Phoenix

With the coming of fall and the Class of 1982, though not in that order, the sound of the hammer is still heard across the campus, so we stopped around at College Hall to check on the progress of the new College Center and to meet Stephen Nelson, its director.

The former we found rising phoenix-like from the rubble of jerry-built offices in the west wing, Freshman Commons renewed. The latter we discovered tucked away temporarily on the third floor, pending completion of his office near the new entrance on the Robinson side of College Hall.

Nelson, who arrived in Hanover fulltime late in August after finishing work on his master of divinity degree at Andover-Newton Theological School, pronounced himself delighted with the College, the town, and prospects for the center, which he calls "the living room of the campus." It will be, he anticipates, a place where the College community - alumni included - can stop in for a bite to eat or a program to share and also as the place "where the family comes together to talk, to read, to watch TV." He sees it as "the socialcultural center of the College," adding quickly that by "culture" he means "what's happening in our society."

We asked Nelson how he saw his function as well as the facility's, once the center is open, probably early in winter term. It has two major components, he said: administrative - "to introduce the center to Dartmouth College, not just the four walls, but the whole concept"; and programmatic - "to work with the board, 14 undergraduates, two faculty members, a student ntern, and myself," to the end that the center best fit the needs of the College community.

Programs at the center will cover the spectrum from films to panel discussions on issues of varying profundity, student art exhibits to improvisational theater, rock to classical guitar - "everything from kitsch to high-brow." It will all be small-scale and low-budget, using a lot of local and student talent. The schedule has a built-in flexibility, Nelson says. "If someone knows a good blue-grass group - that we can afford - and thinks it would be great for Saturday night, all that's needed is a goahead from the program committee."

Most of the happenings will take place in the rejuvenated Freshman Commons, a multi-purpose lounge with paneling and vaulted ceiling at the west end of College Hall, which will have platforms at either end, a dance floor between, a floating balcony for reading or relaxing, and the fireplace that has most recently been part of the Francis Childs Room. Other areas will be student-organization offices and meeting rooms, a games room in the basement, a snack bar, and a pub area behind the fireplace, where the Forensic Union has been located of late.