GRADUS AD PARNASSUM
When a local feminine skiing and camping authority went into raptures about how "extremely comfortable" is the Ravine Camp of the new Alumni Outing Club at Moosilauke there were those who still had their doubts and had to be convinced. The beds were said to be "ennervatingly restful" but this was not true in November when visitors were lodged on board bunks that had survived the vicissitudes to which an old lumber camp is subjected. But the rough and ready days are gone forever. The rhapsodic report can be confirmed. This is an Alumni Outing Club.
There are sheets covering comfortable mattresses. There are large, soft, and deep lounging benches in the spacious living room. There is plenty of hot water and heat. Jones, McDuffee & Stratton china has replaced tin plates and tin cups. Visitors don't have to do the dishes, for the kitchen and eating service is handled by a willing crew in residence, headed by Ford and Mrs. Sayre '33. The whole place, accommodating 18 men and 12 women guests, is obviously designed for alumni. There are a couple of two-holers, heated and lighted. It is, as advertised, very comfortable.
And the skiing! Novices will find the ski run in from the Warren road a good work out and are advised to plan on at least one night at camp if they want to have time and energy to explore the upper reaches of the famous Schniebs trail on the mountain. Easier trails are found near camp. But your ski education won't be complete until you go up "Hell's Highway" to "Otto's Rock Garden," "Bottleneck," and "Jacob's Ladder." Experts will shout with delight at the steep, hazardous pitches, the sharp well-banked turns, the two and one-half miles of exacting ski running. Skiers of moderate experience and condition will find the lower mile and onehalf the grandest ski trail they ever struck. Words won't describe it. Natt Emerson '00, first president of the Alumni Outing Club, tried to do so once, faltered, lapsed into his whisper, and muttered finally: "It's .... it's .... it's wonderfull"
On a recent two-day excursion to the Moosilauke camp were some 35 persons. These included an M. G. M. movie director from Hollywood, Jack Draper, and his three cameramen; Dan Hatch '28, Dean Chamberlin '26, Winter Sports Coach Otto Schniebs and 15 varsity skiers, Stew Brown '34 who takes the College movies, Elly Cavanagh '29, and three hangovers from Carnival: Cliff Vogt '30, Bill Keyes '29, and Beanie ("Pal") Thorn '31. Also myself. And others. The objective of the trip was to give the movie men some good pictures for the Dartmouth short that will be released by M. G. M. this summer. Other objectives soon appeared to be desirable. One was to get the heavy cameras and equipment up the mountain. Another was to try and figure out how every boy on the ski team could go down a long slide steeper than the ski jump and keep on going down the mountain, meanwhile making turns at a sizzling, dazzling speed. They did this quite nonchalantly. Another objective was to get Dr. Vogt and all of us dubs back to camp on skis. All of these things were done. And if the glorious ride down the trail was occasionally interrupted by a spill it was just as well, and a good way to stop.
What will prevent this Dartmouth ski team from going to the 1936 Olympics? Nothing will if Otto Schniebs keeps training them on a Moosilauke diet. Here's luck to them and to the Alumni Outing Club.
Last month Gradus made by implication, if not by direct statement, an error. It was stated that the senior editorial board of The Dartmouth had waited a month longer than usual before announcing the new incoming directorate. Although this much was true the editors were entirely justified in picking up the statement that they should have "turned over the reins before Christmas." The paper hasn't done this in recent years. The new editor never makes his bow until the beginning of the second semester, as we well enough know. Editor Tom Lane '34, of Hartford, made his bow promptly on February 6 with an edit called "Narcissus Smiles" in whic he set the goal of the edit page to be.
I. To stimulate intelligent, healthy interest, thought and discussion.
2. To interpret, anticipate, and sometimes initiate change.
3. To serve as a lubricant between theseveral components of the Collegeadministration and faculty, undergraduates, alumni.
Contributors to this issue include Prof. w. K. Stewart, head of the department of omparative Literature, and Edwin B. ooley '26, sports reporter and broadcaster, also a New York attorney. Professor tewart writes on the career of teaching as a Profession for college men. It is the ourth in the year's series of which the Pre ecessors have been: Arthur C. Tozzer on engineering. William J. Minsch '07, business; and Paul S. Sample '20, on the arts the vocatlonal series will be concluded in May with an article by Arthur W. Stone '94, who will write on farming.
