Muhlenberg College - Ciarla Yearbook (Allentown, PA)

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have become part of the Muhlenberg scene. Class lines were practically obliterated and regulations for Freshmen, permitted to enter College at the beginning of each sixteen-week term, were eliminated. Only class scrap to survive the war years was the annual tug-of-war held yearly over Cedar Creek. In place of the Junior Prom and the Senior Ball, normally held once each year, a formal Graduation Ball was held at the end of each term. Student Council sponsored many other informal dances and, at least once each term, Navy men entertained at a dance to which they invited the civilian student body. Bands and drum and bugle corps were organized on several occasions, but their principal function was to play for reviews and inspections of the Navy units. The Chapel Choir had a continuous existence through the war years, although it made only a few appearances away from the campus. It was a matter of considerable satisfaction both to those remaining on the campus and to Muhlenberg men in all corners of the world that before each Christmas holiday the College community gathered about the large spruce tree on the front campus to sing carols and hear a brief greeting from President Tyson. During the years when restrictions made it impossible to illuminate the tree with the customary blue globes, red flares suihced to preserve the tree-lighting tradition. Mask and Dagger produced at least one show each term, its offerings includ- ing Squaring the Circle , The Poor of New York , Death Takes a Holiday , Volpone , journey's End , Macbeth , The Rope , and Shadow and Sub- stance . A joint committee of the Faculty and Student Body arranged for a series of assembly programs that brought lecturers and entertainers to the campus and various community groups cooperated in providing entertainment and social func- tions for the men of the Navy units. I One of the major social events that gained Muhlenberg nation-wide recog- nition was the Coca Cola Spotlight Band broadcast that brought Vaughn Monroe to the College community to salute the men of the second Navy training unit. More than 130 stations in a coast-to-coast chain carried the program and the Rain- bow Room at Central Park was jammed for the dance that followed. The Kiwanis Club and the Allentown Woman's Club combined for several informal dances and parties and the Lehigh County USO brought its shows and special attractions to the campus. More recognition came to the College when the United States Maritime Com- mission named one of its new troop-carrying Victory ships the SS MUHLENBERG VICTORY and selected Mrs. Levering Tyson as its sponsor. The vessel was launched at the Bethlehem-Fairfield yards in Baltimore on july 12, 1946 and made its first test 'run a month later. In another few weeks it went into service to return men from the European theatre and when those assignments were completed, it was converted into a cattle ship to help replenish Europe's war-depleted larder. It was also during the war years that Muhlenberg launched the campaign to Left, top: East Hall, the Upper Class dormitory: bottom, West Hall, the Freshman Dor- mitory. V U51

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make possible its proposed new Field House-a drive that to date has brought in nearly SB420,000 of the s5oo,o0o that will be the minimum needed to erect the building as soon as materials become available. The College's last civilian commencement was held in June 1943 when Louis P. Lochner, former chief of the Associated Press Bureau in Germany and Central Europe spoke as degrees were conferred on a class of fifty-one seniors. Through the years the accelerated program was in operation commencement exercises, each of which brought a top-ranking Naval officer to the campus, were held at the close of every term. In October 1945, Rear Admiral Louis E. Denfeld, Assistant Chief of the Bureau of Naval Personnel, spoke as seventeen seniors received degrees and seventy-one Bluejackets and Marines were presented with special certificates. Rear Admiral Wat T. Cluverius, Naval veteran recalled to special duty, was the speaker in February 1944 when sixteen seniors were graduated and 125 trainees completed their college work. In june 1944 Captain john Kelvey Richards, then commandant of the Midshipmenis School at Columbia and Director of Training in the Third Naval District, spoke to the thirty-three seniors and the 129 Bluejackets and Marines who received degrees or certificates. Captain Arthur S. Adams, Director of the Administration Division of the Navy's Training Activity, was the speaker for the graduation ceremonies in October 1944 when the College conferred fourteen degrees and awarded 160 certificates to Navy men. At the same ceremonies the unit was reviewed by Captain James Holloway, then Director of Training in the Bureau of Naval Personnel and now Superintendent of the Naval Academy at Annapolis. In February 1945 Dr. joseph W. Barker of the Columbia University Faculty, war- time special assistant to the Secretary of the Navy, delivered the commencement address and the College conferred ten degrees and awarded sixty-seven certificates. In june 1945 Rear Admiral William M. Fechteler, Assistant Chief of Naval Per- sonnel, spoke to the group that included ten seniors and 180 Naval trainees. Speakers at three commencements for men of the Academic Refresher units were Lieutenant Samuel W. Miller '26, Lieutenant Commander Winfred Slemmer '26, and Rear Admiral O. S. Colclough, Judge Advocate General of the Navy. In June 1946, when the College held its last combined graduation ceremonies and awarded sixty baccalaureate degrees and 129 Navy certificates, and itself received the Navy's Mark of Commendation, the speaker was Vice-Admiral Richard L. Conolly, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations. As Muhlenberg made the temporary Faculty adjustments necessary to main- tain teaching standards and at the same time meet the needs of a student body that generally numbered more men in uniform than in sports jackets, it also sought to strengthen its staff for the post-war period. Added to the Faculty as full professors prior to july 1, 1946 were: Dr. John W. Doberstein, chaplain and professor of Religion, Dr. Elmer K. Kilmer, professor of Education, and Floyd B. Schwartz- walder, professor of Physical, Education and head football coach. More joined the ranks as assistant professors and as instructors and others came and left when Right, top: The College Commonsg bottom, The President's Home. L 161