Origin of the Species

The C&T ritual, the place of poets, and the "new ' pine

Father of Uni Night?

I believe I am the source of the "Uni Night" of "now-forgotten origins" [September]. It all had to do with my getting outfitted for a Cabin & Trail winter traverse of Franconia Ridge. I had grown up in the Hell's Kitchen section of New York City, so the idea of hiking and camping out was totally foreign to me. And totally wonderful. To get prepared for the trip, I needed wind pants. Being of modest means, I went to the store where I purchased most of my clothes: Rich's in West Lebanon. The actor Charles Bronson was also shopping there when I purchased the bright orange poncho tops and bottoms I would use for wind gear at a cost of $4.99.

We hiked up 3,000 feet to Franconia Ridge. The air temperature was -10 degrees and we estimated the wind at 30-40 mph because we had to lean into it to walk forward. No problem. I put on my brand new "wind gear" and away we went. Within five minutes the plastic "wind pants" had totally frozen. And with one gust of wind, they shattered like glass, pieces blowing all over the mountain. Needless to say, we had to abort our hike.

I returned to Hanover this past june for my 20th Reunion. I came a few days early so I could return to Franconia Ridge and finally make the traverse this time with my custom-made boots, special hiking pants, and assorted Patagucci accessories. Having forgotten my sunglasses, I went once again to Rich's to outfit myself, but sadly discovered Rich's had closed for good. I carried that sadness to the top of Franconia Ridge, where two or three times during my successful traverse I could swear I saw—off in the distance small shards of bright orange plastic.

CINCINNATI, OHIO

Frost's Shadow

As a former student of Cleopatra Mathis, I can saythat her recent essay, "In Frost's Shadow" [September] illuminated why her classes were so unforgettable. Her words about Robert Frost's influence on her work as a poet and professor revealed her strong belief in the power of poetry and her passion to convey it to her students. During her workshops in the Sanborn Poetry Room Mathis showed us how to find the nerve of a poem. It's a learning that I will never stop using. Frost's description of the poem that Mathis quotes in her essay could also be used to describe her classes: "begun in delight and ended in wisdom...a momentary stay against confusion."

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

Cleopatra Mathis's beautiful essay on her experiences at the Frost Place is assuredly one of the finest expressions of the central meaning of the now 21 years of the Frost Place.

May I add a plea? The Frost Place has embarked on a campaign to save the house and barn from extensive deterioration at all levels from foundation to roof.

We need some $150,000 to secure the Frost Place, of which to date we have raised $75,000. Raising the second half is proving far more difficult. May I ask your readers whether anyone might be able to help and advise us?

Poet Donald Hall lastyear ended a letter for us this way: "We who love American literature need our sacred places, and we need permanence in these places. Without financial help, this house will sag into its cellar hole. Houses decay. Houses need support."

DIRECTOR, THE FROST PLACE HINMAN Box 6032 DARTMOUTH COLLEGE HANOVER, NH 03755

Frost's Shadow (Not)

Though "Sons of Dartmouth" is no longer de rigueur It still lives on And that's for sure.

But now as daughters join these sons A rhyme must be found To make them one.

The spell of the College lies deep within But where to start Where to begin?

Though each Alum reacts alone The College soul Still sets the tone.

Oh, to be a poet so true To write the lyrics Which no one can eschew!

MADISON, WISCONSIN

National Champs

I congratulate Adam Nelson '97 on his shot put achievements. Dr. Wheelock [September] states, "he was the first Dartmouth athlete to win a track and field NCAA title in nearly 60 years." I think he should have said "in nearly 50 years. "I have a 1945 photograph with the caption "National Champions: Joe Conley, high jump and Bill Fetzer, javelin."Joe was in the class of '46, and Bill '47 was my roommate for a few years and a lifelong friend. My recollection is they were ICAAAA Champions, and I'm not sure if it was in 1944 or 1945, but one way or the other they were National Champs.

RYE, NEW YORK

Right you are. Conley was a national champion in 1945 and 1946, Fetzerin '46. Ed.

Smoking

The treasurer of the College tells me Dartmouth continues to hold tobacco stocks. I am distressed that our College is part of an industry that makes its money by selling death under the guise of pleasure. Recently we all saw pinstriped, black-suited tobacco CEOs lie under oath to the Congress that nicotine is not addictive. I ask alumni and alumnae to exhort Dartmouth to sell its holdings.

WESTPORT, MASSACHUSETTS

PC Wars (continued)

Lighten up, Laura Tam! Your intemperate castigation of Lou Clarke [September "Letters"] for his note in the June issue reflects that dedicated band of radical feminists who find sexist bogeymen in every PC characterization of women.

The calumny you have heaped upon Clarke's head is not only inappropriate and undeserved, it is unfortunately typical of an attitude which can only weaken the cause you so ardently champion.

BURLINGTON, VERMONT

Weeding Out

That significant numbers of our nation's best could not realize their dreams to become doctors at Dartmouth ["Worries of a Premed," June] because of bad grades in "weed-out" courses is devastating and cruel. The premise behind the typical "weed-out" philosophy which pervades our schoolthat Dartmouth has weeds is wrong and should be abandoned. Let us believe in all our students and fellow classmates' abilities. No Dartmouth student is a weed.

From my experience as a post-baccalaureate premed student, tutor, and hospital employee, I discovered that many students can become exceptional students when given a strong foundation in basic science concepts and structured insight into the thought processes behind the concepts.

Alumni, including myself, who have completed the premed process, owe it to our alma mater to offer more constructive advice and feedback to premeds, baccalaureate and post-baccalaureate, about anything we learned along the way.

