None of the three scullers whose names were added to the list on the Thirty-Minute club board at Weld this month registered sensational times; it has been a bad spring Dennison pointed out. But nevertheless, they are well up on the list.
Arthur Smithies, professor of Economics, gained admission with a time of 29:30. Donald R. Jomo 1G and John S. Carnes 3L posted times of 29:29 and 29:45 respectively.
Membership in the organization is not an empty honor. Thirty-Minute club members are entitled to the exclusive use of the new single shells and oars. They are the only scullers allowed to race in the senior singles event of the annual University Sculling Regatta.
The winner of the senior race is awarded the Darcey Memorial trophy, and is given an 18-inch scale model of a shell, in perfect detail.
The care displayed in the models typifies the preciseness displayed in the full size shells--which, surprisingly enough, are built at the boathouse. Weld has 22 wherries, 13 comps (compromise, broad-bottomed shells), and 24 singles. Except for a Hagerty senior shell, all were built during winters at Weld.
In addition to the usual locker, storage, and office facilities, Weld boasts a large Thirty-Minute clubroom on the second floor, appropriately overlooking the river. Plaques, old crew pictures, and a trophy case line the walls, and massive fireplaces dominate the ends of the room.
Members are entitled to the use of the room and its sun porch. And then, of course, each senior sculler's name is added to the list of Thirty-Minute club members on the club board, designed by Joseph Eldredge, an ex-sculler.
Despite the small number of current members whose names are now on the board, Dennison foresees an upswing in the cyclical rise and fall of membership. "We've had as many as 355 row on a single day," he said, "and we have about 160 freshmen rowing."
Few Mishaps Occur
Frequent accidents would be expected with such a large number of men rowing. But generally, a soaking in the river is the worst punishment novices got for "catching crabs."
The most serious accident occured about ten years ago, when two single scullers, ignoring the "keep to your right" rule on the river, smacked straight into each other. One oarsman required 14 stitches, and since then, the shells have been equipped with knob-like rubber bumpers on the bows.
No drownings have ever occured, since all rowers must pass a swimming test. But Thirty-Minute club members have been known to tip-over, also; the wash from large fast launches can easily flip over a single shell, 18 inches wide at the widest.
But there are few upsets now, when the river is smooth and the sun is warm on the bare-backed senior scullers. They are taking full advantage of the privilege of guiding their sleek new sculls, with red tipped oars dipping almost noiselessly, for quiet miles up and down the river, past the ivied Houses, past sunbathers, and through bridgees -- almost as much of the spring scene as the river itself.