<u think that Minnesota winters are frigid, try living in Antarctica for three years. Lawrence McKinley Gould, Carleton’s fourth president and former Geology professor, not only lived in Antarctica but also performed intensive field research and traveled deep into unchartered terrain to study the geology and ice formations of the land as the second-in-command on Admiral Richard Byrd’s mission to the South Pole.
Gould’s account of his adventures, “Cold: the Record of an Antarctic Sledge Journey,” is being re-released after being out of print for five years. But on Dec 14, the much-anticipated chronicle will be released in paperback.
“We’re publishing the book now for two reasons,” explained Dan Bergeson, the Director of Auxiliary Services and Special Projects. “December 14, 2011, the book’s release date, is the 100th anniversary of the Roald Amundsen expedition to the South Pole, the first humans to ever go there. Seems like an appropriate way for Carleton to recognize the anniversary.
“The second reason is that Eric Hilleman, Carleton’s archivist, is writing a biography of Larry Gould that the college will publish, possibly in 2012, and it will be a perfect complement to have ‘Cold’ available for readers of the biography.”
The purpose of Admiral Byrd’s mission was to be the first man to fly a plane over the South Pole and to map the land. Gould was responsible for the geological aspects of the trip and also stayed on the Antarctic terrain with the dog sleds and supplies while Byrd flew the plane.
“Dr. Gould was on the ground with the dog sledges providing support for the plane flight along with several other men,” Bergeson said. “The book is the story of the ground part of the expedition.”
Gould also served as the primary geology researcher, getting to explore new territory and perform critical experiments. “[Gould’s] personal goal during the expedition to the Antarctic was to explore and test theories that he had about the geologic composition of the continent,” explained Bergeson. “In his later years he was equally interested in the effect that the Antarctic has on the climate of the Earth.”
In addition to being an integral part of this groundbreaking expedition, Gould was one of Carleton’s most valuable presidents. As a member of the Geology department first and foremost, Gould helped establish Carleton’s affluent status as having one of the best departments in the country. Bergeson hopes that the book will help pronounce just how important Gould was for Carleton.
“Larry Gould is remembered for his Carleton presidency, certainly, but also for his contributions to the study of geology at the college,” he said. “His first and longest role at the college was as a member of the faculty.”
