Bluffton University - Ista Yearbook (Bluffton, OH)

Page 23 text:

Y. M. C. A. IN 1917 With the expansion of the college to its full college status came the extension of the music department to have Prof. Gustaf Lehman, pre- viously a German professor, as director, until a change of leadership came in 1926 with Prof. Holtkamp as the head of the department. Prof. Lantz was chosen head of the music department in 1936. It was not until 1930 that a complete four year course was organized leading to a degree of B. S. M. Before that time, several types of certificates and diplomas were awarded for various combinations of music work completed. A novel idea-at least it was for that age-was the demand and acceptance of student government within Bluffton college at the start of the war period, in the form of the Student Senate, recently changed N-imztce-n.

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Eighfewz MISS VIOLA WELTY--MAY QUEEN IN 1915 game with Toledo, the conference winners of that year, to result in a victory, 14-0, for Bluffton, its only unbeaten, untied, unscored-upon season. Dr. Ramseyer, our current president, was the star tackle of that game. 9 Baseball came simultaneously with football, the first teams being pick-up squads against nearby towns. The only qualification was the possession of the equipment, which naturally produced a wide variety of colors and styles. Basketball came with 1908, the first games being played in the attic of an old feed barn on Cherry street until the fall of 1916 brought the construction of the gym by the students. The minor sports, field, track and tennis all came later, starting about 1921, with tennis being a more recent venture. Heidelberg was the first track meet, gotten up on the spur of the moment, without previous experience by the Bluffton squad, to finish in a Bluffton win. Music was one of the first subjects taught by the college, so naturally the development of the department saw the beginning of the Christmas rendition of the Messiah to its present 28th success. 1909 saw the start of the choral society, and shortly following this time came the founding of a symphony orchestra on the campus. The Men's Glee club was organized in 1914, to suffer in public appearances for want of dress suits, to expand in 1917 into a Women'-s group also. During the prosperity years, one summer saw the Men's group touring coast-to-coast.

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Twenty to the Student Council. After much pro and con the honor system was introduced and retained at Bluffton as a fundamental part of the character development of the student at Bluffton. One of the most recent developments has been the establishment of the marriage course series. This resulted from a sponsorship of the two Y organizations for such a series in the spring of 1934, probably one of the first of its type in the entire nation. -'Mason Blosser Qlfff' lt -yr