Over the past 5 years we have accumulated funds that were directed to be used to fund one or more class projects. In the past we have supported SEAD (Summer Enrichment at Dartmouth) and have an ongoing goal to build a Class of 85 Memorial Fund which we hope will one day endow a scholarship. This year, our classmate, Jeff Weitzman, learned of a project he felt would we should consider – A History of Dartmouth Skiing. I include below a brief persuasive summary from Jeff that describes the book.
A History of Dartmouth Skiing
Not everyone at Dartmouth is or was a skier (but at least 50% of us took ski lessons and visited the Skiway ), and there is no denying the lasting contribution and impression winter sports made on Dartmouth and its students. The Outing Club and Winter Carnival, 100 years old, are inextricably linked with the history of ski racing and the history of the College over the last century, and all of us benefited from that–from Freshman trips to ski lessons to Winter Carnival to the Skiway to simply going to a College that knew how to make the most of New England winters! It’s a relationship that distinguishes Dartmouth from other schools; a legacy to the world, really.
In honor of the 100th anniversary of the Dartmouth Outing Club and to honor the contributions Dartmouth has made to skiing and the ski industry, a dedicated group of Dartmouth alum have come together to compile this book, A History of Dartmouth Skiing to be published in time for Winter Carnival 2010 and the DOC’s 100th year celebration. The book will cover not only the things we knew as undergrads, but all the many contributions Dartmouth alumni have made by founding most of the major ski areas, leading the 10th Mountain Division in WW II, and the various support activities to develop the US Ski industry. They intend to show that Dartmouth has been, and continues to be, the leading player in creating the modern ski industry. See the details at http://dartmouthski.wiki.zoho.com/HomePage.html .
After much discussion, a majority of our class executive board voted to make a donation to this project in the amount of $2500 as a Class Project. Besides the book , there is also a movie/documentary planned with an Emmy award winning movie team lined up to create it. When the book and movie are published, the Class of 85 will be listed in the dedication section as an Underwriter along with significant individual contributors. Both products of this Project will be lasting gifts to the college. There are memories being recorded and history being written that might be lost if this project team wasn’t working so hard to capture them now. For those of you who would like to learn more about the History of Dartmouth Skiing, please check out their web site at http://dartmouthski.wiki.zoho.com/HomePage.html .
