East Stroudsburg University - Stroud Yearbook (East Stroudsburg, PA)

Page 27 text:

CAKES HALL All previous records for attendance were broken in the school year 1901,1902. There were over five hundred students; every room was filled and other students were boarding in the homes of the local people. The chapel was used for recitation, and members of the faculty were very busy handling additional duties. Miss Eihe P. Merchant of Glouchester, Massachusetts, was elected to teach physical education. She had had a two'year course in the famous Sargent School of Physical Instruction. Mr. E. E. Kuntz, who was instructor in mathematics, was assistant in directing physical education. He also refereed athletic contests, one in particular when Normalis basketball team was defeated by the second team. Mr. Kuntz is now the retired supervising princir pal of the East Stroudsburg Public Schools. 23 In May 1902 work was begun on the new recitation hall. An appropriation of $27,000 was received from the state for the construction of the building which was to be three stories high. It was located thirtyrfive feet north of the mens wing of Stroud Hall, made of brick, and trimmed in cut stone. It was finished late in 1902 and later named Oakes Hall in memory of the Reverend Chandler Oakes. The eighth annual commencement exercises were held in June 1902, when one hundred and fortyeeight students were given their diplomas. It was announced that additional courses to be added the following semester would make the entire school course from two to three years in length.

Page 26 text:

Homer R. Higley these salaries seem low, it should be explained that in addition to this remuneration the teachers received board and lodging for themselves and in the case of married men, full maintenance of their families. Dr. Kemp reared his family on the campus. One of the highlights of the spring term of 1899 was Normalls first Field Day. It was held at the Stroudsburg Fair Grounds, June 23, 1899, with Professor F. E. Pierson, physical director, in charge. There were bicycle races and other field events. Prizes for the hundredayard dash were: first, unabridged dictionary; second, founr tain pen; third, fine hair brush. Prizes for the standing broad jump were: first, fountain pen; second, shaving cup and brush with name en; graved; third, :1 Dewey souvenir plate. Other prizes included large bottles of bay rum, silverr mounted tooth brush, bicycle, shoes, medals, etc. A boy named Foley vaulted eight feet to win the pole vault. 22 The school year of 1899 was brought to a close by the Commencement exercises, at which ex, governor General 0. H. Hasting was the princi' pal speaker. Twentyrfive cents admission was charged for the exercises. At the turn of the century the new Normal School was still very prosperous, and very much was expected of the school. An exhibition of the work done in the sewing department displayed very excellent needlework and sewing of all kinds. The song of woe 0f the Class of 1900 was one which told of the coming State Board examinav tions. It went as follows: The State Board is coming Oh Woe! Oh Woe! The State Board is coming Oh Woe! Oh Woe! The State Board is coming And we fear a drumming. Wish their exams were shunning. Oh Woe! Oh Woe! In 1901, showers and lockers were placed in Wayne gymnasium. There was also a room set aside for football and baseball suits and llpara' phernalia of the athletic association. Several thousand square feet of granolithic walks were laid, and crushed stone was used to 'dx the came pus roads, all of which added to the everrgrowing beauty of our campus.

Page 28 text:

Dr. E. L. Kemp On July 3, 1902, Professor Ellwood L. Kemp was elected principal of the East Stroudsburg State Normal School. Dr. Kemp was born in Hamburg, Berks County, in 185 7. He attended the public school in that town until he was seven' teen. He had to leave school to work because his fathers health had been shattered by service in the Northern Army during the Civil War. He worked at several trades until the summer of 1877, when he learned of a teacher vacancy in the Orwigsburg school. He successfully passed the teachers examination and for two years taught in that position. It was during this time that he made the acquaintance of a Lutheran minister, 24 who encouraged him to prepare himself for col, lege. Mr. Kemp was then graduated from Frank, Iin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylv vania, in 1881 at the head of his class. After gradr uation he taught at Keystone State Normal School, which was located in Kutztown, Pennsyle vania. Later he was chosen president of Wichita University in Kansas. Just before going to Kansas he was licensed as a Reformed minister, having prepared himself privately, and while president of the University he supplied several mission churches. He remained in Kansas for about five years and then decided to return East. He brought with him his famous white pony, which later accompanied him to East Stroudsburg. He served as president of Palatinate College in Meyerstown before becoming vicerprincipal of the State Norr mal School in East Stroudsburg in 1893. The purchase of a fiveehundredrdollar manikin and additions to the library, plus a very large attendance, were outstanding features of 1904. The basketball team was state champion in this same year. Additional cars had to be put on the trains going West because of the flood of students going home at the close of school in June, 1904.