Smithies were not only skiing on Smith Campus, they were traveling both locally and internationally to participate in skiing competitions [1].
Photo of a Smithie skiing. Athletic Subject Files. CA-MS-00167, Box 1368. Smith College Archives.
In 1933, plans were also made by Smith, Mount Holyoke and Massachusetts State College Outing Clubs to spend weekends in New Hampshire skiing. Special ski trains were run by the Boston and Maine railroad to take the skiers to and from New Hampshire [2]. Smithies wanted to ski with other colleges because a big part of the ski culture is to form connections and community with other students.
However this travel to other colleges and to ski competitions was not supported by Smith College. During the early 20th century, “educators restricted competition to on campus, intramural activities designed to limit physical strain, competitive zeal, and public spectatorship while appealing to students of all ability and not just a talented few (26) [3].” It was not considered appropriate for women to compete at a higher level. However, that did not stop students from not only expressing a strong preference for real competition but actually going out and individually competing (116) [4].
Photo of a skier slalom racing. Athletic Subject Files. CA-MS-00167, Box 1368. Smith College Archives.
One student at Smith, Gail (Abigail) Macomber ’49 of West Newton, Mass. was also selected as one of ten women to represent the United States against Canada in the Kate Smith trophy meet in Lake Placid, NY in 1947. She often travelled to New York, Vermont, Utah, and even was eligible to try out for the 1948 Olympic ski team. In 1949, “Macomber ’49 of West Newton, Mass. [was the] United States Eastern Downhill Champion. However, she did not represent Smith in competition since the college [did] not enter intercollegiate competition nor [did] it have college or class ski teams [5].” Due to the fact that Smith College was unwilling to sponsor women’s intercollegiate sports, Macomber was in charge of her own training and travel to competitions.
However despite not having the support of the college, the community of Smith skiers were able to support themselves and find ways to participate in skiing both locally and internationally.
Footnotes:
[1] Skiing Record Book. 1948-1978. Athletic Subject Files. CA-MS-00167, Box 1368.1. Smith College Archives.
[2] “Athletics”. 16 January, 1933. Athletic Subject Files. CA-MS-00167, Box 1368. Smith College Archives.
[3]Cahn, Susan K. 2015. Coming on Strong : Gender and Sexuality in Women’s Sport. Second Edition. University of Illinois Press. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,sso&db=cat09206a&AN=scf.oai.edge.fivecolleges.folio.ebsco.com.fs00001006.4196cd4e.6e61.52cb.bedb.81bff7883ae2&site=eds-live&scope=site.
[4]Cahn, Susan K. 2015. Coming on Strong : Gender and Sexuality in Women’s Sport. Second Edition. University of Illinois Press. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,sso&db=cat09206a&AN=scf.oai.edge.fivecolleges.folio.ebsco.com.fs00001006.4196cd4e.6e61.52cb.bedb.81bff7883ae2&site=eds-live&scope=site.
[5]“Special to the Hartford Times”. December 1948. Athletic Subject Files. CA-MS-00167, Box 1368. Smith College Archives.