Revved-Up Students

Along with formal course work this term, student self-action on the educational front took up where it left off last year and again it is an important part of the intellectual life of the College. These voluntary efforts by the students include the Dartmouth Experimental College, the Freshman Reading Program, the Senior Symposia, and the newly formed Dartmouth Independent Study Center.

Dartmouth Experimental College, which has the largest student, faculty and community participation of any such effort in the country, has received widespread, favorable attention in the national press. Ten free courses are being offered this term, among them "Religious and Scientific Thought," "Racism in American Institutions," "An Investigation of Dartmouth," "American Radicalism," "Viet- nam: Root of the Present Conflict," "Japanese Language and Culture," and "Political, Social, Military, and Economic Aspects of the Middle East." Photography and typing are two practical courses being given. With more chance to get organized, the students, headed by Ronald M. Silverman '69, hope to offer 25 or more courses next term.

The Freshman Reading Program has had "An Evening with Stephen Geller '62" and this month it will sponsor "An Evening with Anne Sexton." Besides these open meetings with Mr. Geller, an author, and Mrs. Sexton, Pulitzer Prize poet, there will again be a series of coed book discussions, beginning with 100 girls from Colby Jr. College on November 11. "Contrary to previous years," student chairman Timothy J. Stein '69 says, "this year's series of coed discussions will be just one facet of the committee's total program, rather than its major function. This year our program will be more farreaching. We are diversifying."

The Senior Symposia, directed by John M. Isaacson '6B, are using "Election '68" as the central theme for this year's guest lectures. Prof. Roger Hilsman of Columbia, former Assistant Secretary of State, spoke at the College last month, and Governor George Romney of Michigan was scheduled to follow him on October 30. The seniors have also extended invitations to Governor Ronald Reagan of California, former Vice President Richard Nixon, and Senator Charles Percy of Illinois. Charles Welter, former Congressman from Georgia, will be a winter-term speaker.

A new group aiming to supplement the formal curriculum is DISC, the Dartmouth Independent Studies Center. The fall program was launched with a bus trip to Expo '67 to study international forms of modern culture.