College of Idaho - Trail Yearbook (Caldwell, ID)

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The TRAIL 13 1., . 1. , .ww - TI-IE FIRST LABORATORY Gooding College in 1920, Gooding having been admitted to the Conference in 1919 and Ricks in 1920. 'In 1901 the College Club was established, composed of the wives of the college faculty. -uni GENERAL VIEW OF FIRST COLLEGE BUILDINGS On May 25, 1908, was held the first annual Bletchley Oratorical Con- test. Mr. James Ruark was the successful orator, carrying off the prize of

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12 The TRAIL THE FIRST DORMITORY eflicient method of cataloging. Mr. and Mrs. Strahorn also started the equipment of a physical laboratory with some five pieces of electrical appa- ratus. In 1899 a much needed dormitory was built and in 1901 an assembly hall was added to the college buildings. In 1899 our beloved Miss Finney began teaching, and for twenty years she devoted her life to the college, giving of her time and money, and opening up her home to the students' activities. In the fall of 1906, the first class to take advantage of the college courses offered by the faculty entered, consisting of Fletcher C. Groome, Boyd B. Kuder and Esther Sterling. During the winter Esther Sterling became Mrs. James H. Gipson, and the next year the Sophomore class con- sisted of Cleve Groome. The first class to graduate from the collegiate department received their degrees in 1911. They were Cleve Groome, Fannie Kimbrough, Dan banks, and Ralph Trowbridge. Since that year the Senior classes have steadily grown, the largest beings the Class of '18, which contained 21. members. The Southwest Idaho Debating League was established in 1905. It was reorganized in 1911, called the Southern Idaho Conference and included the College of Idaho, Albion Normal and Pocatello Technical Institute. In 1912 the Conference purchased a loving cup which was immediately won by the College of Idaho and kept there until it passed into the hands of

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14 The TRAIL ten dollars in gold. This institution is still in existence, but has not been taken advantage of lately. In this same year the first Associated Student Body was organized to consider all matters relating to the school, whether pertaining to Athletics or Literature. The first public exercise to take place in the history of the Collegiate Department was the Short Story Contest, held on Monday eve-ning of Com- mencement Week, 1908. Allan Dresser won the first set of Shakespeare offered by the college faculty as a prize in this annual contest. This same year the Cleaver debate was established. In order to foster extemp-oraneous speaking, Mr. Cleaver arranged to give a gold medal each year to the winner of the debate. . The year 1910 brought many changes and improvements to the college. The dream of larger and better equipped buildings had at last been real- ized through the tireless efforts of Dr. Boone and the many friends of the college. Sterry and Finney Halls were completed during the summer on the twenty-five acre campus given by H. D. Blatchleyg and in September the school, which overflowed the old building like the children of the old woman in the shoe, moved into its commodious new quarters on College Heights. Professors Smith, Springer and Boulton were added to the fac- ulty that fall. The Y. W. C. A. was organized in the fall of 1910 and fitted up the Y.W.C.A. rooms in the new Administration building. In the spring of 1910 was Hrst observed the one school holiday' of the college year that is legally set aside for that purpose, Founders' Day. A program was given in the morning and in the afternoon the new buildings then under con- struction, were visited. In 1911 Prof. H. H. Hayman returned from Princeton to take up his professorship in the college. The Lowell and Columbian Literary Societies which had formerly belonged only to the academy were admitted to col- legiate standing. Mr. and Mrs. Blatchley once more showed their generosity and interest in the college by giving two pianos. New Years Eve, 1911, the newly 'finished Blatchley Hall was opened for a reception to college students and for ten years this lovely home has been open to the student body for social purposes and Mrs. Blatchley has been a charming hostess at many delightful dinners and parties for the students of the C. of I. In the spring of 1912 the music department under Miss Pearl Hall graduated four students. In the fall of 1912 Prof. F. F. Beale became head of the Music Depart- ment, and the Girls and Boys Glee Clubs which had been organized in 1908 took on a new lease of life. The operas which are presented by the combined Glee Clubs each spring are one of the important productions of the school year.