To all readers, I would love any thoughts on the issues presented here.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

I am still actively practicing ophthalmology here in Chicago and find that my major in the field of sociology at Dartmouth has been extremely valuable for me in my practice of medicine these past 37 years.

I would encourage premed students to study subjects other than science, as they will find themselves inundated with a deluge of scientific courses once they leave the confines of the College.

I would recommend required reading by all prospective medical students of The Horse and Buggy Doctor by Arthur E. Hertzler (published by University of Nebraska Press, 1970). It's about the life of a Kansas physician at the turn of the century, and it is extremely pertinent at this time when the graduating physician is encouraged to turn to primary care medicine, rather than a fragmented part of the human anatomy.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

Ozzie Cowles

On August 24 The Gainesville Sun ran an article concerning a very special 98th birthday party for Ozzie Cowles, who coached Dartmouth's basketball team while I was an undergraduate. Five days after the article appeared, Ozzie Cowles died.

He was not only a great coach, he was also a wonderful human being. As such he touched the lives of many people in a positive and constructive way. I was privileged to be one of his many friends. He was a great member of the Dartmouth family.

MONTICELLO, FLORIDA

Decorated

In response to Peer Pedersen's letter [September], John Chambers '45 is certainly not the only Dartmouth man to be so honored by his country. The late Colonel Wm. C. Chamberlain, Dartmouth 1938, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.) was another highly decorated WWII veteran: Navy Cross, two Silver Star Medals, Purple Heart. We served together in the Second Marine Division (1940-1945).

Colonel Dave Schilling '39 was a highly decorated fighter pilot and top "Ace" in the European Theater, WWII. The Schilling U.S. Air Force Base is named for him. I'm sure there are other equally distinguished Dartmouth men of WWII.

COLONEL, USMC (RET.) ATLANTA, GEORGIA

Ginsberg and Eberhart

Recently my mother passed along to me a bundle of letters I had written to her while at Dartmouth. In one, I found the following account of meeting the poet Allen Ginsberg, who died in early April this year. It was spring, 1973, and I was a freshman:

I have quit smoking, this being my sixth day of prohibition, and I am serious about it. I quit the day after I saw Allen Ginsberg. He is a Buddhist and pretty much a health freak. He came here last Thursday and sang and spoke his poems as well as a few of Blake's. I like his poetry a lot and was especially impressed by his poems about his two friends, Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassady. Afterwards he retired to a dorm for an informal session. There were a few bottles of wine and the atmosphere was generally mellow.

After about an hour, who should drop by but Richard Eberhart. Two of today's greatest poets in the same damn room!!!! It seems they've known each other for about 20 years. It was quite a contrast. When I think of all the evenings I have spent here enjoying everything from Norman Mailer to Godspell, this had to be the best. We talked about everything from Kenneth Patchen and Bob Dylan to higher education in America today. Amazing. I have to go to supper now (I have been a vegetarian all week) so I must sign off.

I did not remain a vegetarian for long and, regrettably, it would be several years before I truly gave up tobacco, but I never did lose my fondness for the poet Allen Ginsberg.

MT. DESERT, MAINE

Middle-Age Creep

I, too, have noticed the inexorable creep of the positioning of the Class Notes as de- scribed by Don Richardson '52 ["Letters," April]. You may also have noticed that each class's notes are in the same size type. In an effort to honor those who have gone be- fore, I suggest using a progressively larger type size for each class as it ages (matures) farther from graduation.

NORWICH, VERMONT

No Ifs, Ands, or...

I read with interest the letter from Jack DeGange [September letters]. Jack insists that it was Jake Crouthamel '60's picture in an earlier photo you mistakenly labeled Brendan O'Neill '72. He could tell because Jake "had bigger calves" than almost anyone in the history of Dartmouth football. Well, maybe Jake had huge calves, by my friend Brendan had one of the biggest butts in all of New England. It was big then; it's bigger now. And I bet it will be bigger still in die future. Can you say the same for Jake's calves?

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE

The Old Pine

In response to the Old Pine ["Dartmouth Undying," October]: One fall day in 1967, Bob Stevens, our '27 class president, Bob Funkhouser, the College auditor, and I, '27 secretary, decided that our 40th Reunion gift to the College should be a "new" Old Pine. A magnificent pine was located in Norwich. We decided on a stone bearing a bronze plaque identifying the date and the giver, but 1 insisted on one that you could also comfortably sit on. Stevens and I visited a nearby quarry and selected a good one.

One day the next spring, traffic in Hanover stopped for a few hours as a huge truck pulled a trailer with our 40-foot pine up to the edge of the Bema, where Buildings & Grounds planted it. At the dedication the class of '27 gathered around the pine. President Dickey joined us. Bill North presented a booklet with the story of the original Old Pine. Someone had talked me into dressing like Eleazar. I walked down from the Bema carrying a Bible, and spoke of the days when Eleazar had more stumps than students. Classmates Doane Arnold and Phil Fowler followed, in Indian costume, Doane with a drum and Phil with a wheelbarrow containing miniature bottles of NewEngland rum. Toasts followed, with class pipes which we broke on the stone, following the then existing tradition.

At our 70th last year, we found the plaque so far from the tree that we felt no one would recognize its '27 connection. Thanks to Alumni Relations' Nels Armstrong '7l, on the rainiest day in weeks, we met at the Bema with Buildings & Grounds and in five minutes, the stone and '27s' plaque were re-united with the tree and history thereby preserved.

BELLOWS FALLS, VERMONT