The Dartmouth
Encyclopedia
The Dartmouth is the daily student newspaper
at Dartmouth College
. Founded in 1799, it is America's oldest college newspaper. It is published by The Dartmouth, Inc., an independent, nonprofit corporation chartered in the state of New Hampshire.
The Dartmouth was first published in Hanover, New Hampshire
on August 27, 1799, by Moses Davis “on College Plain” under the name the Dartmouth Gazette. “Here range the world – explore the dense and rare; And view all nature in your elbow chair,” Davis wrote in the first issue of the Dartmouth Gazette. In his first column, Davis stressed the necessity of avoiding “personal reflections” while maintaining “impartiality in view.”
The first articles of the Dartmouth Gazette focused on local news, but also printed two pages of foreign and national news. The Gazette’s aim was to print news articles that were of practical use to readers, often covering information about local events, laws that would affect local residents, and imminently dangerous sicknesses. The first issue of the Dartmouth Gazette contains a poem and short story signed by “Icarus,” who was later found to be Daniel Webster. Issues of the Dartmouth Gazette demonstrate that the newspaper provided a record of local events relating both to the town and to the College. For example, "the second issue has a long and rather tediously written discussion of New Hampshire school laws, and a report of Dartmouth's Commencement activities from Wednesday, August 28, 1799." It is also clear that mischief consistent with undergraduate students was not eliminated from the Dartmouth Gazette entirely by the editing process. In covering a dysentery outbreak in the later months of 1800, one story read:
The Dartmouth Gazette changed its name to The Dartmouth as the newspaper was published more regularly with a greater emphasis on news of Dartmouth College, rather than news of a national import.
The name of the newspaper was changed “to be a faithful expression of the mind of the students, — to be, what its title imports, The Dartmouth, possessing such a local character and stamp of individuality as will render it acceptable to all who claim this Institution as their Alma Mater.” This changing focus on local and College news contrasts with the greater national and local focus of the newspaper in the first decades of the 1800s. Financially, The Dartmouth was self-sustaining through a subscription revenue model.
The Dartmouth’s printing press changed several times during the 19th century. In 1840, the editors noted, “We hope our convenience, which demanded a change of printers, will not compel us to do it at the expense of our typography.” The April 1840 issue of The Dartmouth stated bluntly, “[T]his month has not been prolific in College news.” In this context, The Dartmouth’s original local and national news focus becomes clear.
The Dartmouth printed many editorials in its pages, which “tackled a variety of topics, mostly of an academic nature. The Dartmouth also contained a College News section with one or two-line items on professorial appointments, alumni news, and an editors note regarding correspondence.”
By 1842, The Dartmouth regularly ran to 40 pages and was printed eight times a year. Under the principle of “write for your readers,” the writing in The Dartmouth was “to be geared to the popular reader instead of the academic.”
Christopher R. Johnson ’94 completed a detailed thesis history of The Dartmouth, after receiving a grant from the Hewlett Foundation for The Dartmouth’s Historical Archives Project. According to Johnson, “From the editors’ note at the end of each issue comes something as typically mock vainglorious as this segment: ‘…[A]s a consequence, The Dartmouth is making an illumination. Be careful you are not dazzled by its luminous pages.’”
The Dartmouth went through a substantial developmental phase in 1875 under the watchful eye of Samuel Merrill of the Class of 1876. Starting in September 1875, The Dartmouth began publishing regularly every Thursday morning. Merrill doubled the size of the newspaper and increased subscription terms to $2 a year. Also in 1875, advertisements appeared in The Dartmouth for the first time. At this time, The Dartmouth was the only college paper published weekly in New England, and was one of the three large college weeklies in the world.
On September 18, 1913, a news story announced that The Dartmouth had become a corporation chartered in Maine over the summer break. “Instead of a mere union of editors putting forth a newspaper by common consent, there is a legal corporation for the purpose, a legal entity which exists in the eyes of the law apart from the particular individuals who form its personnel at a given time. The paper has changed from individualistic to corporate control,” the issue read.
