A Short History of Winter Carnival

By Alana T. Finley | Friday, February 10, 2006

Editors’ Note: The following article is based on previous histories of Winter Carnival published by Robert Paterno ’93, Alexis Jhamb ’03, and Nathaniel Ward ’05.

Winter Carnival began as a tradition of the Dartmouth Outing Club ninety-six years ago to invite nearby college students to compete against Dartmouth’s best skiers. The celebration took on its official name the following year, and the spirit of athleticism and competition has since remained, along with other social festivities that promptedNational Geographic magazine to call it “the Mardi Gras of the North.”

Unlike today, fewof Dartmouth students skied avidly in 1910. Among the few who did, president of the Dartmouth Outing Club Fred Harris ’11 and his colleague A.T. Cobb ’12 sought to further interest in the sport. Their proposal was issued as a letter to the Daily Dartmouth , and the campus paper responded with an editorial calling for a weekend event that “would undoubtedly be a feature of College activity which from its novelty alone, if for no other reason, would prove attractive. It is not impossible that Dartmouth, in initiating this movement, is setting an example that will later find devotees among other New England and northern colleges.”

Students, faculty and townspeople were receptive, and the first Carnival weekend included ski races, ski jumping, and snowshoe races. Though Harris was the favorite to win the events, a knee injury hindered his performance, and Cobb emerged victorious in every skiing event. In 1912, the weekend hosted the first American intercollegiate ski meet, featuring competitors from McGill, Williams, UVM, Yale, and MIT.

Noting the lack of female presence in its initial year, the Daily Dartmouth wrote in 1911: “It is up to every man with a purse or a heart, or with a bit of enthusiasm for a good time when it heaves in sight, to make hast to procure that most necessary item.” That year, fifty women arrived from Smith, Mount Holyoke, Wellesley, and other nearby colleges.

Imported along with the dates were new social aspects to the weekend, including the Outing Club Ball and some theater, though athletics remained the primary focus of the weekend and Harris and Cobb remained the strongest competitors.

By 1919, the number of Carnival activities and visitors had grown. Multiple fraternities hosted dances which, of course, required the presence of female guests. Upon the arrival of women from New York, Boston, Northampton, Springfield, Holyoke, and Greenfield, expectant Dartmouth men greeted their guests at the rail-way station in White River Junction with enthusiasm.

Commenting on the need for female visitors to the all-male campus, one former president of the Dartmouth Outing Club commented, “Dartmouth likes lots of company over Carnival weekend, especially if it is cute and wears skirts.” With the importance of women throughout the weekend, the tradition of crowning of Winter Carnival Queen quickly emerged as a favorite tradition beginning in 1923 with the crowning of Mary Warren. Though primarily a beauty contest, in 1928 the Daily Dartmouth encouraged the selection of “the most charming girl in winter sports costume for the Queen of Snows” in order to fit in with the athletic focus.

Walter Wanger ‘15 sought to create a film depiction of the weekend’s festivities, and together with screenplay authors Budd Schulberg ’36 and F. Scott Fitzgerald, they created Winter Carnival . The film, a fictional account, centers on a Dartmouth professor and his romance with a divorced duchess, crowned Winter Carnival Queen in her younger days. An amusing scene features a change of the daily paper to a tabloid, in which the headline reads: “Smooth Babes Invade Campus.” The movie contains memorable footage of the arrival of women at the train station, athletics events, and formal dances at campus fraternities. Though the premise seems innocent enough, the content warranted the Catholic Legion of Decency to condemn it as “one of the five objectionable pictures of 1939.”

The arrival of a 37-foot snow statue of Eleazar Wheelock who “toasted visitors with a fifteen gallon mug” marked the beginning of the beloved snow sculpture tradition. Past sculptures have included the Dartmouth Indian in 1954, 1976’s Lady Liberty adorned with a “D” on her robes and holding a beer stein, and last year’s memorable pirate ship. Dorm clusters and Greek houses have also participated in the lesser tradition of shaping their own sculptures.

Many traditions have changed throughout the years. The competition for Winter Carnival Queen ended in 1973, when Carnival Committee chairman George Ritcheske claimed, “Prevailing attitudes…indicate that contests which stress beauty as their primary or only criterion no longer have the widespread popularity they once enjoyed.” Dormitories and the Hanover Inn are no longer transformed into a women’s residence.

Events such as the snow-shoe races have since been replaced by newer events. The traditional Psi Upsilon keg jump lived on for two decades before it was prohibited for insurance and liability issues. The “Polar Bear Swim” remains a favorite event, although last year the ice on Occum Pond was too thin to host the event.

This year, themed “Stupendous Games: Mischief in the Snow” will continue to feature the Human Dog Sled Race, the Occum Pond Party, and 99 Cent Ski Day at the Dartmouth Skiway, among many other traditions. Greek houses will host activities Wednesday through Saturday nights, beginning with a dance party at Kappa Delta Epsilon Sorority. For a more historical approach to Carnival, Rauner Library will host an open house, Baker Tower will be open for tours, and the Hopkins Center will present a film-screening of Winter Carnival .

Due to increased regulations, many campus activities are not as inviting to guests, including the many fraternity parties hosted. Seven years ago, with the introduction of the Student Life Initiative, the Co-ed, Fraternity and Sorority Council cancelled all Greek-sponsored Carnival celebrations. At the opening ceremonies that year, President Wright announced, “I haven’t been invited to many fraternity parties this weekend, but I still plan on having a good time.” The following day, students held a rally at Psi Upsilon fraternity to protest the change in Carnival policy.

Three years ago, reflecting on old Carnival memories, Budd Schulberg told the New York Times “There was nothing like it almost anywhere. There was a sexual revolution going on. And for the girls—as we called them then—it was a big honor to be invited. There was enormous excitement in the air. It was romantic, really, in an old-fashioned sense. It’s still what you’d call a party, but it’s nothing like it was back then.”

A Short History of Winter Carnival

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