MacMurray College - Tartan / Illiwoco Yearbook (Jacksonville, IL)

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one of thi uildihg was laid ceremoniously in 1 849. In it was deposited a tin box conSiiing stick rejics as a Bible, a Methodist hymnal, the discipline, church and city papers, and the names of the trustees. A great financial crisis came upon I.C.F.C. with the burning of the west wing in 1861. It ivas reconstructed again after much difficulty only to be sicept away completely in 1870. But even the new building was not safe from the ravages of flame — a third fire occurred in 1872. After this there was no building activity until 1899, the date of extensive improvements upon Old Main. But, as Dr. Barker so often stated, Contentment with present attainments means retrogression. Accordingly, the history of the college has been punctuated with the erection of more buildings. Music Hall, Marker, Hardtner Gymnasium, MacMurray, McClelland, fane, Ann Rutledge, and Pfeiffer Library form a chain which ivill in the future become longer and stronger as MacMurray groivs. The history of a college is also the story of its organizations. MacMurray is proud of her vital service organizations, societies, and publications. Their annals reveal the development of the College Woman. Perhaps one of the most impressive features of MacMurray life is the Student Government Association. With the purpose of unifying student life and promoting college spirit and loyalty, Dr. Marker took first steps in this direction in 191 h The original College Council was augmented by a temporary form of house government ivith the co-operation of the faculty. Proving itself worthy of trust, the student body was rewarded in 1914 with a full-fiedged student government charter— a great ay to those who sought self-reliance, honor, and loyalty in their student relations. % ivithout its Y.W.C.A. ivould be difficult to visualize. From a tiny nucleus ffmes called an Epworth League, the Y.W. was born in 1899 and by 1902 had

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MacMiirray is rich not only in its legacy of illustrious founders but also in the character of its courageous presidents. Knotty problems such as the acquisition of property, erection of buildings, growth of the curriculum, and maintenance of acad- emic standards have been the heritage of each. Jaquess, Andrus, McCoy, Adams, DeMotte, Short — were men of strength and faith who piloted the struggling college through its most difficult years, years of fires, financial exigencies, and war. They knew days of discouragement and fading hope. But through their painstaking efforts, the foundatifyns were laid on which Dr. Marker was able to build during his long and successful administration. Now today, in this Centennial year, we are witnesses to the prodigious achievements of our present head. Dr. C. P. McClelland. Dr. Mac came to our campus in 1925, bringing with him great plans for a future of achieve- ment. Following closely tipon the heels of his arrival, our greatest friend and bene- factor of recent times, Mr. MacMurray, became an immortal member of the college heritage, when in 1930 I. W. C. was rechristened MacMurray College. Through the years new faces may come and go, but a college ' s buildings remain a lasting memorial to her progress. Dearest to our hearts is Old Main, rich in the dignity of memories and traditions. The present building, headquarters of freshmen and the administration, was erected in 1872 on the ashes of the great fire. During its early years Main was the center of all activity. It is interesting to us, accustomed as we are to an extensive campus, to note the interior arrangement in those days. On the first floor were a gymnasium, recitation rooms, laboratories, the elocution department, kitchen, and dining room. A vestibule, reception room, chapel, library, art studio, two society halls, and offices were located on the main floor. The second floor accommo- dated resident students and teachers. The third floor ivas devoted to the College of Mtisic. Old cuts and catalogue descriptions have pictured for us the original college building — four stories high, red brick, massive Corinthian columns in front, crowned with an observation cupola (the delight of presidents ' children, it is said) . The corner - J Page Seven

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r: made its mark in campus life, eventually to become a part of an hiternational or - ' j. - ganization. Of its varied and growing services we are perhaps most familiar with its oldest traditions — the annual party for new ' girls, the Christmas bazaar, an. Christmas caroling. Mirrors of student life are the Greetings and Illiwoco. f ar e ' ti ' nfp jq LF.C. ' s fiftieth commencement in 1897, the first Greetings appeared as an alumnae news letter, produced by Dr. Marker and an alumna. Enthusiastically received, the publication continued in this vein until ambitious seniors of 1904-1905 took the reins. Under this new and capable management, the Greetings became the organ of campus activity, as it is today. The annual publication produced by the Junior class received its unique and appropriate title, Illiwoco, in 1913 and first appeared as a yearbook in 1917. Our four upperclass literary societies have played an integral and noteworthy part in MacMurray ' s history. It all began with Belles Lettres, noiv a veteran of ninety-five years ' service to the cultivation of literary taste. Phi Nu followed in 1853. Tagged by B.L. ' s as Trundle Beds, they dubbed their friendly superiors The Fossils. Although all records and possessions of the two groups were destroyed in the fire of 1861, they carried on energetically, inspired by the spirited competition of the Illinois College literary societies. Ambitious literary and artistic meetings and exhibi- tions were held in spite of tragic fires and the struggle for halls in which to meet. The latter campaign continued for several years supported by plays, candy -pulls, sales, and entertainments. By 1912 the college ' s population had grown so that new societies tvere needed. Out of this necessity were created Theta Sigma and Lambda Alpha Mu. Twenty representative girls %uere chosen by the administration as founders and divided into the two equal groups according to a balance of lities With (he Page Nine