Lipscomb University - Backlog Yearbook (Nashville, TN)

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Dormitory feasts in girl's rooms were just as much fun in 1906 as in 1941. Jessie Wells, Mary Bourne, Frankie Dunlop, and Ethel Blackman either received a box from home or found the dining room menu slim. At any rate here they are feasting in old Avalon Home. A feature of one of the Saturday night entertainments in 1905 was a manless wedding complete with bride, groom, preacher, flowers, best man, and all. This picture was made in old Avalon Home. One of the strongest forces shaping student life at Lipscomb was the literary society. Jamie Shields, in the drawing reproduced kere, gives her interpretation of Sigma Rho loyalty in the pre-war era. The Sigma Rho society was dis- solved in the session 1913-14 in favor of two new societies, the Kappa Nu and Sapphoneans. Paralee Cowan and Eulalia Hol- land were the first heads of the two new societies. Esmond was found written crudely upon the walls of the building, and if this did not suggest the stately name “Esmond Hall,’’ its origin is lost in obscurity. Few changes occurred in the personnel of the faculty. The board of trustees, consisting of David Lipscomb, president, C. A. Moore, secretary and treasurer, J. R. Ward, W. H. Dodd, W. R. Chambers, J. C. McQuiddy, and E. A. Elam, remained the same. The fourteenth session, the fourth of the Anderson administration, opened September 21, 1904 with a sub- stantial increase in attendance. The girls’ building was overflowing. An ‘‘annex’’ across the street provided for the overflow. SOCIETIES ORGANIZED One outstanding feature of this session was the or- ganization of literary societies, which played suc h an important part in the life of the students for the next 25 years. Volumes could be written on the activities of these societies. They became the center, not only of forensic and oratorical activities, but of the athletic and social life of the students. Every girl boarder whether academic or collegiate had to belong to the Sigma Rho society. Every boy had to be either a Calliopean or Caesarion (soon changed to Lipscomb) . Many a royal battle was fought between these two societies. There were rival debates, rival quartets, rival entertainments, rival ball teams, and even rival spelling matches. Each society claimed superiority. Sometimes One society forged ahead in numbers and strength and sometimes another. Teachers were accused of taking sides with this society or that. The rivalry was so in- tense that at baseball games sober-minded young men yelled themselves hoarse supporting their respective teams. At times there was bitterness and recrimina- tions, attacks, and counter-attacks which often were difficult for the faculty to control. The reason for the sharp rivalry is very apparent. There was no other outlet for the school spirit, since contests with other schools were not permitted; thus en- thusiasm was intensified and narrowed to society loyalty. With many, the society held first place in their hearts and the school second place. The girls’ society continued for several years, but the time came for abolishing the Sigma Rho and the or- ganizing of two other societies. Two girls stood up as if choosing for a spelling match and chose their favor- ites. Paralee Cowan chose for the Kappa Nu’s and Eulalia Holland chose for the Sapphoneans. Although, so far as | know, there was no actual hair pulling, the rivalry between the sister societies was as keen as that between the two brother societies. They had their rival entertainments, plays, and tennis games. At the opening of each session there was a great scramble for recruits. Letters were written to prospective students by members of the societies in the endeavor to procure new members. Sometimes prospective men students, mistaken for girls by their names, received scented mis- sives inviting them to become SAPPHO or K-Nu. By no means were these societies to be condemned in toto. It would be difficult to estimate their cultural value. Students gained experience in parliamentary

