Cows grazed on the Green until a student rebellion in 1836.
Theodor Geisel was editor of the Jack O' Lantern in 1925 and signed written pieces with the name "Seuss."
These facts are just some of the interesting trivia travelers learn on this season's undergraduate admissions tours.
Clocking in at an average of about one hour and 10 minutes, each walk takes tourists from McNutt Hall, through Collis, past Massachusetts Row to the Rockefeller Center, on Webster Avenue toward Kiewit, through Baker and finally to the Hopkins Center.
Despite prevalent construction along the route, the path has not been changed. Tours still walk past Berry Library construction, where guides' voices compete with bulldozers and cranes.
Guides approach tours differently, emphasizing varying parts of their own Dartmouth experiences. In the end, though, they all say the same thing: Dartmouth is the best undergraduate institution.
"You come here, you leave, you get a job and you make a lot of money," tour guide Greg Frank '01 told a tour group on Saturday. "Many graduates go on to investment banking and consulting, which is nice because the starting salary is $60,000 a year."
The Accidental Tourist
The Admissions Office gives every guide an official written manual with history and anecdotes about the College, but as detailed as the manual is, tour guides can never be prepared for every situation.
On Saturday, a car pulled out in front of a female student bicyclist, causing a collision directly in front of tourists led by Ryan Krauch '01.
The accident took place during his explanation of campus crime and Safety and Security.
Krauch said nothing like the incident occurred on any of his previous tours.
His tourists "took the whole thing in stride and realized it was a very fluke thing," Krauch said. "The people on the tour were very cool about it and helped the girl out."
Every tour guide The Dartmouth observed said Massachusetts Row is the best and most popular residence hall on campus.
In addition, guide Lisa Parrington '00, in referring to the River Cluster dormitories, told her tour group, "I'll point out the worst dorms, but they're not even that bad."
Tour guide Ravi Chopra '01 insisted that "all dorms are within a five minute walking distance of the Green."
River dweller Debra Brodsky '01 said she thinks otherwise.
"They're at least eight minutes away," Brodsky said and added that she does not think the River is the worst dormitory cluster on campus.
"They're so socially fun, and you can really get your privacy," she said. "There's always a door you can shut somewhere."
Concerned parents often asked tour guides questions about housing availability.
In response to these questions, Frank told his group, "I've never heard of anyone not getting housing in the last 15 years."
But Director of Housing Services Lynn Rosenblum told The Dartmouth earlier this year that there was a considerable housing crisis in 1993 and 1994.
Greek enlightening
Although the written tour-guide manual tells guides to be prepared for questions about drinking and the Greek system because "stopping on Webster Avenue always seems to generate some," no parents or students asked any alcohol-related questions on last week's Thursday and Saturday tours.
The manual instructs guides to use their "best judgment" when answering alcohol-related questions.
For questions about the popular film "Animal House," the written manual explains that guides should respond, "Women were admitted in 1972, and the College has become considerably more civilized since then."
Parrington emphasized to her tour group that "Dartmouth's Greek system is different" and explained the system is "a social outlet, but not the only one." She emphasized Dartmouth's policy that prevents freshman from rushing fraternities and prohibits them from attending Greek parties in freshman Fall.
Parents were also concerned about other issues that could affect their children.
"Are the dorms coed?" asked Bonnie Clark, a prospective student's mother. "Does that mean the bathrooms are coed as well?" Clark also expressed concern during the tour about Baker's card catalog cabinets.
"It's all on computer now," said Parrington. Parrington explained the card catalogs in Baker are only decorative at this point.
Eating, printing, finishing
Parents and students also asked questions about the College's food quality. Guides complimented the food and explained the declining balance system to the prospective students.
"Our food is ranked as some of the best in the nation," Chopra said.
But Parrington also told a group of parents and high-school students on Thursday that students "can use the punch system at Westside" Buffet, though the punch system was abolished in 1997 with other meal-plan changes.
Also, some guides seem unaware of Kiewit's new printing policy.
Chopra told his group on Saturday, "Whenever you have a paper, send it over to Kiewit and pick it up." He told a concerned mother that although students can bring printers for their computers, they are unnecessary.
"By the time you walk to Kiewit, it's done," said Parrington. "It's very convenient."
Frank stressed the significance of BlitzMail on campus.
"Basically, everyone has a phone, but no one uses them," he said. Frank also said the College plans to give more support to IBM PC-compatible computer users next year and lessen the emphasis on Macintosh systems.
Tourists said they liked the tours, but had a few criticisms.
"It covered a whole lot; it almost seems like an hour wasn't enough," Clark said. "I think [Parrington] talked a little fast and had a cold."
Many tourists were disappointed the groups did not tour residence halls or classrooms.
"I wish we had gone into the buildings," said Kiera Vassar, a current high school junior who is interested in attending Dartmouth. Vassar attended Chopra's tour.
Guides did not discuss the current turnover of administrators at the College and only mentioned president-elect Wright.
"We just got a new College president," Parrington said. "I think he's provost right now, but I'm not sure." Parrington explained that Freedman resigned this fall.
