News

Outdoor toilet mystery baffles college

In print | January 27, 2005

The appearance of two toilets and a sink at the top of Parrish Beach about two weeks ago has become the first great enigma of the new year at Swarthmore.

A recent investigation about possible reasons for the open-air bathroom came up empty. Debate on campus about the toilets has centered on whether they are an art project or a new initiative by the administration to make relieving oneself more accessible.

Jake Beckman ‘05, creator of the oversized Adirondack chair that sits on Parrish Beach in the fall and spring, vehemently denied any involvement. "I wasn’t involved and I have no clue who put them there," he said in an e-mail.

Yet Dwight Smith ‘08 was still convinced of the toilets’ artistic value. “They are work of genius,” he said.

He was, however, willing to consider their possible practical uses. “I haven’t examined them to see if they’re functioning,” he said.

If they had been used, then it would seem as though the plumbing is in working order: No yellow snow could be found in the immediate vicinity of the makeshit bathroom.

Dean Bob Gross ‘62 seemed to be more on the functionalist side of the debate, but saw more practical options than an outdoor bathroom in an environment that has recently experienced near-freezing temperatures and just days after a snow storm that dropped about a foot of snow. "I was more interested in [the toilets] before I found the men’s room across the hall," he said.

And so as long as the mystery remains, so do the tough questions: Is it art? Is it just a toilet? Is Bob Gross really that lazy?