Columbia University - Columbian Yearbook (New York, NY)

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9 ,191 ness, to take charge of the Commencement activities. Alumni reunion activities cen- tered at Baker Field where the Varsity C Club unveiled a memorial plaque at Baker Field in honor of George F. Baker, donor of the plot. Dr. Robert Arrowsmith '82 who was curator of the Columbiana Collection for ten years and an authority on Columbia history, died three days before the oflicial close of the Spring semester. Elaborate plans for the one hundred and seventy-fourth annual Commence- ment were made: l 16th Street was blocked to vehicular traffic and a large squad of men set up rows of seats and stands that reached from Alma Mater to the middle of South Field. Unfortunate rain at the last minute caused the can- cellation of these plans, and the forty-three hundred degrees were awarded in the Gymnasium, with little pomp. The one hundred and seventy-fifth year was officially opened by President Butler in the McMillin Theatre, on September 26th. His statement that a uni- versity's functions should be The conservation, advancement and dissemination of knowledge struck the keynote of the spirit upon which Columbia's intel- lectual life has always been based. Blue Book, not content with having appeared on time the previous year, made arrangements so that the volume was mailed to Freshmen before the start of the Winter semester. Thus armed. the new students seemed to be less obnoxious than usual, and there were few requests for geographical directions. Spectator was the first of the publications to issue a call to Freshman candidates and was quickly followed by the other activities. In a slow game, the football team downed Vermont by a 20-0 score, officially opening the 1928 season in the enlarged stadium. Despite the rain a crowd of 13,000 turned out for the iirst encounter. On the second of October President Butler inaugurated a series of orienta- tion lectures for the members of the Freshman Class. These meetings were held weekly throughout the Winter semester, and proved invaluable in cement- -Al ing the incoming class into a single unit. 'f - ' :- un. --2. , af t' Q 5- '-P' - .eifrz fel- A, , ah . ,' v- ,, xr , if ,. -' i :, , ., 39- fi' -' ' . 'P 9 9' . l. 1 V' g ',A2',s-VI f 7'-236 'V ww? - I . 'af' 5511 ' 0.-. , . 1 5545-fj'11' ' , '. , -. Z, ' ' + '. . ' ,-av .. .-0 --fu .- - Mists' ..: 5 i ' k '.,'M. KQN'kf 'f-fi' i in 1116! V., 'f 'Q ..a.a.. ' XJ- ' -rf? ' K-A' 'f . '.a-f , . ' HI: iii., Z1 V - 9.5, 1 .,,. aes - . '- - H ff ',H,l1 q -4 , bi i,.is.:,5s.E1,., . .f-ff. 7- 2: ' ,,.,z--1.1311 - 53.3. 4-3, y-3 1.31 f U, .. g: ,5 -'-j-y...- v A :-.Z -. Q...-:-j.3:1,,-, ..,f,,. W, A ng? ffgef yew THE SPRING REUNION Interclass activities started promptly Dues week was passed by without excitement, other than the usual scenes of undergraduates ducking into the tunnels upon the approach of a member of the four finance commit- tees. Student Board endeavored to arouse interest in the game with Dart- mouth by chartering a special train to carry Columbia rooters up to Han- over. Enthusiasm as well as ready cash appeared to be lacking, and the plans were abandoned when a week's campaign failed to produce suflicient reservations, with the first day of classes when the Freshmen and Sophomores held an impromptu free-for-all on South Field. The annual tug-of-war took place in the middle of October, with the second- year class winning a majority of the pulls for the first time in five years. Student Board again showed its ability in taking charge of undergraduate activities by equalizing the sides so that the Freshmen, who secured the larger turn-out, did not have a walk-away. Defeated, the yearlings refused to allow the Sophomores to hold a snake dance in honor of the victory. E251

