world indoor record in the pole vault, Laddie ranks high on the honor roll of Dartmouth track men. It is unusually unfortunate, therefore, that his name was inadvertently omitted from the list of outstanding Dartmouth track men in the article on Harry Rillman which appeared in the January ALUMNI MAGAZINE. I trust that this letter will partially rectify this omission.

Hanover, N. H.

"Out of Style"

To THE EDITOR: The profile of Professor Nemiah, written by his colleague, Professor Bartlett, raised a problem in the mind of an alumnus which the author apparently did not expect it would raise. I suspect it was raised unwittingly, for the article is about a man rather than his ideas. But since it is impossible to completely separate the two, particularly when the man is a professor of ideas, the problem which is exclusively concerned with "ideas" was brought up incidentally and dispensed backhandedly.

"It is a curious anamoly," writes Professor Bartlett, "that such men (Professor Nemiah and fellow classicists on the faculty) should be respected in spite of the very foundation of their mental structure Professor Nemiah spoke of the neglect of discipline in our educational policy. Of course such an idea is out of style, along with Greek and Latin."

Now I do not know whether Professor Bartlett respects Professor Nemiah in spite of or because of the "foundation of his mental structure," or whether he used "of course" because he himself is certain Nemiah's "idea" is "out of style" or merely as a concession arguendo. It doesn't matter. This letter is directed at neither the author nor his subject; 1 am not sufficiently acquainted with either man to understand his position. I think I do understand the position of Dartmouth College with respect to the importance of the "classics," however.

For one who has had practically no training in the classics, it may seem ridiculous to urge its re-establishment. But after two years of study in one of the most exacting law schools, I do feel competent to report that the "liberal education" so cherished as progressive by Dartmouth was inadequate preparation It has been a weary struggle to acquire the mental discipline or whatever name attaches to the unique gift of a classical background which Dartmouth failed to extend. And when I say unqualifiedly "failed to extend" I think that's the case. Certainly there are courses in the catalogue which, if I had pursued, would have given me what I now consider so important. It's one thing to extend the opportunity and another thing to point it out. Next to the brassband publicity given the social sciences, the voices in favor of the classics were as audible as a sparrow's cough.

The problem, I think, has been raised otherwise than incidentally. I haven't the education to press the point. But to Professor Nemiah and his colleagues I urge the bounden duty of counter-revolution. Keep faith with reaction and the out-of-date ways of Aristotle and Aquinas, Hamilton and Marshall.

Columbia Law School '4l.