Mixed results for Skimmer comeback

Thousands attended the outdoor event, but students complained of a lack of food and buses. Most outdoor-event organizers pray for warm weather and a good turnout. But too much of a good thing caused problems Saturday for the first Skimmer Day in more than a quarter-century. In what event planners termed as the single largest turnout for any University social event besides Spring Fling, Junior Class President Sarah Gleit -- the event's coordinator -- estimated that around 5,000 traveled the 2 1/2 miles from campus to Boathouse Row for the festivities. Although Gleit said the event "really showed a lot of school spirit," there was more than twice the anticipated turnout of 2,000. The increased volume caused several complications, including shortages of food and transportation, which caused a near-riot when hundreds of students tried to force their way onto buses. One of the major problems and the main focus of many students' complaints was the shortage of food and beverages. Since the organizers only ordered enough food for 2,000 people, there simply was not enough to go around, according to Gleit. And organizers were unable to arrange other vending alternatives because they could not get permits from the city. There was a vendor located about 100 meters away from the tents selling water, soda and hot dogs. Lines were long, and many people complained that its prices were too high. Transportation was also another major problem facing those at Saturday's event. The three buses hired for the day were not nearly enough to accommodate everyone. Additionally, many of the students who chose to walk to Skimmer said they had trouble finding the event, which was located more than a mile north of Boathouse Row on Kelly Drive along the Schuylkill River. Ads for Skimmer did not mention that the Temple University boathouse where the event was held was nearly three miles from campus. And as the event drew to a close, the concentrated masses of people seeking transportation back to the University presented a problem. The transportation shortage injected a little bit of the infamous Skimmer chaos of the 1960s and '70s, as huge mobs of students tried to cram themselves into the yellow school buses. Many students were forced to walk in order to catch taxis. "I contacted three of four taxi services prior to the event to accommodate any extra people," Gleit said. "But they said I had to call back on Saturday." Because there were so few available seats for the large throngs of sweaty and tired students, people shoved their way on board through the emergency exits. At least two students climbed through the relatively small windows. Matters quickly became so out of hand that one bus driver called police to remove the excess passengers. Legally, the buses can carry 72 riders, but more passengers forced their way on. At one point, angry riders chanted, "Take us home! Take us home!" Many of those in attendance said the event had potential, although it was a bit disorganized. "It was a nice change of venue for Penn's drunken stupor," said College sophomore Lauren Dickie. "It's too bad they ran out of food, though." Although Skimmer Day 1998 had its share of unruly chaos, it was relatively uneventful compared to Skimmers of years past, where the motto seemed to be "Anything Goes." Skimmer, which has had a long and tumultuous history, was banned and reinstated several times since its inception in 1949. In 1972, the University and the City of Philadelphia finally said enough was enough and banned the event for what they thought was for good. One particularly outrageous weekend in 1963 led to just one of the several terminations after numerous administrators were assaulted. The highlight of that year's Skimmer was a Saturday night concert on Franklin Field featuring Lloyd Price, the Limeliters and Bobby Comestock. Following the concert, just after midnight, a large brawl broke out among the 500 or so students still remaining on the field. In the process, students tore down the bandstand and started several bonfires. And to make matters worse, the wife of the assistant dean of men had beer thrown in her face before someone seized her, threw her to the ground and jumped on her. The dean of men was hit over the head as he attempted to quell the fighting, as was the director of Houston Hall, who was hospitalized and received 18 stitches to the face. Also, students ripped clothes, destroyed property and pushed a Volvo into the river. The event was brought back two years later by none other than current Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell, then a Penn undergrad. In its last year of existence in 1972, when students reportedly injected oranges with 200-proof grain alcohol and swam alongside the crew boats, the administration called it quits for good. Twenty-six years later, Gleit said she hopes the event will continue into the future. "The band was awesome, the weather incredible, the police non-existent, the alcohol ample," she said. "Next year the glitches will be gone and it's going to rock."