SCAD's History
SCAD HISTORY CHAPTER # 1 DR. BRANDT

When the ponds and lakes in the Upper Valley froze over, the early settlers strapped blades to their shoes and glided across the ice. Recreational skating had been a winter tradition ever since. Local figure skating began in the early 1940's when Dr. Arthur Brandt, a German refugee, was given shelter by a local family. He became the skating instructor at the Hanover Inn's ice rink, preparing ice skaters for local performances. The Hanover Inn Rink (located near the present site of the Court Yard Cafe in the Hopkins Center) was operated primarily for the Inn's guests. Diners seated at tables on the ice were served by waitstaff on skates. In 1944, Dr. Brandt founded the "Hanover Skating School" where skaters learned basic dance mixed with a few twists, turns and jumps in a showmanship flare. Within several months the "First Annual Ice Carnival Show" was produced featuring many local skaters. Articles in the Hanover Gazette (2/22/45) describes "solos, comedy acts, jitterbug performances, and a graceful ensemble entitled 'Cocktail Time'" presented by a cast of 40 who had been "enthusiastically working on figure-eights and twirls at the Hanover Inn rink all winter." Special spotlights were installed in Davis rink, where the first ice show was held to "help make the gorgeous costumes even more effective." It was cold enough on the day of that first ice show according to the Gazette "to frost our breath but not cold enough to keep the ice from getting soft. This made the skating surface rather uncertain and dangerous and the performers showed courage and showmanship in doing difficult turns on the melting ice." Dr. Brandt was asked about another show for next year. His response was "Next year, next year. Well, this was just the beginning. We hope to be back next year with a better show and better times." The interest and enthusiasm from Ice Carnival led to the establishment of the "Hanover Figure Skating Club," in the fall of 1945. The Second Annual Ice Carnival, still under the direction of Dr. Brandt but now hosted by the club's new name, was "enthusiastically received by all who were present". According to the Hanover Gazette. "The gay costumes and the finished skating made the evening a colorful and entertaining one. Presented by the Hanover Figure Skating Club with the cooperation of the Claremont Club, the Carnival included solos, duets, and group numbers which showed the patient coaching of Dr. Arthur Brandt, who has been directing both clubs. The group numbers presented by the Hanover Club showed how far the members of the club had advanced since the first Carnival.......It would seem very fortunate that Hanover and Claremont are able to receive the advice and instruction of Dr.. Brandt who has aroused an interest and enthusiasm for this graceful sport."

CHAPTER # 2 HANOVER FIGURE SKATING CLUB

(FALL, 1945) Under the new club's first president, Jim Cusick, a Dartmouth economics professor, the club hired Marion Proctor, a qualified instructor, who taught freestyle and figures. The Dartmouth Log, (12/21/45), states that: a new organization, the Hanover Figure Skating Club, has been formed to encourage an additional form of recreation in the Hanover community. Its purpose is to develop an interest in figure skating and to provide a social group for those interested in learning figure skating. The club is open to residents of Hanover and Norwich. There will be different types of membership: junior and family membership, as well as associate membership for Dartmouth students and their wives and for Clark School students and student nurses at the hospital. The club plans to make use of Occom Pond but also, through the cooperation of William H. McCarter, director of athletics, it is to have the use of the hockey rink on Sunday afternoons and one night during the Week. Music will be provided in the rink to add to the fun of skating, to assist in developing rhythmical skating, and to make possible ice dancing, a recent development in skating which is creating great interest throughout the country. Officers for the current season are President, Prof. James Cusick; Secretary, Mrs. Ford Sayer; Treasurer, Prof. Randall Waterman.

The Hanover Figure Skating Club's application for membership into the USFSA was received 1/15/48. The application was probably sent in December, 1947. The process in becoming a full member into the USFSA is long. It wasn't until May 8, 1949 that the club with its by laws were recognized. The Hanover Figure Skating Club operated much like the present day SCAD with officers, planning meetings, and banquets. The club gathered at Davis rink once or twice a week; additional ice time was provided by Occum Pond, the Hanover Inn rink, and flooded back yards. Jack Manchester remembers pulling the music equipment to the rink by sled. In 1947 the club established the Hanover Figure Skating Club Prize. Quoting from the Hanover Gazette: the prize takes the form of a full season's free private lessons in figure skating by the club's instructor and a pin in the form of a silver skate as the symbol of the prize. The prize is awarded to that member of the club who has set the highest standard as a skater on the basis of the following points: 1. Progress in skating during the season, not necessarily the greatest excellence in skating. 2. Character, as shown by attitude toward others in and around the rink. 3. Sportsmanship. 4. Hard work and faithful practice on the fundamentals of skating. 5. Spirit of cooperation with club members, skating instructor, and club officials. Sylvia Allen was the first recipient of the silver skate.

