In yet another attempt to deter students from illegally rushing the field during the Homecoming football game, the athletic department has unveiled what it hopes will become a new tradition: having the freshman class forms its class number on the field during halftime.
The idea to have students form their class numbers is not new but rather is a resurrection of one of the older aspects of the tradition of rushing the field in a more controlled and safe manner.
Students have already performed a run through of the event, but only 150 members of the class attended.
Although rushing the field has been a Dartmouth custom for many years, the College officially banned the practice in 1986, when revelers became disruptive to fans and committed violent acts. That has not stopped a number of gutsy freshmen from continuing to make the trek around the field during halftime, culminating in last year's six arrests after seven freshmen chose to rush.
Ben Gifford '10, who rushed the field last year, said that his decision to rush was fairly spontaneous, but the illegality of the act made it more tempting.
"Part of the reason I did was that it's such a dumb rule," he said. He said he knew the consequences he would face and that he deemed his experience to be worth the $200 fine he had to pay after going to court. The incident will be removed from his legal record in February.
Paul Glenn '10, a sports writer for The Dartmouth and another of last year's field rushers, said that he thought that rushing the field had paid off when he heard fans cheer him on as he left the arena. After going through the legal process, however, he said he has changed his mind.
"Knowing what I know now, I wouldn't do it again -- it was just a hassle," he said, citing his disappointment in missing the second half of the game as a result of his actions.
This is not the first time the administration has organized a halftime event for freshmen as an alternative to rushing the field. Last year's attempt to recreate another old tradition, having students form a tunnel known as the Gauntlet for the football players to run through, was deemed motivational by many of the athletes, but was not wholly successful.
"Any time that an administration tries to set up a spirit event, it ends up being lame," Gifford said.
On the other hand, Safety and Security Proctor Harry Kinne argued that this year's plan for rushing the field actually involves the whole class and therefore promotes class spirit and unity. He added that due to the nature of the planned event, the Safety and Security officers and Hanover Police who are responsible for the event will not be instructed to pursue rushers, as they have been in the past.
