Wartime Physical Program Steps Up Towel Laundering

Through the many University athletic buildings every day pass thousands of men who are conditioning themselves in the accelerated physical program here at Harvard. After a cross country workout, or a grimy football drill, or calisthenics class, it is taken for granted that there will be a refreshing shower and a clean towel waiting at the various athletic buildings. Few men realize that every towel used in the athletic program is laundered by the University right here at Dillon Field House.

Wartime Increase

Washing several thousand towels a day is a common occurrence in the daily University wash. Operating 24 hours a day with a crew of four men, the Field House laundry has had to step up its tempo to meet the increased towel demand brought about by the accelerated physical training program. Even during the past year, after the conditioning program had started, the increase has been parked. From July 1942 to July 1943 402,700 towels were washed, as compared to 331,625 during the previous year.

As the handling of towels increased, however, the washing of University athletic equipment dropped off sharply as the Crimson intercollegiate sports schedules were cut. More than twice as much athletic clothing was handled during the year 1942-43 than during 1943-44.

The cycle of a towel is remarkable--from the time it is picked up in hampers by a collector until it is handed out completely fresh at Weld, or Dillon, of the Indoor Athletic Building. Starting at the Indoor Athletic Building, for example, the discarded towel is tied in a bundle of 25 and taken down to Dillon, where the transformation begins. the first step in the laundering process is the giant washing machine. Holding 200 towels, this huge cylinder combines 180 degrees of live steam with plenty of soapsuds to completely cleanse and sterilize anything with which it comes in contact.

After this comes the whirling extractor, which presses water from the washed towels. The final phase of the cycle is the drier, powered by a 10 horsepower electric motor, which revolves and tumbles 100 towels at a time until they are soft and dry.

1000 Towels A Day

Supplied with towels by the Field House plant are the Indoor Athletic Building, Weld Boat Club, University Squash Courts, and Dillon Field House. The biggest demand is from the Indoor Athletic Building, which is used daily by between 800 and 2000 men, 80 percent of whom take towels.