LETTERS
Ideal Story
This is the first time I can recall picking up the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine and feeling scooped on a cover story. We're not actually, literally scooped; we don't have a "New Idealism" cover in the works. But we might. Maybe we should. I'm also admiring of the way the theme was plugged into Dartmouth life quite directly, without a lot of intermediate thumbsucking.
It's all part of Everybody Getting into the Act. Alumni magazines take on the newsmagazines. College seniors challenge Flora Lewis. A magazine in which every Letter to the Editor tor is devoted to some subject other than the terminal liberality/conservatism of the administration or other alumni. A better world must be just around the corner.
New York, New York
Mr. Duncan is assistant managing editorof Time.—Ed.
Assume '54
The December announcement that Richard Page is the nominee for the Board of Trustees is a welcome one. Dick Page is a man of decision, a Dartmouth traditionalist, and an alumnus led by conscience. The alumni body could not ask for a better trustee. Class pride forces me, however, to point out that you neglected to mention Dick's class—THE GREAT CLASS OF 1954!
Claremont, California
THE EDITOR REPLIES: This is a class with the most members serving on the Alumni Council (five) and the second-most living recipients of the Dartmouth College Alumni Award (eight—the class of '29 has one more). The class has raised more than $4.2 million for the College in the past 36 years, and has funded two internships for students who work for federal agencies in Washington. Classmates have served or are serving Dartmouth as directors of athletics, Buildings & Grounds, auditing, communications, and the Parents Fund; chair of the French and Italian Department; architect for Rockefeller Center; and supervisor of the Baker Library Reserve Desk—not to mention president of the College and chairman of the Board of Trustees.
In fact, the class of '54 has been so influential at Dartmouth that readers might want to employ this rule of thumb: if the class numerals are missing from a prominent alumnus's name, you can almost assume one of two things: (1) the editors screwed up, or (2) the alumnus is from the Great Class of '54. In this case, both are true.
Splendid Outing
Please accept congratulations for the well-composed piece on Cabin & Trail, "Fresh Heirs," by Heather Killebrew '89. Accompanying art, graphic, and photographic work were superb.
As a 40-year member of TOR [translation: The Only Religion," amoniker given the club by the zealous-Ed.], it was with great enjoyment that I found myself reliving past under graduate experiences and savoring those of the present men and women of C&T.
Now for the clincher! The photo on the table of contents captioned "Chow at the Ravine Lodge, 1951..." contains one very familiar face, my own (center foreground). Therefore the picture had to be taken not in 1951 but before June 1949 when I departed the Hanover Plain. Included in the picture are members of the classes of '45, '46, '47, '48, '49, '50, and '51.
With all of that said, I do enjoy the new Alumni Magazine look and read it from cover to cover ads and all.
Hanover, New Hampshire
I want to thank you for the splendid November issue. It seems especially splendid to me because of the fine coverage of the DOC, the Moosilauke 50th Anniversary, the Environmental Issues Symposium and the beautiful article on C&T by Heather Killebrew (to whom I am writing separately). I have been critical of the Mag previously for slighting the Outing Club, but this makes up for all, as far as I am concerned.
Dexter, Maine
Fluff Rag
My, how clever! An article [October] extolling the virtues of The Dart mouth by one of its current editors. I am embarrassed to admit that The D was nothing more than a pathetic leftwing rag with little or no credibility among the students when I was at Darmouth, and I am sure that it remains the same today. The D is a laughing-stock, and the Alumni Magazine aproaches such a state when it published fluff pieces such as this one. I guess we now know where the Alumni Magazine finds its future reporting "aces."
Greenville, South Carolina
Pretty Face
The Alumni Magazine looks terrific. What a tremendous difference the new, bolder use of larger photos, new graphics, and more color make, high lighting the more expansive editorial.
It's a wise investment, one that will probably pay for itself both in increased ad revenue and goodwill with alumni.
Keep up the fine work!
New York, New York
Justice Decried
I read with interest in the summer issue that President Freedman had testified before the U.S. Senate in support of William Rehnquist's nomination as Chief Justice. Arguably the finest nineteenth-century mind to sit on the high court in this century, Mr. Rehnquist, during his tenure as Associate and Chief Justice, has ruled un flaggingly in favor of big government over individual rights, for corporations over aggrieved consumers, for company employers over their workers and retirees, and the power of state legislatures to meddle in one of the most private, intimate decisions of a woman's life. In his written opinions he has rarely missed an opportunity to kick society's poor, minorities, and disendenchised squarely in the teeth or solar plexus.
Assuming that President Freedman's endorsement was based on the nominee's personal charm, rather than sympathy with his Tory shibboleths, those of us who will have to live with the mischief of the Rehnquist Court can only express a rueful "Thanks for nothing, Jim!"
