... and the Alumni College

A FAREWELL banquet on August 27 in Thayer Hall resembled the festive aftermath of a successful moon "shoot" at Cape Kennedy. And rightly so. Dartmouth Alumni College was not only off the ground but right on target.

Time and again as the banquet program proceeded the members of the 180-member coed "class" - ranging in age from the Class of 1905 to the Class of 1960 - rose to their feet to applaud vigorously at the slightest mention of the Alumni College faculty: Professors Harold L. Bond '42 (English), James F. Cusick (Economics), Timothy J. Duggan (Philosophy), and Joseph D. Harris (Physics). Standing applause was also forthcoming for the ten faculty members who joined with the four lecturers in leading discussion groups: Professors Fred Berthold Jr. '45, Alexander Laing '25, Stearns Morse, Darrel L. Mansell, Harry N. Scheiber, George B. Saul, Alexander J. McKelway, George F. Theriault '33, David H. Sanforth, and Almon B. Ives. Student praise was also heaped on Prof. John G. Kemeny and his mathematics colleagues for the computer course.

Formal expressions of appreciation were made on behalf of the assembled student body by Dana S. Lamb '21 speaking for the "older" alumni and wives and Major General John C. Meyer '4l for the "youthful" segment. Climaxing the student portion of the ceremony, in another example of the Alumni College's impact upon the participants, Roger W. Brown '05 presented a spontaneously collected token of thanks from the student body to the College, a check for $1,050 to be applied to the 1965 Alumni College.

The importance of the Alumni College (and the concept behind it) was expressed in one critique after another in the students' own words - and even more dramatically in the fact that 40 participants this summer and 124 others have already enrolled for 1965. As the ALUMNI MAGAZINE goes to press, room remains in the 1965 Alumni College, tentatively scheduled for August 15-26. Director J. Michael McGean '49 and his staff are studying ways to expand the program.

Why was it so successful? One student answered this by saying Dartmouth Alumni College turned out to be just as it had been pictured in advance - "... a serious striving for intellectual refreshment involving responsible preparation and participation."

On arrival they plunged immediately into a daily schedule of two lectures (lectures that evolved from six months of interdisciplinary give and take by the four-member faculty) and a discussion period. Coffee hours and meals (often with faculty present) were natural extensions of the discussion sessions. Afternoon hours for some were spent at extra reading in Baker Library and for others in recreational programs. Evening activities included lectures on foreign policy by Alumni College Chairman Ellis O. Briggs '21, Career Ambassador; plays, concerts, and a political convention (via widescreen television).

In the spirit of the continuing nature of liberal arts education, the Alumni College students left campus with re-charged intellectual vigor - and a man-sized list for suggested reading.

Students Harriet and "Doc" Miller '20.

Two lectures for the entire group (r) and an afternoon seminar meeting were the daily format for Alumni College.

A photo feature on the Alumni Collegewill appear in next month's issue.