The Undergraduate Chair

With this first Undergraduate Chair ofthe 1949-50 publication year, William J.Mulligan '50 of Pawtucket, R. I., makeshis bow as the new Undergraduate Editorof the ALUMNI MAGAZINE. Technical director of The Players and a member of ThetaDelta Chi, he was an Army parachutistduring the war, serving overseas for oneyear, and rising from private to first lieutenant during his 30 months of duty.

IT was probably Convocation and the addresses by President Dickey and Tom O'Connell '50 which set the keynote for the Dartmouth man this year. The note had a new wrinkle, a new twist for those who would listen. It was low, perhaps guarded; it reminisced about the mud-slinging thrusts made upon our name and forced us to think twice of our future course of action. To men of Dartmouth it asked vigilance "lest the old traditions fail."

But, by no means will our spirit be diminished despite the dampers and stiff and sure regulations which have been imposed—we recognize them and their purpose and shall act accordingly. Tom O'Connell, president of the Undergraduate Council, summed it up by saying, "An intelligent analysis of the position in which the College now finds itself should, for every undergraduate, dictate a closer adherence to moderation in drinking, common sense in hazing, and a better allaround system for initiation in fraternity life."

That was opening day. Within a week concrete proof of the new advocated policies began to take shape. In a meeting staged by President Dickey at the Ravine Lodge in early October, the new rules and innuendos were discussed, pros and cons were aired, and the new issues were either adapted or put aside.

First on the agenda was College Hall's tap room. The subject had been brought on the mat by the Undergraduate Council in the spring of '49 at which time the Council had considered dropping subsidization due to the fact that the activity was a losing proposition. Petitioners, however, were quick to arrive upon the scene, and they raised such a roar that the Council, believing it better to maintain the tap room and absorb the loss, rather than have the beer drinkers travel to White River and return in cars after possibly having one too many, thought it best for the College to sustain the activity if for no other reason than to keep stray little boys in their own backyard. The idea was sound but it affected only a few.

Now, with new sources of pressure being applied from all sides, the Council has reversed its decision. President Dickey reported that a survey made by the Com- mittee on Administration proved that less than one-third of the student body will clear the 21-year old age limit by the end of this first semester.

"That means," Mr. Dickey said, "that the College has the responsibility of drawing two-thirds of the student body into trouble."

But that was not all. Some alumni have raised questions within the last few years. This reason coupled with the fact that only a small (percentage of students use the facility prompted the Council finally to put the skids under the tap room and make it a thing of the past at Dartmouth.

SWITCHING to the hazing problem, the Council dug a little deeper than usual, appointing a special sub-committee to canvass other colleges and universities in an attempt to collect a repertoire of more suitable ways and means of hazing freshmen. Lately, venturesome sophomores, armed with broken-down barber's clippers and other accessories, made it a daily chore to catch three or four freshmen without proper beanie headdress and do a little scalping. Upon hearing of the haircutting episode, Dean Lloyd K. Neidlinger sat up, tapped his fingers lightly on his desk and said, "I shall gladly recommend to the Undergraduate Council Judiciary Committee that any upperclassman who is guilty of cutting a freshman's hair shall be made to choose between having his own hair clipped on the steps of College Hall at high noon or of transferring to any barber college of his choice."

Needless to say, all haircuts ceased—even the Hanover barbers were a bit apprehensive about tackling customers.

But the freshmen were in there fighting, too. On the order of the Undergraduate Council, Palaeopitus had instituted the new tug-of-war in lieu of the now old "Freshman Rush", and the frosh, who boast many an ex-Volga boatman, bellowed out the stroke in lively fashion to win the rope-tugging contest hands down. At no time did the loose-gripped sophomores have a chance; the issue was a sure thing from the starting blast, the freshmen pulling the sophs over the line in less than a minute.

Initial action concerning the replacement of the old rush was taken after a report by President Dickey. The report was originated by Dartmouth's Health Council and stated that a continuation of the rush tempted fatality at every showing. After the issue had been discussed, the tug-of- war was the answer.

There are those, however, who always go down hard when an old tradition goes by the boards. Palaeopitus has admitted that there are kinks in the event which will have to be ironed out, but many of us think that the tug-of-war went off with reasonable success. The two classes turned out en masse. Each side split itself into four groups, manned the ropes, and went at it with a will. When the "war" was over, Palaeopitus, with the help of the Hanover Fire Department, assumed positions on the three-inch fire hose and let the vanquished sophomores have it. Even though it was short and sweet, everyone had laughed, got in a little tugging experience .... and Dick's House had no callers.

Grant, then, that we have set our course. Whether or not we are able to sustain it only the future will reveal.

MEMBERS OF THE DARTMOUTH NROTC UNIT at the U. S. Naval Air Station at Pensacola, Fla., where they spent their summer cruise. For one week they were attached to Patrol Squadron 49. Ground classes covered naval administration., squadron operations and problems of aircraft maintenance. While in the air each midshipman was given a half-hour of indoctrination and familiarization instruction in the co-pilot's seat of the giant Martin Mariner. The Dartmouth contingent threw a "beer bust" for its Pensacola alumni, who included one of the Unit's instructors. Ensign George D. Malhiot, graduate of the Dartmouth V-12 Unit in March 1945. This semester the Dartmouth' NROTC Unit contains 229 men.