Weekend Packed With 'Debauchery'

For certain Harvard students, Columbus Day weekend was just really long.

For others, it was one of the wildest since school began.

Some students said it was a pretty sober holiday weekend. "The wildest alcohol-related activity of which I've partaken this weekend was a healthy does of rum-butterscotch topping on my ice cream at Herrell's," joked Daniel G. Appel '98.

But a number of students chose to attend at least one of the weekend's "wild" parties--at places such as Winthrop House, Boston College and the Fly Club.

And those who did weren't sorry.

One of first episodes of hedonism occurred Friday night at Winthrop House, at the self-proclaimed "Dinning Hall Debauchery II."

The party, Winthrop's sequel to last spring's successful house event, drew more than 500 students, said House Committee Co-President Kristen M. Galanek '95.

Upon entering the house, partygoers were given a stack of phony dollars. During the party, students used the money to "bribe" others to remove articles of clothing.

"It was fun," said Al R. Motfitt '97. "It was kind of like of like a high school thing. It wasn't like real nudity. It was just people daring people to do stuff. It wasn't anything that outrageous, not as far as I saw."

But the Harvard Police apparently thought otherwise.

"People had started disrobing themselves, and they were asked to put their clothes back on [by police]," Galaneck said.

>Few heeded the officers' warnings, however.

"People were awe-inspired that others were being to free and uninhibited," said one Winthrop resident.

Another weekend blow-out look place at the Senior Mods, a dormitory complex at Boston College. Thousands of students from all over Boston converged on the Newton campus both Friday and Saturday nights to celebrate the repeat of last year's upset victory over Catholic arch rival Notre Dame.

And by the end of the football game Saturday afternoon--midway through the day-and-a-half long party--the B.C. crowd was not disappointed.

The campus and its victorious inhabitants were swash with beer, students said.

"There were crushed beer cans all over," said Christopher Davis '98. "It was covering the whole ground. It was a very wet party."

But this party was more than just wild, students said.

"It kind of seemed close to a riot zone," said Engstrom. "It was their campus, and the [Boston College] students were trashing it in celebration.

"They started fires on the grass," Engstrom continued. "They lit beer cases, then went into houses and got furniture to destroy and add to the fires."

But Nicole A. Barry '98 said the party ran dry early Saturday night. "Finally, we just walked into someone's dorm and they were like, 'Sorry, we have no more alcohol.' There were cases and cases of empty beer cans," she said.

By many accounts, the big Harvard affair Sunday night was a punch party at the Fly Club. Although Fly Club President Robert M. Carlock '95 did not give an estimate of how many people attended, he said the club had around 100 punches.

Carlock refused to disclose specifies.

"I'm just not really comfortable talking about the details of the punch," he said last night.

Although an assistant at University Health Services (UHS) said no drinking-related admissions took place this weekend, the Harvard Police blotter reported two instances of alcohol overdone in the same Mather House room. Police brought both students to UHS.

A resident of the suite refused to comment yesterday afternoon.

Sources from Harvard Police report that drinking-related incidents have been less prevalent this year than in the past.

"There haven't been as many drinkers this year. The last two years, in fact, have been very weak years for drinking," said a veteran officer who asked not to be identified.

"What I've seen in the Yard in particular has been very slow," the officer added. "I'm kind of surprised. But wait till Head of the Charles weekend comes, and we'll judge then.

The campus and its victorious inhabitants were swash with beer, students said.

"There were crushed beer cans all over," said Christopher Davis '98. "It was covering the whole ground. It was a very wet party."

But this party was more than just wild, students said.

"It kind of seemed close to a riot zone," said Engstrom. "It was their campus, and the [Boston College] students were trashing it in celebration.

"They started fires on the grass," Engstrom continued. "They lit beer cases, then went into houses and got furniture to destroy and add to the fires."

But Nicole A. Barry '98 said the party ran dry early Saturday night. "Finally, we just walked into someone's dorm and they were like, 'Sorry, we have no more alcohol.' There were cases and cases of empty beer cans," she said.

By many accounts, the big Harvard affair Sunday night was a punch party at the Fly Club. Although Fly Club President Robert M. Carlock '95 did not give an estimate of how many people attended, he said the club had around 100 punches.

Carlock refused to disclose specifies.

"I'm just not really comfortable talking about the details of the punch," he said last night.

Although an assistant at University Health Services (UHS) said no drinking-related admissions took place this weekend, the Harvard Police blotter reported two instances of alcohol overdone in the same Mather House room. Police brought both students to UHS.

A resident of the suite refused to comment yesterday afternoon.

Sources from Harvard Police report that drinking-related incidents have been less prevalent this year than in the past.

"There haven't been as many drinkers this year. The last two years, in fact, have been very weak years for drinking," said a veteran officer who asked not to be identified.

"What I've seen in the Yard in particular has been very slow," the officer added. "I'm kind of surprised. But wait till Head of the Charles weekend comes, and we'll judge then.