“Smith girls are superior in ability to most beginners” – Roland Peabody, Professional Ski Instructor, 1937 [1].
Photo of a group of students on Hospital “Dippy” Hill. Athletic Subject Files. CA-MS-00167, Box 1368. Smith College Archives.
On a Tuesday in December 1933, “a large group turned out for the first “dry ski lesson” of the year”[2]. A member of the department of physical education conducted the class through a series of exercises either done on or off skis at will in the Alumnae Gymnasium. It was the first time that year that the Smith novices ventured out while the experienced skiers were already away over the Northampton hills [3].
Photo of ski Instruction on Hospital Hill. Athletic Subject Files. CA-MS-00167, Box 1368. Smith College Archives.
From 1933-1940, many hundreds of Smithies engaged in ski classes taught by five, professional, on staff, Smith College ski instructors. Back when ski courses began being taught at Smith College, twenty-five was the largest class in skiing among the 2,000 girls who attend Smith. By 1940, the women received daily instruction either outside if the snow conditions were good or indoors in “dry skiing” classes [4].
“Dry skiing” refers to indoor strength exercises that work to mimic the movements of skiing. These exercises were most likely calisthenics because physical education professors at Smith were trained in that school of athletics.
The head of the skiing program was Miss Harriet Aull, who won recognition from the National Ski Association as a professional instructor upon passing its exhaustive tests [5]. Not many women have even attempted to become certified in skiing because of the barriers women face to the sport. Since skiing is dominated by men, women were excluded on the basis of their gender. They were excluded based on social perceptions of their strength, their athletic abilities, and their capacity to keep up with men. Despite all the barriers to skiing that women face, Aull gained much of her experience by traveling to the skiing centers of Austria and Switzerland. She was trained there in Hannes Schneider’s Arlberg technique which is the same technique she imparted onto Smith students [6].
Photo of ski Instruction on Hospital Hill. Athletic Subject Files. CA-MS-00167, Box 1368. Smith College Archives.
Fred Wilefever, Austrian ski expert, watches closely to detect flaws in the skiing form of some of the Smith College students who passed him on their way to the bottom of the hill just before the picture was taken. Other pupils, soon to take off, also look on with interest. The skiers were taking advantage of the thin laver of snow on Talbot House Hill. Athletic Subject Files. CA-MS-00167, Box 1368. Smith College Archives.
In addition to having ski instructors on staff, the Physical Education department invited many visiting ski professionals to campus to instruct students.
Strand Mikkelson:
“The coming of snow to Northampton, opens the winter sports program at Smith College. Under the auspices of the Smith College Outing Club, instruction in skiing will be given on the first available saturday. Strand Mikkelsen, 1929 ski chamption, who is now at the Weldon Hotel in Greenfield, Mass., will come to Smith to give instruction and demonstration to the students [7].”
Dimitri von Leuchtenberg:
“Duke Dimitri von Leuchtenberg who has skied the Alps as well as climbed them and is internationally recognized as a ski expert, was the special guest at the Smith Athletic Association at the opening of the Smith Winter sports season, last week. In an evening talk, motion picture and discussion the girls were given much of Duke Dimitri’s idea of the fundamentals of skiing [8].”
Roland Peabody:
“In answer to the request of many ski enthusiasts along the student body, Smith College has invited Roland Peabody, head of the Franconia, N.H., Ski school and his special instructor Dr. Richard Suitner, to instruct the students in the art of skiing… Dr. Suitner has been an instructor at the famous Hannes Schneider school in St. Anton am Arlberg [9].”
Peter Gabriel:
“A native of Sils, Switz, Mr. Gabriel taught at St. Moritz for 12 years and was also an instructor in the Swiss army preceding his coming to [the United States] four winters ago. Besides being a master skier and trail runner, he is a licensed mountain guide and in 1937 and 1938 was in two mountaineering expeditions to Alaska[10].”
Footnotes:
[1]
[2]Owen, Janet. “Skiing Events and Ice Hockey Lead Program“. NY Herald-Tribune. Dec 17, 1933. Athletic Subject Files. CA-MS-00167, Box 1368. Smith College Archives.
[3]Owen, Janet. “Skiing Events and Ice Hockey Lead Program“. NY Herald-Tribune. Dec 17, 1933. Athletic Subject Files. CA-MS-00167, Box 1368. Smith College Archives.
[4]“Girls Practice ‘Dry Skiing‘”. Torrey, Ware and Owen, Janet. Athletic Subject Files. CA-MS-00167, Box 1368. Smith College Archives
[5]Orcutt, Maureen. “Women in Sports“. January 21, 1940. Athletic Subject Files. CA-MS-00167, Box 1368. Smith College Archives
[6]Orcutt, Maureen. “Women in Sports“. January 21, 1940. Athletic Subject Files. CA-MS-00167, Box 1368. Smith College Archives
[7]“Athletics“. 16 January, 1933. Athletic Subject Files. CA-MS-00167, Box 1368. Smith College Archives.
[8]Owen, Janet. “Skiing Events and Ice Hockey Lead Program“. NY Herald-Tribune. Dec 17, 1933. Athletic Subject Files. CA-MS-00167, Box 1368. Smith College Archives.
[9]“Ski Instructor Coming to Smith Next Week“. Hampshire Gazette. January 31, 1936. Athletic Subject Files. CA-MS-00167, Box 1368. Smith College Archives.
[10]“To Teach Skiing at Smith College.” February 2, 1940. Athletic Subject Files. CA-MS-00167, Box 1368. Smith College Archives.