CHAPTER # 3 WINTER CARNIVAL

During the early years of the club's history, there was a close association with Dartmouth's Winter Carnival (always scheduled the second week of February to coincide with the best weather as required by insurer Lloyds of London). Several of the club's top skaters skated in "Outdoor Evening" of the carnivals, to which the college would invite a number of nationally known skaters to perform. Dick Button skated for one carnival in the 1950's. Hanover Gazette describes the 1947 Outdoor Evening thus

Gracefully gliding over glistening ice to the accompaniment of smooth music and fascinating colored lighting effects, Sylvia Allen and Noradell Truxal, a pair of 16-year old Hanover High school students, skated their way into the hearts of the more than 2000 spectators who sat in Dartmouth's Memorial stadium Friday night to watch the gala ice extravaganza held on the specially constructed rink against a Northland background. Their number was one of two which featured last year's 'Outdoor Evening' and repeated this year by popular demand. The Winter Carnival Ice Shows were also held on Occom Pond, the green, and the golf course. The 1948 ice show was held in the natural amphitheater at the south end of the golf course where DOC members constructed an artificial ice pond and a set completely of ice. Other carnivals included the dramatic entrance of the college ski team holding flaming torches that were used to light the ice rink. CBS televised the 1960 Winter Carnival featuring the Olympic figure skating team which was preparing to compete in Belgium. A Schlitz beer commercial followed the minute of televised time devoted to the Olympians and SCAD skaters. Although none of the skaters received money for their performances, the USFSA threaten SCAD with probation. In those days sponsorship by an advertiser was strictly prohibited. With a change in the academic schedule in the early 1960's limiting the free time students had to work on the carnival, it evolved into a smaller event. The Outdoor Evening with its ice skating program was eliminated in 1961.

CHAPTER #4 DAVIS RINK

Davis rink, now the site of the Berry Sports Center, was built in 1929, but only used only occasionally by the skating club until ice making equipment was installed in 1953. In Davis' early years the quality of the ice was solely dependent on nature. Since it was the only rink around, everybody used it. With hockey as the first priority, the skating club often used the rink after hockey games. Even with the occasional fresh ice, the old skate marks would show through, making the judging very difficult in figures. In a good year, the rink would be open Christmas through late February. Sometimes warm weather, and the resulting mushy ice, would cancel hockey games. The ice was repaired during hockey games by freshmen who would scrap and smooth the ice and then hose it down with water for new ice. Davis rink, even at its best, was inadequate for any kind of figure skating show.

CHAPTER # 5 SCAD

In the early 1950's, the club was renamed the "Skating Club at Dartmouth" by skating club president George Taylor to reflect the growing ties to the college community. Originally, the club was open only to residents of Hanover and Norwich, Dartmouth students and their wives, and student nurses. Many officers and board members worked for the college. When Davis Rink was unoccupied by College Hockey team, the club given free ice time. The exact year that the club changed its name is difficult to determined, but can be narrowed down to the years 1949 (HFSC) and 1953 (SCAD).The Skating Club at Dartmouth became incorporated with the State of New Hampshire Jan. 4, 1954. The application was received in December, 1953, the significance being that in 1953, the club must have been known as Skating Club at Dartmouth. Signing this document were George Taylor, Jim Cusick from the Hanover Figure Skating Club, and Lois McGean. On file at the USFSA headquarters in Colorado Springs there is one file containing both clubs. The earliest file (1949) with the USFSA has a typed heading of Hanover Figure Skating Club and in pencil underneath is written in Skating Club at Dartmouth.

