December 7, 1961 THE SKIDMORE NEWS Page Three Book Review Dwight's "Close His Eyes" Reveals Complex Murder Close His Eyes By Olivia Dwight Harper & Brothers New York, 1961, 179 pages By LYDIA STURM All the praise given to Olivia Dwight for her excellent first novel, Close His Eyes, is fully deserved. This mystery is rich in characterization, never morbid in its descriptions, and refreshingly different in its plot. The title of the novel seems somewhat ambiguous: certainly everyone at the growing mid-western university wished that the eyes of John Dryden would close—or at least wink —at the turmoil within the college community concerning Andrew McNeill, but it was McNeill, the alcoholic pride of Dr. Wooten, the university’s president, whose eyes were closed — permanently closed. McNeill had mysteriously plunged to his death from a tower window on the campus during a loud cocktail party; he was the third man to end his life in that way since the founding of the university. McNeill, one of the most highly acclaimed contemporary writers, had willed all of his manuscripts to the university, and Dr. Wooten chose John Dryden, because of his name as much as because he was from Columbia, to catalogue McNeill’s works. Even before he began work in his quiet library vault, John asked the big question: was it suicide or was it murder? Dryden, a young, imaginative English scholar favored murder, but only because he had been reading too much Agatha Christie and John Dickinson Carr. Although faculty pulse rates increased and faculty tempers became shorter whenever McNeill’s name was mentioned, no one else wanted the suicide to be anything else but. As it was, there had been too much scandal for the good reputation of the university. The only support John received in his investigations was from Gwyneth Jones, Dr. Wooten’s clear headed secretary and from the lone campus policeman. This extraordinary self-styled cop, Harvey Kritcher, wanted murder because he was bored. The excitement concerning McNeill had been a considerably bigger thrill for him than towing away exotic foreign cars from illegal parking places. John’s task of discovering the truth was further complicated by the animosity of Wesley Cole, a genuine McNeill critic, and the only man who sincerely believed in the validity of McNeill’s work. The blind, fanatical adoration of Miss Crabbe for Dr. Wooten is made more pathetic by the woman’s physical disabilities, and the tensions within the English Department are nicely accentuated by a curious scene during a friendly Monopoly game. Miss Dwight shows a clear and cogent knowledge of her characters and masterfully involves the reader in the plot. Inexorably caught up in the anxieties of his friends and enemies, John plods along with the McNeill papers, cataloguing the erratic scribblings methodically. Acquainted with at least a part of McNeill’s personality, John finds it incomprehensible that such a conceited man failed to call attention to his death. After John, at a lavish dinner party, makes some indiscreet inquiries into McNeill’s last minutes of life and discovers that no one had seen the man for at least ten minutes prior to his fatal fall, he becomes a victim of a strange and painful stomach ailment. Was he poisoned? Surely not at the home of Dr. Wooten . . . but McNeill had been threatening to change his will, leaving his works to another, larger college. John and Gwyneth add this new idea to their growing list of suspects and motives. It was after John’s release from the hospital (his case had been charitably diagnosed as indigestion) that he received a curious letter; a suicide note confessing to the murder of McNeill. Both Gwyneth and John happily believed that the mystery had been solved. Several weeks after this, however, John is nonpulsed to discover that his work has been disturbed and some of McNeill’s papers taken. At the end of May, John wished that he had gone to the police with all of his information. He received a verbal confession delivered (Continued on page seven) Skidmore Students Tell of Experiment In Internat’l Living The Experiment in International Living will be the topic of discussion by a group of six Skidmore students and Mrs. Sam Achizer, Head of the Experiment Committee and College Ambassador Project of Putney, Vermont, on Monday, Dec. 11 at 7:30 p.m. in the Rec Center. Each of the six student panelists who participated in the Experiment last summer applied to the Committee and was accepted on the basis of her application and the written composition which she had to submit. After presenting a list of the four countries in which she would like to spend her summer, the Committee chose one, and the applicant was assigned to a family in that particular country. The program of International Living lasted from July 8 to August 20, the latter month including an informal trip with a member of the family. Transportation to and from Europe was arranged by the Student Travel Association. The panelists who participated in the Experiment and who will discuss the International Living Plan will be Anne Mohnkern, Jo Morton, Carolyn Crowther, Marla Weisglass, Betsy Welsh and Mary Lou Underwood. CEPP Editor’s Note: This concludes the report of the Committee on Educational Policies and Planning. Early in the life of CEPP plans had been made for a two day conference, where the members could concentrate for unbroken periods. In early April, 1961, CEPP met for two days at Williamstown, Mass. In addition to the members, other guests were invited to provide specific information, unusual educational experience, and objectivity. The Conference considered a range of progress reports from individuals and subcommittees, with special emphasis on the visit to Wesleyan, developments at Dartmouth, and progress of the Woodlawn Project. Many new ideas for ways to achieve educational goals were mentioned, with the expectation that on further investigation some of these might prove of value. The question of whether Skidmore should seriously investigate the pros and cons of coeducation was affirmatively decided; from this came the appointment of a subcommittee to study the future of women’s colleges. The proposals of the Curriculum Committee were discussed, amended, and approved. In addition the Conference selected a few major problems for this Subcommittee to work on during the remainder of the year and during 1961. Most involved and significant of these was the question of the future patterns of general education at Skidmore. Riding on the exhilarating crest of the Williamstown Conference, CEPP at one of its last meetings before the 1961 summer reached consensus on the many potentials inherent in a six week interterm period. This particular idea seemed to be a key to opening up serious consideration of many other ideas in CEPP’s growing list of promising educational practices. While each member foresaw problems and difficulties, the unanimous decision was to seriously investigate the interterm idea. As a result, a subcommittee was established to study certain scheduling problems of an interterm period. This Committee has worked during the 1961 summer and presented a progress report for the second September 1961 conference of CEPP, held at the Surrey Inn. The value of the conference idea was reinforced by the Williamstown experience. It was at this time that informal approval was expressed for a second conference to be held sometime early in the 1961-62 academic year. In May of 1961 four faculty were elected to replace vacancies on CEPP which would occur in the 1961-62 academic year, due to leaves of absence and to retirement. These members are Dr. Freudman, Dr. Gallagher, Mr. Page, and Dr. Reagen. They replace Dr. Cockroft, Dr. Fahey, Dr. Feynman and Dr. Galant. Dean Moseley is a new representative for the administration. Professor Nichols will serve as Executive Secretary and Dr. Reed as Chairman during the 1961-62 year. Throughout the first year of meetings, many suggestions were made of ways to increase the effectiveness of the College. Dr. Chu collated these, and the list below is a selection to indicate the scope of the ideas. Should acceleration be encouraged? Should acceleration be thought of as “getting out sooner” or “getting more in four years” or both? Ways to provide for acceleration? Is there a problem in the quality of freshman and sophomore courses in view of the changing nature and quality of secondary school instructions? Can educational progress of upper class students be measured not in terms of credits but by comprehensive examinations at stated intervals? (Continued on page six) Come Into the COMMUNITY STORE and let us suggest a Practical and Useful Gift from Our Large Selection. Special Discounts to Skidmore Students and Faculty Open Every Night ’Til 9 Community Store SARATOGA TRAVEL BUREAU Arcade Building For Christmas Reservations TELEPHONE 2898 The Hitching Post Lake Luzerne, N.Y. Dinner Weekly — 5:00-9:00 Dancing Nightly to Juke Box with a Dance Band on Saturdays from 9:00 - 2:00 CHRISTMAS PARTIES ARRANGED Gift Shopping Is No Problem with the Wide Selection of N. 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