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'Cliffe Picks Eight to Cheer for Pats

By Hendrik Hertzberg

Radcliffe, which has astounded the world before and will undoubtedly do so again, chose eight cheerleaders Saturday to yell, shout, bump and grind for the Boston Patriots at their Nov. 20 football game with the Houston Oilers.

The eight 'Cliffe cheerleaders, plus one alternate, were picked from 22 sheepish but determined hopefuls who demonstrated their abilities before a special board of judges in the Radcliffe gym.

Chosen for varsity duty were Margaret E. deBeers '65, Jacqueline M. Lindsay '67, Leslie K. McCulloch '68, Maxine S. Paisner '66, Wendy J. Philbrick '66, Susan C. Smith '67, Elizabeth Stolar '67 and Patricia Wynn '67.

Holly Worthen '65 was appointed "alternate cheerleader."

The afternoon's proceedings confirmed the widespread belief that many Radcliffe girls would prefer to be peppy, popular Big Ten Coeds. Some of the contestants admitted turning to intellectual pursuits only after falling to achieve cheerleader status in high school.

"I tried out in tenth grade," one girl confided. "I cried for hours afterward."

For Miss deBeers, who didn't make it in high school, it was a real Cinderella story. "My only asset is that I have the loudest voice of any person I know," she announced

14-Girl-Years

Miss deBeers and three other members of the 'Cliffe squad have no cheerleading experience. The remaining six share among them 14 girl-years of pre-Radcliffe cheering.

The tryouts required each candidate to render a sample cheer, either original or derivative. Despite the general enthusiasm, most of the girls introduced their cheers slightly apologetically.

"This is a very insane cheer--I just made it up," said Leslie A. Levis '67. "This is a high school cheer that I think has very little relation to reality," said Sarah Schoenntgen '67, "I guess this is pretty stupid but it's meant to be funny," said Anne V. Downer '68.

Miss Downer's cheer went: "Look. Look and see. Look and see our football team. Look. Dick, Jane. Go, go, go."

The cheer that won Miss Worthen her spot was the most basic. It went, "Who's got the guts? Who's got the guts? Patri, Patri, Pa-tri-ots!"

One disappointed hopeful summed up the problem of cheerleading at Radcliffe: "All you can do is do what you thought cheerleaders did even though you never did it. So it doesn't look exactly right."

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