The Undergraduate Chair

FOR a New Englander, a trip through New Hampshire in the autumn always is a great pleasure, and a journey up Route 4 to Hanover has become my favorite Yankee excursion. This is the fourth such ride and like the others it had a totally different meaning. For a freshman, it means expectation and anxiety. The sophomore returns to discover he is in the most familiar and wonderful of places. Juniors come back realizing that the term's events will largely shape the direction of their academic careers. And the seniors begin to recognize that the pleasant interlude soon ends and we must look beyond Hanover. Such an attitude must motivate all our work this year.

As I arrived, a new crop of freshmen were experiencing their introduction to the College. I noted what should long have been obvious, that September as the beginning of the school year is a month for freshmen just as June will similarly belong to the seniors.

Observing the care with which senior Beldon H. Daniels' orientation team planned its program, cynics frequently asked what spontaneous event was scheduled next. When you get close to the freshmen and see their genuine enthusiasm, you realize this is not mere machination, but a powerful force.

At present its direction is toward rallies and bonfires, and the results have been encouraging. For the first time in years "they" managed to hush up the rush-proof construction of the new Nugget and the '59s attempted a raid. The architect's promise was kept and the theater with-stood the assault but somehow a reported $1,000 in damage to shrubbery resulted. Presently energies were diverted as someone invented a long-standing tradition of running to Whitetown and the freshmen began rushing that way. Reportedly, a few even got there. Most actually stopped at a diner in West Lebanon where they were fed cut-rate.

Despite this start, the class found its first bonfire a literal washout as a day-long rain hindered work and soaked the wood. The Dartmouth observed the feeble blaze and advocated gutting Bissell Hall to obtain good dry wood for the Harvard pyre.

When this introductory period ends, the eagerness of these new students must seek other directions. Here, as seems to be the universal case, much of this vitality is either lost or allowed to be mischanneled. As I follow the Class of 1959 through its travails, I shall be hopefully watching the course its energy takes.

While the freshmen were experiencing mere misery, the opening weeks of school were pure trauma for the upperclassmen. Rushing managed to overwhelm them before they had even finished unpacking and few were immune. Even those who were not involved found themselves under pressure to fill in for the missing many.

Everybody was delighted when the period was over and sighed with relief. This year the College called in extra policemen to insure that the tension reduction on fraternity row stayed in hand.

Sigma Phi Epsilon, long the sick man of the I.F.C., this fall made what appears to be a significant comeback. By last spring the illness appeared malignant. The house has a national clause outlawing all but white Christians but it has pledged several Jewish men. The national cracked down on the chapter last year and forced it to depledge two of the men. As a result a large portion of the already undermanned house quit. The others said they would remain in order to continue the fight in the national convention, and they were determined also to attract a substantial pledge group. By using the most vigorous rushing tactics and by holding off sinking until the night after other houses, it reportedly was able to obtain a strong group.

Being a spectator who is easily fooled by Bill Beagle's fake handoffs, I refuse to predict the ultimate results of the Bob Blackman football regime. His efforts this fall show that he is anxious to make the College pleased with his teams. Not only has he filled the players with enthusiasm, but he has gone to great lengths to improve public relations.

Among his innovations along these lines are information sheets for visitors at practice, compulsory attendance for all players at rallies, and planned talks when these men are asked to "say a few words."

The Dartmouth was also attempting new things and after twenty years the familiar Indian left his place on page one and a new signature drawn with the help of Ray Nash appeared. Also gone are the ears as the new head fills six columns. After they had accustomed themselves to the change, most readers agreed it was an improvement.

In Great Issues the Class of '56 was attempting to pioneer a revolution in dress. Class President Chester A. Zinn requested that his fellow seniors wear coats and ties to the Monday night lectures and despite a few absent-minded sweat-shirt wearers, most responded enthusiastically.

Automobiles continued to be a campus problem as 640 were registered by students, with 339 belonging to seniors, 180 to juniors, 119 to sophomores and two to freshmen who obtained special permission.

