Despite threats of three terms of probation, arrest by the Hanover police and a fine of up to $500, daring freshmen continue the Homecoming football game tradition of running down from the home stands, rushing across the football field and storming the opposing side's bleachers during halftime.
Last year, at least nine members of the Class of 2009 rushed the football field.
Of these students, four were arrested on site and five were subsequently implicated due to an affiliation with the Facebook groups "I Rushed the 2005 Homecoming Game" and "I Rushed the '05 Homecoming Game and Got Arrested."
All of the students arrested were placed on disciplinary probation by the College for at least three terms, were required to meet with their Class Dean and were fined $100 by the College.
According to College policy, a first violation can be permanently erased from their record as long as no further violations are incurred within one year after their arrest.
In court, the students were further charged with criminal trespassing, a violation under New Hampshire law and some with resisting arrest, a class B misdemeanor. Many were given extensive fines.
In separate interviews with Will Ryan '08, who rushed the field during Homecoming 2004, and Elliot Henry '09, Chris Blankenship '09, and Taylor Holt '09, who rushed the field last Homecoming, the group shared reflections on their individual experiences.
The Dartmouth: Why did you decide to rush the field?
Henry: I arrived at the football game with no intention of rushing the field. But as I was sitting there I was thinking, what if nobody in our class rushes the field? Also, Dartmouth is a school defined by its traditions. What would Homecoming be without the Bonfire, or Winter Carnival without the snow sculpture? It is important that Dartmouth preserves these traditions, otherwise Dartmouth would just be like any old school. All these thoughts were flying around in my head as I was sitting there.
Blankenship: My brother-in-law and my sister, both '99s, mentioned how much they wish they had done it and how much fun the guy who did it their freshman year had. That planted the idea in my head, and I mentioned it to a few friends. One of those friends told me to meet the other rushers shortly before halftime, and I did, planning on encouraging them. I ended up following them to the front of the stands, and when they jumped I held back, sat down, and didn't want to do it because I was worried about going to jail. Then a girl next to me said she couldn't do it either, and I realized how pathetic that sounded. So I jumped over the railing and ran onto the field. The next time I saw her, we were both at the Hanover Police Department.
Holt: It was a way I could show my love for the school. My dad calls it a coming of age decision.
Ryan: I rushed the field because I place a very high value on tradition. Groups distinguish themselves by having their own mythologies, so to speak. Dartmouth has an incredibly rich set of traditions, and those are getting worn down year by year. If a few rebels can manage to preserve even one tradition, I think it's worth the sacrifice. What makes us different from Harvard or Yale, besides cold weather and better teachers? It's our spirit. The '09s did a great job with their field rush, by the way. It did the college proud.
The D: Do you regret your decision to rush the field?
Blankenship: Not at all. The police were very accommodating, and the whole event was ridiculously fun.
Holt: No, [because] I feel like I directly impacted Dartmouth's history. But if I had a nickel for every time I've been asked this, I wouldn't have had to pay my fine...
Ryan: Since I was the only '08 to do so, if I hadn't rushed then no one in my class would have. That has only happened once before, with the '06s, and I could never let that happen to my own class. Two years have passed since I rushed the field now, and my feelings towards it haven't changed. When someone brings it up, it instantly brings back the same feelings and excitement. It is definitely one of the defining points of my Dartmouth career.
Henry: It is a great ice-breaker at parties! I was a little nervous about how it would affect employment. I told my summer employer, and he just laughed at me. When you graduate, everything will be off you record. Plus, you will always have a story to tell 50 years from now.
The D: Were you surprised that the Guy and Fellow cartoon and the Facebook groups you formed were involved in implicating you in the arrest?
Elliot: No. I knew that the Hanover Police had contact with The D because of the police blotter.
Holt: Once I knew [the police] went around to the coaches to ask if they could identify their athletes, nothing really surprised me. They hired two private investigators and the chief of Hanover Police was in charge of the case. Sometimes you wonder if Hanover has anything better to do.
Blankenship: I actually was arrested in the stands next to my sister, her husband, and a few other Dartmouth alums, one of whom was actually on the Board of Trustees. So the Guy and Fellow strip and Facebook didn't really get me in more trouble.
The D: What sort of feedback did you get from the Dartmouth community: alumni, students and administration alike?
Henry: Kimmi Kruge '09 [who rushed the field] received a congratulatory blitz from an alum and forwarded it to me. I talked to a few alums about it and they all seemed impressed. After I rushed the field I kind of felt like a hero. The students responded positively. They all loved it.
Blankenship: My sister called me while I was being taken to the Hanover Police Department and the only time she had anywhere near that amount of pride in her voice was when I got accepted as part of the Class of 2009.
Ryan: All during Homecoming, people came up to me and kept trying to get pictures taken with me. Sometimes people would be walking past, and I'd hear them whisper, "Is that the guy who rushed the field?"
Holt: As President Wright said in his inaugural address, "Our traditions embody Dartmouth's core values." I'd like to think rushing the field embodies bravery, the freedom to challenge authority, respect of traditions and individuality.
