Johns Hopkins University - Hullabaloo Yearbook (Baltimore, MD)

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Those resolutions led to the formation, in 1879, of the Johns Hopkins University Club, which continued to flourish for eight years, until the formation, in 1887, of the new University Club on North Charles Street. The old club was on Garden Street, on the ground floor, back of Stabler's grocery, near Montgomery's oyster beds. We hired two rooms and furnished them simply, with a long pine-table and plenty ofchairs, with numerous small tables, a few pictures, and a book- case for song-books. We employed avenerable colored steward to keep an open Ere and an open house for all members from 9 A. M. until I2 P. M. We had the prominent newspapers and magazines. In fact, our club was used chiefly as a reading-room. Through the medium of our faithful steward we could get at all times from neighboring restaurants good refreshments. Saturday nights were our field-nights. Then our members turned out in force. Some played whistg others sang songs, made speeches, in German or English, to their hearts' con- tent. On Christmas night, or other holiday occasions, we made the colored man speak, for in his own peculiar way he was a very enter- taining orator. Saint 'Denis was authority for the conservative statement that the colored people of Baltimore believe the statue of George Washington upon the Monument represents the father of his country, not in the act of resigning his commission, but of delivering his farewell address and saying, with emphatic gesture, Keep the nigger down l Peabody professors of music belonged to our club and sometimes contributed to our entertainment. The fellows and younger instructors were nearly all in the society. One night a German professor, Dr. Von Holst, was present. After a delightful musical evening we escorted him home in academic fashion, singing a student song. A certain associate in Sanskrit, now a Harvard professor, and an asso- ciate in history, whom modesty forbids me to name, were acting as right and left-hand men for the distinguished professor at the head of the procession, when a policeman, unaccustomed to living in a university town and not appreciating midnight music, arrested two of the leading singers and said we had better be more quiet. We sang sweet and low for a little time until we reached the next street corner, when the entire chorus struck up again and we marched Von Holst through Georgia, until he reached the Mt. Vernon Hotel in perfect safety. Well, those Bohemian days are over. The Kneipe is no more. Its musty records are preserved in the historical department, and some of the clubls antique furniture and Oxford pictures now adorn my 16

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refrain where the name of their own college could he introduced-for example, lt's the way we have at old Amherst ! - or again, to hear the whole company joining with one accord, Here's to the j. H. L'., drink her down! and coining new rhymes in praise of new professors and a new university. After singing Good night, Sihler! we are going to leave you now, we felt so satisfied with our musical abilities that we sang all the way home There's music in the air when the inlhnt morn is nigh, and a great variety of other songs from the student hymn-book. I shall never forget the astonishmentwith which Baltimore policemen regarded that midnight procession of students marching up Howard Street. Perhaps they thought we were a body of seminary priests from St. Mary's taking a midnight promenade, or else we were so numerous that the lonely watchmen thought it advisable to let us pass by. - There was one permanent result of that social reunion on Frank- lin Street. In a local paper called The Tz1!w', edited by Dr. Beer, and devoted to the cause of education and literary criticism, appeared in january, 1879, the following report ofa committee on social organi- zation in the johns Hopkins University: At a meeting of the fellows, associates, and graduate students of the johns Hopkins University on Thursday evening, january 16, it was voted that a committee of five should be appointed to consult and report on the project of social organization. The appointed committee have consulted, and herewith report the following resolutions: Rfs0lm'a', That the committee on social organization recommend the formation of an informal academic club, to meet every Saturday evening from 9 until II o'clock, in the rooms last occupied by the German Kneipe, which have been again secured. Reso!zfm', That the committee recommend the appointment of but one oiiicer, viz. a treasurer, to collect such moneys as may be necessary, to manage the business affairs of the club, and to hold office for one academic year. Q Rcso!m'1f, That a meeting of fellows, associates, and graduate students, for organization and social purposes, be hereby called for Friday evening, January 3Ist, and that Dr. Von Holst be invited to meet the club on that occasion. G. SIHLER, Chairman, CHARLES R. LANMAN, H. C. G. BRANDT, Tnos. CRAIG, H. B AD.ABIS.,' 15

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bachelor rooms. I was one of the last presidents,and had a peculiar satisfaction in rescuing a lbw things from the auction-sale of club property and in seeing that our debts were all paid. The new University Club, at IOOS North Charles Street, is the historic successor of the old Kneipe on Garden Street. Dr. Edward M. Hartwell, a president of the johns llopkins Club, was one of the most active organizers of the new institution, of which he became the Hrst secretary. The older and younger members of the lfniversity, together with professional men, graduates of various colleges, and other residents of Baltimore in close sympathy with the University spirit, nowjoined forces for the establishment ofa good club. Pro- fessor B. L. Gildersleeve, its first and only president, has lately written a brief sketch of the University Club for Benzon's Black Book, a History of the Clubs of London, Baltimore and Washington. He says: The University Club of Baltimore was set on foot for the furtherance of social relations and intellectual interchange among those members of the community who are in sympathy with university views and university methods. The membership, it is true, is not restricted to the graduates of universities and colleges, for it was thought that such a restriction would exclude too many men of high intelligence and broad culture who could not meet the formal requirement ofa diploma, but care was taken to perpetuate the university idea, by giving the preponder- ance in the management to university and college graduates. The growth of the club, which was first projected in the early summer of 1887, and which held its first regular meeting in its own house on Thanksgiving Day of the same year, shows that the plan and the methods meet the wants of an important class, for, under the steady pressure of applications for membership, the limit has been enlarged from ISO to 300, and, which is still more important, the privileges of the club are better and better appreciated and the attendance is steadily increasing. To promote the social life of the club, the Friday nights from October I to july l are specially set apart, the second Friday night of each month being known as Field night, the others as Club nights. On the Field nights some topic of general interest, literary, scientific, or'social, is presented in an informal way, now by members of the club, now by specially invited guests, and the entertainment is followed by a simple collation provided at the expense of the club. These meetings have been largely attended, and many of the members who have little or no turn for club life are thus brought into IT