The Merry Ski-Book
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Smithies were not only involved in skiing in the slopes, one Smithie in particular, Franziska Porges ’40 published a book about skiing. In 1939, during her senior year at Smith, Austrian-born Porges published her book on skiing “because Americans struck her funny”[1]. This is her first publication and it was inspired by the antics of American skiiers at Lake Placid and Mount Washington [2]. In the book, Porges, an expert skier, writes and illustrates about the joys and woes of Northeast skiers.
Her creation, “The Merry Skibook” is a lively picture book in which she writes rhyming lines of the joys and woes of skiers taking advantage of College Week at Lake Placid and Spring Skiing at Mount Washington [3]. The book contains illustrations of quintessential aspects of skiing such as waxing skis, racing, ski-tows, instructing, and après-ski culture.
Porges has been drawing all her life and studied at the age of seven as a member of Professor Cizcek’s Children’s Art Class. She then continued her work at the Art and Craft School of Vienna and in private study before transferring to Smith in February 1939 to continue studying art[4].
Porges was an expert winter sportswoman, having competed in numerous skiing events and capturing many prizes in her first year at Smith. At the annual ski meet on on Hospital Hill on February 4, 1939, Franziska Porges finished with a time of 29 seconds in the advanced slalom earning a second place behind Ann Atwood (soph.) with a time of 27 seconds. However, she did win the egg and spoon race that year with a time of 25.3 seconds[5].
Shortly before her time at Smith, Franziska was also a ski instructor in Cooperstown, NY where she assisted the Knox school for some time[6].
Footnotes:
[1]Porges Ski-Book. November 28, 1939. Athletic Subject Files. CA-MS-00167, Box 1368. Smith College Archives.
[2] –[3]Smith College Girls Ski Book Published. November 29, 1939. Daily News. Athletic Subject Files. CA-MS-00167, Box 1368. Smith College Archives.
[4]–[5]Porges Ski-Book. November 28, 1939. Athletic Subject Files. CA-MS-00167, Box 1368. Smith College Archives
[6]Austrian Skier Helps Knox Girls. January 20, 1939. Oneonta NY Star. Athletic Subject Files. CA-MS-00167, Box 1368. Smith College Archives.