Paris

On Saturday, June 20, after cocktails at President Tony Field’s right-bank gallery, the Dartmouth Club of Paris moved around the corner for dinner at a small restaurant which we had asked to open for us and Professor John Rassias.

After a pleasant dinner with the George Boswells ’39, Addison Luceses ’53, Fread Searbys ’57, Paul Berrys ’56, Anthony Fields ’61, Michel (Tuck ’69), and Pete Robinson ’55, Professor Rassias talked informally about the new approach to language instruction that he has helped establish for Dartmouth in the small town of Bourges, right in the center of France. Taking men with no previous French, the program is one trimestre of intensive study in Hanover and then a trimestre residence in Bourges, living with foster families and studying with a Dartmouth professor. He told about the exciting language progress these men make, their increased understanding of the culture, and their personal growth. He read us a letter this last group had written to their colleagues in Hanover expressing their involvement and concern about the Cambodian/Vietnam events, giving us a clearer picture of at least some students’ very deep feelings.

Since all of us present had missed the excitement of studying a language in such a living program (language dormitories with cafes, intensive drill, abroad programs), we were shocked to learn of the faculty decision to drop the language requirement at Dartmouth.

Secretary, Vick International 135, Ave. de Wagram Paris 17°, France