Bloomsburg University - Obiter Yearbook (Bloomsburg, PA)

Page 16 text:

Tlie 192 I Ivv Day iiitrochued a new type of program, stressing poetry and the enmtnient of certain of the classics. These featnres predominated for the next five years. Part of the entertainment was described as follows: ' ' At the sound of Pan ' s trumpet, twenty wood nymphs attired in costumes of green appeared from tlie woods beyond the pergola and gave a dance of nature. Several poetic references to ivy were made in the Ivy Oration, one ol which was a portion of Dickens lines from Pickwick Papers: ' Fast he stealeth on, though lie wears no wings. And a staunch old heart has he; How closely he twineth. how close he clings. To his friend, the huge oak tree! Whose ages have fled, and their work de(a ed, And nations have scattered been : But the stout old ivy shall never fade From its hale and hearty green. Creeping where no life is seen, A rare old planl i the ivy green. In 1925, Ivy Day and Class Night became more specifically di ided. Many tiaditional features of Ivy Day. such as the class poem, class will. 12

Page 15 text:

oi tlie Ijasketlnill and li.u k Icaiiis. The class poem, wliicli had been chosen previously in a ((inlcsl. was recited hy the author. An address was given by Prof. Dennis, a I ' acuhy member, and finally, the president of the college. Dr. D. J. Waller, spoke to the graduating class. With minor variations, this was the general procedure lor the next 24 years. Until recently, weather permitting, the exercises were held in the Grove. Before the presentation of the pergola by the class of 1916, programs were conducted on approximately the same site which the pergola now occupies, but either on a temporary wooden platform or on a grass carpet strewn with evergreens. Although the erection of the pergola was authorized hy the class of 1916. it was not finished in time for their Ivy Day program; therefore the class of 1917 was the first to use it. The classes were once gowned uniformly in their respective class colors, but later changed to white dresses or suits with ties, sashes, or carried pen- nants with the class colors. There is no record of the years 1919-1923 in the college scrapbook. but it is presumed that the programs were much like those ol preceding years.

Page 17 text:

|)rci|ili( ' cy anil liistory wtTc iiicorporali ' d iiiln llic ( ' .la s Night program. Also the miiiiber of lengthy speeches was radically reduced. The class song was retained in the ivy exercises and other leatures were sulislitulcd tor those discarded. In 1925, the pla Robin Hood a enacted liy the S( nioi ' group. In 1926 the Senior l)ra c(l chilly ind to present a Greek pageant on the pergola. The |)lay Ohcroii and 1 ihiuKi I roni A Midsiinimer l ' ight s Dream was gi fn in 1927. in addition to the usual procession, the ivy planting oration, and singing of tdass songs. This was the first year that a girl was chosen to gi e the I y Oiation. The young wdiuan honored was Miss Evelyn Harris, ol l crwick. Having once broken ground, ihe women held sway lor the next lour years, with loui ' conM ' cutive female orators. The class of 1928 dramatized three Greek niyth . Iiecause of incle- ment weather, the program was held in the auditorium. n t