LETTERS

A Nugget Anecdote

To THE EDITOR:

The story of the Nugget movie theatre in Hanover by George O'Connell in the February 1961 ALUMNI MAGAZINE was of exceeding interest to me. His comments of the early days were quite correct, as I was a witness to them.

But he missed what was, perhaps the outstanding incident and the one that caused the greatest furor. It happened during the winter of 1915-16 or 1916-17.

The theatre was crowded that cold night. The hail of popcorn and peanuts and the banter of wise-cracks accompanied Bill Cunningham's opening piano playing. Not content with the usual piano playing, Bill had lifted the cover of the instrument and was. strumming the strings a la banjo. Then the lights dimmed, the show was on as the Pathé News flashed on the screen.

After showing a few national news events of timely interest there appeared the title "Skiing in Northern Michigan." Then to the amazement of us all, the picture showed our own Yale of Tempe ski jump with our own boys cavorting about - and many of these boys were in the audience that very night.

Brother, that did it! Pandemonium reigned as every student became possessed with the same idea — wreck the joint! Need I add, that finished the show for that night.

The above is the truth, so help me.

Newton, Mass.

A Westmore Expert

To THE EDITOR:

A more astute generation of Nuggetgoers knew that "Make-up Man Westmore" could never be "a rule-of-t'humb for movie critics." The Westmores, Bud, Wally, and, until his death, Perc, were first-unit make-up men for major studios. If we knew which Westmore, we could tell which studio and, of course, that it wasn't a B movie. Nor could the latter be a rule of thumb, since many B movies were among the most enjoyable flicks.

Mount Vernon, N. Y.

A Mountain Trek Recalled

To THE EDITOR:

George R. Andrews' "The Return of the Log-Peeler" in the January issue of the ALUMNI MAGAZINE brought back fond memories of days spent tramping across New Hampshire and camping in the Great Gulf. It was in the latter locale that I had my first experience with a porcupine who had the animal's usual audacity to enter our camp while we slept. I was soon on my feet and in pursuit. The next morning I found his corpse a few feet from the camp where I had felled him with a shot from a 22 revolver. Anticipating my future calling as a physician, I then spent the better part of the forenoon dissecting the poor fellow.

There was more to that trip than just a hike from Lake Morey across New Hampshire to the Franconia Range, thence on to Bretton Woods and up the trail to the summit of Mount Washington and down the headwall into the Great Gulf. Taking the wrong trail on Mt. Lafayette, all three of us Dave Adams '13, Harry Cooper '14 and myself - became lost in a maze of fallen timber. This predicament might have been the result of lowa-born Cooper looking around every rock he came to for a bear. I've forgotten.

Hartford, Conn.

Another Outdoor Story

To THE EDITOR:

On December 15, 1911 George McClary and I took off for Moose Mountain in a cutter drawn by a horse wearing jingle bells. The light sleigh slid along merrily to the base of the west side of the mountain where horse and cutter were stabled.

Wading through a bit of mud, trudging through snow and over the crest we crunched past the summit and started down the other side. George McClary '14 sighted a deer-run. A gentle wind blew toward us. McClary led the way. I followed. A hoofed sound and a cud-chewing wild animal appeared along the run-way. McClary aimed his rifle and fired. The deer leaped past him and came to earth prostrate at my feet. The bullet cut a narrow furrow along the top of the doe's head. A squeeze on the trigger of my rifle and venison was in the offing.

We guided the trophy head first on its back down the snow-covered east side of Moose Mountain to the first house that appeared in the dim light of evening. The family living there were genial hosts to two tired hungry Dartmouth Nimrods. After an evening meal our host hitched two horses to a rugged bob-sled and hauled McClary and me with the prize to the base of the other side of the mountain where horse and cutter had been stabled. The enclosed picture was. snapped on the porch of the Alpha Delta Phi house. McClary (in sweatshirt) won the head for mounting; Geiser the pelt-Venison was distributed, and some of the faculty at the Hanover Inn, including our venerable "Clothespin" Richardson, relished the treat.

West Orange, N. J.