THE UNDERGRADUATE CHAIR

DARTMOUTH is often said to be a college at which the class, and not the clique, is the important thing. Actually the word clique is here taken to mean any group or organization smaller than the class itself. But perhaps this is an exaggeration.

It is certainly true that after graduation the class becomes the principal unit with which the Dartmouth alumnus identifies himself. But whether this is the case with undergraduates is open to some doubt. For instance, class jackets, once the thing to wear, are now being worn only on rare occasion.

Classes are naturally united during the activities of matriculation and graduation, but during the prolonged - and seniors this year can tell you how very prolonged - interim, the students now seem to be identifying themselves with their fraternities, their dormitories, their campus groups and organizations - and then their class.

One area in which this seems to be increasingly true is students' identifying themselves with their fraternities. Had one been able to witness the spirit exhibited on the green this past fall during interfraternity football games, he might be led to believe that this is not mere conjecture. The loyalty and enthusiasm displayed - one fraternity even had "cheerleaders," although still part of a publicity stunt to impress the new pledge classes - was more intense than ever before and indicated a stronger interest of the brothers in their fraternities.

And loyalty and identification of students with their fraternities has carried over from the fall contests on the green. This may in part be due to the desire of the houses to stimulate better rushes in the future by performing well in interfraternity competition. (The results of this competition, which are published annually, have of late become more significant in the attitudes of the rushees.) It may also be due to an increased awareness of the brothers that a house can be of real value if treated and used properly, as contrasted to the more traditional view that a fraternity is merely of social utility.

In many respects this is good. Fraternities no longer need be discredited as being only of recreational worth. Witness the fact that the overall average of all fraternity brothers on campus last year was 3.3, and while this is being written rumors are circulating that last term one house on campus had an average of 4.1. These are not averages to be viewed lightly, nor do they indicate an atmosphere pervaded by wine, women, song, and TV. What may have been lost, if anything, in terms of class rapport seems to have been gained in making the fraternity - and all the other campus organizations with which students are identifying themselves - a more wholesome and useful activity.

It may be of incidental interest to describe how fraternities are ranked. The College has established an elaborate point system to accomplish this task, and fraternities are awarded points for their activities in each of five divisions, including administration, scholarship, athletics, projects, and special events. The final standings, recently published, of last year's competition are as follows:

1. Beta Theta Pi

2. Chi Phi

3. Alpha Theta

4. Sigma Phi Epsilon

5. Sigma Alpha Epsilon

6. Sigma Nu Delta

7. Phi Tau

8. Tau Epsilon Phi

9. Alpha Chi Rho

10. Delta Upsilon

11. Phi Kappa Psi

12. Theta Delta Chi

13. Bones Gate (formerly Delta Tau Delta)

14. Phi Delta Alpha

15. Psi Upsilon

16. Delta Kappa Epsilon

17. Kappa Kappa Kappa

18. Phi Gamma Delta

19. Pi Lambda Phi

20. Kappa Sigma

21. Alpha Delta Phi

22. Zeta Psi

23. Tabard (formerly Sigma Chi)

24. Gamma Delta Chi

The adjusted standings for the past ten years of competition list the top five houses in the following order:

1. Delta Upsilon

2. Alpha Theta

3. Sigma Alpha Epsilon

4. Theta Delta Chi

5. Tau Epsilon Phi

NOTING the time of the year, it is not surprising to observe students looking forward to the Winter Carnival Weekend. For the most part the campus is anticipating the usual whirlwind of activities, designed in such a way as to allow a student to realize in one weekend the recreational needs of the entire Winter Term. And, as usual for this weekend now 52 years old, a few students will still be missing classes on the Wednesday following in a gallant effort to regain some of the energy exuberantly poured out in the attempt to participate in all the weekend's activities.

Several items of note can be mentioned in connection with Carnival. This will be the first year that the weekend will be the responsibility of the newly formed Winter Carnival Council. Having resigned this direction last year, the Dartmouth Outing Club will concentrate on the skiing events.

As usual, work on the statues and other projects associated with the weekend is suffering the same two problems: Mother Nature's fickle weather and the lack of student initiative. The tricky Hanover weather - one day bitter cold and ice, the next day sun and slush — is never more thoroughly "appreciated" than when students are trying to construct snow statues. It might just as well have been this struggle with the weather that produced the expression, "If you're not satisfied with the weather here, wait five minutes and it'll change."

That other perennial problem for the Carnival directors seems this year to be more serious than ever. Not only is the Council experiencing difficulty in getting student workers, but it is also having trouble obtaining the help of crew chiefs for the center-of-campus statue and other assistant directors who supposedly would be in line to direct the event next year. This could be critical for the weekend's continuance! And so it is that the ominous cloud is again hanging over Dartmouth, leading pessimists to claim that this is possibly the last Carnival.

Because of financial difficulties and insufficient student help, Outdoor Evening has been dropped from this year's calendar. In its stead there will be "organized" skating parties and a lighted golf course skiway. Perhaps this change will help relieve the problem facing this year's Winter Carnival Council.

BREAKING somewhat with their traditional attitudes and biases, students recently took keen and sympathetic interest in the tribulations of one of Hanover's businessmen. But it is obvious why this was so. The case: State of New Hampshire vs. Wilbur Goodhue, director of the Dartmouth Bookstore. The issue: whether or not it is in violation of state law to sell Henry Miller's Tropic ofCancer. The scene: the Lebanon Opera House, converted into a courtroom. The result: student interest and, for the most part, opinion in favor of Mr. Goodhue. As this is being written the results of the case have not yet been decided, but it is already obvious that whatever they may be, both Miller and Goodhue have become popular on campus.