Adrian Bouchard's Dartmouth

Adrian Bouchard, or Bouch, as he was known to most, died in June after nearly four decades as one of the most accomplished college photographers in the country. He had bought his first camera in 1934 for $12.50 and went on to capture on some 10,000 negatives the essence of Dartmouth College. In commemoration of that legacy, asampling of his work is presented below. The large-type quotationsare adapted from a eulogy written by Clifford fordan '45 for amemorial service in Rollins Chapel. An obituary with the details ofhis career is in the back of this issue.

"I see him now his camera strung around his neck and the pockets of his jacket jammed with all sorts of other paraphernalia."

When Bouchard came to Hanover in 1937, he worked as apart-time bellhop at the Hanover Inn. Onlythree years later, he recorded the view above of the old Inn. Butfor decades after, he was known, top, forhis engaging grin, corncob pipe, and ever-present camera.

Through the years Bouchard took countless definitive shotsof the "place" that is Dartmouth including the grandold elms, at right in 1948 but now only a memory; the sundappled Green, presided over by a trio of alumni in 1974below; and Dartmouth Hall, captured timelessly in 1947at bottom.

"Here are the people, the events, the scenes, and, somehow, the feeling of Dartmouth."

A consummate outdoorsman, Bouchard was in his elementcovering wilderness activities. His ever-ready camera wason the spot with a pair of canoeists in 1938, top; with anOutward Bound group on a winter climb in 1969, right;and with a bunch of freshman trippers in 1973, above.

"We see those lone canoeists, those freshmen hiking along a dusty road, those mountain-climbers scaling a snowy cliff."

Bouchard had a chance to cover some subjects of which hewas personally fond, as well as the more standard collegefare. Campus dogs were a frequent subject, as were B&Gworkers, such as the pair of rakers below. Other favoritesincluded the women's ski team, jogging across a shadowstrewn golf course in 1977, bottom, and any students suchas the 1950 Class Day participant at right.

"He was one of those special individual who was able to combine his many interests and talents in his profession."

"And in negative after negative are those people who have been so much a part of Dartmouth over almost half a century."

The figures who shaped four decades of the College's history were frequent subjects forBouchard. Among them were Dean Lloyd "Pudge"Neidlinger, counseling a student in 1942,top, and, above, professors Leonard Rieser (left) and Willis Rayton engrossed in a physicsexperiment in 1955. The 1959 photograph at right of Dean Joseph McDonald was such afavorite of McDonald's that he had Bouchard print up, years in advance, copies to bedistributed with his obituary when the time came.

Bouchard was legendary for his carein setting up formal shots — hewould spend hours determining thebest angle and waiting for the rightcloud to pass overhead. But he alsohad an eye for the perfect off-the-cuffimage a studying student framedby one of the classic arches of theBaker Reference Room in 1967,right; a 1972 commencement speakersilhouetted against a sea of headsand an expanse of sky, below; and anart student strikingly set off against abackground of design work in 1966,lower right.

"Through him we see afresh those unique scenes which he captured so well and which are as vibrant as the day they were taken."