The Undergraduate Chair
A MYSTIC bond of brotherhood makes all men one" wrote Carlyle. While this is one of the more contestable of man's assertions, steps have been taken to bring more "mystic bonds" to the campus in hopes of contributing to this oneness.
A group of about a dozen sophomores banded together to form a new fraternity - resurrect an old one is more accurate - and are well on the way. Tim Ryerson '59, president, and Pete Collins '59, social chairman, of old Phi Nu of Alpha Chi Rho, have reported on the efforts and accomplishments of the group to date:
The idea was first kicked around shortly after rushing. The nucleus approached several other sophomores, so that a group of 35 or 40 interested men was gathered. These elected a new nucleus to choose pledges. The pledges selected brought the total to 21.
Dean Kiendl was agreeable and provided a list of nationals, to whom the students wrote. Some were interested and some were not. Alpha Chi Rho was interested enough to send Vice President Sterling E. Mayo to Hanover.
The group of pledges petitioned the national for admittance, and the national, fortunately holding a convention just then, voted approval. Pledge pins arrived post haste.
The idea of forming a local was not entertained. Only a national could supply the requisite financial backing, and it was felt that a name that "meant something" would be necessary.
There is an element of experience in building and accomplishing something that is thought to be healthy. This, perhaps, is one factor in interesting further those who once were reluctant to join an organization which, they then thought, might flop shortly. This danger is now past. The present pledges are optimistic about the possibility of building to strength quickly, and they intend to participate and do as well as possible, despite limited numbers, in all interfraternity activities. They regard the future as "a challenge."
The fraternity's admission to full standing on the campus has been approved by the Administration, the Trustees, and the Interfraternity Council. The UGC has yet to approve, but this is regarded as a formality.
Alpha Chi Rho has no discrimination clause. The pledges feel that, judging by its "landmarks," it is "striving for something deeper" than some other nationals. The Phi Nu chapter existed at Dartmouth from 1919 until 1935, when it merged with two other houses to form Gamma Delta Chi. Alumni of this earlier period are now regarded as alumni of the revived chapter, and the pledges hope they will so regard themselves and feel welcome at the house.
A second rushing session was held about two weeks ago, and several more students were pledged. The house does not want to get too "out of balance" classwise and is accordingly limiting its sophomore membership. Obviously, there is space for juniors.
The Administration did "an amazing job" getting a home for Alpha Chi Rho. A frame house on Webster Avenue directly across from President Dickey's was chosen. It is expected to be ready in March. The College will own it, for a while at least, and rent it to the fraternity.
There has been a "favorable sentiment among the other fraternities." Meetings and rushing sessions have been held at Sigma Nu, Phi Delt, Phi Gam, and Chi Phi, but no list can include the cooperation and friendliness of nearly all the houses on campus.
Formal initiation will be held March 9, when the national officers arrive in Hanover to confer brotherhood.
The fraternity may be known colloquially as Alpha Chi or as "The Crows," an informal designation used on some other campuses. This last "doesn't exactly sound like a Greek fraternity."
A SMALL-SIZE wrangle involving, on the one side, WDBS and Dartmouth College, and, on the other, local radio station WTSL has come about regarding the College's application to the FCC to turn WDBS into a 250-watt, equal of WTSL.
WTSL opposed the application in Washington and turned to the trade of publicity for hometown opinion-molding. Their tool was The Dartmouth, strangely enough.
A Dartmouth operative checked the FCC files in Washington over vacation, got WTSL treasurer W. F. Rust Jr.'s approval to print a letter he had sent to College Trustees, and The Daily D hit Main Street with a front-page exclusive. The story, while played straight, gave only the WTSL arguments. Inside appeared an edit supporting WTSL and criticizing the College for "possibly heavy-handed tactics" in a "delicate area of competition." Vox Populi printed the Rust letter in full, one paragraph of which sums up his argument:
"We also deplore the public taste in music, literature, art, automobiles and such, but do not think this is a matter to be resolved by a tax free educational institution using unpaid labor and donated capital to parallel and compete with a struggling small privately owned station in a town that is very small for one station and impossible for two."
The curious reference to the public taste is explained by a remark about "country music" a College man made to Rust some time previously trying to make the point that WDBS, commercial or no, would not try to compete for the WTSL audience. Rust, however, magnified the comment into a statement that "WTSL is doing such a poor job that it would be no great loss."
Rust also charged that the application was "an attack on our free enterprise system with disregard for private property rights." This made front-page ManchesterUnion-Leader stuff the next day, something as predictable as lunar movements.
College officialdom was disturbed (predictably?), and called in The D men for a conference. Next day The Dartmouth carried a story giving the College side and printed a long letter from Frank Sauter '57, WDBS station manager, which was crisp and rather to the point, plus an FCC letter to WTSL, similarly crisp, stating:
"The Communications Act of 1934, as amended, contemplates the free entry into the broadcasting field by persons legally, technically, financially, and otherwise qualified to construct and operate stations even where competition from such stations might have an adverse effect upon existing stations or other media of mass communications."
The crux of the question is whether or not WTSL will be run out of business by a commercial WDBS. Over-eager collegians, feeling their oats as agents of a big-time deal, might very well seek to expand their advertising revenue, but it is doubtful that the eager beaverism of a few undergraduates could wreck WTSL. The College has stated that "no major change in advertising policy is contemplated," an announcement that should ease WTSL fears somewhat.
After the FCC decision, which seems likely to be favorable to WDBS, time will render its customary verdict on the competitive question.
Hugh Gaitskell, Labor Party leader in Britain, being interviewed over WDBS when he visited the College on January 7 to lecture on "Britain and America: Allies in a World in Crisis.
The writer regrets that a statement in the January "Chair" implied that a member of the Faculty Committee on Administration wished to hush up the Judiciary Committee controversy. He is convinced that such was not the professor's intent, and accepts full responsibility for the error.
