Has anyone yet noted how ironic it is that Dartmouth was one of the colleges approached to sign the compact when it was Daniel Webster, a member of the Class of 1801, who successfully defended Dartmouth — and thus all private corporations — against government interference when he argued the case Trustees of Dartmouth College v. Woodward before the U.S. Supreme Court? The case centered on the N.H. state legislature’s attempt to change Dartmouth into a public university, and the outcome was a landmark decision that protected private corporations from state interference by affirming that the Constitution’s contract clause prohibited states from impairing a contract.
In my humble opinion, to now accept the onerous terms of the federal government’s compact would essentially be throwing that decision — not to mention Webster’s legacy — into the trash. I am hopeful that the Dartmouth administration and the College’s trustees will choose to be a voice crying in the wilderness rather than one whimpering in subservience. If you agree, please take a moment and encourage them to do so.
Jay MacNamee is a member of the Class of 1977. Letters to the Editor represent the views of their author(s), which are not necessarily those of The Dartmouth.