The newspaper’s Board of Management (currently called the Directorate, the group of editors and business directors) worked with Mr. Ernest M. White ’05, of Portland, Maine, who spent many hours preparing and executing the incorporation of the paper. The newspaper was chartered in Maine because the College could have a powerful hold on New Hampshire politicians if necessary, since it was a major employer and influence in the state. By incorporating the newspaper in Maine, the newspaper could escape some of the College’s political power in case of a lawsuit.
In 1939, the College's political influence was no longer deemed problematic, and The Dartmouth, Inc. was transferred from Maine to New Hampshire.
On the editorial side, applicants can apply to write for any of the various content sections, or to work on the photography, graphics, design or copyediting staff. Students are asked to submit an application before interviewing with current staff. On the business side, students can apply for the Advertising and Marketing, Circulation, Finance, IT, and Design sections. Applicants are asked to submit an application before interviewing with current staff.
The Dartmouth also publishes two weekly supplements, Big Green Sports Weekly on Mondays and The Dartmouth Mirror on Fridays and maintains an online blog called "DartBeat," formerly called "Above the Fold."
Special editions are printed for such events as Homecoming weekend, Winter Carnival, Green Key Weekend and Commencement
, and a special freshman issue is sent to the homes all incoming students.
During the New Hampshire primary
, The Dartmouth is known for its interviews with the presidential candidates.
Dartmouth also maintains its own photo and poster store with pictures in current editions as well as copies of historical front pages, available for purchase.
Famous alumni of The Dartmouth include Mindy Kaling
, Susan Dentzer
, New York Times reporter Jacques Steinberg
, Paul Gigot
, Mort Kondracke
and ABC News journalist Jake Tapper
.
In the past, the Fund has awarded leave-term stipends for unpaid internships at news organizations including Hearst Newspapers, The New York Times, CongressNow, Conde Nast and The Atlantic Monthly, providing stipend recipients with front-row access to the world of journalism.
The Vox Fund has also allowed The Dartmouth to bring renowned journalists to Hanover to work alongside staff through the Editor-in-Residence program. Former Editors-in-Residence include long-time Philadelphia Inquirer reporter George Anastasia ’69, former correspondent for NBC News Robert Hager ’60, and New York Times reporter Jacques Steinberg ’88.
The Fund also sponsors reunions for alumni of The Dartmouth during each of the College’s “big weekends.” These events bring together staffers from throughout The Dartmouth’s history, and allow staffers a chance to meet some of their predecessors.
Student newspaper
A student newspaper is a newspaper run by students of a university, high school, middle school, or other school. These papers traditionally cover local and, primarily, school or university news....
at Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
. Founded in 1799, it is America's oldest college newspaper. It is published by The Dartmouth, Inc., an independent, nonprofit corporation chartered in the state of New Hampshire.
History
Hanover, New Hampshire
Hanover is a town along the Connecticut River in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 11,260 at the 2010 census. CNN and Money magazine rated Hanover the sixth best place to live in America in 2011, and the second best in 2007....
on August 27, 1799, by Moses Davis “on College Plain” under the name the Dartmouth Gazette. “Here range the world – explore the dense and rare; And view all nature in your elbow chair,” Davis wrote in the first issue of the Dartmouth Gazette. In his first column, Davis stressed the necessity of avoiding “personal reflections” while maintaining “impartiality in view.”
The first articles of the Dartmouth Gazette focused on local news, but also printed two pages of foreign and national news. The Gazette’s aim was to print news articles that were of practical use to readers, often covering information about local events, laws that would affect local residents, and imminently dangerous sicknesses. The first issue of the Dartmouth Gazette contains a poem and short story signed by “Icarus,” who was later found to be Daniel Webster. Issues of the Dartmouth Gazette demonstrate that the newspaper provided a record of local events relating both to the town and to the College. For example, "the second issue has a long and rather tediously written discussion of New Hampshire school laws, and a report of Dartmouth's Commencement activities from Wednesday, August 28, 1799." It is also clear that mischief consistent with undergraduate students was not eliminated from the Dartmouth Gazette entirely by the editing process. In covering a dysentery outbreak in the later months of 1800, one story read:
Died: At Bergen, Norway, Joseph Surrington, aged 159. He retained his sense to the last hour of his long life. He was several times married and left behind him a young widow. His eldest son was 103, and his youngest nine years old.
