Flying Objects at Raft Race Outlawed

One of the traditional rites of Harvard springtime is about to be dumped into the Charles.

Under pressure from House masters, the Adams House Committee this week banned the use of projectiles during the Adams House Raft Race, claiming that the race had become too violent.

"The masters had threatened to cancel the whole thing, but decided to give us one more chance," Committee Chairman Catherine Schuyler '85 said yesterday.

"Last year it was a complete zoo," agreed Joseph P. DiNunzio '84, designer of the Adams House raft. "If we allowed it to go on this year escalating like it did, we would not have been able to hold it next year," he added.

"It was getting to be a brawl rather than a festival," Schuyler said.

Adams House Master Robert J. Kiely could not be reached for comment. He and other masters discussed the matter in a recent meeting, students said.

The 12-year-old Bacchic waterfest--scheduled for April 28--has been characterized in recent years by elaborately designed rafts and even more elaborately designed warfare systems. Last year, projectiles included pineapples, eggs, watermelons, dead fish and rats, and dredged-up muck from the Charles River floor.

Veterans of races past expressed dismay over the decision.

"That was usually the main impetus," said Winthrop participant Joseph R. Knecht '84. "It'll still be fun, though some of the pageantry will go out. Some of the best technical minds in the University used to come out for it," he added.

"It's the only chance Harvard students get for a glorified food fight," DiNunzio said. "Hurling things at people made you feel much better, especially right before reading period. I'm a little disappointed," he added.

Last year, two people were taken to University Health Services for eye injuries from the water cannons. Another person was almost knocked unconscious by an egg, DiNunzio said.

"The most important thing is eliminating funnelators, water cannons, and heavy-duty objects," said DiNunzio, who pushed for an amendment allowing water balloons during the meeting.

"The House Committee went a little overboard when they decided to ban all projectiles," he said. "The race could maintain its profile as a childish free-for-all if we met beforehand with all participants to discuss safety," he added.

House committee members said they weren't sure how to enforce the new rule, and Schuyler said that some leniency would be necessary.

"Personally, I would rather see it that the rules aren't terribly enforced and we have a little tolerance," she said.

"We're trying to renew the old spirit of the race," said Paul M. Connolly '84, in charge of the race this year. "We're trying to figure out ways to make sure it's less violent and emphasize creative, pleasant rafts," he added.

Connolly said the House committee would consider changes in the new rule if there was much protest or if it was impossible to enforce.