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

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In April, 1908, work was finally begun on the new building. It was while excavation was going on that the glacier'scarred rock, mounted on a concrete platform on the front campus, was found. Later, Emery Gordon, 21 student at the Normal School, found an Indian tomahawk in the same excavation. This relic of the days of' the Indians was placed in the cornerstone of the new building, now Shawnee Hall, which was to be four stories high and to have sixteen classrooms, and auditorium, and dormitory space. The corr nerstone was laid May 20, 1908, a great day for the school since there was a big parade and n0 Classes. One of the events of the basketball season of 1908 was the teams leaving the floor during a game with Muhlenburg because of 3. disagree ment with the referees over fouls called on the East Stroudsburg team. East Stroudsburg was ahead, 5'3, and there were only three minutes left to play when the team left the floor. The boys were very rudely treated after they walked off. Later in the season the basketball team he came State Normal champions after defeating Mansfield, 22,10. In the class of 1908 there were one hundred and eleven graduates. Valedictorian 0f the class was George N. Kemp, who was the son of E. L. Kemp, principal of the school. During his normal school career he was a leading member of the basketball and baseball teams. Second honors went to Lillian Bennett, sister of Miss Ida M. Bennett, at present an instructor at the East Stroudsburg State Teachers College. 1906-07 BASKETBALL TEAM

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SHAWNEE LODGE In 1905 Dr. Kempis daughter, Gertrude, was married to Mr. Harry Templeton by Dr. Kemp. The wedding took place in the rooms which are now the Dean of Womenis offices. Miss Jennie Ackerman, principal of the Model School, was doing a fine job in that capacity, and in 1906 it was announced that Kindergarten classes were to be started. More room was needed for the everrgrowing Model School; so a new training school building was proposed by the Board of Trustees. As early as 1907 the trustees were examining plans, estimating costs, and deciding on a location for the new building. Before the building could be erected it was necessary to expand the limits of the campus. The original campus was bounded on the west by an extension of Ransberry Avenue 25 and on the south by a line that ran close to the side of Stroud Hall. On the southern side of the main building was a strip of land owned by SCV' eral people. To procure this land, Professor Kemp, through a real estate agent, secured op tions on the property. Dr. J. A. Singer secured enough trustee votes to guarantee the purchase of this land. The faculty cottage, which is now located back of Wayne gymnasium, was on the newly acquired land and had to be moved. It was moved on rollers and pulled by horses and later used and kept as the infirmary. Below this house and on the strip of land just purchased by the Board of Trustees was a swamp covered with dense underbrush. Dr. Kemp Cleared much of this land himself by hand; one of the rewards for his labors was a bad case of sumac poison.

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CLASS OF 1908 In the fall term of 1908 there was a rumor that because of the drought of that year, the school would be closed. However, the Normal School had its own pump, which was capable of supplying all the water that was needed. The winter term of that same year saw one of the busiest seasons of the school. There were three hundred and seventyrfive students enrolled, and some of the recitation rooms were turned into apartments, as were the cottages behind Wayne gymnasium. In January, 1909, state aid allowances were stopped, as the fund set aside by the state of Pennsylvania for this purpose was exhausted. This curtailment meant that the students would have to pay tuition. One dollar and fifty cents a week was charged, but few students left the 27 school because of this rise in rates. Later in JanUv ary, a $75,000 appropriation bill was passed to cover the deficiency in funds covering payment of tuition at state normal schools. In 1909, fire drills were first practiced for the safety of the people attending the school. In May 1909, the baseball team executed a triple play against Kutztown State Normal School. Twenty students failed the State Board examinations, only one senior among them. There were one hundred and twenty graduates then in that class, and their senior picnic was held at Echo Lake. iThe annual senior picnic of every class was held at this lakel The students reached Echo Lake by the Delaware Valley Railroad, which ran between East StroudSr burg and Bushkill.