The Dartmouth Gazette changed its name to The Dartmouth as the newspaper was published more regularly with a greater emphasis on news of Dartmouth College, rather than news of a national import.
The name of the newspaper was changed “to be a faithful expression of the mind of the students, — to be, what its title imports, The Dartmouth, possessing such a local character and stamp of individuality as will render it acceptable to all who claim this Institution as their Alma Mater.” This changing focus on local and College news contrasts with the greater national and local focus of the newspaper in the first decades of the 1800s. Financially, The Dartmouth was self-sustaining through a subscription revenue model.
The Dartmouth’s printing press changed several times during the 19th century. In 1840, the editors noted, “We hope our convenience, which demanded a change of printers, will not compel us to do it at the expense of our typography.” The April 1840 issue of The Dartmouth stated bluntly, “[T]his month has not been prolific in College news.” In this context, The Dartmouth’s original local and national news focus becomes clear.
The Dartmouth printed many editorials in its pages, which “tackled a variety of topics, mostly of an academic nature. The Dartmouth also contained a College News section with one or two-line items on professorial appointments, alumni news, and an editors note regarding correspondence.”
By 1842, The Dartmouth regularly ran to 40 pages and was printed eight times a year. Under the principle of “write for your readers,” the writing in The Dartmouth was “to be geared to the popular reader instead of the academic.”
Christopher R. Johnson ’94 completed a detailed thesis history of The Dartmouth, after receiving a grant from the Hewlett Foundation for The Dartmouth’s Historical Archives Project. According to Johnson, “From the editors’ note at the end of each issue comes something as typically mock vainglorious as this segment: ‘…[A]s a consequence, The Dartmouth is making an illumination. Be careful you are not dazzled by its luminous pages.’”
The Dartmouth went through a substantial developmental phase in 1875 under the watchful eye of Samuel Merrill of the Class of 1876. Starting in September 1875, The Dartmouth began publishing regularly every Thursday morning. Merrill doubled the size of the newspaper and increased subscription terms to $2 a year. Also in 1875, advertisements appeared in The Dartmouth for the first time. At this time, The Dartmouth was the only college paper published weekly in New England, and was one of the three large college weeklies in the world.
Incorporation
The newspaper’s organization prior to 1913 was a simple business partnership between the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. The masthead section would state that the newspaper was published by the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, using the last names of these two students. As such, The Dartmouth was financially independent from the College. Although this system worked, it was recognized that some formal organization would be needed, making the newspaper an independent corporate organization that would be able to withstand an assault by the College.On September 18, 1913, a news story announced that The Dartmouth had become a corporation chartered in Maine over the summer break. “Instead of a mere union of editors putting forth a newspaper by common consent, there is a legal corporation for the purpose, a legal entity which exists in the eyes of the law apart from the particular individuals who form its personnel at a given time. The paper has changed from individualistic to corporate control,” the issue read.
The newspaper’s Board of Management (currently called the Directorate, the group of editors and business directors) worked with Mr. Ernest M. White ’05, of Portland, Maine, who spent many hours preparing and executing the incorporation of the paper. The newspaper was chartered in Maine because the College could have a powerful hold on New Hampshire politicians if necessary, since it was a major employer and influence in the state. By incorporating the newspaper in Maine, the newspaper could escape some of the College’s political power in case of a lawsuit.
In 1939, the College's political influence was no longer deemed problematic, and The Dartmouth, Inc. was transferred from Maine to New Hampshire.