Angels Camp, California
My father, Howard Dunham '11, professor of French at Dartmouth for some 40 years, would have been amused by the October article, "Has the Writing Gotten Better?" He depolred "gotten" and used to tell a story about the man who got tickets for a theater performance and telegraphed his friend, HAVE GOTTEN TICKETS. A slight change occurred in transmission and the message was delivered, HAVE GOT TEN TICKETS.
Maybe your title was written with tongue in cheek to see what response (if any!) might come from the alumni. Not to worry, Dartmouth English Department; in my day at least, you learned us good.
Arlington, Virginia
Thanks for the usage tip. We have learnedfrom every one we've ever gotten.—Ed.
Higher Faculties
It is time for our alumni to direct their efforts toward raising the salaries of our great faculty significantly. We waste a lot of our feelings for Darmouth in the infighting we read in "Letters." Let's direct our positive feelings for the College into efforts to raise faculty salaries appreciably. We must emphasize the classroom part of what we all appreciate as the Dartmouth image.
Oviedo, Florida
In the winter "Dr. Wheelock's Journal" there's an item concerning faculty salaries being second-lowest in the Ivy League. Dealing in gross numbers is rather meaningless. For example, what does $57,114 purchase in quality of life in Philadelphia compared with $50,660 in Hanover? Also, let's keep in mind that New Hampshire has neither a sales nor an income tax while Pennsylvania has both. The matter of faculty salaries is receiving frequent mention in Hannover mailings without reference to such regional differences, thus creating false and perhaps misleading comparisons.
Franklin Lakes, New Jersey
Warm Iceman
The photo of Warren Cook '67 and Coach Eddie Jeremiah '30 in the October "Sports" evoked strong memories. I had the privilege of playing hockey under Jeremiah (including his very last Dartmouth team) as well as working one summer at his hockey camp in Minnesota. His coaching greatness is well documented. But he was much much more than a great coach.
A cheerful man even in the face of adversity, Jerry transmitted his love of hockey and Dartmouth to everyone around him. Jerry brings back memories, but one that sticks out is his retirement dinner. Facing death, Jerry brought tears of laughter to everyone in the room as he regaled the crowd with one hilarious story after another.
Congratulations to the Dartmouth community for honoring individuals like Eddie Jeremiah.
Glen Rock, New Jersey
Frost-Bidden
Regarding the "Frost Identities" in the October issue, I am number ninenot Foxy Parker. I had been out of high school ten years when entering Dartmout, having been discharged from the Marine Corps in June of' 44. I am the old man of the class. Didn't live in the dorms but off campus, so acquaintance with the class of '48 is pretty much limited to friendships made at reunions. Frost's wasn't a class where names were read for attendance, so I really don't know anyone in the group. We came out of the night and disappeared into the night.
My picture was not in the class year-book. So it is understandable after nearly 44 years that no one in Hanover came up with my name.
Vestal, New York
Half (Baked) Time
As a frequent rooter at Dartmouth football games I enthusiastically applaud our fine team and its thoughtfut, progressive coaches. There is excellence displayed in every contest. During the closing moments of each Ivy matchup the issue is ever in doubt. More we cannot ask.
In addition I am uplifted by the great job Max Culpepper and his musicians have accomplished with the lively Green band. It was an added pleasure to see them and to hear the melodies last season at both Harvard and Columbia. What a fine family day at Columbia! The cheerleaders are trim, diverse, well trained, gymnastic, and precise—if somewhat disconnected from the game and tradition. They are appreciated and admired.
Now for the dark side. I am sick unto my ear level of hearing the boring, witless narrations followed by a few notes of music at halftime. All the Ivies do it. It's simply not good show. Piercing! Witless! If the students feel compelled to promote questionable college humor, revive the Jack-O-Lantern. Doesn't College (Collis) Hall encourage standup schtick? WDCR?
What is happening at halftime—for several seasons now—is "Saturday Afternoon Dead." For crying out loud, play us a tune!
Providence, Rhode Island
Glum Alum
In the Dartmouth Tradition of harping on issues that warrant no harp, allow me to protest the casting (to say nothing of the placement) of the "Boast Collegiate" outerwear ad in the October 1989 Alumni Magazine.
Rarely have I seen such a glum (and creaky) assemblage of undergrads. Or are they trying to portray me, a glum alum? I count two possibilities; either they are Dartmouth grads and are chagrined at the thought of going outside in that stuff or they were told to make dopey faces. Heck, maybe it's my fault: I work on Madison Avenue. Nonetheless, no matter who Boast is trying to reach, indulge me one last question: Red?
Now, though Boast, Inc.'s generous contribution to the publication of the Magazine is a great idea, may red and robin's egg blue Dartmouth clothing be donated to the ad's perky tennis-player model who seems especially in need of a little perk. Or may it just not be. Thanks.
New York, New York
The ad appeared in all the Ivy magazineswith appropriate school logos. The Cornellversion looked great.—Ed.
To make sure everyone knows what class produced the latest Alumni Council cand date for Trustee, a group of '54s formed a "phalanx" for the photographer. Webster's says a phster's says a phalanx is a body of infantry formed in close deep ranks.
