The Winter Term's Largest "Elective"

FOR some 728 undergraduates the winter term's schedule for two afternoons a week calls for a class meeting on a snow-packed slope. Enrolled in the Dartmouth Outing Club's Ski School, more familiarly known as "ski rec," they are enjoying one of the most inexpensive ways to learn to ski (safely as well as competently) in the country.

About half of the 728 in the class are freshmen who have elected the ski instruction program to meet their second-term physical education requirement. Many of the remaining class members have no physical education demands upon them. They simply want to learn to ski, or to ski better. A surprisingly large number in this category are seniors who have been too busy with studies or other sports in younger years. They pay only $11 for the instruction that will prepare them for the great ski trails of the non-academic world.

The classes, taught by 71 well-trained student instructors under the sharp eye of Ski School director George Ostler, are offered five afternoons a week. The student selects two of these afternoons, as laboratory, ROTC or other afternoon commitments allow. The class is scheduled to run for 90 minutes but as Ostler slyly admits, most of bis students just stay on and on until the sun begins to set.

Instruction is offered at eight different levels and at three different locations. At the beginning of the term some 60 per-cent of the class is in level No. 1 (beoinning) on the gentle Golf Course slopes, but each week as the term progresses more and more are sent off to instructional groups at Oak Hill and the Dartmouth Skiway. By Winter Carnival weekend only five percent of the class remained at the Golf Course.

In Ostler's well-organized instructional system, the student advances as quickly as he masters each level. Six "head instructors" are always handy for promoting a man from Group I (walking through braking snowplow) to II (snowplow turns) or from IV (stem christie) to V (parallel turn into the hill and sideslip with edge play), and on to VIII (slalom racing).

For the instructors, of course, Ski School begins long before the return from Christmas vacation. From October 1 on they are being Ostler-ized through special physical education and theory sessions. What do they get for their time and labors? "Equipment compensation," experience in teaching, and (the big attraction) Ostler's personal attention to make them better skiers.

The snow has been plentiful this season, but even last year when there was scant snow only two class sessions were missed.

A panorama of snow, pines, and beginning skiers on the nearby Golf Course hill.

A student instructor demonstrates some fundamentals toa group of neophytes on the Golf Course practice slope.

Dartmouth students learn the herringbone climb even in the Age of the Tow.

Ski School students atthe Skiway unloadafter their twelve-miletrip from Hanover toLyme.

More advanced ski students preparefor their lesson on the challengingtrails offered at Dartmouth Skiway.

German-born George Ostler, Directorof the Ski School for the last sixyears, instructing his student ski faculty at Oak Hill. Ostler started hisDartmouth work as the assistant coachof the varsity skiing team.