I wish to add my voice in protest to the Administrations

recent decision to cut the swimming and diving program at the end of the

current season.

 

To justify the drastic decision on a budget shortfall of $212,000

appears to be a very weak argument when this amount is viewed against

the total Athletic Department budget, the College hefty endowment, and the

potential for realizing the shortfall from other sources.

 

To further attempt to justify the decision on the lack of success of the

swimming-diving teams in recent years is utterly ridiculous in my

opinion. To imply that in order to improve the competiveness of the team

it would require an investment of 20 to 25 million dollars to upgrade

the aquatic facilities is simply foolish. I was a varsity diver on the

1946-1947 teams. We practiced and competed in the old but fondly

remembered Spaulding Pool whose steaminess, and choppy and well

chlorinated water were not soon forgotten by the many swimmers and

divers who came with me, before me, and after me. Dartmouth has had it's

share of winning as well as losing teams but I have never heard any

swimmer or diver or coach blame the facilities for poor performance.

Spaulding Pool divers especially will recall the extremely shallow depth

of the water under the springboards (less than 9') and the severe impact

on hitting the pool bottom, especially from 3 meters. The Karl Michael

Pool may not be equal to the standards of some more modern facilities

but I would look to other causes to explain the teams record.

 

It appears that the Director of Athletics may have initiated the idea of

cutting swimming and diving as varsity programs. I wonder if her

proposal would have been the same if she had been a coach of aquatics?

I sincerely hope that the Administration will reconsider it's decision

and continue the long tradition of Swimming and Diving at Dartmouth.

 

Sincerely,

 

Edward J. Tevald 

Class of 1947