Butler University - Carillon / Drift Yearbook (Indianapolis, IN)

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ft -ii -ft- A-ji -m-ft -ji -ft - ii-m-ii on his students was great, particularly in the field of etiquette, for in a day when suave manners were the exception, his were polished. To this same worthy assemblage of North Western University belongs William Thrasher, a great mathematician. Professor R. T. Brown, a distant relative of our Mr. Hilton U. Brown, president of the Board of Directors, represented the type of pro- fessor who becomes absorbed in the technicalities of his subject to the exclusion of all else. It is said that one drowsy summer afternoon at North Western Christian University, all of his students slipped out of the window one by one, and left him droning chemistry into his long white beard; not until the end of the hour did he become conscious that his only audience was a long row of empty chairs. Another one of these pre- Irvington faculty was W. F. Black, president from 1870- ' 73. Dr. David Slarr Jordan Among the outstanding professors of that first year in Irvington, beginning September, 1875, was Dr. David Starr Jordan, now of Stanford University. At that time he was teaching Botany, and many are the tales told about him. It seems that a snake was as much at home in his pocket as a wild-flower, and that often while he was lecturing, one of these would stick out its head inquiringly, much to the alarm of the co-eds, and perhaps this in whispers, of course), of the eds as well! Himself a man of great physical strength, he thought nothing of taking his classes on ten mile botany hikes; on such journeys, Maywood was a favorite objective. In that day, the faculty often joined the students in a game of ball when no other opposing team was to be had, and Dr. Jordan was often seen enjoying this sport. The Early Irvington Campus It is this Butler of early Irvington days that offers the greatest con- trast with the Butler of today in every custom and tradition of collegiate life. Many traditions have survived, and many more have become a part of the student life; now they are to be moved to Fairview as part of the institution. The Administration building was for some time the only structure on the Irvington campus. This was followed in succession by the College Residence, Science Hall, the Gymnasium, the Engine House, and Left — one drowsy summer af ternoon ... all his student: slipped out — Right — a snake was as much at home in his pocket —

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THE OLD AND NEW BUTLER BY JEAN DAVIS From Fairview to Fairview might, traditionally speaking, summarize the history of Butler University; for the traditional roots of our college are in a small four-room structure near Falmouth, Indiana, at Fairview in Rush County. From the teachers of that academy was chosen, in part, the first faculty that Butler can claim as its own. From that limited source has risen a group that now includes eighty-three members who pre- side over the twenty-some-odd courses of instruction. The Altisonant Letters The old grads look back with pleasant reminiscences to that earliest faculty. Its members must have been like persons apart from their stu- dents. The first president was John Young, who presided over the school from 1855-1857. One of the most interesting was Professor Samuel K. Hoshour, its second president, a wonderful example of an old-fashioned scholar. Over six feet tall, he must have presented a commanding figure as he stalked into his classrooms attired in the long shawl which he pre- ferred to the conventional overcoat. His long solemn face belied his reputation as a wit. Known as a great linguist, he was as well versed in the classics as in the modern languages which he taught. He compiled a book of unusual words, known as the ALTISONANT LETTERS, wheh is said to be one of the best of its kind ever written. At one of the Chapel services in the preparatory school of North Western Christian University, (which was Butler ' s name until 1877, when it was re-named to honor Ovid Butler, the fa ther of President Scot Butler, and grandfather of our present Dean of Women, Miss Evelyn Butler), President Otis A. Burgess undertook to read to his students from this ALTISONANT LETTERS. In the midst of the first page, he got stuck on one of these high-sounding words, and led his students in the merriment that followed his mistake. Of a different type from Hoshour was Allen R. Benton, who taught Greek Testament, Hebrew, and Political Economy at the same time he was president of the college, in ' 61- ' 68, and from ' 87- ' 91. His influence L e ft — North Western Christian University Right— Ovid Butler Page Five

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finally the Library which was built in memory of a Butler graduate, — Bona Thompson — by her parents when she died in Europe. Miss Kath- erine Merrill, who was first connected with the college at North Western, seems to have been the center about which the early student life revolved. Combining spirituality with a strong sense of fun, she meant a great deal to the young people about her. Although dignified, and undeniably superior, she was easily approached, and through her ability to gain the confidence of the big gawky boys in her English classes, she could inject into them her own scorn of anything that approached unmanly behavior. She always set an example of high, noble conduct. At the old Downey home where she lived, now the Hibben home, Miss Merrill gave the occa- sional teas and salons that were then a feature of the college social life. The amusements of those days could not possibly be called strenuous, and were more or less confined to spelling matches and literary society meet- ings. For these occasions, there was no casual hailing of the girl friend by May I have a date Friday night? Indeed no! Even after the boy and girl had known each other some time, formal little notes were sent as invitations, beginning on his side: My dear Miss Blank, May I have the pleasure of your company at the meeting of the Philokurian Society next Friday evening? And from the girl, even if she were all eagerness, only a precise : My dear Mr ...., I wish to accept with pleasure your kind invitation for next Friday evening. . . . As there were no walks at school the first year the college spent in Irvington, dating during rainy weather was difficult. Planks were thrown across lots to the railroad tracks and woe be to the one who slipped off the straight and narrow. One of the chief outdoor sports was seeing if you could balance yourself on no space at all in order to walk beside your girl on a board that was built just for one. One note-worthy case is on record where a fraternity man with a date was offered an umbrella by a rival Greek who was dateless. His astonishment was great for fra- ternity hostility in those days was so intense that it was patently expressed on all occasions. Fraternity Row Now that fraternity life has broadened out with seven national and two local men ' s fraternities on the campus and with twelve women ' s fra- Lcft — Old Downey Home Right — ' dating ' during rainy weather was difficult. wm Page Seven