CHAPTER # 6 THOMPSON ARENA ICE SHOWS

With the construction of Thompson Arena ,1975, the club begin to produce first rate shows under the direction of Lois McGean, director, and her assistant Mike McGean. In 1980, Canadian skaters Martini and Underhill, the Canadian pairs champions and world professional champions, skated for two standing room only crowds. Also in the 80's, Gary Beacom, the Canadian mens champion, skated here. Paul Wylie and Nancy Kerrigan skated were featured just before going on to win the silver and bronze medals at the 1992 winter Olympics in Albertville, France. The Russian dance couple Usova and Zhulin performed at the Holiday show enroute to the silver medal at Lilihammer, Norway in the 1994 winter Olympics. It wasn't until 1976, when Helen Lemal and Lois McGean designed the backdrop that is currently used, that the skating show used anything but a crude curtain and wire rigging. The backdrop was constructed on campus at the college shop. Each year, as parents and volunteers help in the show setup, more props and staging are added to the inventory.

CHAPTER # 7 McGEANS

Key figures in the club's recent history have been Michael McGean and his late wife Lois. Mike, Dartmouth'49, was recruited as a hockey player. While Mike was in graduate school at Dartmouth, Lois was the national dance champion training in Baltimore. After her partner joined the professional ranks, Lois called Mike, an acquaintance through many competitions, to see if he was interested in partnering her. Mike left graduate school and the two of them trained in Canada for a year. After winning the 1952 U.S. national championship in Colorado Springs and before leaving town, they were married. Mike and Lois qualified for three successive world championships, winning in London 1950, placing third in Milan, Italy. Injuries during practice kept them from competing in the worlds held in Paris. In 1953 Mike started teaching for the skating club, and Lois, then a national judge, provided judging for the club. Mike's skating accomplishments include (dates??) mid-western senior pair champion, senior dance champion, and senior mens singles champion, runner up national senior pairs, runner up national junior mens, two times national dance champion with Lois, world dance champion, and induction into the skating hall of fame (1991). Mike was runner up to Dick Button (when??). Of all of Mike's skating accomplishments, he says his proudest moment came the day his student, Megan Berthold, a SCAD skater, passed both her gold freestyle and her gold figures in Thompson Arena 1978. Mike had taken Megan from beginner to gold. Lois' skating accomplishments include: five times national ice dance champion, North American dance champion, world dance champion, and national junior pair champion.

CHAPTER # 8 SCAD SKATERS

The 60's, 70's, and 80's were strong years for the club with membership averaging 150. These years also saw a large number of high schoolers testing at advanced levels. Megan Berthold is an outstanding example from the 1970's. No SCAD skater before Megan had gone beyond the second test. In 1976 Megan, eight grade, and her older brother Tim, ninth grade, won the New England juvenile pairs competition, and competed in Easterns. By the time Megan was in the eighth grade level, she and Tim were living, home schooling, and training (up to eight to ten hours a day) in Lake Placid. Although encouraged by their coach to continue an attempt at an Olympic berth, both Megan and Tim decided they wanted a "normal life style and education" and dropped out of serious competition in 1976. Tim remains, to this day, the holder of the highest level boys test (sixth test). Megan passed her SCAD gold medal when she was in the tenth grade. Another accomplished SCAD skater was Lisa Tighe who passed her eighth test and SCAD gold several years later. Lisa went on to compete in the regional and sectional championships, making her the highest placed SCAD skater in the club's history. She failed to qualify for nationals. Both Megan and Lisa went to Harvard and played hockey. More recently, Emily Schaller completed gold figure, moves and freestyle, competed at the regikonal and sectionals and went on to compete on the Dartmouth College figure skating team.

CHAPTER # 9 FRANNIE BURNETT

Frannie Burnett, daughter of a local well liked family physician, skated with SCAD in the 1960's. She is remembered as a warm, friendly, outgoing girl who was particularly helpful to younger skaters. After graduating from Hanover high in 1966, Frannie attended Brown University. She died tragically (the only one of four to be hurt) in a car accident in route from Boston to Brown. Her parents have been generous to the Frannie Burnett Scholarship Fund which they established in her memory.

CHAPTER # 10. CLUB 'S FUTURE

The Skating Club at Dartmouth has come a long way since its humble beginnings. The club offers excellent instruction from qualified professionals. The club's business is capably managed by a large group of dedicated volunteers (parents and others). The club is hampered by the lack of a year-around, high quality ice, but students take advantage of summer programs elsewhere. As it is, SCAD produces well rounded children for whom figure skating is one part of their lives.

Special thanks and acknowledgment go to Sylvia Nelson, Midge Crooker, Peg Funkhouser, Jack Manchester, Fred and Laura Berthold, Michael McGean, and Marcia Herrin as editor.

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