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The total expenses for young men at the boarding hall for the entire session was $110.00; for young ladies $128.00. A deposit fee of $2.00 to cover damages was charged. There was an extra charge made for bookkeeping, shorthand, — sight-singing, music, elocution, art, and voice culture. The department of the Bible offered four years in addition to a preparatory course; there were five years offered in Greek, five in Latin, six in English, two in mental, moral, and political science, six in mathematics, five in science, two in German, and two in French. In most of the departments a distinction was made between the ‘‘academic’’ and the ‘‘collegiate’’ courses. This was a great step toward standardization. Some interesting features noted in the catalogue under the caption ‘’Requirements of the Classroom” are: instrumental “Daily recitations are required in all classes; the number of recitations per week... must be not less than 15 and not more than 20.” “For every unexcused absence and refusal to recite two per cent is taken from the final grade.’’ “examinations are held daily in connection with the lectures and recitations and at the end of each term. The final examinations are both oral and written.’’ “One hundred denotes perfection and 75 is the low- est that entitles him to regular class standing.”’ Monthly reports were to be given the student and term reports sent to parents or guardians. Under the heading of ‘’Government’’ the catalogue gave its readers to understand that: first of all«..the N: B.S. is not a ‘reform school.’ Willfully disobedient students. ..are not wanted here.’’ “lax discipline and thorough scholarship are incom- patible.’’ The government of the school was to be ‘’mild and persuasive. ..yet firm and decided.’’ ‘The pupils are not burdened with a long list of rules ...they are taught to do right because it is right.’’ “In order that every student may be under constant observation, four members of the faculty will room in the building for young men, visiting the rooms nightly.”’ “Only two young men are allowed to a room. This room they are to keep clean and orderly and ready at all times for inspection.” “Improper language and the use of tobacco in any form in the building or on the grounds are positively forbidden.” Attendance at chapel, daily Bible classes, and “public worship on Lord’s day’’ was compulsory. In the matter of conduct the catalogue declared pos- itively that ‘’students will be dismissed from the school Lindsay Hall, erected in 1903, the major gift coming from the Texas man whose name was given to the building. whenever, in the opinion of the faculty, they are pur- suing a course of conduct detrimental to themselves and to the school.’’ An interesting feature of the catalogue is a descrip- tion of the student’s room and instructions as to what boarding students were to bring which shows a contrast between present conveniences and the inconveniences at the beginning of the twentieth century. ‘’The students’ lodging rooms, said the catalogue, ‘are furnished with iron bed steads, springs, mattress, wash stand (with mirror), table, two chairs, bowl, pitcher, a slop bucket and broom. The young ladies’ rooms have also a dress- er....AIl boarding students should bring with them bed clothing, pillows, pillow-cases, towels, napkins, combs and brushes.’’ Note the absence of rouge, lip- stick, nail polish, anklets, evening dresses, and radios. The catalogue announcing this session tells that the library had increased to 2,000 volumes. A collection of Australian minerals and Japanese curios formed the nuc- leus of a future museum. Lectures were promised during the session. The cata- logue stated that ’’The phenomena of wireless telegraphy and the X-ray (recent scientific discoveries) will be lectured upon and demonstrated before the whole school with very expensive apparatus.” The catalogue for the fourteenth session included pictures of the new buildings and a full description of each. The administration building with auditorium and recitation rooms was the central building. At first the auditorium was known as Harding Hall, but after its enlargement and adornment the name was given to the entire building. The boys dormitory containing 60 rooms besides dining-room and kitchen lay about one hundred yards to the west of Harding Hall. This build- ing was named Lindsay Hall in honor of its most liberal donor, Edwin L. Lindsay of Texas. The name continued until the building was destroyed by fire in 1929. On the opposite side of Harding Hall was Avalon Home, the girls’ dormitory. The Lipscomb farm had been a dairy farm and Avalon was the name of the dairy. This beau- tiful name was applied to the frame dormitory and when the new dormitory was built in 1920, it inherited the old name. Between Harding Hall and Lindsay Hall was an old frame building once used as a tenant house. Until the building was removed this was used for recitations and was known by the students as Esmond Hall. The name

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usage, extemporaneous speaking, and debating. Al- At the commencement exercises which followed the though the societies served well their day, their sun has reunion, nine persons received degrees — the largest set never to rise again. up to that time. The graduates were: Ethel Blackman, At the close of the fourteenth session, which marked Henry Leo Boles, Mary Elizabeth Bourne, Lyde Dallas the end of the Anderson administration, there was only Bowers, James Edward Boyd, Samuel Henry Hall, John one graduate—Elizabeth Kittrell of Maury County, who Thomas Lewis, David Willomine Shepherd, and Jessie received the B. L. degree. At this time the school was Lander Wells. conferring the degrees of Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of THE WARD ADMINISTRATION Literature, and Bachelor of Science. At commencement it was annuonced that E. A. Elam, THE ELAM ADMINISTRATION a member of the Board of Trustees, one of the editors Anderson was making preparation to move his family of the Gospel Advocate, and a preacher of the highest to Nashville in order to devote himself more assiduously rank, had been elected superintendent. to the work of the school. About a month of the vaca- The Elam adminstration covered seven sessions, ex- tion had passed when teachers, students, and friends of tending from the sixteenth through the twenty-second. the school were shocked to hear that he had died sud- denly from a heart attack. This was the first death within the faculty. Class of 1907. Left to right: Lester Morrow, Maude Newsome, Aura Burcham, Byron Cook, Laura Pepper, There was no available man in sight to succeed him. Florence Birdwell, and Jessie Wells. While on the look-out for a successor, the president of . the Board requested Dr. J. S. Ward to take the over- : , bi ee oh sight of the school. Dr. Ward and wife had had ex- perience in supervising the girls’ dormitory before the school left Spruce Street. With the assistance of Mrs. Blackman they continued in this capacity at the new lo- cation. In addition to his work here, Dr. Ward was on the faculty of the medical and dental departments of the University of Tennessee. During this year of transition the school flourished. There were 181 students enrolled, the largest enrollment thus far. Brother Lipscomb in the Gospel Advocate commented favorably upon the success of the Ward ad- ministration. The Ward administration marks the beginning of th- traditional alumni reunions. Several weeks before com- mencement a call was made for all former teachers an“ students to assemble May 23, 1906, the day before the final exercises. Much enthusiasm was manifested. About one thousand attended the reunion. Among the principal speakers was James A. Harding. A group banquet in April, 1906. Left to right: Mary Bourne, Jessie Baxter, Aura Burcham, Laura Pepper, Byron Cook, Ethel Blackman, Edward Boyd, John T. Lewis, Jessie Wells, . ce | Effie. Anderson, John T. Gleen. Seat- rr ' a: ed: D. W. Shepherd, Lyde Bowers. : ; is SHVILLE BIBLE SCHOOL = iA