Snow Storm Brings Relief From Exams

While thousands of New Englanders were seriously inconvenienced by the snow storm this weekend, many Harvard students used it as an excuse to take a break from their exams.

Several Eliot House juniors decided that they would rather enjoy the storm than study.

"Once we bagged studying we decided getting stoned and making money shoveling at the same time would be a pretty good combination," one Eliot House resident, who asked not to be identified, said yesterday.

The storm released artistic tendencies in some people. A life-sized ice sports car was parked (illegally) on Plympton St. near Quincy House. On Mt. Auburn St., an ice couple watched a real T.V.

For many students the major inconvenience was that the liquor stores in Harvard Square closed early. William M. Lewis Jr. '78 said the only place he could find beer was at the Currier House grille.

"I had to compete with the dining hall workers who had to spend the night. They wanted beer just as badly," he said yesterday.

Kraig R. Gearhart '79 walked from Eliot House to Broadway Supermarket to buy a case of beer.

"It would have taken too long to carry it back to I hired some guy with cross country skis to put it in his backpack and ski the beer back to Eliot," he said yesterday.

Quincy House held its Second Annual Junior-Senior Storm Bowl--a football game played in the snow.

"There was some pretty good hitting out there, but there was enough snow so no one got hurt," Christopher J. Doherty '78 said yesterday.

Thomas G. Masterson '79 blocked a punt for the only score in the game, and the juniors won, 7-0. Doherty said the group plans to play whenever there is a big storm.

Winthrop House residents released their exam period frustrations in a Gore-Standish snowball fight.

In the Yard, the pile of snow in front of Harvard Hall resembled San Juan Hill. Groups of freshmen were unable to keep a group of upperclassmen from conquering the hill.

"Teddy Roosevelt would have been proud of us," one sophomore said.

The storm only had minor effects on exam-takers. Stuart R. Patterson '79 said yesterday, "I wanted to get an extra pen for my exam at the Coop, but it had closed by the time I got there."

"I wished that my Friday exam had been called off but at least while I was bored during the exam I could watch the snow," Gary M. Barrett '79 said yesterday.

By early Friday afternoon it was almost impossible to drive in the Square, and cross country skiing became the most popular mode of transporation.

By evening, skiers had taken over Mass Ave, Memorial Drive and almost all the other streets around the Square.

A spokesman for 33 Dunster St., the Oxford Ale House and Cronin's all said that they were very busy Friday night.

"The place was packed, especially considering the conditions. Most people either walked or skied in," the Dunster St. spokesman said.

Mark A. McClain '78 said, "I just played in the snow, but it was the most fun I've had in four years."

While many students enjoyed the snow, a spokesman for Cahaly's summed up a common first reaction to the storm: "Unbelievable. I've never seen anything like this.