Eddie Dooley, completing his first year as a member of the Athletic Council, writes in some detail of the previous good works and present promise of the new football coaching regime. He has known Earl Blaik for some time and is well qualified to discuss the ins and outs of his coaching technique and football strategy.
Dick Goddard '20 writes about John Poor. Dick is now carrying his own schedule of teaching and also the brunt of Professor Poor's class work. One advanced course, reaching up into the realm of high mathematics, has been taken over by Professor Haskins.
In his article Dick mentions that John Poor's fine bits of charity are slowly becoming known. Two such items reveal the sort of thing he did and the way he did it. John Harris, Episcopal rector, says that Professor Poor sent frequent checks to him for distribution as he saw fit. With them usually came a note: "For God's Poor from John Poor."
Sandy Buchanan, manager of the local A & P is the source of the information that John would drop in at Thanksgiving and Christmas and order numerous baskets of food sent to certain families. "Have you got all that?" he would ask Sandy. "Well, then, there is just one thing more," John would say leaning over the counter, "Keep vour damn mouth shut!"
The story of Jimmie Morse '29 ought to be told. During his four years in Hanover he was seen by his class as a popular, congenial person, as a good athlete and aboveaverage student. Over in Rumford, Maine, Jimmie was a hero, the hero, of the town. I saw him speak to everyone on Rumford's main street. He had something that made him the outstanding figure of that section of the state. His sudden death in Rumford January 6 while coaching the school basketball team was the occasion for public mourning. Schools and stores closed the day of the funeral. The local paper carried several columns of tributes and concluded a long editorial with:
"He is mourned by thousands. His homewas visited by hundreds coming to pay theirrespects to the lad who showed them howto be a good sportsman, who was a friendto them. Little children to whom Jimmiegave cheerful greetings tiptoed into thehouse and spoke in hushed voices as theysaw their friend for the last time. His palsand his older friends, his acquaintances inthe sport world, join with his family in agrief deep and hard to express.
"But Jimmie will live on in the memories of those who knew and loved him andhis sportsman's spirit will continue to bean influence for the good and a vital forcelong after these words are printed.
"We can say little to console his strickenfamily and friends but we can join in paying a final tribute to Jimmie Morse. Hewill be sadly missed and fondly remembered."
After seeing the scores and scores of letters received by the family following Charlie Lingley's death it seemed that this issue of the MAGAZINE could easily be filled with tributes to him. The editors are kindly permitted by Mrs. Lingley to print in these pages this month excerpts from some of the notes. Perhaps, in this way, alumni will find their own feelings expressed. Somewhere among the many beautiful tributes all of us who treasured friendship with Professor Lingley will find the thing we most admired and loved.
Another testimonial to his lovable self must be added to the many already on record. This is a tribute to him as a golf partner. It is difficult to remember any occasion when a suggestion of a game didn't meet with: "Well, that sounds good to me. Of course my drive is slicing a little, my irons aren't so hot, and my putting is off just now but I'll do my best and what time shall we play? say, two o'clock?" .... or .... "Why, I'd be delighted, I'd love to. Let's start early .. . Never deceived by his deprecatory remarks about his own game, partners found a good golfer in this cheery, pleasant companion. He had an average in the middle eighties and he always hoped he could push it down a little. But if he had never broken 100 he'd have been one of the best partners any golfer could find.
Golf next summer won't be much fun without Charlie Lingley.
Just a few days before his death Charlie said to me: "I'm laughing at that lastparagraph in Gradus Ad Parnassum" (inwhich I had written that a favorite question of alumni is "How's Old Charlie Lingley?"). And then he told me, what he hadso encouragingly said at other times: "Youknow, I read every word of that magazine. I begin with Dr. Wheelock's Almanackand end up with your Gradus, and I reaevery word."
This month I'd like to have the lastword be the name of a man who is living,who will always be alive, in the minds ofhis friends CHABLlE LINCLEY. S. C. H.
Speed, Skill, and Daring at Moosilauke Down-mountain skiing on "Hell's Highway" at the Alumni Outing Club, Warren, N. H., will be at its best during March and early April. Comfortable living quarters and slopes of varying difficulty are provided at Moosilauke, the "Dartmouth Mountain." Photo shows Warren Chivers '37, son of Prof. A. H. Chivers '02, in a fast Christiania on the new ski * trail there. Picture made during M. G. M. movie making on the mountain.
