Student Dies from Injuries Received in Dorm Scuffle
A NUMBER of alumni have expressed the hope that the ALUMNI MAGAZINE would present a full factual statement concerning the death of a Dartmouth junior from head injuries received in a dormitory scuffle on the night of March 18. The facts, as known to the College authorities, were carefully gathered and reported in the March 25 issue of The Bulletin, edited by George H. Colton '35, and we can do no better than to present that statement here. Along with it we present a short statement prepared by President Dickey for the ALUMNI MAGAZINE.
Following: is the Bulletin account distributed to Dartmouth alumni officers:
The first information available to most of us indicated that a group of students had visited a junior, Raymond J. Cirrotta, in his room in Middle Mass, and that a scuffle had ensued during which blows were exchanged which caused head injuries from which Cirrotta subsequently died. The group apparently went to the room about 10:30 P.M. police shortly thereafter, and it was at that time that College authorities became aware of the case and began investigating. Public authorities were notified in the early morning and much of the subsequent investigation was conducted by the county solicitor, who has not made his findings public.
College authorities immediately suspended all men involved, cooperated to the full with police and gave such information as they possessed to the county solicitor. The initial release, issued to all papers on Saturday morning, read as follows:
"Raymond J. Cirrotta, a Dartmouth student of the Class of 1949, of Linden, New Jersey, died at Mary Hitchcock Hospital in Hanover, New Hampshire early this morning as a result of head injuries suffered in a fight with a number of other students in Cirrotta's room in a dormitory.
"Thomas A. Doxsee, Class of 1950, of Fayetteville, New York; William C. Felton, Class of 1948, of Tiffon, Ohio; Robert A. Fox, Class of 1951, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and George C. Schreck, Class of 1950, of North Bergen, New Jersey, are now being questioned by town and county authorities concerning the incident. These men have been suspended by the college authorities pending full investigation by public and college authorities of the matter.
"On the basis of incomplete information available to college authorities it appears that the fight grew out of a quarrel between Cirrotta and a group of students who went to Cirrotta's room where the fight took place; that some of the group had been drinking before going to Cirrotta's room; and that Cirrotta was not a member of the group but was alone in his room at the time the group arrived."
At the formal hearing, Thomas A. Doxsee was charged with having struck the blows which led to Cirrotta's death. He was released on $5,000 bail until the meeting of the Grafton County Superior Court in May when he will be charged with first degree manslaughter. The other four, plus Charles T. McCarthy, '48, of North Andover, Massachusetts, and Glen Peck '48, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, subsequently identified as part of the group, were released on bail as material witnesses. The College changed its temporary suspension of the six men to indefinite suspension; some final action, it is assumed, will be taken after the case has been decided by the courts.
The tragedy shocked the whole College deeply and cast a visible pall over all events. Naturally, it was the principal subject of conversation, and rumors flew thick and fast. Unfortunately, most of them seem to have been reported in the public press as Gospel truth—in fact, the irresponsibility of certain papers in this affair has been almost beyond belief.
So far as we now know, these seem to be the basic facts:
The six students involved had been together through the evening, had takta some drinks but seem not to have been irresponsibly drunk. Some of them disliked Cirrotta and decided to pay a visit to his room. The intentions behind the visit are still not clear. There apparently were some words and some blows—about two or three in number. Only part of the group entered the room, and at the hearing only Doxsee was charged with striking Cirrotta.
The affair was soon over and the six left without knowledge that Cirrotta had been seriously injured. College authorities saw no external evidence of injury beyond a cut lip. Cirrotta washed himself, lay down on his couch for a while, and then went to bed. Not long thereafter his roommate returned and found him on his bed complaining of severe head pains. The chief of the campus police was called, who drove Cirrotta to Dick's House where he was found to be in critical condition. His condition grew worse and an emergency operation was attempted by Dr Henry Hevl. Cirrotta died about 4:30 a.m. Saturday.
There has been a great deal said to the effect that this case discloses a serious problem regarding undergraduate drinking, and it has been reported that drastic action would be taken. Drinking is a serious problem on most undergraduate campuses—and elsewhere for that matter. Past experience going back to President Wheelock's troubles with his students over the use of alcoholic beverages and the current manifestations of the problem on other American campuses indicates there is no simple and final solution. This case, and the conditions surrounding it are being investigated thoroughly and whatever corrective action is indicated by the facts and past experience will be taken.
The funeral for Mr. Cirrotta was held on Tuesday, in Linden, N. J., and a number of students representing his friends and fraternity were present and likewise Dean Neidlinger was on hand representing the College.
This tragic student occurrence was, of course, a matter of deepest concern to President Dickey. At the request of the ALUMNI MAGAZINE, he has made the following comment upon it:
"One Friday evening this spring a blow struck in a student quarrel brought down on all of us the heavy burden of tragedy. However unintended and unforeseeable, the fatal consequences, taken with other highly publicized troubles on campuses elsewhere, make me want to use this occasion to say just a word of considered assurance to you. Since the essential facts known to the College are given in the ALUMNI MAGAZINE and since important issues of fact affecting the individuals involved may be tried in court, I shall not comment on the happening itself except to record the sense of grief we all know.
"The reassurance I give you is simply by way of saying that although no large group of males engaged in making the difficult crossing from boyhood to the powers and experiences of men ever has been or ever can be free of tragedy and problems of misconduct, the overwhelming majority of college students today, as in the past, are worthy of the privileges and the responsibilities of higher education. In the judgment of those with the best opportunity for full knowledge as to the present and perspective as to the past, real progress has been made in developing maturity and responsibility in our undergraduates. There is, however, one law of life which cannot be dodged in education. Responsibility can only be developed at the risk of some irresponsibility.
"The College intends to press for progress calmly but resolutely on every front to the end that these problems which can never be eliminated shall, as in this instance, be matters of acute concern m spite of progress made rather than because of the lack of it."