As the College's religious growth proceeds, such loose ends as the needs of Jewish students will doubtless be cared for, but at the moment this segment of the community continues to care for itself in accordance with the traditions of its faith. For Judaism, unlike some creeds, emphasizes that any of its members are qualified to lead a service and student leadership has been responsible for a lively' program.

Operating as a semi-autonomous branch of the Christian Union, the Jewish Religious Life Council serves to stimulate this work. This fall, as it does each year, it provided the Jewish student with services on the most holy of holidays - the New Year and Day of Atonement. The Kol Nedre service which opens the latter holiday is considered to be the most beautiful of Jewish rituals and because it came on a Sunday night it offered others in the College a particularly good opportunity to witness it.

Even Phi Beta Kappa was forced to yield to the demands of rushing and initiation was delayed a week to October 6 at which time 32 seniors became members of the academic honor group. At' the same time Stephen L. Zaslow '57 of Brooklyn, N. Y., was given the Society's prize for the highest average for the first two years. He has a 4.97.

The members included Jonathan Allen, Hanover, N. H.; Robert L. Barry, Lansdowne, Pa.; William F. Behrens, Abilene, Texas; Paul S. Berry, Stoneham, Mass.; Henry S. Bloom, Brooklyn, N. Y.; Charles R. Carrington, Champaign, Ill.; George Cohan, Cedarhurst, N. Y.; John E. Cotten, Laconia, N. H.; Richard H. DeVoto, Palo Alto, Calif.; Robert K. Faulkner Jr., Rochester, N. Y.; Gerald C. Finkle, Newark, N. J.; James L. Flynn, Shaker Heights, Ohio; Alan J. Friedman, Brooklyn, N. Y.; Herman K. Friedman, Savannah, Ga.; John R. Goff, Narberth, Pa.; Joseph S. Gonnella, Mountainside, N. J.; Marion L. Gribble, Rouses Point, N. J.; Richard A. Groeneveld, Westfield, N. J.; Richard F. Gutow, Flint, Mich.; W. Pharis Horton, Minneapolis, Minn.; Douglas H. Keare, Highland Park, Ill.; William N. Kirscher, South Hadley, Mass.; Anthony B. Newey, Chicago, Ill.; Robert A. Picken, Loveland, Colo.: Bertrand L. Poritsky, Schenectady, N. Y.; Neil H. Raskin, Brooklyn, N. Y.; David K. Rubin, Chelsea, Mass.; Peter B. Shoresman, Winnetka, Ill.; Wilton S. Sogg, Cleveland Heights, Ohio; Walter J. Wilcox, Shelby, Mont.; Howard R. Weber, Berlin, N. H.; and George M. Yeager, Pelham, N. Y.

One of the new Phi Betes, Gribble, was making news in several other areas. He was named to a Senior Fellowship and also serves as publicist for a new regional Army Reserve unit of which he is executive officer. The outfit is intended to allow students to meet military commitments while studying.

October 6 was also a second sink night for sophomores entered in the DCAC managerial competition. Fourteen were named to assist in specific areas of the Council's operations and as seniors will take over as managers.

Since Jacko died three years ago, its effete successor Dart has futilely been seeking a new formula that would amuse the campus. When it was left editorless last spring, its critics were preparing a quick wake. However, a devoted few stayed with the publication and Arthur M. Zich '56 of Whippany, N. J., has assumed leadership. He promises that the first issue will be sensational and by the time you read this we will know whether he has succeeded.

Others on the new directorate include John L. Welborn '56 of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., managing editor; William C. Cohen '56 of Haverhill, Mass., business manager; and Leonard J. Clark of Verona, N. J., art editor.

With this issue Richard L. Gordon '56 of Brookline, Mass., assumes occu- pancy of The Undergraduate Chair. An economics major, he is Managing Edi- tor of "The Dartmouth" and a member of the Young Democrats League. Last year he was on the Academic Commit- tee of the Undergraduate Council and was active in the Dartmouth Film So- ciety.