President Dickey Plans Retirement
Near the close of his annual Convocation address, on September 23, President Dickey told the assembled students and faculty that he plans to retire from the presidency sometime during the 1969-70 period of Dartmouth's Bicentennial. That year will also mark his 25th year as head of the College, and he has long considered these twin anniversaries as a logical and auspicious time for the transfer of presidential leadership.
Not a part of the advance text of his address, President Dickey's announcement came as a complete surprise to all but a few of those gathered in Leverone Field House for the formal opening of Dartmouth's 199th year. His voice showing the emotion of the moment, the President said: "Some time ago I informed the Trustees that at their convenience during the 1969-70 Bicentennial period I'd like to cap my stint in the effort to bring Dartmouth to a running start as she enters her third century by passing the baton to another and retiring, shall we say, to the green pastures of Hanover." When he finished his address a minute or two later, the audience arose and gave him a prolonged ovation.
In the interest of an orderly transition, Mr. Dickey informed the Trustees of his plans about two years ago and initiated organizational arrangements within the Board to that end. Public announcement now, he said, would permit the necessary further steps to be taken.
Praise for President Dickey's long and distinguished leadership was voiced by Lloyd D. Brace '25, chairman of the Board of Trustees, who said that the forthcoming change in administration poses a major problem for the Trustees as well as the entire Dartmouth community. "To find a successor with his breadth of vision and energetic devotion to an increasingly arduous task will not be easy and will require a search of the broadest scope," he said.
For this purpose Mr. Brace has named a special Trustee Committee consisting of Ralph Lazarus '35, Robert S. Oelman '31, Dudley W. Orr '29, Charles J. Zimmerman '23, and himself. They will have the help of a special faculty committee established by the Faculty Committee on Organization and Policy and consisting of Profs. John H. Copenhaver Jr. '46 (chairman), Louis Morton, Donald L. Kreider, and John Finch. The faculty committee has been asked to find ways of eliciting assistance from the whole faculty and from the student body. The president of the Dartmouth Alumni Council, Howland H. Sargeant '32, will provide a means of communication whereby the alumni can suggest candidates to the Trustee Committee.
As provided by the Dartmouth charter, selection of a new president will be made by the full Board of Trustees after it has the report of its special committee. According to Mr. Brace, an office in Hanover will centralize activities concerning the search and will receive communications from interested persons.
