Table of Contents

November 1998 Vol. 91 No. 3

28 The Inauguration

Anew president welcomes the class 0f 2002 and reflects on the enviable tension between being a college and a university.

30 The Betrayal ofSamson Occom

The life of Dartmouth's chief inspiration and fundraiser was braided with promise and disappointment. By Bernd Peyer

38 Sails for the America's Cup

A U.S. entry turns to computers to get a leg up on the competition in the sport's biggest race. By Fred Hapgood

42 The Mystery of the Tao

The newest clue in an ancient literary whodunit surfaced at Dartmouth. By Rebecca Bailey

4 Letters

8 On the Hill

14 Curmudgeon

22 Syllabus

46 Class Notes

75 Obituaries

80 Dartmouth Undying On the Cover:

Samson Occam returned from England with thefundsfor Wheelock's vision. Painting by Marc Burckhardt.

Ancient Chinese bamboo slips represent the earliest known manuscript of one of the world's sacred texts.