With the D.O.C.
To the new freshman and perhaps even to some members of the Hanover community, the D.O.C. with its varied fall program must seem extremely flexible if not actually uncoordinated. Yet, few will dispute the fact that in its own way this enormous fraternity—a fraternity in the sense that all those active in the organization have a common interest in doing things together, whether in the woods or on the center-of-campus statue—is the rtal essence of Dartmouth out-doors. It's not just the outdoorsmen, but the ski team, the Mountaineering Club, the Carnival Committee, the Winter Sports Division, and the other affiliated organizations that go to make up a group that is truly Dartmouth. But to specific activities
The week before college sees the Frosh Trip under way and this year was no exception. With 160 or more '54's divided into groups of five, each group spent one night in one of the Club's 16 cabins, two nights at the Ravine Camp, and one night at the site of the new Moose Mountain Cabin where the right honorable C. Ross McKenney served up his special recipe of beans baked in a hole in the ground. Aside from the usual blisters and a midnight "rescue," the trip went as usual. The quotes are placed around "rescue" to stress the fact that, rather than a rescue trip on a dark wet night, it was just plain hard work. He weighed 195 pounds, and they tell me the stretcher got pretty heavy.
Other trips this fall included a Freshman Consolation Trip to Moosilauke, Franconia and Chocorua, giving all those interested who missed the big pre-college outing another chance to stretch their legs. Two official trips are worth noting here also. Over the Harvard weekend a sizable group made the annual trip to the Presidentials. Leaving on Friday, they made the weather station on top of Washington in time to catch the game on television. With ideal weather over the whole weekend, they say it was worth missing the game in Beantown. Groups have been out every weekend either on pleasure hops or work expeditions, the latter clearing trails, maintaining cabins, or clearing ski runs.
The Ski Team under the eagle eye of Coach Walt Prager is in the midst of preseason conditioning. Co-captains Wes Blake and Colin Stewart lead the returning lettermen including Brooks Dodge, Charlie Tremblay, Sel Atherton, Ed Post, A 1 Karcher, Dave Lawrence, and Pete Smart. With several other good prospects holding over from last year's varsity and freshman teams, and with some of that early snow, another good season can be looked for.
The Mountaineering Club hits Tuckerman's on December 8, for a climb with the Canadian Alpine Club. During the fall they have been conducting a rock-climbing class which sees action on the cliffs of Norwich and Orford, with an occasional trip to more rugged slopes for the advanced climbers.
The Canoe Club is building a new cabin on Nigger Island in the Connecticut. When they'll finish is anyone's guess. It is hoped that it will help alleviate the problem of crowded quarters at the present Clubhouse. Members of Bait and Bullet report good bird hunting in the Hanover area with several of the group getting their limits occasionally. The deer season doesn t open here until December x.
Preliminary Carnival preparations are under way, highlighted by four contests stimulating student participation in the wTiting of an Outdoor Evening script and in the designing of a carnival poster, carnival program and center-of-campus statue.
In short, D.O.C. life is as busy as the individual wants to make it. It's the same story they give to all new members of the Club: "You get out of the D.O.C. just what you put into it, and your dividend is directly proportional to your effort investment."
