Local Strife

A minor cause celebre erupted at August's Summer Carnival, a three-day bash on the Green organized to jazz up the social life of a term more full of parity than parties.

It all started when North Mass, an all- female dorm, decided to sponsor a "slave auction," to sell various services such as haircuts, car-washing, and room-cleaning, all for the ultimate benefit of the Upper Valley United Way. John and Jean Kemeny agreed to be auctioneers.

Posters, later conceded to be unfortunately worded, added a provocative "etc., etc.????" to the list of services proffered, and The Dartmouth leered that North Mass residents were about to "prove their worth."

Demonstrators from at least as far away as Woodstock showed up, wrists bound in paper chains, chanting "you were born a woman, not a slave." North Mass hastily recruited a few male volunteers to add their services and blunt the alleged sexism. President Kemeny queried why the auction was any more demeaning than dunking members of the faculty and administration in a tub of water, an opportunity offered by the Choate booth at 25 cents a throw. Mrs. Kemeny pronounced the protest "ridiculous."

How much consciousness was raised to what degree by the whole affair remains obscure.