Around the World in Two Terms

"Tho' round the girdled earth they roam, her spell on them remains." The words of Men of Dartmouth have become a part of the Dartmouth tradition, but it is not likely that Richard Hovey ever thought that someday a student would circle the globe as part of a college course.

Next month a Dartmouth senior will board a plane in New York for the first leg of an around-the-world course. The world traveler is John B. Starr '61, of Berkeley, Calif. A Senior Fellow, John has selected for his thesis a study of Communism in Southeast Asia as described by the Communists.

In preparation for his trip, he spent the past summer at the Library of Congress in Washington digging through books and periodicals on the Soviet viewpoint. Today, as the fall term draws to a close, he is buried behind stacks of books in Baker Library acquiring as much background material as time will allow.

When asked how he decided upon his special study and how such a trip was made possible, John first explains that he is working with Prof. Charles B. McLane '41, of the Russian Civilization and Government Departments. Professor McLane, who is studying Communism in the Far East himself, approached John last spring with the idea of assisting him in a study of Communism in Southeast Asia. An International Relations student, John saw the challenge which such a project would present.

To undertake the proposed study, however, he had to apply for a Senior Fellowship, which would exempt him from all courses and allow him to devote full time to his project. When applying for a fellowship, a student must present at least a 4.0 average, a project which merits consideration, and letters of recommendation. John had no difficulty in presenting his case.

Besides being an above-average student, he has also been active in campus affairs. He has written for The Dartmouth, the Jack-o-Lantern and once for the ALUMNI MAGAZINE. He is a member of the regular NROTC program, Alpha Theta fraternity, and the Christian Science church group.

John feels that the faculty-student relationship offered by the College has stimulated his interest in the intellectual life and scholarship. "It is a unique relationship," he said, "not found on most campuses." His future aim is to be a teacher of government on the college level.

On his around-the-world trip, John will fly first to Europe, where he will join Professor McLane, who is on a year's leave of absence at the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. There they will compare notes and prepare for their trip to the Far East.

Striking off on his own for ten days, John will visit Moscow, Leningrad, and other Soviet cities in order to obtain some first-hand knowledge of Russian thinking. Not able to speak Russian, he will be accompanied by an interpreter appointed by the Communist government.

By early March he will rejoin Professor McLane in Southeast Asia. The purpose of their trip is twofold: first, to interview Americans who know what the Communists are doing and local officials who are also close to the situation; and second, to consult local periodicals which are not available in the United States.

The result of the trip will be a book by Professor McLane, which will include, in part, John's thesis. In his thesis John will emphasize Communism in the Philippines as compared to the rest of Southeast Asia.

John has proven that the door to a new college undertaking is always open when the right undergraduate asks to open it.

John B. Starr '61