Lehigh University - Epitome Yearbook (Bethlehem, PA)

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' Saraband in Grace Hall. The housing of the girls in already-crowded Bethlehem was solved by the Dean ' s permission for the dates to sleep at the fraternities and dormitories for the big night. June 30 was an eventful and future-changing day for boys from 18 to 20, all over America, Lehigh in- cluded. On this day these youths were required to register for the draft and some 250 of the summer sessionists tramped down to the Bethlehem police station-market for the occasion. The campus took on a more war-like appearance as the ROTC basic and advanced men donned the Army sun-tans, in place of their blue lapeled uni- forms, for the hot summer drills. A Commando obstacle course was built up on old South Mountain, and students were conditioned by the strenuous run over narrow bridges, through barrels, over walls and across streams via a rope in Tarzan-fashion. Thirty men were sent to Lehigh by the Navy to take the CAA pre-flight training course at the Allen- town Airport and in the classrooms. They were housed originally in Price Hall, but were later moved to temporary barracks in Taylor Gym as their numbers increased. The Broun and White, one of the few activities of the summer session, was moved to the new Jour- nalism headquarters in Drown Hall, the entire base- ment, left empty by the removal of the commons to Lamberton Hall, being taken over for this purpose. The second eight-week term showed that 228 freshmen entered Lehigh for the last half of the summer. In fairness to the fraternities not operating over the summer, the Interfraternity council ruled that none of the newcomers would be allowed to pledge or live in a fraternity. Mustard and Cheese enlivened the summer term by presenting three plays in one night, written and produced by Lehigh men. The many students and play-goers who attended agreed that the boys gave a worthy performance. Next week was IF ball, giving the second break of the summer from the studving routine. Three Willi Hall 10

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THE YEAR 1942-1943 The second year of America at War found Lehigh ' s student body slowly de- creasing in number, and the school itself undergoing many changes necessi- tated by the wartime requirements of all such institutions. The 1941-42 term was concluded, with Lehigh as yet showing few if any changes in the first six months after Pearl Harbor. The honorary fraternities held their annual elections and the seniors were graduated, the ROTC men being already in their officers ' uniforms. A few weeks after graduation though it was be- ginning to become apparent that things were different on the campus. Late in May, when the Lehigh student is usually just beginning a three-month vacation, classrooms were far from vacant. Lehigh had accelerated. For those who wished, since acceleration was not compulsory, the school was offering two eight-week semesters for the summer and planned to have three semesters per year in place of the usual two. Summer registration showed that 628 were in the new session — 104 artsmen, 128 business students, and 396 engineers. Tradition was violated here, too, in that coeds were permitted to enter Lehigh; several did choose to invade one of the male race ' s last strongholds by entering the masculinely-sacred classrooms. Thirteen freshmen also were among the male students and, of course, Cyanide took them into its protective custody by giving them a smoker. Early in June, the Alumni committee announced that George Hoban was to be the new fo otball coach, filling the vacancy left by Glen Harmenson. A Lehigh man, Hoban, ' 15, had a long, impressive record as a coach and as an official of the Eastern Football Association. The newcomer gave much optimism to the football team ' s outlook, since it had been in something of a rut for the past several years. While a student at Lehigh, Hoban had captained probably the best team ever to hit the local gridiron. In spite of the war, gas-rations, no days off, and a dozen other handicaps, alumni came back seven hundred strong to the 76th annual June Lehigh Alumni Reunion day. They paraded around the campus, displayed their class flags, dat- ing as far back as 1877, and sang the Alma Mater at the flag pole. Highlight of the weekend was a banquet at the Hotel Bethlehem, at which Donald M. Nelson, War Production Board chief, spoke from his desk in Washington over special wires to the hotel. Students were given an unofficial study vacation on the night of June 23, when Bethlehem had an all-night blackout, the first of the war. Observers from the Lookout noted, cynically, that the only lights visible in the Lehigh Valley were those from the tremendous five-mile glare from Bethlehem Steel ' s numerous plants and blast furnaces — the only bombing objective of note in the valley. Then, for one night at least, the war was forgotten, as a full moon smiled down at the 350 couples that danced to the music of Lou Breeze at the Sophomore Alumni Memorial Tower

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