FROM THE HOCO
Dunster House was founded by the legendary Henry Dunster in 1640 as a refuge for select students from the tourist paparrazi that stalks the Yard; unfortunately it took the college nearly 300 years to find the balls to build the awesomeness that is Dunster. It is no coincidence that the finalized construction of Dunster House coincides with the repeal of prohibition in the early 1930s. Henry Dunster cemented the Dunster creed on such classic works of philosophy such as the Goat Roast Manifesto, demanding ritual sacrifice of goats every May to ensure that only the best freshman are selected by the Lottery Gods the following spring. Besides ensuring a select crop of inhabitants that forms a unique, tightly knit community, Henry Dunster’s creed ensures that Dunsterites enjoy the best dining hall on campus, a picturesque bell tower and victory in IM sports courtesy of the mythical valor of the Dunster Moose. This year, the ghost of Henry Dunster appeared to the administrators in University Hall and demanded better housing accommodations for the sophomores and juniors in his house. They listened for fear of being smote by the soul of the infamous Henry Dunster and now rising sophomores enjoy more space courtesy of fewer walk-through rooms. Perhaps some of you sophomores reading this will find yourselves so lucky as to be embraced by the Brotherhood of the Moose.
THE BASICS
Dining Hall
Community and dark wood: Dunster House’s dining hall has the beauty of Annenberg and the furnishings of Adams, but with a cheerful view of the Charles and truly bright lighting. Nowhere in Dunster’s dining hall is there a dark patch. The spacious servery is staffed by the likes of Sue, an anti-Domna who makes a mean omelet. More important is that it’s never invaded by outsiders; when a Dunsterite comes home, he does not have to hunt for his friends amidst the crowd in his own dining hall.
Sophomore Housing
Dunster is not known for its housing. Cramped walk-through doubles and triples make up many of the rooms. But change hath cometh! In the next year, Dunster shall take fewer new students and for the first time in history will host singles. That’s right: bonafide, two-room single suites. However, sophomores can still expect to live in mixed quality doubles on par with the rest of the River Houses.
Perks
Few houses have the scenic views of the River, the wonders of a happy, uninvaded dining hall, and a complete basement of classrooms, pottery studios, photo labs, squash courts, gyms, etc. Dunster has all of that. But also an amazing grille that helped Al Gore gain the weight he has today, which serves the best of the unhealthy every night, all with Rocky and Bullwinkle looking on from the walls. It also hosts perhaps the best movie collection of all of the houses.
— Ralph Mayrell ’09
NOTABLE ALUMS
Al Gore and Tommy Lee Jones, a rooming match made in heaven
Al Franken, comedian/political guru
Deval Patrick, Governor of Massachusetts
LITERARY MATCHUP
Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness
Dunster’s illuminated tower masks a dark secret: ridiculously overcrowded housing. Triple walk-throughs are enough to make anyone cry “The horror! The horror!”
X-MEN MATCHUP
Toad
Though originally conceived as weak and hunchbacked, Toad has made a big comeback and actually posses many useful intellectual and physical superpowers. Similarly, Dunster has long been written of as “Dumpster House,” but a revamped dining hall and improving housing mean that Dunster is on the rise.