Goshen College - Maple Leaf Yearbook (Goshen, IN)

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REMINISCENCES OF ELKQHART INSTITUTE AND GOSHEN COLLEGE. T was an eventful incident for a student to walk down South Prairie Street for the first time, to see before them that large, two-story, state- ly-looking, brick building known as the Elkhart Institute. Upon enter- ing, there was on the left a small oiiice where C. K. Hostetler was Wont to be found engaged in much the same activities in which a student of Goshen College would have found him a few years later. The oflice opposite was where the worthy principal, now our President, among his other duties, held private interviews with those who transgressed any of the six command- ments lsee catalogl and also where the much beloved preceptress, Miss Lina Zook, would draw downcast maidens to herself to impart her sympathy and encouragement. The library or reading room was a place of great interest. Occasion- ally an unusual amount of merriment existed within its four walls and a rap on the principal's office door was heard which we rightly interpreted as meaning silence. Perhaps the part of the building where the social life of the student was best portrayed was the large din- ing hall in the basement which had a capacity of fifty-five or sixty. Three times each day we would promptly gather around the five long tables. After hearing one of Prof. J. W. Yoder's before-dinner speeches no one ever felt like coming in late. Many and varied were the discussions around those tables. S. F. Gingerich a quiet sort of a fellow from the west and J. M. Kurtz a lively young man from Ohio, both destined to become Well known professors of Goshen College, had many talks on Emerson and Carlyle. Many of their company were then unable to grasp the meaning of their discussions but found pleasure in watching their enthusiasm. Among others who were popular in the din- ing hall were the Misses Lina Zook, Leila Munsell, Alta Kurtz, Lydia B. Stutzman, Amelia Bergey and Messrs. 15

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D. H. BENDER D. S. YODER, - S. F. COFFMAN, J. S. HARTZLER, MENNONITE BOARD OF EDUCATION. Term Expires in 1908. Term Expires in 1911. - Scottdale, Pa D. J. JOHNS, .... Goshen, Ind Bellefontaine, O ADAM BAER, - Hagerstown, Ind - Vineland, Ont. H. F. REIST, - - - Lititz, Pa Goshen, Ind J. S. SHOEMAKER, - Freeport, Ill East Lynn, Mo T. M. ERB, .... Newton, Kan J. E. HARTZLER, Term Expires in GEO. R. BRUNK, I. R. DETWEILER, JOHN BLOSSER, J. D. SMITH, A. D. WENGER, S. H. RHODES, Term Expires in D. D. MILLER, E. S. HALLMAN, AARON LOUCKS, C. P. YODER, ISAAC L. KULP, 1909. Inman, Kan - Topeka, Ind - Rawson, O - Metamora, Ill Millersville, Pa Harrisonburg, Va. 1910. Middlebury, Ind Humboldt, Sask - Scottdale, Pa. Goshen, Ind - Lajunta, Col N. E. BYERS, Pres. of Faculty, Goshen College. J. S. HARTZLER, Business Manager, OFFICERS. JOHN BLOSSER, - - - President D. D. MILLER, - - Vice President J. S. HARTZLER, - - Secretary C. P. YODER, - - - Treasurer Executive Committee of Goshen College. C. K. HOSTETLER, J. S. HARTZLER Chairman. Secretary. H. W. EBY, D. J. JOHNS, J. O. MARTIN, C. P. YODER, N. E. BYERS. Visitor appointed by General Conference, - - - T. M. ERB, Newton, Kan

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O. C. Yoder, J. S. Umbel, J. S. Yoder, C. R. Blosser, P. D. Summer and P. E. Whitmer. Later G. J. Lapp, who came from the air tAyrJ was highly instrumental in making things lively. Adjoining the dining hall on the one side was a cellar and on the other a kitchen whose walls, if they could speak, would undoubtedly give us a surprising history concerning the whereabouts of some eggs, pies, ginger- snaps, etc. However, not all the pleasant memories linger around the Institute building. Many were the happy hours spent in the homes which gave us shelter. To us dormitory life was an unknown experience. At that time the students had the privilege of using a large level field for athletic purposes. Upon this the young men had a base ball diamond and track while two or three tennis courts served as a delightful place of recreation to both young men and young women. During the early autumn and warm spring days, students greatly enjoyed strolling out to study in Stude- baker Park, a quiet woodland along the left bank of the Elkhart River. A spot more attractive and as a result not nearly so quiet, located at the junction of the Elkhart with the St. Joe River is known as Island Park. Here, each spring the student body together with professors and friends would spend a day or half day in a social way. At the close of these outing days, ere the sun sank in the west, many of the students might have been seen pad- dling their canoes up the romantic Old St. Joe. Frequently after rowing up the river three or four miles the boats would join and float down to the boat house together. We remember seeing one boat race in which six young women were the participants and Miss Lucinda Yoder won the honors. Miss Emma LeFevre who now graces the home of Pres. Byers was the first graduate from an academic course. Six members of the class of '01 were the first to complete the outlined four year Latin-Scientific course. These members were Olivia Good, I. R. Detweiler, J. L. Steiner, F. S. Ebersole, J. M. Kurtz, and J. S. Umble. Of this number two are now professors in Goshen College, two in high schools, one is a returned missionary from India and at present holds a prominent position on the missionary board of the church while another is engagednin city mission work. It was during the early part of '02 that the coveted enrollment of one hundred was reached. I The students of Elkhart Institute we must say were reserved and usually dignified. This was due in a great measure to the fact that most of them were no longer in their teens and also that they looked on the more serious side of life. One evening we remember seeing a well built man dressed in a blue uniform with a nickel 16