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.P H I2 ,QAQJWSQ3 g T Ag circulation managers had difficulties with advertisers, and the New York Public Library is still asking embarassing questions. Just before the Easter recess Spectator announced its elections, Berton J. Delmhorst '29 and lan F. Fraser '29 were to head the daily's staff, and the old managing board received the customary black border on the masthead. Commander Byrd and Sir Grenfell fuliilled speaking engagements in the McMi1lin Theatre under the auspices of the Institute of Arts and Sciences: Dean Russell was installed at Teachers College to succeed his fatherg the dormitory plans were shifted so that the law students were placed in Furnald where they could discuss torts by themselves: St. Stephen's College at Annandale-on- Hudson was added to the University as the third undergraduate unit on a parity with Columbia and Barnard College, and the time passed all too swiftly. Toward the end of April two big changes provided ample material for midnight bull sessions. Changes in the College Curriculum, described as the most radical changes in twenty years , were adopted unanimously by the Faculty. Contemporary Civilization was to be made into a two-year course and prescribed for all Freshmen and Sophomores, achievement tests were to be administered by the Faculty Committee, and the course in General Honors was to be dropped. Other innovations called for the installation of lecture courses, requiring attendance but no prerequisite or examination, but carrying credit for the degree in the same manner as laboratory work: installation of Junior and Senior read- ing courses to be conducted jointly by two or more instructors of different but allied departments, and a new type of Departmental Honors to be awarded jointly by the Committee on Instruction and the various departments. Finally the hopes of many undergraduates and Alumni were realized when on April 27th plans were released whereby the wooden stands at Baker Field would be enlarged to accommodate forty thousand persons. Spectator went completely crazy over the success of its campaign, and celebrated with a front page editorial, congratulatory messages from other college publications and let- ters from University officers and prominent undergraduates. The Spring elections to Student Board, the King's Crown Board of Gov- ernors, the Athletic Association Committee and the various class ofiices brought forth an exceedingly large number of nominations. Student Board decided to allow students to vote upon presentation of the Bursar's receipt instead of the former system of class dues card, and a record number of votes was recorded in the three-day poll. Along in the middle of May the Department of Buildings and Grounds decided that the stands on South Field needed some attention after the Syracuse football rally of the previous Fall. The result was that the West stand was demolished entirely and the lumber was used to patch up the South stand so that it could be used. Spectator continued to print its series of articles on professional guidance, the annual Pulitzer awards were announced, Varsity elected its new staff, the Freshman and Sophomore Classes gave dances in John Jay, and Commencement plans were formulated. After losing to Yale at Philadelphia, the Varsity crew, winners at Poughkeepsie the previous Spring, succeeded in capturing the historic Childs Cup in the regatta at Lake Carnegie. A Thirty-two King's Crowns were awarded in the end of May, while the Columbia and Syracuse crews became lost in the fog of Eastchester Bay. Presi- dent Butler recovered from an illness that very nearly proved fatal just in time f24l

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9, Ag-,9amsC99, as By means of guerrilla warfare the Sophomores managed to get the rope out on Broadway. Here the Frosh came up with reinforcements and with the aid of the rope the two classes succeeded in tying a delightful traffic knot. Down on Riverside Drive several trees were ensnared when some bright fellow brought peace back to Morningside Heights by cutting the rope. . Bringing sections of the rope to prove their victory, both classes returned to South Field and the battle was inal- ly over. On Columbus Day the Medical Center was opened at l68th Street, signifying that the College of P. 25 S., the Dental School, Sloane Hos- pital and the Vanderbilt and Squier Clinics had joined the group of buildings up at THE BAKER PLAQUE IS UNVEILED Washington Heights. While the Sophomores were hearing the Freshmen sing the Columbia songs at the annual song fest, Jester appeared in its new make-up for the Fall. New departments were started, while the type, style and scope of the magazine were radically altered. The rebuilt comic proved to be very popular, and the new features were retained throughout the year. Informal smokers of the Freshman Class, held in John Jay Hall through- out the Fall also helped in solidifying the yearlings into one group. Several water fights from the dorm windows proved amusing for a few students, but the consequences in most cases were rather severe. A group of brilliant Fresh- men decided that inasmuch as the Frosh rules forbade them to sit on the Hamilton fence they would prevent all others from using the seat. Accordingly, the top of the fence was treated to a coat of red non-drying paint one night, and several trousers were ruined before B. '25 G. came to the rescue and redaubed the mess. Class pictures for Columbian were taken after the usual postponements which seem to be necessary every year. Marie Saxon posed with the Sopho- mores, and Odette Nlyrtil was secured to sponsor the Seniors. When the latter Hnally arrived, however, the picture had been taken and most of the Seniors had gone their way. The debate squad met the Oxford University team in its annual inter- national match, but the audience decided with the Englishmen, who advocated the entrance of the United States into the League of Nations. Interest at this time was centering on the presidential election which was about to be held. Spectator stated that national politics held but little interest for the average undergraduate, and that few of its readers would cast ballots in the election. Accordingly, an editorial maintained that the Campus daily would take no sides in the campaign but would remain strictly neutral. Although this editorial stand was not contested, clubs were formed supporting Hoover, Smith and Thomas and Spectator finally succumbed and announced that it would take a straw vote poll of its readers. ln all only 527 votes were cast, while candidate Hoover nosed out candidate Smith by a margin of twenty-ive tallies. Blue Pete, running as a dark horse, received three votes in the poll. A if E f l26J