Letters

Class of '40

To THE EDITOR: 245 Dartmouth men from the Class of 1940 were reported 011 in three issues of the Class news sheet, Indian Drum, from May 26 to June 24, 1942. Of this 245, 172 (70%) were in one of the branches of the Armed Services. More remarkable still, 122 of these men, or 71% were already Officers, or in training to become Officers.

And only two short years ago, to the month, our Class was being called everything from irresponsible to yellow for our distrust of the war, our failure to urge active belligerent participation on the part of the United States. However, there is no real inconsistency here. The active and vital participation of the men of '4O in World War II is to be expected. This effort 011 the part of the Class is no more natural than that pragmatic spirit that swept our ranks in 1940 after a lifetime of schooling against a theoretical concept—War. We were against War as something we had never experienced, but which we had been taught was the epitome of evil.

But as the War approached our shores and our lives, the effects of it became very real and tangible. We could see the damage all around us; we could see the horrible wrong of it, and even more clearly we could see the stark necessity of righting that wrong before it engulfed us all. Dartmouth taught us a love of the right and the fair, just as she taught us the wrongs of the great historical crimes against humanity that have been wars.

Biggs Field, Texas.

From London

[The following letter from a Dartmouth1924 graduate in London was received by GuyBolle, father of C. G. Bolte '41 whose descriptions of British infantry training have recentlyappeared in our pages.—ED.]

I believe that your son, Charles, has already mentioned my name to, you in one of his let- ters. If, however, this particular letter failed to reach you, perhaps I should explain briefly that I am a Dartmouth alumnus, 1924 vintage, and that I got into touch with Charles a few months ago, through seeing his name men- tioned in the ALUMNI MAGAZINE, in the hopes that I might be able to be of some help to him.

The purpose of this letter is to let you know that Charles spent the past week-end with my family at my house in Beaconsfield, a short distance outside London, to which address I have recently moved from London itself. I thought you would like to be assured that he was looking extremely well and fit. He looked smart in his new officer's kit and I have no doubt that he will be a distinct asset to his Regiment.

I should like to assure you that if there is ever anything I can do to be of assistance in connection with his presence on this side of the water, you have only to let me know.

You may wish to send a copy of this letter to the editor of the ALUMNI MAGAZINE. So doing might not only show him the power of the MAGAZINE, but also offer some proof of my own continued existence, as I am afraid I have failed to give any evidence of this previously or at least for a good many years. Having lived in England almost since graduation, you will appreciate that the link with Hanover tends to be somewhat weakened. I was, however, very glad to have the chance of hearing recent Dartmouth history from your son.

Pitman House,Parker Street, Kingsway,London, W. C. 2.

The freedom now enjoyed by Dartmouth undergraduates in Baker Memorial Library is in strange contrast to the strict management of the college's first little library. In the early years the library room was open to each class for withdrawal of books one hour every two weeks, not more than five students could be in the library at any one time, and no one was permitted to take down a book from the shelves without permission of the librarian. Freshmen were allowed one book at a time, sophomores and juniors two, and seniors three. Today Dartmouth undergraduates have free access to the half-million volumes in the Baker Library stacks, some 2,000 men can study in the library at once, and a student can withdraw as many books as he needs, regardless of class.