Lawrence University - Ariel Yearbook (Appleton, WI)

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I Conservatory of Illusic N the fall of 1896 Main Hall, Ormsby Hall, and the Observatory were the only college buildings. But Miss Eddy, with her gracious tact, met the homesick girls and initiated them into the happy life of the Hall. How beautifully she controlled her fifty-five girls. I often think of her Monday night talks to the girls, and their application to life in Ormsby Hall. ' Memories of a college life cluster about a few striking personalities and institutions. Of the present faculty, Miss Eddy, Prof. Treat, Dr. Plantz, and Miss Smith were already established. Miss Smith, indeed, had long been a fixture in the library, tormented and loved. Little would the student dream that the dignified Professor Treat of today was then the Prince Charming, who married soon afterward the belle of the faculty, Miss Parkes. While he held the chair of Science, his conduct of a classroom was a demon- stration of the art of teaching. To me this skill was ever a marvel,-a delight, tem- pered, however, with a tormenting fear of defective preparation. Better face Cerebus in Hades than Professor Treat with a partially prepared lesson. Dr. Plantz, whose splendid service has placed Lawrence in the front rank of educa- tional institutions, was then just fairly launched on his career. With a faculty of but twenty-five teachers, it was necessary for the President to teach several classes. Courses in Idealism, Psychology, Christian Evidences, Aesthetics, and Bible revealed the splen- did filling of the man, and are grouped among the choicest recollections of my college life. At graduation, a mischievous fellow said of his poignant grief in leaving Dr. Plantz, No matter how he scolds a fellow to his face, he always praises him to his dad. No institution could produce a second Professor Jones, who was then in his prime. Determined grimly that we should know Latin as our mother tongue, the Philippics were mild to the terms of invective he used with sardonic glee. How we feared and hated him for the first six months, and how we loved him thereafter. There was some- thing Htting in that he should die in his classroom affter teaching Latin there for forty-four years. Page 15

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Discipline was severe and uncomplimentary. We dare not exercise the rights of natural selection in strolling about. Special permits were granted for buggy rides or trips up river. These were the extreme joys of a social nature. Still, there were the Junior and Sophomore oratorical contests. A failure to secure a bid to one of these constituted a distinct social failureg in fact, contained the possibility of a semi-annual tragedy. I am thinking now of Room A,-the big room in the southeast corner Where Prof. Faye held forth. The room of science and mysteries. I fear the entire scientific equip- ment could have been set out on a kitchen table. I was not on familiar terms with it. I remember one huge glass disc with attachments that was supposed to, and perhaps did, generate electricity. We used to stand around the room in a circle, holding hands, to receive a shock. This function was presided over by the instructor. The student body of those days had no street car service, no telephones, typewriters, electric lights, gymnasium, nor dormitories. The girls had no rest room, no convenient place to wait over a vacant period. Reference work was in its infancy. Fraternities and sororities were undreamed of. On the part of the boys the Philalathean and Phoenix societies absorbed the oratorical and forensic activities, and among the girls, the Athena and Lawrean societies. With the passing of the years the girls and boys of those long ago days have grown up, and their sons and daughters now stroll about the campus and fill the class rooms. Over this gulf of years we old ones stretch out our hands to ourselves of long ago. ETTA POMEROY MILLER, '74. Library Page 14

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Brokaw Hall Page 16