Northeastern University - Cauldron Yearbook (Boston, MA)

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Northeastern fifty years ago Remember the things about Northeastern that struck you as a fresh- man, the seemingly Impersonal nature of a large urban institution, the cost of tuition and the realization that your first co-op job probably wouldn ' t make you a millionaire. Well Northeastern wasn ' t always the institution it is today. Try to imagine what if would have been like in the early days of this century. In 1900, when Northeastern was just the Evening Institute for Young Men of the Boston YMCA, tuition was only $5 a year and that included a YMCA membership. Twelve years later tuition had risen to the astronomi- cal price of $100 a year, still including the YMCA membership. Rooms at the Y were available at a cost of from $3.50 to $5 per week. Co-op began at Northeastern in 1909, three years after it had been developed at the University of Cincinnati (no, Northeastern didn ' t invent co-op, they ' d just like you to think they did). The first companies to participate were the Boston and Maine Railroad, the Boston Consolidated Gas Company and the Boston Elevated Railway Company. Eight students were enrolled in the program the first year. Students earned from $5 to $6 a week on a pay scale of 10 cents per hour the first year. In their fourth year students could earn up to 16 cents per hour. Going to college in the early twentieth century was a little different than it is today. A typical school day in 1914 began at 9 a.m. and ended at 2:30 p.m. with a 30 minute lunch break. Students were not permitted to leave the building without permission except at lunchtime. A close check was made on student abscences. The university enforced a no cut system. Students who were failing courses were warned, chased down and re- quired to report to the department for extra help. In the thirties consumption of alcoholic beverages was almost a sin. Drinking at university functions was once grounds for severe disciplinary action. Rules of conduct were set by the administration, with no input from faculty or students.