The 1995 Winter Carnival Council will attempt to break the pattern of lackluster snow sculptures by reviving a building method used more than 20 years ago that allowed for more elaborate designs.
This year's planned sculpture of a wolf perched on a rock howling at the moon -- in fitting with the "Call of the Wild" theme -- will be constructed by packing snow around a frame made of wood and chicken wire, a technique used to build the towering sculptures of past decades.
"Since the early '80s the snow sculpture has been built by packing down snow and building tiers," said Patricia Bankowski '95, who is in charge of building this year's snow sculpture.
"When you build in tiers you have to go two inches in for every additional tier, and the process makes the sculpture seem more blocky."
Bankowski said she researched the history of Winter Carnival looking for the reason why the tier technique replaced the frame technique.
"It is only a rumor that the frame technique was abandoned because of safety reasons," Bankowski said. "I spoke to someone in Facilities Operations and Management and there didn't seem to be a problem, as long as the sculpture is structurally sound."
Winter Carnival Council co-Chair Timothy Chow '96 said the theme, which was picked in the fall, came out of the snow sculpture idea.
Winter Carnival will once again feature an opening ceremony, sporting events, sleigh rides around the Green and a formal.
"We are also trying to get fireworks," Chow said. "We had them two years ago and we would like to have them again."
Construction on the snow sculpture will start at the end of this week or the beginning of next week and will take about six weeks.
"Council members will organize the construction and hopefully anyone who is interested will come and help out," Chow said.
