Centenary College of Louisiana - Yoncopin Yearbook (Shreveport, LA)

Page 10 text:

A STUDENT GUIDE TO CENTENARY A APATHY Hey, who are you gonna vote for? I don ' t know half the people run- ning. Uh, is it election day or something? Yeah, stupid. Didn ' t you see the signs? Oh, those. I never read ' em unless they say free beer. It is generally agreed that there has been a definite decline in intel- lectually oriented activities on cam- pus in the past few years. Students appear to be more concerned with getting an A on their next test than with starving children in South Amer- ica. At times Centenary seems to be nestled in its own little corner, oblivi- ous to events of the outside world. Well, so what ' s wrong with that?

Page 9 text:

Old Jackson Hall •«£ looted and burned while the Union soldiers occupied the campus, and all but three members of the senior class were killed in the war. At the conclusion of the war, the college was disorganized and deeply in debt. Amid the pervading spirit of depression and the hard- ships of reconstruction, Centenary slowly got back on its feet. By 1885 the college included four faculty and seventy students. The endowment fund was increasing and support for the college was growing. Several reviv- als occurred at Centenary during this period which greatly strengthened its image as a Christian school. Then, in 1892, Millsaps College opened in Jackson, Mississippi, and the Mississippi Methodist Conference surrendered its interest in Centenary. This Conference had been instrumental in securing students and funds for Centenary, and its departure was a severe blow to the college. Still, the Louisiana Conference continued on its own, and in 1 900, Centenary gave certificates to its first women graduates. The receipts of the college declined, however, and the remoteness of rural Jackson caused a drop in enrollment. Once again, the college was considering closing its doors. Then, in 1904, the Shreveport Prog- ressive League offered to relocate the college in their city. The move was made, and in September, 1908, the new campus opened its first session. Although the col- lege had strong support in its new home, keeping Cen- tenary going continued to be a struggle. Enrollment varied, but the school would always find just enough funds to cover its needs. War came in 1914 and again seriously affected attendance. Then, in 1 921 , Dr. George S. Sexton, pastor of the First Methodist Church, became President of the college, and literally saved it from total collapse. In just a few years, enrollment went from less than fifty to four hundred and fifty, and the endowment went from $1 00,000 to more than a million. The Rotary Club of Shreveport built a large new dormi- tory for the college in 1 930. A football team named the Gentlemen was formed and soon gained national recognition. Then War came again in 1941 , and athlet- ics among other things was forgotten in the concentra- tion on the war effort. After the war the school ' s enroll- ment increased almost beyond its capacities as a result of the Veterans Benefits program. Soon it declined again to a level of around 800 which was maintained for about two decades. Almost all of the buildings now seen on campus were built during these years, with the exception of Rotary, Jackson, and the old administra- tion building and gym. Along with physical improve- ments, the endowment was greatly increased and the academic program was enriched and broadened. With the football team long since defunct, the basketball team took its place in the national spotlight. Today, Centenary continues its tradition of academic excellence. As we review the history of the college, we see periods of greatness and times of struggle, yet throughout it all, Centenary has maintained its reputa- tion as a respected institution of higher learning. Although the college ' s enrollment has declined in recent years, this year ' s increase may mark the begin- ning of a new period of prosperity. Financing any insti- tution such as a private college has always been and will continue to be a constant effort. But while other institutions have closed, Centenary has shown a remarkable resistance to failure. Although less liberal than some liberal arts colleges, Centenary retains its greatest asset: a small student teacher ratio which pro- vides greater intellectual stimulus and a better rounded education. As the oldest college west of the Mississippi River, Centenary stands as a tribute to those who have given it 1 50 years of life.

Page 11 text:

ALL CAMPUS WEEKEND All Campus Weekend comes at the beginning of each semester, and consists of three days of general hysteria on campus, the main pur- pose of which is to give students one last chance at the crazies before set- tling down into school work. It all begins with the Beer and Bicycle Race on Friday afternoon, but the highlight of the weekend is game time on Saturday, when Hardin Field looks like a junior high Fair Day com- plete with egg tossing and pie eating contests. The real fun starts with the tug-o-war, when everybody releases their frustrations by throwing each other in the mud. It ' s dangerous to even stand in the vicinity because someone ' s liable to get caught up in the fun and throw you in, too. B BEER AND BICYCLE RACE Each year hundreds of people gather on Fraternity Row to watch their fellow students get drunk, sick, and generally bruised and battered in the Beer and Bicycle Race. A team consists of four people who each chug a beer then ride to the end of the street and back. This may sound easy, but when there are fif- teen or twenty drunk people bicy- cling down a harrow little street that looks like it hasn ' t seen any repairs since World War II, things get pretty wild. Usually the only people crazy enough to participate are freshmen and beer fanatics. This year ' s first prize went to KA.