THE UNDERGRADUATE CHAIR

A NYTHING that can be said about Dartmouth in the spring will seem trite because it has already been said many times before. With the disappearance of the ice and snow, and the reappearance of the green, the atmosphere of the College seems almost lifelike again. Sunbathing, softball, and frisbee are the order of the day, and student attire consists of shades, shorts, sweatshirts, and shoes (if desired). While the freshmen marvel at Mother Nature's unique ability to refashion the entire plain, the more knowing seniors are busy dividing their time between Colby and preparation for comps. And everyone is looking forward to the College's most popular weekend, Green Key, in May.

This year, however, the spring term has brought several other things to the College besides the "schlump." The one to arrive with the loudest bang was a new student organization which calls itself the Young Americans for Freedom. The YAF, recognized now by the UGC, is the group that criticizes FDR for his NRA. And having established its state headquarters on Allen Street, the group appears to be fairly well represented on campus. Needless to say, the campus also has its liberals and not-quite-so-ultra-conservative conservatives. Result: a rally, a freedom forum in Dartmouth Hall, the usual editorials and Daily Dartmouth bickering, and a Dartmouth first - a full-page birthday tribute to Franklin Delano appearing in Dartmouth's own daily newspaper.

In addition to the liberal-YAF controversy, politics appeared at Dartmouth in the traditional spring elections. With candidates running for offices to the UGC, IDC, ABC, XYZ, and an endless num- ber of other organizations, the campus became a melee of petitions and politicking. Actually, a keen interest was demonstrated in the campus elections this year as 71% of the student body turned out to cast their votes. This was a significant increase over the 58.6% that voted last year, and the 53% that voted the year before. And by now, with justified pride, the successful candidates are beginning to perform the many duties that go along with the offices they hold.

New items of interest arose from other sources than Mother Nature this spring too. The administration, for instance, recently announced that beginning with the academic year 1963-1964 all campus dormitory rooms will be furnished - at an additional cost of $30 over present rates. Casque and Gauntlet winced with pain at this decree, remembering the days when the used furniture business provided young entrepreneurs with an avalanche of ill-deserved pecuniary gain. Absent from the administration's announcement, however, was the answer to the question: what will be done with the tons of beautiful furniture presently gracing the interiors of Dartmouth's dormitory rooms, which incidentally are noted for their pleasing decor from Simmons to Skidmore.

As the students began to wonder where the additional $30 for room-furnishings was coming from, Palaeopitus made an announcement of its own. After two centuries of being without, Palaeopitus declared that next year Dartmouth will finally be with its own official Dartmouth ring. At some point this year, observant students noted that there were twelve versions of Dartmouth rings being offered for sale in Hanover. They noted the price too! So, in a business-like and commendable manner, the Executive Committee of the UGC undertook to contract for an official ring. They succeeded, Dartmouth has an official ring, and the price is, for once, within the reach of all students.

The negotiations for the official ring were being conducted while students were returning to Hanover from spring vacation. Nineteen men of Dartmouth's Rugby Club were returning from their spring trip to Ireland, a trip which was termed educationally successful and profitable in the good will created for Dartmouth. Three other seniors were returning at this same time from Russia, where they had spent the spring vacation studying higher education in the Soviet Union. And while other students were trekking back from wholesome vacations in all parts of the world (and Florida), Tropic of Cancer returned to the shelves of the Dartmouth Bookstore.

Meanwhile, the laws of supply and demand began to cause the Dartmouth Players some consternation. As a result of Dartmouth's excess demand, and the location's inadequate supply, The Players were forced to publicize their desperate need for a "female unknown" to star in their Green Key play. Their plea, presented in The Dartmouth stated, "She must be a girl who can sing, wants to act, who may never have been on the stage before, and who is probably so shy that she won't make herself known."

As Player Director George Tuttle began pulling his hair in desperation, Hopkins Center's Director Warner Bentley escorted 150 interested students through the new creative arts center. The building, scheduled for operation this fall, is still far from complete, but the outlines of the structure are quite visible even to the outdoor theater which one of the guides described as being designed "for the three or four nice days a year."

The introduction to the Center was impressive. The COSO tour, and a DCU evening discussion with Professor John L. Stewart, gave those who participated a real sense of the new dimension which the Center will provide - a dimension which will bring the "arts back to daily experience," a return which can benefit many undernourished students.

As the Hopkins Center nears completion, the impressiveness of this structure continues to overshadow its neighbor, the Dartmouth College Museum. Perhaps noting this fact, Professor Elmer Harp, director of the museum, decided that what was needed to preserve Dartmouth's architectural equilibrium was a new sign for the museum, since the present sign, according to him, is "pretty awful." Result: Dartmouth students have the wonderful opportunity of participating in a sign-design contest. The prizes: a handsome Acoma Pueblo jar, a fossil fish unearthed in Wyoming, and several others of equal desirability.

While the College is presently building Hopkins Center to rehabilitate student interest in the arts, President John Sloan Dickey announced recently that Dartmouth is also "presently engaged in an important rehabilitation and extension of her athletic facilities." Step number one in this program will be the transference of the administrative responsibilities for the Department of Physical Education and the intramural program to the Dartmouth College Athletic Council. Step number two will probably consist of the completion of the new Nervi fieldhouse. And step number three undoubtedly will consist of another appeal for funds.

Thus the pervasive atmosphere of this term at Dartmouth is denoted by the word rehabilitation - of the weather, the campus' political situation, the campus' ring situation, the campus' furniture situation, and the campus' art and athletic programs. Some students have begun to wonder, with all this rehabilitation, who needs the summer vacation!

Before the departure of the Dartmouth Rugby Club for Ireland on March 15 it wasentertained at a dinner at Idlewild Airport by Colonel Ed Egan, chairman of thegovernment's People to People Sports Committee. Seated at the table are Lou Setti'62, club secretary; Woody Bradford '62, president; Mrs. Egan; Colonel Egan; CoreyFord, club sponsor and adviser; and Von Beebe '62, captain.