Modern politics "up close"

In June 1953, a press corps of 100 came to cover an appearance at Dartmouth's commencement by an incumbent U.S. President. In January 1984, a press corps of 350 came to cover an appearance at the College by eight aspirants to that same office.

Dwight Eisenhower's brief but substantive "book-burning" address two decades ago was one of the more publicized events of his term and the biggest "media event" the College had ever seen. Last month's nationally-televised three-hour Democratic debate generated as much comment about the revolutionary new format and the candidates' sniping at each other as it did about the political substance of the rhetoric - but it eclipsed even Eisenhower's visit to Hanover as a media event.

Both in its impact on the campus and in the view it afforded the outside world of Dartmouth, the debate was adjudged a success by those on campus involved with it. Frank Smallwood '51, director of the Rockefeller Center, which pulled together the various aspects of the College's participation in the debate, described the chance for students and community members to observe modern presidential politics "up close" as "a tremendous experience they saw what it's all about." And Howard Coffin, assistant director of the College News Service and coordinator of the media side of the affair, said, "We reached millions of people with a very positive message about Dartmouth."

The live coast-to-coast broadcast by the Public Broadcasting Service was watched by many millions of people; estimates range from PBS's eight million to the Washington Post-ABC survey's 20 million. In addition, the event, and Dartmouth's hosting of it, received front-page coverage in most metropolitan dailies and was the subject of many political columns the following week.

The 350 journalists who descended upon Hanover represented news organizations from Manchester, N.H., to Manchester, England (the Union-Leader from the former and the Guardian from the latter), and from the Quechee, Vt., Times to the New York Times. "About a month before, we began to get warnings that we might have a huge press corps," said Coffin. "We called up the Democratic Caucus [which co-sponsored the debate with the College] to see if they had a professional to help make sure we were doing everything right. They said they had no such person. So we just trusted our instincts."

The massive press coordination job included finding 350 press people rooms, clearing them through Secret Service (a reported 125 agents were in town for the event), registering them (calculatedly, in the Top of the Hop, with its stunning view of campus), allocating the limited number of press seats in the hall, warning them about north country weather (despite which, many coatless, bootless souls wearing press tags were seen wandering the snowy streets), and supplying them with phone lines, TV monitors, typewriters, and cups and cups of coffee in the Alumni Hall-based press center.

The logistics of arranging the campus side of the debate were also more complex than had been anticipated. Even though the debate was moved from 450-seat Center Theater to 900-seat Spaulding Auditorium, seats in the hall were still at a premium. Of the 400 audience members from whom questions were taken during the debate, 300 were hand-picked to be representative of New England voting constituencies and 100 were allocated by the College. Using a lottery, the College distributed half its tickets to students and a quarter each to faculty and staff. That left many distressed about not being able to see an event of such magnitude right in their midst. So Srriallwood's staff set up eight different campus sites offering closed-circuit television coverage, worked with the class councils in organizing post-debate public receptions at which all eight candidates appeared, and coordinated the Young Democrats' role as student escorts for the candidates during their stays in Hanover. Smallwood noted that the TV sites around campus were filled, some to oveflowing, and Coffin said he felt that the event's presence in Hanover meant that "an awful lot of people here watched it who wouldn't have otherwise." In addition, many student and community members had a chance to see the candidates informally. "I went down to the Inn bar last night and there was Glenn, sitting right there," said one undergrad.

The klieg lights and notepads disappeared from the campus as quickly as they had come but left behind was a sense of satisfaction about the College's participation. "We offered the Democrats a magnificent facility," said Coffin. Spaulding Auditorium was augmented by the small rooms beneath it in the music department which could be used as makeup rooms, holding areas, or editing rooms and by Alumni Hall, which .made "a perfect press center." In addition, Hanover's central location in the first-primary-state-in-the-nation was also a factor in its selection.

The College's costs for its participation were relatively minimal. The educational aspects the closed-circuit TV and the receptions were covered by a $3,000 grant from the Benton Foundation. The press center costs, estimated at about $7,500, some extra security, and a brunch the morning of the debate for candidates and VIPs, were the College's only major expenditures.

