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Posted 09/04/02
Ryan Berger holds one of the more unusual paying student positions at Dartmouth. He prepares and serves tea in the library at Sanborn House. The '04 was drafted into service after another student asked for help with daily commitments.
"Someone had to fight for the tea," explains Berger.
Tea is a tradition at Sanborn House, dating back to the late 1930s. Founders took inspiration from English professor Edwin Sanborn, an 1832 graduate, who often invited students to his home for an afternoon of tea and talk. With the construction of Sanborn House, which houses the English department, the tradition of tea was reinstituted and, except for a short break during World War II, has been a constant ever since.
Tea is served promptly at 4:00 p.m. on weekdays during each term. The blend has lately been Earl Grey. Though attendance varies, organizers estimate that as many as 1,000 cups of tea are served annually. Cookies are also available for a nominal price. Support for the tea-including the fine china in which it is served-is provided by Dartmouth's English department. Many professors enjoy stopping by for a "cuppa" or to chat with students.
Among the tea's chief attractions are the elegance of the library, with its hand-carved butternut wood and semi-private alcoves, and the price, which, for the last 60 years, has remained an unbeatable 10¢.
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