Snow, Skiing, Sex Spark Dartmouth Carnival

It takes an athletic and hardy constitution to get the most out of the Dartmouth Winter Carnival. Like a three ring circus, there is so much to do, both planned and spontaneous, that a dead run pace is necessary to keep up with slightly over had of the attractions.

The wise and hardened Carnival-goers knew to plan their days. Knowing that they could not, for instance, witness both the judging of the Dormitory and Fraternity Ice Statues at 1:00 P.M. and the Special Date's Slalom at 1:30, they flipped coins and met the problem with mustered resolve.

At night the events were even more closely spaced. Some saw the Student Players' production of "Harvey" Friday night and attended the Glee Club Concert on Saturday night. Others switched the order, or substituted a basketball game. Whatever they were doing at 9 o'clock, by the shank of the evening, the crowds were bound to be safely would about a drink and a date at a fraternity or dormitory party. In fact, some omitted the cultural and athletic attractions altogether.

For the dateless or the name dropper, though, the first task was to scrutinize the convenient list, published by the Dally Dartmouth, of the name and Hanover address of each imparted date. That included over 1800 girls.

When each man was sure that there would be enough to go around, he went about meeting it at the athletic matches. Skiing races predominated, with a sprinkling of basketball, swimming and hockey. Dates seemed to get lost in big crowds, but no one was lonely.

With the recently instituted ('51) ruling that permits only 45 guests for each fraternity, the Carnival is less wide-open than in previous years, and there were more Dartmouth-Harvard. In fact, at the Dartmouth-Harvard hockey game on Saturday, there were fewer than 100. Crimson men. But in the hostile northland, during a tight game (final score was 6-4 for Harvard) men who did not, and soon would not, recognize each other on the streets of Cambridge became back-thumping buddies, trying gamely to out cheer the Green.

The ski slopes of Dartmouth's golf course at Woodstock, Vermont, and of neighboring Mount Etna were the athletic focus of the weekend, with slalom and cross country races on Friday, downhill and jumping on Saturday.

Jumping was probably the most spectacular event of the weekend, and the crowd was estimated at above 5,000 at the Vale of Temple, Dartmouth's Ski jump. The competition was close as the 38 men slid down the in-run and flew off for jumps up to 130 feet. As Dartmouth's Bassette whizzed along the frighteningly steep incline, crouched and waiting, the Old Grad announcer was heard to mutter in the microphone, "Come on. Johnny."

Although the jump meet was essential for a Dartmouth team victory in the Carnival to match the victories over the past two years, applause was awarded all good jumps, even by men of point threatening Now Hampshire. Politeness paid off, because the jump meet second place gave Dartmouth another Carnival victory, and the earnest celebrating was ready to start.

The core of the Carnival, with all its fascinating games, is still the party atmosphere in the fraternities and at the Carnival Ball for non-fraternity men and freshmen. While the authorities have succeeded in repressing the wildness that once reigned during the Carnival by the limited invitation system, the students are anxious to be hospitable. Very seldom is a sober visitor asked to leave a party just because he has no invitation. The Dartmouth is a friendly animal, and during his time of big celebration he feels that a big and roaring party is successful. And it generally is.

Over-all there is a tremendous feeling of boisterousness and organized good sprit is that, while it may not jibe with the Cambridge ideal of a pick-up cocktail hour, is quite pleasant. If a weekend of frantic partying is exhausting, and if the excitement pales by Sunday morning, well, there is only one a year and it gets awfully cold and lonely in the woods of New Hampshire