President Wright,

I am dismayed that you have decided to discontinue the Dartmouth swimming

and diving teams. I am a Hanover resident with no formal ties to Dartmouth

College. I do however have two children, and they are personally affected by

this decision. My older son has been swimming with the North Country Aquatic

Club (NCAC) for six years. In this time he has gotten to know and respect a

number of Dartmouth students who have been members of the swimming or diving

teams. Daniel knows these students either because they have coached NCAC

swimmers, or they swam for NCAC prior to matriculating at and swimming for

Dartmouth. Our seven year old son has participated in the last two Dartmouth

swim clinics. Like hundreds of other Upper Valley youths, Joshua was

introduced to swimming (as opposed to just splashing) in as positive a way

as I can imagine: with individual attention by energetic and knowledgeable

Dartmouth swimmers.

To the Upper Valley in general, and Upper Valley youth in particular,

Dartmouth athletes are the public face of Dartmouth. Dartmouth swimmers

teach the fall and spring swim clinics (about 300 enrollees per year),

participate in the Ivy Swim Camp in June, and are an enduring source of high

caliber coaches for NCAC. I don't know of any student athletes with more

community involvement than the Dartmouth swimmers and divers. These students

are excellent role models because they make it clear that with hard work one

can excel in academics and athletics. NCAC swimmers, also a dedicated bunch

of local athletes, observe and derive inspiration from Dartmouth swimmers

and divers on a daily basis. Swimming and diving at Dartmouth are not

marquee sports. They are however demanding ones. Students at Dartmouth don't

swim and dive for accolades, they do so because they love their sport.

The coaching staff is first rate. The three head coaches are familiar to

NCAC swimmers and their parents. Chris, Jim, and JoAnn have helped NCAC in

so many ways over the years. Chris Hamilton coached a group of age-group

swimmers for a year, to rave reviews of swimmers and parents. He is a gifted

teacher. He has been available to help us out, often on short notice,

whenever we needed him. Chris's diving program has grown impressively in the

last year. Other families know Chris because he runs the aquatics program at

Storrs Pond in the summer. Dartmouth coaches are excellent role models, but

I know none that bring their sport to the community to the extent that Chris

does. JoAnn Brislin and Jim Wilson assist NCAC on a regular basis. JoAnn

always makes a point of greeting Daniel by name. This is important, and

appreciated. Jim, with the help of his swimmers, transformed an almost

disastrous first swimming lesson for Joshua ("I don't care if it's fun, I'm

not going out there.") into a rousing success. ("I want the swimming lessons

to be three times as long.") As with the student athletes, these coaches

provide a continual source of encouragement for NCAC swimmers.

Dartmouth presumably values good relations with the local community. It is

investing millions of dollars to help ensure that new schools can be built

in the Dresden school district to the satisfaction of various

constituencies. Apparently, the reaction of the community was not considered

when you decided to terminate the swimming and diving programs. Your

ill-advised "solution" to a temporary budget shortfall is incongruous with

your avowed commitment to fostering good civic relations. Numerous Hanover

households will evaluate the next Dartmouth bricks and mortar project up for

approval with (unfortunately) justified skepticism. That Dartmouth can spend

many millions on new athletic facilities, but not fund the core sports of

diving and swimming is quite disturbing. The Dartmouth swimmers, divers, and

coaching staff are some of your most effective ambassadors to the Upper

Valley. You just recalled them.

It seems to many of us that Dartmouth made a serious misstep in announcing

the elimination of the diving and swimming teams. A scant few of us have not

made serious errors of judgment, even if less publicly. But the measure of an

institution, as an individual, is how a mistake, once made, is acknowledged

and rectified. We do hope Dartmouth puts things right with the grace bestowed

by the timely recognition and correction of a wrong.

Marty Himmelstein

NCAC Parent

Hanover Resident