Lehigh University - Epitome Yearbook (Bethlehem, PA)

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As sure as time passed, things were sure to happen. And they did. One night during the Halloween season six fraternities, observing their usual custom of leaving their doors open, were rudely awakened the next morning to the fact that someone had been playing expensive pranks. Everyone ' s first thought w as that his fraternity brothers were carrying this Halloween spirit too far, but when a final inventory of wallets was taken 500 of those green things were missing. It was a clever execution of the art of high-speed robbery with the looters making one grand sweep that started with a combing of all campus houses, then a short trip crosstown to Pi Lambda Phi and Sigma Chi, and finally a brisk ' frisk ' of Theta Chi up on Delaware Avenue. This series of robberies did almost precipitate a financial crisis, for it struck nine days before the first big social week-end of the semester. Fear for an eco- nomic collapse of the affair was not taken lightly, but after much deliberation the plans were carried out as scheduled. These plans called for a gala prom to be preceded by the customary Saturday afternoon football game. Both events were well attended, and in spite of losing the ball game, everything worked out to perfection. Almost before the close of the social activities of the week-end Lehigh students were faced with one of their most important political issues of the year. A pre- election poll to determine Lehigh ' s choice for President of the United States was the climax to a hot campaign which rocked the campus for several wrecks. In- dicative of things not to come, Dewey ran roughshod over FDR. An almost unanimous petition for a three-day Thanksgiving holiday was made to the administration with the result that the students ate their turkey in Lam- berton hall. There was consolation in the fact that for the first time in two years, a pre- Lafayette game rally was held. A pajama parade (confined to campus), fresh- man skits, and pep rally all added to the pre-game color, and Lehigh spirits ran high. Something new was added to the social calendar when an informal dance w as held in honor of the football and soccer teams. Letters were presented at the affair and each member of the teams was introduced to the student body. The gay atmosphere of the occasion was augmented by the fine music of the Lehigh Collegians. Arcadia gave school spirit a shot in the arm by staging an all-University ban- quet at the Hotel Bethlehem. It turned out to be just what the name implied— everybody was there. A Danish mind-reader entertained with some neat little tricks like telling the third letter of your mother ' s maiden name, or your girl friend ' s telephone nimiber before she moved. The new year crept in quietly despite the fact that there were no classes New Year ' s Day. ' Win the war in ' 44 became a thing of the past but there was an- 15

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' - 16 other long hard year ahead. This was 1945 ah-eady and the Class ot 1946 was getting ready to gradtiate. Seems confusing, but accelerating, or whatever they call it, changed a lot of things. Everything seemed even more confusing when you took a look at the graduating class — down from 600 to a bare 27. The fall semester was brought to a pleasant close by the Interfraternity Ball weekend. Officially, a not so pleasant examination schedule marked its end. Nine men graduated and another 121, the last of the ASTP contingent, moved out. Fifty new men entered in February, many returning veterans being among that number. University enrollment was stabilizing itself at about 300. All or- ganizations and honoraries were still active, and over a dozen fraternities were still open and rushing. More than anything else, February ' 44 would probably be remembered for its cold. Putting a finishing touch on a winter, which had already convinced all freshmen that Bethlehem was the place not to be this time of year, this shortest month was probably the one of greatest activity. Besides exams, graduation, registration (the tickets are still a yard long), and Valentine ' s Day there were things like shovelling snow and sanding sidewalks to take up any slack time. The bitter cold was almost more than anyone could take; in fact, the boiler over at the SPE house wouldn ' t take it with the result that it simply blew its top. The name Lehigh came into the news on two occasions during the year. The first came when it was revealed that the tallest mountain on Pindoro Island in the Philippines was named in honor of the University. For the benefit of you Lehigh men vho may someday, through the courtesy of the Army or otherwise, be in the vicinity, you land on Pindoro Isle, follow the Bugsanga river until you hit the Centuroy valley, and then look for the tallest mount of the range em- bracing this alley. They claim it to be even more impressive than South Mountain! The other occasion on which the name Lehigh hit the headlines was in the christening of the victory ship S. S. Lehigh in honor of the college ' s continually fine educational service for the past 80 years. The baseball team appeared to be heading for a banner season; in its first two games it had stopped Villanova and Drew. Lefty Wilson, pitching his third brilliant season, was once again the mainstay of the team. Well, Spring was here, mid-semester reports were in, and the magnolia trees on campus were a month early with their blossoms. However, the cheeriest note of all came with the announcement that 200 men were expected to enter for the summer semester, the largest number since September, 1942. For Lehigh this may be a harbinger of a slow, but steady, return to full enrollment.