Lehigh University - Epitome Yearbook (Bethlehem, PA)

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register of the University, tliey probably wrote home to their parents. The health or Bethlehem is proverbial. The air is pure and extremely in- vigorating. At the time Bethlehem s weaUh of industry along the Lehigh River had not yet grown to its amazing proportions of today and the river was a favorite place of recreation. Swimming (believe it or not) and skating were the vogue in season (the Lehigh froze over in those days). Also located on the Lehigh River was the ro- mantic Calypso Isle to which stalwart Lehigh men were probably wont to row and canoe for picnics and Sunday afternoons. Of course, the taverns of the Borough of South Bethlehem and its neighbor across the river were great tempta- tions to Lehigh men of the early years and many succumbed to the attraction. Students got to- gether in rather closely knit social groups, which evolved into Eating Clubs and later to fraternity living groups. Each of the Eating Clubs de- veloped its own name and motto; one, the Cannibals, selected the aptly phrased slogan. We don t eat men, but don t we men eat. The fashions of the day led to a nickname for well-dressed Lehigh men — dudes, denned by the Burr as men who brush their hair into their eyes and wear tight pants. The young Bethiehemites often took exception to the natty attire, ail of which caused the Bethlehem police much dis- may and a few young men bruised knuckles and black eyes; but it was all in fun, even the pitched battles. The Townies often fought for, instead of against, the men on the hill when Lafayette moved into town for one of the annual sport clashes. And the Lehigh men, then, as now, had their complaints against the toll collector on the New Street bridge as a Burr article which H: JAMES WARD PACKARD LABORATORY ' s: i: w . . .i ' • ' • 9 ■

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CHRISTMASSAUCON HALL to the Band, that it hegan to grow to its present stature. Now that some idea has been given of the approved extra-curricular activities oi Lehigh Men during a part ot the University s history, a picture of the actual life of the college student in the good old days should prove interesting. The way he lived, where he lived, and what he did for recreation and amusement changed as the times changed and as the University expanded its facilities. As has been mentioned before, the hrst forty Lehigh men were at least sixteen years of age and possessed good moral character. What they found when they arrived would certainly surprise the men of today. Instead of a large well- developed campus they found Christmas Hall. Period! Although ground had been broken for magnificent Packer Hall on July 1, 1866, it was still in the process of construction and was not available for dormitory, chapel, classes, ad- ministration, and museum until September two years later. Before they were accepted for ad- mission these students had to take the pledge fjy signing their names to the statement: 1 promise to obey faithfully the Laws and Regula- tions of the Lehigh University, and to give full, [jrompt, and cheerful obedience to all its offi- cers. Something about the student dciy — Since he lived and went to school in the same building, the 1866 version of Joseph College was able to S[5end an extra fifteen minutes in bed. Mr. George Washington Smith aroused the boys early or at least in time so that they could attend the 8:45 chapel recjuired of all. It went hard with the student who failed to attend these daily exercises, but it was really unpleasant if he missed Sun- day service at the chapel or the church of his choice. Classes were much the same as they are to- day, the principle of instruction being textbook with supplementary lectures. The Hrst chemistry students were pleasantly surprised when, on the first day of classes. Prof. Wetherhill handed out printed pamphlets containing the thirty-some lec- tures he was to deliver during the course of in- struction. No cuts were allowed, however, so the device was actually an aid to learning rather than a deterrent to it, or so it was claimed. Unfortunately, a long-standing policy of Le- high University has been Saturday classes, and the original Lehigh men found the situation much as we find it today. However, they had only one class, from immediately after chapel (9:00) to 10:00. With six professors, not including G. W. Smith, and only forty students there was plenty of class and laboratory work to be as- signed. When an old grad tells you he worked hard back then, he s probably telling the truth for Lehigh s assignments were tough! As an ad- ditional hazard to high grades, the gas lights in the dormitory were turned off by 11 p. m. and there were proctors living in nearby rooms to insure compliance with the regulations. If the frosh of 1866 were to believe the first 16

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laments the death of this noble gentleman s watchdog indicates. In the 1880 s Bethlehem gave Lehigh quite a scare when a smallpox epidemic broke out in the southern part of the city. Before the Uni- versity was closed to protect the health of the students, long and heavy arguments toofc place between the two schools of thought on flow to dress to prevent the contraction of the pox . One of the theories was based on the assumption that the more clothes you wore, the less chance the germ had of reaching the body; the other main- tained that tlie fewer the clothes the less the chance of the smallpox germ growing and propo- gating in dark folds of clothing. All these events were, and are still, a part of Lehigh, though most have disappeared with the passage of time. LAMBF.RTON HALL As the University kept growing, so did its tra- ditions and undergraduate ceremonies. Two of these now vanished events are worthy of note. First are the annual Cane Rushes wliich Cath- arine Drinker Bowen, daughter of a past presi- dent of Lehigh, describes in her History of Le- tiigh University as follows: The offhand way in which the students re- garded the casualties incident of this species of sport is sliown in the following remarks which the Burr of 1889 makes on a recent rush: The struggle on the whole was a fine one, practically free from slugging, with the usual amount of confusion incident to all rushes and unfortunately more than the usual number of accidents. The grand rush held on the night Ijefore opening, on the terrace of Packer Hall, has also passed into oblivion, tliough there are many who carry the scars of battle gained on that steep slope in the dark, with the ambulance waiting in the President s back yard .... A second tradition, ty[)ically I eliigh, was the Calculus Cremation which lasted as a yearly event until tlie school year 1924-1925. Each year, after the sophomores had successfully defeated the demon, they held a joyous celebration in which they imagined themselves as slaves of the King until the final examinations where they freed themselves from his iron grip. The celebra- tion usually involved a huge bonfire, burning Calculus in efngy, while students grouped around the blaze, hurling their books, last token of their bondage, into tlie fire. L nfortunately many of these well-concocted traditions have passed on to be replaced by somewhat more conservative demonstrations. We still have our Flagpole Day, Lafayette Pep Rally, freshman dinks and rules, pledge duties. Hell Week, and tugs-of-war, but it is understandable why the Lehigh men of the 1880 s, 90 s and the early 1900 s still think a bit nostalgically about the rough-and-ready times they had welcoming freshmen and putting them through their paces. Regardless, traditions all liave taken a very firm