'54 Brings Carnival to Texas
Stationed with the Air Force in Texas are a number of loyal Dartmouth second lieutenants representing the Class of 1954. They have been reporting to the Air Force's main processing center for incoming officers, Lackland AFB in San Antonio, since early September, later to be sent elsewhere for pilot and observer training.
As of late January five were already well along in observer training at Ellington AFB in Houston, and another 25 were in pre-flight processing at Lackland in San Antonio. It began to dawn on them that Winter Carnival was fast approaching, and it was rather sad to think this would be the first Carnival missed in five years. But then thirty minds began to query, "Why should we be content with memories? There are other places to worship besides the Temple; let us bring Winter Carnival to Texas!" And that is just what they did.
For the next two weeks a fury of preparation swept the land of Sam Houston, the Alamo, and Governor Shivers. The first step was to pick the site, and what was the matter with Houston, as fine a town as any (and incidentally full of loyal Dartmouth alumni)? It was a splendid choice, and only a 200-mile run from San Antonio, a mere hair's breadth in Texas.
Once this was decided, the program lined up thusly: Saturday, Feb. 5 - Cocktail Party, Banquet, 1954 football movies, Dancing. Sunday, Feb. 6 - Milk punch, Dixieland music.
The cocktail party and banquet were held in the private Staff Room of the Ellington AFB Officers Club. There was not an empty place at the banquet table, for despite Texas' worst squall of the season, which caused roads from San Antonio to Houston to be a shade less than inundated, every one arrived on schedule.
An after-dinner address by Captain Brown, who taught AFROTC classes at Dartmouth for three years, was followed by the reading of many telegrams sent in honor of this, the largest gathering of the clan of '54 since last June's Commencement. They were sent by many people closely associated with Dartmouth memo ries and all she means.
Greetings were received from President Dickey, Colonel John Farrar, Governor Lane Dwinell of New Hampshire, Sherman Adams '20 from the White House, Congressman Perkins Bass '34, Deans McDonald and Hotchkiss, Coach Doggie Julian, Undergraduate Council President Roger Young, Dartmouth editor Jody Mathewson, College Executive Officer Eddie Chamberlain, Mrs. Ives and Mrs. Broderick, Alumni Magazine editor Charlie Widmayer, Kevin Sullivan '54, Ben Bowden '54, Pete Geithner '54, Skip Weymouth '54, Jim Campion and Fletcher.
Each new telegram read brought another roar of approval, and now this was really Winter Carnival. The temperature outside read 65, but inside it was Winter Carnival.
Whoever heard of Carnival without Sunday morning milk punch? Not to be done out of any phase of the glorious reproduction, milk punch was served Sunday from 12 to 4 in a private game room of one of the Houston apartment settlements. What was especially fine was that it was served with the succulent flavor of Dixieland music. From this account it might appear that something was lacking in the way of feminine company, which would of course never do for Carnival and milk punch. This would-be void was well taken care of in the persons of some fifteen imported Texas belles, who displayed much satisfaction with the Dartmouth version of the Bunny Hop and Charleston.
And so the weekend progressed. At last it had to be brought to its close, to leave time for the long drive back to San Antonio. There were a few re-pledges of Dartmouth fellowship, the cup was at the lip one more time, and then '54 divided between Houston and San Antonio, much as though they were just drifting down to the Indian Bowl for a late afternoon snack.
That was how it was when Texas witnessed its first Dartmouth Winter Carnival.
THOSE PRESENT at 1954's Carnival Weekend party in Houston were: Bottom row (l to r)- Skip Abbey, Bob McShane, Bob Daly, Jim Miller, Ed Haertl; Second row - Jim Mannion,Tom Sayles, Mrs. Mannion, Mrs. McShane, Mrs. Fisher, Mrs. Sayles, Bob Curtis; Third rowBill Grover, Reed Baird, Joe Picarelli, Rollin Haynes, Dick Danforth, Don Bartnicki, WallyAnderson, Tom Campbell; Back row-Bob Collimore, Paul Stumpf, George Fitzgerald, HowieRussell, Don Swanson, Ed Moore, Bill Sherman, Bob Drawbaugh, Jim Fisher.
