UB Yesterday: 1960

A Winter’s Tale

“La Mer,” Theta Chi’s winning ice sculpture at the 1960 winter carnival. Photo: UB Archives

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For more than 60 years, UB’s annual winter carnival—now called Winter Fest—has been luring students out of stuffy dorm rooms and into the crisp February air to play games, make art, drink cocoa and otherwise celebrate the season of snow and sub-zero temperatures. “The Buffalonian” yearbook captured the 1960 festivities as follows: “The action-packed week-end was highlighted by a Ski fashion show, ice skating, a snow sculpture contest, skiing contest, a talent show, a king and queen contest, a beard growing contest, and a jazz concert.” Today’s version features such “classic” winter activities as ice bowling and an esoteric Canadian sport called broomball. We say, bring back the beards! Campus hipsters, your time has come.

Bonnie Laszewski McNamara

I began at UB a couple of years after this photo. I never got used to the winters...and wind.

We gals used to use lots of hairspray so that,in the highest winds, our hair didn't move.

There used to be a glass windshield at the side door of Tower Dorm (in the background). My frosh year, I had to go up a few steps to this breezeway to get to classes. On my way to an 8 AM French Class, the wind was so strong that I was unable to go up the few steps and said "Forget this !"  I've lived in California for years.  :)