With your nose so bright

A reindeer-sized statue of Rudolph, complete with blinking red nose, will be on display at Rauner Library this holiday season. The papier-mache piece was once owned by Robert L. May '26, who wrote the original 1939 story about the awkward young reindeer who helped Santa Claus on a particularly foggy Christmas Eve. May's story, written as a promotional booklet for Montgomery Ward, was the inspiration for the famous song composed by Johnny Marks and recorded in 1949 by Gene Autry. The sculpture was built at about the same time the story was written, and Dartmouth unveiled Rudolph as part of its collection in 1982. In addition to the sculpture, Dartmouth Special Collections also holds the original story manuscript by May and the original layout of the booklet.

• Location: Rauner Special Collections Library, Webster Hall
• Hours: Through Dec. 8: Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 9 to Dec. 23: Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed Dec. 24 to Jan. 3.
• 646-0538

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