Miami University - Recensio Yearbook (Oxford, OH)

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1909 l959 19763 The Miami Centennial marked a century of progress for the school and found the campus undergoing an important change. A Miami alumnus, John Shaw Billings t1857l, convinced Andrew Carnegie to start his program of library building. Carnegie offered his libraries to any English-speaking community in the world that would contribute ten per cent of the building's cost for its up- keep. The year 1906 brought an offer of $40,000; from Carnegie to build a Miami University library, on the condition that the university match the amount. Now without some dif- ficulty, Miami raised its portion of the necessary funds, and by 1909, the library was completed. Chris- tened the Alumni Library, the build- ing came into use in time to help celebrate the Centennial. The Centennial celebration itself incorporated several events which m-arked the difference between the Miami of 1809 and the Miami of 1909. Students 'Night , which began the celebration, included a parade of historical and humorous floats. The series of receptions, reunions, and exercises which fol- lowed brought old and new graduates together with current stu- dents. On Centennial Day, the Pro- gram of twenty speakers included five past presidents of Miami, in addition to Ohio's Governor Har- mon and other dignitaries. Profes- sor Brandon Mathews of Columbia and Reverend Lyman Abbot, editor of THE OUTLOOK, addressed a graduating class of 55, the largest to that date, on Commencement Day, the high point of the celebration. Along with the rCentennial cele- bration'came a group of publications dealing with the history and de- velopment of Miami. Bert S. Barlow t1893l collected information on all of Miami's alumni and produced the 'ALUMNI CATALOGUE, which gave a biographical sketch of every student who had attended Miami during its first century. Professor Upham published OLD MIAMI, a nostalgic look at the school's past. THE REAL COLLEGE, a book dis- cussing the responsibilities of the small college in the twentieth centu- ry, was. written by President Benton. . In addition, in 1907, two years ear- lier, the university printed a fac- simile reproduction of the first catalog, originally published in 1826. What better way to show the difference between old Miami and new Miami? ' The Sesquicentennial year tl959l found the campus in the midst of even greater change. Old Main was torn down and rebuilt as Harrison Hall. Laws, Culler, Dennison, Bran- don, and McFarland Halls were under construction. The Radio-TV building was rising to where the new women's gymnasium would be. A new wing was being added to Gaskill Hall to house the Audio- Visual Service. The Alumni Associa- tion sponsored the construction of the Sesquicentennial Chapel to commemorate the event. Miami now had 7,000 students enrolled at Ox- ford. But the school had also grown in another way. Three thousand more students were enrolled at off- campus centers in Norwood, Hamil- ton, Middletown, Dayton, and Pigua. Miami had thus expanded its geographical area of service several fold. A Charter Day luncheon started the Sesquicentennial celebration, and featured a seventy pound birth- day cake. A series of, lectures and discussions dealt with such topics as The Artist is American Society To- day and New Directions in the Management of Business Enter- prise . There were four lecturers on famous men born in the same year as Miami: Abraham Lincoln, Charles Darwin, Edgar Allan Poe, and Oliver Wendell Holmes. During the summer, an art exhibit dis- played The American Scene in 150 Years of American Art . The origi- nal edition of Havinghurst's THE MIAMI YEARS was published in time for the celebration. Well-wishers from outside the university also participated in the celebration. President Eisenhower and Ohio Governor DiSalle sent greetings. Secretary of the Interior Fred A. Seaton and Postmaster- General Arthur E. Summerfield Vis- ited the campus. Representative Paul F. Schenck of the Third Ohio District presented Miami with a Congressional resolution of con- gratulations, and Senator John F. Kennedy Visited the campus. A 12- cent Benjamin Harrison 'stamp printed in Miami red was issued in Oxford. Ohio automobile license plates were painted with the school colors. ' One event, however, sums up the spirit of the Centennial and the Ses- quicentennial. On June 19, 1959, the remains of President Robert Hamil-

