Ruffly Speaking

It has been a great temptation to take a stand on this Indian symbol issue one we have resisted for quite some time. But since this is the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine and since it pops up quite regularly, it seems appropriate to jump into the fray. For starters, I can say with no small measure of assurance that the timber wolf just isn't going to make it; it has little acceptance on campus, probably less off. As for the poor old Indian, well, he seems to be taking a battering on all fronts these days. Some feel this way, some that, with all manner of Dartmouth men and women falling somewhere along the spectrum of "Bring back the Indian" to "Let's not offend anyone." I would like to propose a new symbol, one which comes about as a result of much soul-searching on my part on the meaning of the Dartmouth family.

Ever since Corey Ford began writing about life at Dartmouth and some of you will remember that Corey seriously loved the College though he was not an alumnus one of those things he revered most was the physical presence of the place. In his view, this allowed for a number of outdoor activities, not the least of which was the opportunity it afforded his best friend, his dog, to enjoy life as it was meant to be enjoyed. Nowhere were more pleasant romping grounds to be found than at Dartmouth, with its sporty Green where Rover could cavort at will with others of like mind, to say nothing of the pine-studded hills behind Dartmouth Hall and the untamed reaches of the turf beyond Occom Pond, now reclaimed as the Hanover Country Club.

There are, of course, many species of dogs in Hanover, and one would be hard-pressed to pick one breed to represent the Big Green over another. The mutt might do just as well as any; he or she can be found virtually everywhere on campus, escorting students to class, examining certain flora, retrieving lost hats, and so on. And, as even the most casual observer will confirm, there are any number of exotic specimens traversing those particular ambits we all know and love.

But in my view, the dog which seems best suited to represent the Big Green in an official capacity is the Golden Retriever. Indeed, there is hardly a town in America that has more Goldens per capita than Hanover. By sheer head count alone (and we must advise great caution here, for some Goldens look so much alike and are so swift afoot that what might seem like three or four is actually but one energetic lass or lad), it is clear that, while not a majority, they are well represented in Hanover. Furthermore, the Golden exemplifies many of those virtues the College holds dear: loyalty; ready acceptance of all manner of persons; intellectual curiosity; a love of the outdoors; superb athletic ability; a fair modicum of raw intelligence; and great exuberance in all forms of endeavor. When one considers that the stately Golden can be found in many Dartmouth homes outside of Hanover, it is clear that the breed already enjoys widespread acceptance among Big Greeners.

As far as tradition is concerned, we need look no farther down the road than to Eleazar's alma mater to find precedent for canine symbolism. (Indeed, Yale's rather churlish bulldog seems as appropriate for the environs of New Haven as the Golden does for Dartmouth.) And while the late Mr. Hopkins preferred a Scottish deerhound, two of the three most recent presidents of the College on the Hill have to use Corey Ford's memorable usage been owned by Golden Retrievers. Ruffly speaking, that is.