Lehigh University - Epitome Yearbook (Bethlehem, PA)

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Buildinsjs and Walks as our first semester rolled along. Buildings and walks now became commonplace. Dorm bull ses- sions, fraternity rushing and our first encounter with a Houseparty are memories which we shall never forget. During the football season we reacted enthusiastically and clamoringly to such encoun- ters as those against Dartmouth, Rutgers, and Laf- ayette. We fell right into the Old Lehigh Spirit by uniting to defeat Lafayette ' s frosh in the tra- ditional tug-o-war contest. The victory gave us the right to relegate our dinks for use only on the rainy days ahead. All this culminated in the first undefeated football season in Lehigh ' s history and an extra day in our Thanksgiving vacation. The year moved onward : some of us made fra- ternity affiliations, some strengthened ties in the dorms. In the winter we witnessed a spectacle new to most of us, Lehigh wrestling. A packed, cheer- thundering Grace Hall became an integral part of our view of the Lehigh scene. As Spring moved onto the campus, we elected our first slate of Class officers. The sophomore leaders elected were: Phil Bvrnes, president; Ron Madison, vice-president; Dick Snyder, secretary, and John Cable, treasurer. Phil entered the service before he was able to as- sume office and Ron stepped into the president ' s job with George Lcmmon taking over the func- tions of vice-president. With our sophomore year we became aware of Lehigh in a light different from that of our first year. Although experimentation was not finished and final decisions were not completely made, most of us chose our major field of study. Entire depart- ments of the University became broader person- alities to us; educational and graduate opportuni- ties became more clear-cut. With our initial year of apprenticeship behind us, varsity competition in athletics became attainable. W T e watched many classmates attain positions of prominence on Le- high teams. 22

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We were now under a new and unique Class Cabinet, composed of fourteen cabinet men of a primary nature from various Living groups, and fifty cabinet-graded men. of a secondary nature, under them. All these men were responsible to the officers, and every student in the Class was given an opportunity to play a personal part in the func- tioning of the Class. Our first big Class function, the Snow Ball dance, proved a great success. Our sophomore year came to a close with four semes- ters, four Houseparties and half of our college career behind us. In 1952 we had a preview of the Miss America contest of 1954. Observant Le- high, first as usual, crowned the future Miss Amer- ica. Elizabeth Ay, as Queen of 1952 ' s Spring Houseparty. Only the best at Lchiyh ! With the Korean War at its height and many of our classmates entering the armed forces, a new maturing took place, a sobering of purpose. Fading into our junior year, major responsibili- ties in organization, athletic teams and living groups became ours. With elections to such organ- izations as Cyanide, we, who such a short time ago were young and hesitant freshmen, took over the task of directing the new Freshman Class through Freshman Week and their initial year at Lehigh. Led by our junior officers: Wilson Stout, president; John Cable, vice-president; Tom Gunn. treasurer, and Phil Newman, secretary, plus executive and associate cabinets composed of twenty-five men each, the Class successfully staged the Spring Houseparty Dance. Showboat , and the traditional Class picnic. Highp oint of the Houseparty affair was the presentation of the door prize of Dreamboat . a workable tin lizzy. Our Class played a major part in the annual Music Festival extravaganza and we took a great deal of pride in the Lehigh Glee Club and our contri- bution therein w hen the organization had the honor of performing at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Prelude to our senior year: a final Summer va- cation- a vacation which saw most of us engage in a combination of work, play and travel, includ- ing excursions to various Army and Air Force bases throughout the country for those of us in the R.O.T.C. program. The Class of 1954 proved itself one of the top groups on campus during our biggest, busiest and best year of all — our veritable last fling. We got off to a flying start under the leadership of Phil Newman, president; Frank Lusby. vice-president; Marty Pearl, treasurer, and John Reinoehl, sec- retary. In the Fall, the Class promoted Moulin Rouge. the Fall Houseparty dance, with Stan Kenton and his band being well received by a near-record number of dancers. Several Class smokers, climaxed by a series of fiery meetings in which the Class gift plan was adopted, showed democracy in action among the men of ' 54. As seniors looking toward the future, we discovered the Placement Service and all the opportunities it afforded. A vast number of organizations, both major and minor, in all fields imaginable, sent in- terviewers to the campus. With our final Spring arriving, Comprehensive Exams and Graduate Record Exams become realities. A top-notch Class picnic was held, which, with Spring Houseparty. ended our social life at Lehigh. And now, as graduating seniors, a dominant entity in the present Lehigh scene, we realize that the shadow of the past is already draw ing us into that vast realm — Lehigh tradition. We realize this with both pride and nostalgia; however, our thoughts and acts are also directed toward the future. In establishing our Class Memorial Gift, we chose the method of a Senior Insurance Pro- gram. With the long-range welfare of Lehigh in mind, we hope that this program can add tangibly to the Lehigh of the future. We take our farewell of South Mountain cog- nizant of the advantage gained in education- education in scholarship and in the everyday workings of life; we take our farewell with deep pride and undying affection for Lehigh University, our Alma Mater. A Quick Snack or Chat — Gus ' s