"It was very valuable for the College to have it here," concluded Coffin. "Even though a lot didn't see it live, having it here focused the attention of students, faculty, and staff on the event." He said he would think the College might consider hosting a Similar event again. "For Dartmouth's wellbeing, I'd like to see it done here again in four years. But for my well-being I'm not so sure,"he added wryly.

Smallwood's positive assessment was similarly tempered by fatigue from the massive preparations. "It was very informative. People really felt they were part of a major event," he said. But he also noted that he was "relieved" that President McLaughlin's offer of the same facilities to the Republicans, by way of being non-partisan, had not been accepted.

Just before the cameras rolled to bring the Democratic presidential debate to millionsof viewers across the country; a colorful bit of drama was enacted on the stage ofSpaulding Auditorium, topphoto. A top hat which had belonged to Daniel Webster,one of Dartmouth's most famous statesmen (and a man who would have relishedsuch a debate), was used to draw lots to determine the seating order of the eightcandidates participating in the debate. From left to right are Reubin Askew diawinghis lot; Representative Charles Schumer of New York, who organized the Democratic Caucus's side of the debate; Senator Gary Hart partially obscured behind Representative Gillis Long of Louisiana, head of the Caucus; Frank Smallwood 51, director of the Rockefeller Center, which coordinated the College's side of the debate;former Vice President Walter Mondale; and the Rev. Jesse Jackson. In the middlephoto, a nearly full house watches a large-screen telecast of the debate at one of eightcampus locations for those unable to get seats in Spaulding. The eight sites werestaffed by members of the Young Democrats, which also provided escorts for thecandidates while they were on campus. And in the bottom photo, in the glaie of TV lights and flash bulbs, Senator Hart talks to a crowd at a post-debate reception in Rockefeller Center.

Just before the cameras rolled to bring the Democratic presidential debate to millionsof viewers across the country; a colorful bit of drama was enacted on the stage ofSpaulding Auditorium, topphoto. A top hat which had belonged to Daniel Webster,one of Dartmouth's most famous statesmen (and a man who would have relishedsuch a debate), was used to draw lots to determine the seating order of the eightcandidates participating in the debate. From left to right are Reubin Askew diawinghis lot; Representative Charles Schumer of New York, who organized the Democratic Caucus's side of the debate; Senator Gary Hart partially obscured behind Representative Gillis Long of Louisiana, head of the Caucus; Frank Smallwood 51, director of the Rockefeller Center, which coordinated the College's side of the debate;former Vice President Walter Mondale; and the Rev. Jesse Jackson. In the middlephoto, a nearly full house watches a large-screen telecast of the debate at one of eightcampus locations for those unable to get seats in Spaulding. The eight sites werestaffed by members of the Young Democrats, which also provided escorts for thecandidates while they were on campus. And in the bottom photo, in the glaie of TV lights and flash bulbs, Senator Hart talks to a crowd at a post-debate reception in Rockefeller Center.

Just before the cameras rolled to bring the Democratic presidential debate to millionsof viewers across the country; a colorful bit of drama was enacted on the stage ofSpaulding Auditorium, topphoto. A top hat which had belonged to Daniel Webster,one of Dartmouth's most famous statesmen (and a man who would have relishedsuch a debate), was used to draw lots to determine the seating order of the eightcandidates participating in the debate. From left to right are Reubin Askew diawinghis lot; Representative Charles Schumer of New York, who organized the Democratic Caucus's side of the debate; Senator Gary Hart partially obscured behind Representative Gillis Long of Louisiana, head of the Caucus; Frank Smallwood 51, director of the Rockefeller Center, which coordinated the College's side of the debate;former Vice President Walter Mondale; and the Rev. Jesse Jackson. In the middlephoto, a nearly full house watches a large-screen telecast of the debate at one of eightcampus locations for those unable to get seats in Spaulding. The eight sites werestaffed by members of the Young Democrats, which also provided escorts for thecandidates while they were on campus. And in the bottom photo, in the glaie of TV lights and flash bulbs, Senator Hart talks to a crowd at a post-debate reception in Rockefeller Center.

"It is quite true that when I was in college, to go skiing meant simply to walk out to a convenient hill, stick your toes through the loops, slide down the hill, keep your feet if you could, pick up your skis, climb to the top again, and repeat till satisfied." Ben Ames Williams, Class of 1910