Dartmouth College - Aegis Yearbook (Hanover, NH)

Page 28 text:

uicUiimouUi AsMi The caiiii)us. Imilil iciii;il silc ]! ' xil ' lli.ill and Iducli t ' ii(ill)all ffMines, playcfl still aiiolluT lolo (luring coinniciiceiiieiit, when hiiij; lines of seniors marched across the green tnrf to the steps of Dartinoulh Hall, where the speech of weleonie ami the class oration were de- livered, liesuining their colinHiis, the hlack-rohed figures nioveil to the Old I ' ine stump by Hartlell Tower to hear the Sachem Oration and the Address to the Old Pine. In spite of the current revival of tradition, there are still a few customs which have not reappeareil. Hack in the early pages of Dartmouth history undergraduates were reported to have taken over a town meeting and ])assed a p ro])osal to install a ])iiie line from Hanover to Montreal so that the thirsty passershy might pause for refreshment. .Vnd then there was something later about a subway to Smith. When the local aulhoiities lexied a })oll tax on undergraduates without allowing lliein voting privileges, John L. Sullivan ' il rose in wrath to chami)ion the cause of his fellows. Parading through the Hanover streets in a butcher ' s wagon and decked in a red silk hat and shirt, he j)romisi ' d his constituents justice. He was elected

Page 27 text:

Ide4 xii old and teuA President Dickey, .speakini; frimi the stops of Darliiumlli Hall announced that Dartmouth ' s spirit is expressed in its songs. .ludj;- ing from the siiifjiiig, this spirit appeared a little weak at first, but with each succeeding rally it gained in strenglli. Mefore the foot- ball season was over, flames from kiTosene-soake l boxes shot their reflection against the window panes of IJaker Library, and frenziecl cheer leaders lioundcd excitedly before the dnsk-eovered circle of enthusiastic undergraduate participants. Major football victories were then marked by the jicaling of bells in Rollins Chapel — a i)rivilege allotted by custom to Fresh- men. Toward the end of October the ahiinni had their share in bring- ing back tradition as Dartmouth Night was officially revived. Many who couldn ' t come to share in the festivities before the ste])s of Webster Hall sent telegrams of good will and encouragement to the College. Spring thaws flooded the Dartmouth eaminis but the ri ' vival of the duckboard tradition saved many wet feet, while the hand of superstition is felt in the tradition in which the aspiring under- graduate finishes ofiF his cramming period by rubbing the already shining nose of Dean Lavcock on the third floor of Bakei- l.ibrarv. i? Sl s. jS

Page 29 text:

0X204 w-a IJz ' i and served office for a day. I ' roviiifj; (lie advaiitaf i s of starling one ' s political career al an early age, Mr. Sullivan later became Under-Secrelary of I he a y. In 1S()!I a uroiip of undergraiinalo. claiining lo l)e inotivaled by an iiilert l in Ix ' tler edncation, sneceeded in leniporarily passing a measure in the town meeting for Ihe construction of a red hrick school house four stories high, fifty feet long, and lliicc fcil wide. .Vnolhci ' nnrevived tradition of a less political Iml iiiort- de- structive nature was the Freshman Picture Figlil in which 60% of Ihe Freshnian class had to have their ])iclnres taken within a I Weill y-f our hour period in or ler to win. The Sophomores altenii)!- cd 1(1 thwarl Ihe lower classmen by ea])turing and confining them to ( ' oniuions, which served as their jail hovisc. The festivities in- cluding midnight antics, dawn patrols, and seizures. This tradition was shelved when one man was discovered carrying dynamite, and a group was spied on top of the Physics building. Another tradition which awaits revival is Ihe i)erforming of stunts by the Freshman class during half-time at home football games. Known as Delta Alpha, this was discontinued when the sense of hiiiiior of .some of the upper classmen got out of hand. D.irliiiniilh Nijihl ' ' ,