Columbia University - Columbian Yearbook (New York, NY)

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on the Campus, the crew had won the Saratoga Regatta in 1874, traclc and baseball were taking root in the organization of the College. Qther aCt1V1t12S were flourishing as they never had before: ing oftener than once a month resulted, Spectator as a semi-monthly. There THE ORIGINAL sPEcTATo'R BOARD and the need for a publication appear- on July l, 1877, in the founding of were other things probably equally responsible: the Goodwood Cup, which formerly was awarded to the most popular member of the Junior Class, bred bitter dissension among the Acta editors, and may have caused a split on personal grounds! and there is more than the possibility that the break was caused, to some extent, by the rivalry of two old and powerful fraternities. Whatever the reasons or combinations of them, Spectator was founded, and founded successfully. ln the introductory editorial we read, The Spectator seeks to be nothing more than an interesting and instructive University paper, more newsy and lighter in tone than the periodicals which have hitherto flourished so well at Columbia, and, devoting more space and attention than those to the School of Mines, the Law School and the general college world. It is significant to note here also that it was founded as a University paper,f although it has vacillated periodically between that ideal and the College conception. 1 The objectives outlined in the initial issue were carried out: various depart- ments for the different schools were expanded, such as Law School Notes, and columns devoted to the various phases of contemporary and collegiate life of local interest were developed and, in most cases, have been retained to this day, in altered form, of course. The special departments flourished steadily, and gave the paper a literary tone in harmony with its appearance-eight by ten inches in size, with a cover Cintroduced in 18815 bisected diagonally in blue and white. Articles of a literary tenor appeared frequently: short stories, poems and essays, as well as cartoons of various events and personalities had an important place in its columns. Supplements for football games were issued from time to timeg and extras, though rather less frequently. Five years after its inception, we find Spectator had increased from eight pages to twenty-eight and broadened its scope in all directions. Cartoons appeared more frequently and for a time on the front pageg the departments increased in number and size, and serial stories achieved popularity. Mean- while, after one brief and successful period under John Kendrick Bangs '81, Harry Thurston Peck '81 and Nicholas Murray Butler '82, Acta Columbiana languished, and in 1885 was absorbed by Spectator. In the twentieth year of its existence, the change from a bi-monthly to a weekly was made in an effort to raise the paper from a slump into which it seemed to have fallen. The change was not altogether successful, but two years later a complete reorganization was effected. Its role as a newspaper was more l38l

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llllllIlllIIll'lWks,..' 3-5:35.11 5 if H12 -f - la F- 4 ' W- E 'E -am The Story of Spectator BY SAMUEL E. MURRAY III U dig IFTY years! A half a century of overwhelming changes, a para- ' 132' doxical half century of gradual growth, of swift retardation: iff .uflfii . . , . . . . kaleidoscopic images of the College it mirrors. Such is the history 94 5417125 -' T:ffci25 QI ..,,.,'1 of Spectator, such will be its future. The forbears and rivals of Spectator have been few. Going back in remote history, we find that The Philolexian is the first publication of any sort of which we have any record. Stillborn, it appeared on February 26, 1815, and was a manuscript newspaper, designed to be read before the society. The idea of a college paper had, however, evidently taken root, and in December of the same year we find its successor, The Philolexian Observer, patterned after The Philolexian, but achieving a life-period of some four months, and coming out twelve times under anonymous editorship. The suggestion that it be printed and distributed more widely was discussed by the editor and firmly turned down: and the distinction of being the first college newspaper in America was thus lost for posterity. Academic Recreations, next in chronological line, made its bow two years later, and after a short time it too suspended publication in July, 1815. It was sponsored by the Peithologian Society, ancient rivals of Philolexian. Fifty-three long years elapsed before anything appeared that can be con- sidered a predecessor of Spectator. ln 1868 the first issue of Cap ana' Gown was published. lt took as one of the planks in its editorial policy, the establishment of the so-called New System, by which marks and strict classroom discipline would be abolished. After a short trial of the system the Faculty decided that it was a failure, and substituted what is, with minor changes, the present regime. ln line with its policy of expansion, Cap and Gown added a board of editors from the School of Mines and enlarged its scope in the Fall of 18733 at the same time changing its name to Acta Columbiana. This was as much of a magazine as a newspaper, and it seemed to perform its double function well. A sudden luxuriating of extra-curricular activities was responsible, among other things, for the establishment of Spectator, Athletics had become popular 1371

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definitely ixed and the paper then came out bi-Weekly. Finally, in the Fall of 1902, the change to a daily was made, and a daily it has always remained since then. Among the outstanding features of Spectator have been its various columns, carried down to us today from its earliest issues. Off-Hour, the present humorous column, has had an almost continuous existence under various guises since the founding of the paper. It has, at certain times past, exerted a powerful influence on Campus opinion. Under the guidance of Ted Shane '24, it reached probably the peak of its form of recent years, and became one of the most sophisticated and clever columns in the collegiate world. Drama and music have always had columns of criticism from the earliest times, A full page under the caption Reviews and Interviews was established in 1917 and carried features of general interest, book reviews and comments on contemporary events of a cultural nature. The present Suburbs column was organized in 1920, and at first carried critiques of musical, literary, dra? matic and artistic interest. Gradually the scope narrowed down, until today the column is concerned solely with the drama, and another department, Over- tones, reports events in the musical world for the Campus. A third column, called Books, occasionally reviews contemporary literary works. . Stroller, occupying the Off-Hour column once a week, was originated in order to present the whimsical, serious, philosophical or random impressions of the conductor on his peregrinations around the Campus. It has changed its purpose almost with each conductor, but the general tenor of the column has remained more or less the same. Comment on athletics has been a constant feature of Spectator. From HA. A. Jottingsu to 'ASport in Short, down to the present l'Sidelines, there have always been columns devoted to pertinent athletic comment. THE SPEC OFFICE AT 49TH STREET VVAS IN THE CLOAK ROOM OF THIS BUILDING. THE BULLETIN BOARD AT THE LEFT ANNOUNCED THE ARRIVAL OF SPEC ON THE CAMPUS. E391