1. Dr. Seuss (real name: Theodor Geisel) was a member of the Dartmouth Class of 1925. After being busted for illegal drinking and banned from extracurricular activities, Geisel adopted the pen name “Seuss” to continue working on the college humor magazine.
2. The movie “Animal House” was written by Chris Miller (Dartmouth ’63), based on Miller’s experiences in Dartmouth’s fraternity Alpha Delta Phi.
3. Dartmouth’s Latin motto “Vox clamantis in deserto” translates into “the voice of one crying out in the wilderness.”
4. As a Homecoming tradition, the freshman class builds a bonfire and runs around it a set number of times in concordance with their class year (so the Class of 2013 would do 113 laps), while upperclassmen cheer them on.
5. In another well-known tradition, hundreds of students plunge into the icy water of Occom Pond for the annual Polar Bear Swim that takes place during Winter Carnival.
6. Colby College’s Miller Library was actually modeled after the Baker Memorial Library of Dartmouth!
7.Dartmouth does not have an official mascot, although the controversial Keggy the Keg (an anthropomorphic beer keg – see photo) has become an “ingrained part of Dartmouth culture.”
8. The story behind Dartmouth’s color (forest green) is surprisingly simple: back in 1866, it was the only color not used by another college.
9. The majority of each incoming class take part in “trips”, a pre-orientation, student-run five-day outdoor program, designed to welcome them to Dartmouth and bond with other freshmen.
10. Tea and cookies are served at 4pm each weekday at Sanborn Library, home of the English Department. It is estimated that around 1000 cups of teas are served every year!
List compiled by our intern Linh, a senior Dartmouth College!
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