Summer Term Dropped

Dartmouth's plans for holding a summer term were called off early last month when it became apparent that enrollment would be too small to justify it. Originally offered for the benefit of men facing military service in the immediate future, the term by May 1 had attracted fewer than 175 students, including entering freshmen, and this number was not large enough to enable the College to provide a satisfactory curriculum.

The decline in student interest in the summer term has been an accurate gauge of the lessening pressure on college undergraduates with regard to the draft. When the summer term was first planned early in February it looked as though college men would be called up in large numbers at the end of this academic year. At that time about 40 per cent of the present students indicated their intention of attending the summer term and on the basis of a tentative survey it was expected that approximately 50 per cent of the entering class of 1955 would choose to matriculate in July rather than September. That meant an enrollment of about 800 upperclassmen and 350 or more freshmen, and plans concerning courses, faculty, dormitory rooms and dining facilities were made on that scale.

Since February the draft status of college students has been clarified by Selective Service, which at present holds to the policy of allowing qualified men to continue their studies; and Congressional action in setting the minimum draft age at 181/2 has assured practically all incoming freshmen that they could wait until fall to begin their college studies.

Although the summer term has been cancelled, the College will not rescind the changes made in the academic calendar for 1951-52 but will carry through with the delayed beginning of classes on October 1.