With the Outing Club
HOW MANY of us, who've seen our last Hanover autumn pack up its brush and colors and cede place to brother artist Winter, haven't remembered it as the finest season of all four. This year's brilliant hills seem to have surpassed the other years in color blending; there seem to have been more bright days and clear nights that welcome trips out of Hanover. But, of course, reason tells us that we're just looking harder than we ever looked before. This is our last autumn and we can't afford to look away.
Once we get into the last-timer status, it becomes difficult to understand how the newcomers, the freshmen, can help wondering what's on the other side of those hills they see. from the steps of Baker or from the seats of the stadium at Memorial Field. We're apt to preach a bit and organize trips, trips, and more trips without realizing that the beneficiary is not in quite the same mood as we are after four years of steady assimilation.
So instead of "organizing" and "sending out," we've tried to let trips go out on their own merits, tried to balance the long grinds with the loafer's tour. Too many yearlings have received the impression that they're part of an expedition to find the Northwest Passage instead of a party enjoying itself in its first introduction to Dartmouth out-of-doors. We don't want all of them sleeping through Monday's classes as the result of Sunday's safari.
One week-end twelve lucky freshmen were sent down to meet twelve "handpicked" first year girls in the Mount Holyoke Outing Club. This was a radical departure from D. O. C. tradition that limits trips of that nature to the upper classes. After all, we felt, a frosh should be able to talk intelligibly to a member of the fair sex. And from all accounts the trip was a great success; such a success in fact that we are going back to the tradition that limits trips of that nature to upper classes.
Fraternities have taken an increased interest in the cabins, trails, and mountains as a house activity. Groups of twenty to thirty have already gone out from several houses and "house skis" are expected to be numerous later on. Hiking and camping are congenial functions and unless members of a party have a common bond of friendship there is little chance for a really successful trip.
A large scale feed at Moose Cabin saw the reunion of student and faculty. This was a follow up to the highly successful feeds of that nature held last spring. It gave a chance to the freshmen especially to become more personally acquainted with their professors.
The highlight of fall trips for the Cabin and Trailers and more active members of the Outing Club was the I. O. C. A. hiking week-end at Spyglass Hill. Scattered groups of the eighty or more who attended climbed Moose and Lafayette. Amherst, Williams, M. I. T., Smith, Vassar, and Mount Holyoke were among the colleges who sent representatives.
The most important addition to our autumn landscape, however, has been the advent of Maine guide Ross McKenny whose picture appeared in last month's issue. Ross was head of the guide association in Maine and brings with him a vast store of woodcraft knowledge. Employed for fall and spring, his position is one that gives him plenty of leeway to associate with student campers, go on trips with them where they can learn in practice the Maine lore.
Ross has already shown himself to be a practicer of what he preaches. No city life for him! With the help of students he's building a place for himself and Mrs. McKenny out on the Oak Hill hinterland. The house will have a double value for when Ross is absent during ski season the Club will use it as a haven for skiers. (By the way, when we say "ski," we do not mean "shee"!) The house is so placed that you can slide up to the porch after having run the hill—provided of course that you have pointed in the general direction necessary and have maintained the vertical at least half the time which are things some of us have to consider on Oak Hill.
And, inevitably, we ended up with skiing as the topic. Although a good month off, wax and harness are assuming a place in our vocabulary. (Shii or shee has not, however!) We dream idly of going out to Sun Valley with the ski team during Christmas vacation. Lucky fellows! Why didn't we at least try for the managerial comp?
