Lehigh University - Epitome Yearbook (Bethlehem, PA)

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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

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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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place in the year-by-year life of Lehigh and have maae their real contribution toward shaping the L niversity s influence on its students. While students and student activities were evolving here, the University ' as a whole was go- ing through a series of monumental advances which were destined to provide us students of 1952 with the advantages we now enjoy. Many of these changes vere brought about by far-seeing men in whose hands the guidance of the L niver- sity had been placed; others were the result of economic, cultural, and world conditions. One of the most profound effects of Lehigh s original organization under the educated hand of Bishop Stevens is the religious influence that has become a welcome part of Lehigh. A clergy- man of the Episcopal Church has served on the Board of Trustees almost without interruption since 1865. So important to early Lehigh was this factor that several catalogues, beginning w ith the 1871 edition, included the phrase, under the auspices of the Protestant Episcopal Church on its title page. idespread misunderstanding of this statement plus the fact that University chapel services were of an Episcopalian nature led the Board to clarify Lehigh s status regarding church affiliation with the statement, issued about the turn of the centur ' , Lehigh L ' niversitv ' is not and never has been under denominational control. Apparently Lehigh, which is now explicitly de- scribed as non-denominational, merely wished to state the influence of the church upon the formu- lation of its policies by its auspices statement and not to indicate any sort of control. The Board of Trustees still includes a clergyman of the Epis- copal Church among its members and chapel ex- ercises are oi the order of those conducted in Episcopal churches. Religious organizations among students have also had their effect on student life and thinking, beginning with a very active YMCA group be- fore the turn of the century and culminating in the present organization where students of the three faiths which comprise QQ9 of the under- graduate fjody, Protestant. Jewish, and Roman TA LOR GYMSASIi ' M Catholic, are distinctly separate and yet com- bined under one Interfaith Council. A tangible accomplishment of this group is the Conference on Religion, first held in 1951, which proved to be a great success in helping students re-evaluate the place and effect of religion as it pertains to daily living. While such factors as religion and student activities play a vital part in making a L ' niver- sity truly an institution of learning, one most easily oljservable feature of any college is its cur- riculum. It is this criterion on which many people base their estimate of such an institution. Guided by capable educators, Lehigh s curricular offer- ings expanded from the first two classes in evi- dence at the opening in 1866 through such Spe- cial Schools as the School of General Literature, 19