THE UNDERGRADUATE CHAIR

IN last month's Chair it was pointed out that the campus was busily engaged in four major controversies. Return from the Christmas recess has brought a new issue which far outshouts the previous four. In a word, it is co-education.

Co-education at Dartmouth as an issue arose from two sources. First, The Dartmouth ran a four-part series reporting a panel discussion that had been held last fall on this topic. Members of the panel included Dean Fred Berthold of the Tucker Foundation, Freshman Dean Albert Dickerson, Dean of the College Thaddeus Seymour, three undergraduates, and one student wife.

Second, President Dickey at a press luncheon at the Dartmouth Club of New York, on January 6, announced that in the summer of 1961 Dartmouth will probably begin holding a summer term and that girls will be admitted to this term. It must be emphasized, however, that they would be admitted only to this term and would not be considered full-time students of Dartmouth. Nevertheless, the door would be open and the student body immediately began long and often heated discussions of the pros and cons of such an idea.

Among the arguments pro were three main points. First, that the presence of girls in the Dartmouth student body would encourage a greater amount and better quality of work, that there would be increased competition, and Dartmouth men would on the whole take their academic work more seriously.

Second, the social situation would be markedly improved. Hanover would no longer be emptied on weekends, dating would be possible on a larger scale for the shyer and more financially limited individuals. It is easier to meet and date a girl if you are with her in class or the library.

Also there is a good deal of argument to the effect that it is a more normal situation, particularly for young people, for girls and boys to be in each other's company most of the time. Total separation from girls except on weekends is believed to be an unhealthy state of affairs.

The third point is to the effect that the presence of girls would have a "civilizing effect" on the Dartmouth man. His dress and manners would improve, he would shave more often, the occasional wild drinking - notably on Sink Night - would end, and the Dartmouth man would become a gentleman.

These arguments are felt to be valid regardless of which method is used to bring girls here - integration or coordination. The former means simply that girls become students of Dartmouth College. The latter means that a separate school is established for girls but that they use our academic facilities as Radcliffe uses Harvard's.

The contrary arguments first of all challenge the validity of the pro arguments. Does the presence of girls necessarily raise academic standards? Might not the presence of girls enhance the social situation at the expense of school work? Is it not possible that time now devoted to study would be diverted through the distraction of girls in the classrooms, library and on the campus?

From our own experience - both direct and vicarious - at the University of Michigan it was found that the library became a "Date Bureau" and that the importance, both as a matter of prestige and diversion, of fraternities and parties is enormously greater than here. In addition, it was held that the presence of girls in the classroom would inhibit the frank atmosphere that now exists. For instance, discussion of parts of Shakespeare often enters areas where the presence of both sexes would tend to inhibit the frankness. Dean Berthold believes, however, that no such inhibition would take place.

Secondly, would the social situation really be improved? Again, as at the University of Michigan, would the steady stream of dates - coffee dates, lunch dates, coke dates, dinner dates, study dates, etc. - develop here? Would Dartmouth men stop deserting Hanover on weekends? At some of our fellow Ivy institutions the coordinate girls schools are often the objects of scorn, contempt, and may be practically ignored, Why is it, for instance, that large numbers of Cornell men are found at Wells, or large numbers of Harvies found at Wellesley? Would the Dartmouth man stop his milk runs from Smith or Holyoke? Many of us seriously doubt it.

In addition, for the social situation to be improved as has been suggested, would it not be necessary to have the student body divided about evenly between male and female? If there were substantially fewer women than men it is very possible that sharp competition would break out and a new strain introduced to the Dartmouth man's life. It would also be necessary to greatly revise the present dormitory and fraternity social rules. It would undoubtedly no longer be permissible for girls to go to a student's room. Fraternity rules would be changed. In short, we would lose many of our present social freedoms.

Is the Dartmouth man really as uncivilized as he appears to be? And are the vestiges of this completely lacking in value? We have heard of few Dartmouth men suffering in competition with our brothers from Harvard or Yale in the quest for young ladies. We have been told by women from some of the girls' schools that of all the men's schools they respect Dartmouth the most.

Is our drinking any worse than at other schools? Drawing on our experience with the University of Michigan, we would say no. Only at the co-ed schools the drinking has to be more concealed. In spite of our reputation we would venture the opinion that Harvies, Yalies, Princetonians, and Brown men can and do drink as much as we do, possibly more.

Is our dress uncivilized or just practical? It is safe to say that levis hold up better in the Hanover weather than do flannel slacks and that one's feet stay drier in boots than in Bostonians.

Let us also consider some practical matters. Dormitories set apart from the men's dorms would be necessary. Choate Road and Wigwam Circle dorms satisfy this. But are we to double the population of Dartmouth or halve the male population? Many of us are opposed to both. Would we have to build a sorority row, or do away with half of the fraternities? The first is too expensive and most everyone would oppose eliminating his fraternity from our campus.

What would happen to some of our dearest traditions? Would girls build bonfires, pull in the tug of war, run the gauntlet at Wet Down, and carry furniture for upperclassmen? Would Sink Night be allowed? Of course not. Powder rooms would have to be installed in all the men's dorms, a female administration to deal with the girls would have to be instituted, new infirmary facilities constructed.

But these are secondary points to many of us. When pinned down the student will admit one over-riding fact. As things now stand the Dartmouth man has time free and the inclination to develop deep and rewarding friendships with other men. Girls are wonderful and most of us intend to marry, but there is something extraordinary and valuable to be obtained from the friendships made at Dartmouth. When we live together, study together, ski together, drink together, we learn to know another man, to understand him, to learn from him, and to feel loyalty to him. And therein lies the strength of the Dartmouth fellowship. We come here as green boys and we leave as Dartmouth men. So it has been for 191 years, and may it be so for another 191 years.

Aside from co-education, the. student body is excited about the weekend of weekends - Winter Carnival. Coming on February 5-6-7, this will be Dartmouth's fiftieth Winter Carnival. There will be

not one but two center-of-campus statues in keeping with the Swiss Holiday theme.

CBS-TV will be here to video-tape an hour-and-half sport spectacular concentrating mainly on the skiing events, but also including shots of the ice statues and crowning of the queen. This will be shown Sunday afternoon, February 7, across the country. Co-education notwithstanding, Winter Carnival is undoubtedly the one over-riding thought in every Dartmouth man's mind at this point.

The start of the winter term created the usual student rush for new textbooks.