About
The newspaper, commonly known as "The D", is the campus's only daily and free for students. The Dartmouth publishes Monday through Friday from September to June, except during examination periods and vacations. During summer months, the paper publishes on Tuesdays and Fridays. The offices of The Dartmouth are located in the second floor of Robinson Hall, where over 200 student staff members contribute to the paper weekly either through the Editorial or Business sections. The Dartmouth hires new staff at the start of every term, and also does hiring at the beginning of select terms throughout the year.On the editorial side, applicants can apply to write for any of the various content sections, or to work on the photography, graphics, design or copyediting staff. Students are asked to submit an application before interviewing with current staff. On the business side, students can apply for the Advertising and Marketing, Circulation, Finance, IT, and Design sections. Applicants are asked to submit an application before interviewing with current staff.
The Dartmouth also publishes two weekly supplements, Big Green Sports Weekly on Mondays and The Dartmouth Mirror on Fridays and maintains an online blog called "DartBeat," formerly called "Above the Fold."
Special editions are printed for such events as Homecoming weekend, Winter Carnival, Green Key Weekend and Commencement
Graduation
Graduation is the action of receiving or conferring an academic degree or the ceremony that is sometimes associated, where students become Graduates. Before the graduation, candidates are referred to as Graduands. The date of graduation is often called degree day. The graduation itself is also...
, and a special freshman issue is sent to the homes all incoming students.
During the New Hampshire primary
New Hampshire primary
The New Hampshire primary is the first in a series of nationwide political party primary elections held in the United States every four years , as part of the process of choosing the Democratic and Republican nominees for the presidential elections to be held the subsequent November.Although only a...
, The Dartmouth is known for its interviews with the presidential candidates.
Dartmouth also maintains its own photo and poster store with pictures in current editions as well as copies of historical front pages, available for purchase.
Famous alumni of The Dartmouth include Mindy Kaling
Mindy Kaling
Vera Mindy Chokalingam , better known as Mindy Kaling, is an American actress, comedian, writer and producer who plays Kelly Kapoor on the NBC sitcom The Office. Kaling is also a co-executive producer and writer of several of the show's episodes.-Early life:Kaling was born Vera Chokalingam in...
, Susan Dentzer
Susan Dentzer
Susan Dentzer is the editor-in-chief of the academic journal Health Affairs. She is a member of the Institute of Medicine and the Council on Foreign Relations, the former health correspondent for the News Hour with Jim Lehrer, and a fellow at the Hastings Center. She is a graduate of Dartmouth...
, New York Times reporter Jacques Steinberg
Jacques Steinberg
Jacques P. Steinberg is an American journalist and author who covers the media, primarily television, for The New York Times cultural news desk....
, Paul Gigot
Paul Gigot
Paul A. Gigot is an American Pulitzer Prize-winning conservative political commentator and the editor of the editorial pages for The Wall Street Journal...
, Mort Kondracke
Mort Kondracke
Morton M. Kondracke is an American political commentator and journalist. He gained great visibility via a long stint as a panelist on The McLaughlin Group. Kondracke worked for several leading publications, serving for twenty years as executive editor and columnist for the non-partisan Capitol...
and ABC News journalist Jake Tapper
Jake Tapper
Jacob Paul "Jake" Tapper is an American print and television journalist, currently the senior White House correspondent for ABC News in Washington, D.C...
.
The Vox Clamantis Fund
The Dartmouth maintains the Vox Clamantis Fund, created in 1999 to help enable reporters, editors, directors and staff to supplement their "on-the-job" training by meeting and working with journalists and business journalism professionals. The fund consists mostly of donations alumni and community members can make through The Dartmouth's webpage.In the past, the Fund has awarded leave-term stipends for unpaid internships at news organizations including Hearst Newspapers, The New York Times, CongressNow, Conde Nast and The Atlantic Monthly, providing stipend recipients with front-row access to the world of journalism.
The Vox Fund has also allowed The Dartmouth to bring renowned journalists to Hanover to work alongside staff through the Editor-in-Residence program. Former Editors-in-Residence include long-time Philadelphia Inquirer reporter George Anastasia ’69, former correspondent for NBC News Robert Hager ’60, and New York Times reporter Jacques Steinberg ’88.
The Fund also sponsors reunions for alumni of The Dartmouth during each of the College’s “big weekends.” These events bring together staffers from throughout The Dartmouth’s history, and allow staffers a chance to meet some of their predecessors.