Summits & Volleys
Divers Notes and Observations
ONE OF THE more notable campus events of this year certain to be a significant development in the American Theater during the next century was the five-day conference held during March at Minary Center, to organize a "self- determining and self-sufficient" black theater. The event was sparked by August Wilson, Pulitzer Prize-winning dramatist, and in-cluded a wide cross-section of theater artists and business executives. Wilson conceived the idea in a 1996 speech at Princeton, when he invited black theater leaders to create a means to "re-ignite our people's energy for social change that reflects our spiritual truths."
Only Dartmouth responded, and did so with a flourish, through the efforts of Professors Victor Walker and Bill Cook. The week's closed seminar culminated in an open all-day session in Hopkins Center's Moore Theater which included subjects as diverse as in-stitutional support, community development, marketing, and naturally, the encouragement of black playwrights. The drama department's contribution was several powerful performances of Wilson's Joe Turner's Come and Gone in which several talented students showed they were pretty nearly ready for prime time.
Scheduled to succeed Wilson as Montgomery Fellow was Dr. Jill Ker Conway, the first female president of Smith College and currently a visiting professor in science and technology at MIT. Also a memoirist, Dr. Conway's opening address at Cook Auditorium was "When Memory Speaks," on the different ways in which men and women recount their lives.
We think we heard that Trustee Bill King '63, chair of the committee that will bring us Dartmouth's 16th president, will open the envelope about the time this issue goes to press, so you may already know the name of its choice. To fill the ample shoes of retiring Provost Jim Wright, President Freedman has appointed another search committee which will go into action as soon as the new president has gotten his bearings.
Women's hockey has added another Ivy championship banner to its collection, but the men, despite a good start, failed at the end of the season to garner a single point in four games, which again left them out of the playoffs. Individual accomplishments were sports' order of the day, as Adam Nelson '97 propelled the shot almost two feet beyond his personal record to win second place in the NCAA, and Jenna Rogers '98 led the field in the women's 5,000.
Sports enthusiasts will applaud the College's decision to add new indoor tennis courts to the open area behind Smoyer Lounge in the Thompson Arena, plus a new Astro turf playing field, complete with floodlights and a grandstand, in another part of Chase Field. It was originally to adjoin the tennis facility, but residents nearby opposed the double fault of the lights and the stands (as well as on street parking) as an avoidable nuisance. The town in general, however, has welcomed the announcement that 228 spaces may be added to Hanover's poverty stricken downtown parking needs if a new garage can be built without undue pressure on the tax rate.
We had to spend a day on repairs at the hospital recently, and one of our attendants was Dr. Nervi. We could hardly wait to ask her how many people had assumed she was the daughter, or granddaughter, of the renowned Italian architect who designed both the Leverone Field House and the hockey rink. She said "a lot," but she always had to answer in the negative. Sensing our disappointment, she added, "But I can tell you this: my married name is Thompson."
