Dartmouth accomplishes this aim, in great part, through the activity of the Dartmouth Christian Union, large enough to serve as the social service center for the entire Hanover community, and high enough in prestige to draws the captain of the football team to its presidency.

Supported entirely by the College, the DCU occupies an entire wing of College Hall, with office, meeting and counseling rooms, a lounge, and a work and supply room. It is directed by an ordained clergyman, the Graduate Secretary. In spite of the name, Jewish students at Dartmouth participate actively on an equal basis with the Christians in committees, councils, and other projects. Only for worship do they separate.

Religion itself is experiencing a revival of interest at Dartmouth. Several plans, similar to those at Harvard, call for election of a college preacher-professor and renovation of the antiquated Rollins chapel. All these plans, naturally, are supported whole-heartedly by Dickey: "There is the opportunity now as there always has been in the independent liberal arts college for men of sincerity to consider freely all subjects of human concern, and there must be room in this consideration for those who seek growth and strength through honest reexamination either of their beliefs or of their doubts."

While the undergraduates seem to take their religion seriously, they find a social balance in the fairly extensive Dartmouth fraternity system. The red brick and white frame fraternity houses which stand in a semi-circle around the dormitories and class buildings are the centers of both undergraduate life and discussion.

A Code for the Greeks

They are thus a vital part of Dartmouth, for almost 75 percent of the eligible upper three classes belong to them. Relative equality between Greeks and independents is achieved, however, by a rule which allows only 18 of the 65 men in each of the 23 houses to live in. Most of the membership, consequently, continues to live in the college dormitories. Neither are the fraternities allowed to serve meals, so that the members eat either in Thayer hall, where all freshmen are required to take their meals, or in the various restaurants in Hanover and White River Junction.

But in spite of these restrictions, the fraternity is still the focus of undergraduate life. It is a place to relax to entertain dates, to talk, and to engage in the drinking for which Dartmouth is famed. This too is limited by the college, however, despite its support of the fraternity system. Drinking is allowed only from noon until 1 a.m. and women are permitted in the first floors of the houses daily until 11 p.m. and until 1 a.m. Saturdays.

But if the Dartmouth host becomes so entangled in conversation with his date that he forgets the deadline, he must pay his penalty. (A charge of $10 is made for the first hour past curfew, and $1 for each additional hour.)

Because of the importance of the fraternities to college life, the administration is on constant guard lest national affiliations force unwelcome practices on the Hanover scene. During the past year, Dartmouth--like many fraternity schools-- has been involved in a controversial fraternity segregation debate.

Last spring, after months of discussion, the undergraduates voted to require fraternities to do away with any "written or unwritten" discriminatory clauses. As Dean Eugene Hotchkiss, Jr., admits, the non-discriminatory rule' will be almost impossible to enforce, especially in the case of unwritten rules. That discrimination may well continue under such a guise is indicated by the fact that a majority of only four students passed the non-discriminatory referendum.

Six of the Dartmouth fraternities, in accordance with national constitutions, still contain discriminatory clause, primarily against Negroes. Any who refuse to do away with such clauses by 1960 will be forced off the Interfraternity Council, and will consequently lose rushing privileges.

Unlike most schools with fraternities there is no enduring "most popular" or "most prestige giving" house. The fraternities fluctuate widely in popularity from year to year, and most maintain a varied membership, although there are two predominantly Jewish houses.

Although the main argument for removal of the discriminatory classes has been that Dartmouth men should "free themselves from outside influences," many members are wary that the anti-clause campaign has been only the first stop in a college attempt to localize the houses. Three of the fraternities are now local groups with no national ties.

Housing in the dormitories varies widely from dormitory to dormitory. Some buildings, like Yard dorms, offer only communal bathrooms; others have private baths, Generally, they are functional Georgian buildings, without dining or library facilities.

One housing experiment, patterned roughly after a Harvard House, is being conducted this year in Cutter Hall. It has a resident tutor, a large, comfortable common room and the very beginnings of a library. Dartmouth, however, has no plans for conversion to anything resembling the House plan, for the fraternities offer the social facilities of a House, and the Hanover restaurants are nearby.