24 Sleek Mermaids 24! Caper For Delighted Carnival Fans

The glory that is Northampton became the object of enthusiastic cheering last night when 24 delectable naiads from Smith College cavorted in the Indoor Athletic Building pool as the feature attraction of the H.A.A.'s annual Swimming Carnival.

The girls made a spectacular on trance. The lights were lowered to the accompaniment of disappointed boos, a hush came over the audience, and two dozen Central Massachusetts mermaids pranced to the water's edge to the tune of a liquid waltz played over the public address system. Twenty-four blue-clad forms dived in as one and glided into compelling formations. The one that excited most interest and speculation was the cartwheel, in which the fair ones split into groups of three. Two would tug at the legs of a third companion in what seemed to be an effort to rend the latter asunder. Then the beauties spelled out a shimmering "H" in the center of the pool.

The applause was thunderous but no encores were given (during the Carnival). Asked what the name of the troupe was, one of the girls giggled "Oh, we're the Smithie Smoothies." She also exclaimed over the generosity of the H.A.A. which, she declared, had paid for the whole excursion, hotel, meals, ". . . and everything!"

Eric Cutler was the here of the business-like part of the evening when he repelled Phil Carson's tremendous last-lap sprint to win the A.A.U. 500-yard free-style event. Frank Powers was third and Ed Hewitt fourth; the time, 5:45.6. Rusty Greenhood won the New England A.A.U. three-meter dive with 119.63 points, Art Bosworth took the flying-start century backstroke in 1:03.2, Eliot House beat Kirkland and Lowell in 1:29.7 in the House 150 medley, and Harvard (Powers, Bosworth, Ned Goldwasser, and Jim Curwen) triumphed in the 400 relay in 3:44 to win a National Junior A.A.U. championship. Jack Waldron was third in the 220 breastroke.