With the D.O.C.
AN OPEN LETTER FROM THE OUTING CLUB'S NEWLY APPOINTED DIRECTOR
NOW THAT I HAVE HAD A FEW MONTHS tO get re-acquainted with the Outing Club and its problems, it would seem that this is an appropriate time to review the whole picture and get a clear understanding of what the Club is today and what it is trying to do.
First of all, during the war years, Tom Dent had a terrific problem on his hands of keeping an organization thriving when manpower in terms of active student members was changing constantly. The men were enthusiastic enough but terrific schedules and all sorts of obstacles like rationing of food and gas limited trips and active programs to the immediate vicinity of Hanover. And also the rapid turnover of leaders made it necessary for Tom to be the leader in practically all activities. All of us who have ever claimed membership in the D.O.C. owe a tremendous debt to Tom for keeping alive for the returning GI's and the new freshmen, the Outing Club as we knew it, and it is a loss to the D.O.C. that the Scottish brogue of T. J. Dent can be heard now in the Physical Education Department instead of Robinson Hall. In case you have not previously heard, I myself am taking over in Tom's place though the title is. changed to Director of the Outing Club, and it was a banner day when the Trustees of the D.O.C. employed Merrill McLane '43 as Associate Director. Though Mac and I have both just returned from a little combat duty, that does not mean the Club will be run "by the numbers."
The physical plant has undergone a severe change since I left. The greatest loss was the burning of the Summit Camp on Moosilauke in October 1942; and the ghostly spectre of the Ravine Camp sitting idle awaiting the return of Dartmouth's family with its skiers and hikers, though not a loss, is still a sad sight. All Hanover knows too well the effects "of "the closing of the Outing Club House but we're mighty pleased to announce that Miss Jeanette Gill Will be back in March to help us get the House open by May Ist. While talking of these larger projects, I should mention that recently a small committee was formed to start investigating and planning a concrete program to be presented to the Trustees of the D.O.C. concerning the development of Moosilauke, particularly the rebuilding of the Summit Camp. There are many problems involved but the greatest one is knowing what you as Alumni would like to have, and we're soliciting suggestions, comments, and criticism of any nature to help us find out. The committee is composed of David Heald '42, assistant manager of Hanover Inn, Ted Hunter '38, Virgil Poling of the Student Workshop, and myself.
USE OF CABINS INCREASED
On returning I was particularly pleased to find the cabins in better shape than when I left, and the biggest answer to this is increased cabin use, a very worthy step ahead. Specifically, Cube and Franconia burned in 1942, and Franconia has been replaced temporarily by a reconverted garage at the foot of the Tramway. All the others still exist, and now that Parker Young is logging in Jobildunc Ravine, even Jobildunc Cabin which has been inaccessible since the hurricane in 1938 will soon see D.O.C. men again. Those of you from 1937 on will be pleased to know that Happy Hill is in the best shape of all.
The main Appalachian Trail through to Moosilauke is in average shape and spring will find crews establishing new markers and signs and opening up the overgrown side trails, and an.offspring of their efforts will be a new trail map available, I hope, soon after the snows melt. To date I have not been to all the shelters, though reports are that all are in good shape though overgrown.
For official trips the Club was fortunate prior to this fall in having the Navy vehicles to run the men to Moosilauke and around. This fall, though, they were not available, and the strips were held to near-by cabins. Hunting season became even more popular than ever, and practically every weekend found Ross McKenney in the woods after deer, closely followed by 2 to 20 students. Ross with his legendary vehicle led several successful trips to the College Grant, and helped thusly to fill up the empty drawers in the Hanover Frozen Food Lockers.
BUSY SCHEDULE FOR SKIERS
With Winter Weekend only three weeks away Walter Prager is nightly repeating Otto's prayer for snow, though since the 26th of December he hasn't had to cancel any ski classes due to the lack of it. Lately, though, he has been scraping all the ice out of the refrigerators. Walter has five additional instructors under him though his own efforts are concentrated on the Varsity Team. This year's team schedule offers strong competition, and in the first meet Lebanon Outing Club paced by Ernest Dion and Ralph and Paul Townsend beat Dartmouth 476.60 to 466.70. Winter Weekend, coming February 8, 9, and 10, will find all the old standbys- McGill, Middlebury, New Hampshire, Vermont, Harvard, Williams, M.I.T., and newcomers R.P.I, and West Point—being represented.
Even now while the snow is still here, we are looking ahead to a full spring schedule of trips into the mountains and fishing all over New Hampshire. Most of all, our job will be to get more and more students into the hills and develop a program to reach every undergraduate at Dartmouth.
NEWLY APPOINTED LEADERS OF THE OUTING CLUB are John A. Rand '38 (right), Director, and Merrill F. McLane '42, Associate Director. Rand, former. Graduate Manager of the DOC, served with the 10th Mountain Division in Italy, and McLane led a Marine Corps rifle platoon in Pacific fighting.
