NORTH OF BOSTON

In any student body, a few exist who have been born with snowshoe feet or a mountain goat nostalgia for high places. At Harvard these select silver spooners have already formed the Skiers and Mountaineers Club. But the average earthbound yokel can only watch with awe and a weak stomach their feats of block and tackle climbing, and secretly shiver as they madly race down some crooked trail. The boys are good, regular hot rocks, he will have to admit.

In other words, Charlie Chaplin pictures are not the only places the little man gets it in the neek. Most fellows are either frankly hackers, or just moderately skilled at skiing, and as for mountain climbing, they are interested in a fine day's exercise and a beautiful view. Who wants to go out looking for a wall, and "perfect his technique" anyway?

The gap can't be missed. But it can be filled, by the creation of a Harvard Outing Club. Harvardian reserve permits the raising of this plan because to date every other college in the region has O. C's. And no visible obstacle except lack of inactive stands in the way. For skiing and hiking three sections especially could be exploited at a minimum cost, the O. C. using the already extant Youth Hostels, available for a dollar per head; around Plymouth, N. H., Stowe, Vt., and Putney School, southern Vermont. Here both the beginner, who longs for the graceful swells of a golf course, and the experienced-but-not-ski-team-material-individual, could find plenty of amusement and exercise. During the spring, canoe trips--water facilities are excellent--bike trips, wiener roasts, barndancing, and even year round projects could be sponsored.

Organization might be along democratic lines, each member paying a small dues fee. It would probably be desirable to have club equipment, such as ski racks, reflector ovens, ski safety belts, first aid outfits, and so on, which the mild participant doesn't have and can't borrow. Special assessments for such things could be voted by the membership body.

The final development would be for the Harvard O. C. to become a member of the Intercollegiate O. C. Association. Its members could then share in and enjoy such rousing good fellow-good fun occasions as the March Moosilauke winter weekend, or the fall weekend around Lake Placid.