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Above: Broken plaster and sup- orts is all that is left of the gold- eaf ballroom ceiling. Left: In- terested since Ron's disappear- ance, Joe Cella helps newsman David Hart coordinate the filming of Ron's mysterious exit. The documentary was shown April 19th, 1976. Far left: Ron Tammen leaning against his 48 Ford? No, it is WLWD's Doug Trostie in their documentary of Tammon's disap- pearance. GHOST IN PSEI DE NCE . Perhaps eeriest of all was the incident involving a portrait in Xa lounge! which was locked, the portrait was found to have been removed from the wall and set on the floor each time in a different place. When traced over a number of days, the pattern resembles the initials of Elias Fisher as inscribed in a diamond stick pin which he was known to have worn. The portrait was put away and the room closed for good. Though Ron Tammon's story is best known, Miami has other tales to tell. There is the case of the co-ed at Western College who often spent her evenings playing the organ in the chapel. Late one night as she played, she sensed some- one approaching her from behind. Hesitating and turning, she glimpsed a man with an empty stare moving heavily towards her. Overcoming her impulse to rush for the door, she returned quickly to her music. The madman seemed calmed by the organ, stopping in his advance to listen. The girl played on through the long night, fearing to stop, for each time she did, he came closer. The next morning, three students passing by the chapel on their way to class heard the organ and stopped to investigate. They found the girl, stillrplaying relentlessly, apparently insane, her hair turned snow-white. Later that day, a luna- tic who had escaped from the Oxford Retreat was returned to his cell; Another story tells of a student living in Oxford College in the early 1900's who was awakened late at night by a scratching at her door. Assuming it to be a prank, she went back to sleep. The next morning she opened the dOOr. to find her roommate with an ax buried in her skull e and scratch marks on the door. a Our most recent ghost is Roger Sayles, a student coun- selor shot to death in Reid Hall in 1959. Roger has since been known to show up at the SAE house, his old fraterni- ty, but has more recently appeared back at Reid. One resi- dent lately reported being surprised by a ghost-like figure standing in the lobby when she returned late one night. When questioned further, she described Roger perfectly. Many students and alumni dismiss these accounts as mere elaborations of frightened but Vivid imaginations. Admittedly, the existence of the specters would be all but impossible to prove to'cynics. Yet, how many of us can pass Fisher Hall on a solitary, moonlit walk, watch the play of the shadows on the windows, and hear the hushed voice of the wind in the trees without giving the possibil- ity a second thought? -- Ann Marshall 21

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ton Bishop, first president of the university, were removed from their burial site in Cincinnati to their pre- sent location in the Formal Gardens. Old Miami was thus united with new Miami in a very appropriate way. In a time of the celebration of change, one symbol of the past and its traditions was memorialized on the growing campus. On February 7, 1976 President and Mrs. Shriver hosted a Bicentennial Ball. The event itself exceeded all expectations. The day after, those who did not attend heard reports of the warmth of the host and the host- ess, of the costumed guests, of the music, of the dancing, and of a gen- eral good time. It was a celebration intimately connected with the his- tory of the country. As a part of the nationwide Bicentennial celebration, the ball earned its place among the many commemorative events taking place this year, even those as far away as Salinas, California. But the ball was even something more. Soon after Miami was estab- lished in 1809, the township of Ox- ford was established to support it. The two have grown together over the past 167 years. They have pro- duced statesmen, businessmen, ar- tists, scientists, and educators. In- deed, one could easily say that Miami has had an effect in each of these areas quite disproportionate to its size. The Bicentennial Ball cele- brated this heritage as well as the national heritage. The Oxford heritage, the Miami heritage, the national heritage -- these three savory liquors were mixed that night into a delicious punch for the celebration. Essen- tially, it is this punch that Miami has to offer the Bicentennial celebra- tion. This punch is a strong drink - LOWER LEFT: tpg. 22 Today the Sesquicentennial Chapel serves as a- symbol of Miami's past and 'a plan Ego? of tradition. LEFT: The muralin': he Heritage Room depicts thejgaie , Old Miami. ABOVE: On theni L' the Bicentennial Ball, John W on behalf of the studentb tribute to President Shriv made strong by 167 years of graduates who have done well in the world. Hopefully, Mother Miami will keep up this tradition drink to the celebrators of the nation's tricen- tennial. ' - Forrest Houlette Our Heritoge 23 Photographs tpg. 22VRick LuBuono; Photograph tpg. 23VViani Navarette