Of icicles and .
.
the first words that
are
mind
The blizzard of '78
.
Val Rush
By What
when
,
.
4 missed
buried
,
,
.
days of classes
cars
,
.
.
come to
mentions
someone
winter of '78? blizzard ...
snowdragons
white
the
Bermuda
.
,
,
snow
Florida
,
,
,
.
white
The infamous week of will
not
quickly
February 6-13 forgotten. Although
be
the world outside the campus gates was a declared disaster area, at URl the first flakes blanketed both the campus and the idea of any academic studies. The
college
was
for
others
was
transformed into what
some a
winter resort and for
cold trap.
a
shoveling
jackets and chem safety goggles, hiked through the mounting snowbanks to Evans to stock up on supplies: still others defied the state-imposed driving ban to re plenish dwindling liquor cabinets. Backroom Gigs in the Union Lounge provided free hot chocolate and enter bundled in survival
the snowfall followed the
Surprisingly,
weatherman's scenario
exactly, begin Monday morning and forcing to cancel by midafternoon. Stu romped in the falling fiakes, throwing snowballs, sliding down slip pery roads; and either trudged back to ning
on
classes dents
darkness fell, hit the road before driving
the dorms and houses or
tried
to
as
As the
storm
ICICLE
calmed down
As
went
into effect
College"
"Center
for
as
a
bit. the
the "Suit
became
rapidly
the
Students,"
Snowbound
the snowfall
continued, the Pub
filled with wine-drinking students tak ing advantage of the Happy Hour, cer tain that
Tuesday's
cancelled for
another
classes would be
sure.
grow weary with the unusual nonroutine. Homework was getting caught up on, backgammon and cards were be ginning to wear thin, and students were
Pub
contest
some
sponsored
ICICLE,
Prizes
of the best ice
statues, which included
a
Hobbit and
home, a lounging mermaid and a snowy-white dragon. Others were given the chance by an unwilling Dining Services to go "traying' down the Elephant Walk. Flocks of people.
each afternoon and
opened early
closed late each evening in an effort lo keep people entertained. OPERA
so
by
off campus,
still stranded, either wherever they did not want to be. The on or
them into one's eyes and face. Giant snow sculptures were built around the
for
oul
and
were
ICICLE announced activities as
the
following day's
announced
day's agenda Marathon
as
cancelled. Wednes
included dual
Man
classes
at
showings of
Edwards
Audi-
cars
house
and
uncovering from
paths
snowbanks became familiar Roads had
up to
opened
under
to
some
many.
degree.
and those who couldn't stand the Arctic campus any longer left as soon as ihey could get the car started. OPERA
ICICLE continued
TION
those who remained more snow
sculptures
on on
to
and free
including
free
numerous
Tootell and Ke
at
hours
pool
tion times and
a
the
G\ms
open
reefed
student laeult\ basket
delivered
were
vices. The
in
ithlelie
inev
ball game. With the help of Guard helicopter, lab and
supplies
amuse
cimpus with the Quad a
of Lord Of The Ihc-
showing Union,
students and
as soon
given
of classes would be lost
Wednesday's classes cancelled, faculty alike began to
With
TION
Union students in a OPERATION
day
that
the storm.
enough, Tuesday saw more snow falling and no classes, the first official storm day of the blizzard. Those who weren't suffering from the fiu at the time played like children in the snow drifts until the wind picked up, swirling the dusty flakes in circles and driving Sure
were
those who realized
to
dorm
activities
Memorial Union Board provided the first of many reliefs, OPERATION case
tainment
to
conditions worsened.
lab
istry
lo
a
National
phjrmdc\
Health Ser
Dining Ser\ices did
their
best to handle the increased flow of
students, eventually offering weekend meals to those
the
As
with
weekend
cleared, and
were
students fields
escaping
after
the
cancelled classes.
five
day
approached Friday saw
meal
roads
many the campus snow fourth full day of
By Monday,
classes
had resumed, and students faced the hassels of walking on sheets of ice while
By Thursday,
the excitement of
many classes students realized
missing dying down, as those missed days
was
would have to be made up at some point in the semester. Indoor games were
and
becoming
even
an
entertainment chore,
the Civil Defense
Emergency
Broadcast System alerts were growing simply dull. Students left snowball fights and tobogganing outside and gazed out frosted windows, almost wishing for spring. The tasks of
enroute to class. Monday also presented the administration with the problem of readjusting the spring semester schedule. The Faculty Senate
voted
to
extend
classes
one
week
further
in May to compensate for February's losses. Even in mid-May,
the
remnants
of the blizzard of '78
remained as
the
within the classroom, just icy sculptures on the Quad had April. Nature had given
lasted until
Rhode Island
one storm
thai she would