The Undergraduate
ELEVEN Dartmouth students have died in automobile crashes since 1952. Five deaths have occurred during the present year.
The rapid-fire succession of these tragedies during the spring and a growing awareness of the seriousness of the total number have given rise to a general expectancy that something will be done. Various solutions have been advanced in the public print - including a proposal that bunkrooms be set up at the most-frequented women's colleges - but they have not appeared to come to grips with the problem. On the other hand, a tentative suggestion by the Dean's office that driving privileges be closely related to grades was not greeted enthusiastically in student quarters, and remarks by Dean McDonald before the Harrisburg alumni club hinting at possible elimination of the privilege for all sophomores have not received any warmer response.
Recent recommendations of the UGC Traffic Committee have been viewed as at least in the right spirit by the Dean's office, however. The committee, after recom- mending a fairly stern crackdown on local student traffic and parking problems, came up with a plan for College cooperation with the states of New Hampshire and Vermont, and later the other New England states. The College, receiving notice of a student traffic violation, would fine the offender five dollars, then ten dollars, and then, for the third violation, suspend the individual's driving privileges. On their face, these proposals seem very mild, but when traffic violations are construed to include Hanover parking tickets, which are made easier to get under the new recommendations, the proposals may add up to a more effective control of the privilege.
Two statistical facts which may influence the Trustees' final decision on new driving rules are: most fatal accidents have occurred at night, and the men involved have mostly been younger drivers.
A CHANGE in the attitude of WTSL owner William F. Rust has reportedly made the granting of a 250-watt commercial license to WDBS "imminent." Rust's new attitude followed an agreement with the College whereby WDBS changed its application to a request for 1340 kilocycles from the previous 1490 k.c. Rust was then quoted as saying he still thinks "the college is wrong in trying to go into commercial broadcasting, but the 1340 kilocycle frequency would be acceptable to us. We won't try and harass the college anymore."
With the granting of the license considered certain now, the College will shortly begin to erect a transmitter building and tower on Chase Field and install equipment. The outlook is for operation of a bigger and better WDBS, with a consequent increase in the station's value as a student activity.
THE committee evaluating Judiciary Committee procedures has come up with recommendations which resulted finally in extensive modification of the JC in form and little change in essentials.
The report issued by the committee found that the JC had been a splendid group over the years and that the committee's only fault had been that it just wasn't understood. To correct this lack of student understanding, the report proposed that all members of the committee be elected by the undergraduates - with one substantial reservation: Palaeopitus will nominate the candidates. This modified direct election system has now been adopted - after some delay, caused by absences at UGC meetings - and it will be inaugurated next year.
The only additional prerogative ac- corded the students under this election system is a certain negative choice - the right to reject any unacceptable nominee. All nominees, it goes without saying, will meet the test of "responsibility" as defined by Palaeopitus.
Last fall's celebrated and unfortunate case had been largely forgotten by the time the committee's report was issued, and so the matter could be taken up by the UGC in calmness and quiet - in other words without anyone much caring one way or the other. One exception was The Dartmouth, which has been on an emotional binge this spring, and in this case was terribly, terribly upset to discover what most people have known for some time: to wit, "men on this campus don't care aboutstudent government" (italics theirs). Two previous inquiring-photographer interviews had helped The D to its new knowledge. One student said, "I think that student government in high school has a definite place ... but a college is a more serious business in all respects," and another remarked, "Student government is a good thing because it gives the guys who want it experience in that line. Then, too, they can always say they were president of their class at Dartmouth." The newspaper also wondered if the men running for offices weren't "just after a little prestige." At any rate, the paper, by the multiplicity of its laments, probably secured the passage of the direct-election plan.
Monte Pascoe of Denver was chosen by student vote as the 1957 Barrett Cup winner.
