I'm quite certain that the photo is not the Couples Club Field jump.
Allow me to set the stage: In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Waitsfield
High had an exceptional alpine ski team (in the smallest division) in
the state. The Headmaster's Association declared that each team that ran
alpine events (no matter how good) must also field a Nordic team.
Alpine teams raced downhill, slalom, giant slalom, etc. Nordic events
are cross country and jumping.
To further set the stage, Waitsfield School was 12 grades in one
building. My graduating class was 17 people in 1962. Perhaps there were
150 students in the entire school and we were required to field a Nordic
team! Our alpine team included Bob Fielder, Easty Long, Norm McCuin,
Jerry Tucker, my brother Dave Jamieson, me and others. In the 50 years
that have passed since, my memory blurs the difference between the high
school team and the Mad River team. Earlier, Stan (Stub) Austin, Victor
Fortna and Steve Joslin were teammates, and later Hoover Austin, Bob
Thompson and Rosie Fortna raced for the Mad River team, though some
weren't Waitsfield High School attendees. Another promising WHS racer
was Howard "Howdie" Munn.
Somehow a Nordic team was formed to comply with the headmasters' rules.
Many pairs of Army surplus 10th Mountain Division white wooden skis
appeared and were taken to Riford Joslin's woodworking shop where
approximately three-quarters of an inch was band-sawed off each side
(including the steel edges) and a three-pin binding was attached.
A complex of training and racing trails were established at and around
Couples Club Field and over the (frozen) Mad River to Pine Hill and
back. Miraculously, a 30-meter jump was erected at the field, complete
with landing hill, wooden trestle, etc. The rough-sawn lumber for the
trestle came from Andy Baird's Mill, and I'll bet was donated to the
cause by Mr. Baird.
During this time in Valley history, a number of people had chosen the
Mad River Valley as their new home. They were skiers, loved the sport,
loved The Valley and wanted to make skiing a part of not only their own
lives but the lives of a group of local (otherwise) farm kids.
Enter people like Tony Hyde, Frank Day, Sewall and Arthur Williams,
Henry Perkins, Trodd and Lixi Fortna and numerous others - 50 years
again - hell bent on making skiing a success in The Valley. Alas, they
were alpine skiers - we needed a Nordic coach!
Someone knew Eric Munson, a second home owner at Mad River Glen. Eric's
daughter, Janet Munson Mair, lives in Fayston today. Mr. Munson knew
Olympic ski jumpers Torger and Art Tokle and younger brother Karri.
Karri Tokle became the coach of our team.
Suffice it to say, us kids didn't have a clue. Sure, we cut trails and
hammered boards on the jump, but to have a Norwegian coach? This guy had
a funny accent, he could ski jump, he was a good coach, and we did
well-for a bunch of beginners. But was he paid? Who paid him? How much?
Your guess is as good as mine. A few years after the jump was built, it
blew down in a windstorm. Waitsfield students went to Harwood in the mid
1960s and Waitsfield High School became a condominium.
I apologize to all whom I have neglected to mention. If there are errors
or omissions, please help me set the record straight. I would like to
extend a tribute to all the people who had a part in bringing skiing and
ski racing to us kids in the Mad River Valley. Skiing is a very large
part of my retired life and I'm proud that my children and my
grandchildren carry on that tradition made possible by those wonderful
people who cared enough "Back in the Day."
Dick Jamieson lives in Park City, Utah, and is a former Waitsfield resident.
