Reed College - Griffin Yearbook (Portland, OR)

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Ii .xxxi EREED COLLEGE ANNUAL 1915 l7l assembly was really nothing more than a poorly lighted store- room, bare and unlovely when compared with the present Chapel; but there was, in those first gatherings, a spirit of en- thusiasm and earnestness of purpose which made the partici- pants forget all about the unplesantness of their surroundings. Tho social life was stil in a state of primitiv simplicity ; several successful parties wer given during the year. Dancing was an art little known to a large number of the students, and, in spite of the efforts of a few, who tried to promote interest in it, was kept in the background at all social gatherings. The question of the social independence of woman was partially solvd by what was nown as tithe lottery system? The first hint of the feminist movement came with two speakers who tried with seemingly fruitless efforts to enroll the women of the college in the cause of equal suffrage. Towards the end of the second semester the first clas watcht with increasing interest the beginnings of operations on the permanent college bildings. The hrst breaking of ground and the laying of the cornerstones of the Arts Bilding and 0f the dormitory wer accompanied by ceremonies in which the students took a prominent part. All plans for the future wer Shared between faculty and students and both lookt forward with equal enthusiasm to the delights of being on a real campus the folloing year. THE SECOND YEAR With the fall of 1912, work in the new quarters began in earnest. The size of the group was doubled and several new faculty members wer added. The Chapel was completed and dedicated and work on the grounds and bildings continued, fre- quently t0 the interruption of lectures. Mud was one of the most prominent features of the campus. About the middle of the term the fever for organization began to be felt and numerus clubs sprang into existence, almost over night. Many of these hav survived, tho the functions of some hav been taken over by larger bodies, while others hav ontgmwn their usefulness and hav disappeard. Two matters wer much discnst, the question of whether or not the women should go to college functions without escorts and the question of grades. Both finally reacht a peaceful set- tlement. The college and the city came more and more into con- tact with each other. Several of the college men took activ parts in the political meetings which preceded the adoption of Portland's commission form of government and many new frends wer gaind for the institution by the Conference on the Conservation of Human Life, held on the campus in May. The corns which had been going thrn a rigid course of training, under Mr. Barlow. hnisht up the year in a burst of glory by the effectiv singing of Liza Lehmannls III a PM'sian Garden.

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I61 STORY OF FIRST FOUR YEARS ITH an enrollment of only fifty students, and a fac- .. ulty of six, the Reed community during the first . year was more like a good-sized family than a real .I a .9 college. But in spite of this fact, many of the J present student activities had their beginnings in the crampt and inconvenient temporary quarters 1 on Jefferson street. Student government was organized, the a honor principle was adopted, and the beginnings of an athletic . system wer workt out. . It is tru that, for the first semester, athletics outside of tennis consisted, for the men, mainly of playing ttNigger Baby,y . I on the curb, and, for the women, of Walking around the block; but, when the Multnomah Club was opend to the Reed College . I students, more strenuug forms of exercise wer begun. Chapel servises wer held from the very first, but the matter of attendance soon constituted a problem. Tho chapel was never compulsory, a large part of the students went regularly. However, there wer occasions when the attendance outside the doors, which wer kept lockt during chapel time, was almost as large as that inside. A vote was taken among the students to discover whether or not, in their opinion, the servises should be continued. The result was a unanimus decision in favor of chapel, and a greatly increast attendance. The place of FIRST HOME OF REED COLLEGE

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I81 REED THE THIRD YEAR By the time the third year of college history was reacht student affairs wer becoming more and more organized. The Quest, which had been issued every two weeks the preceding semester, became a weekly, and was put on a more efficient basis by the adoption of a charter. Dramatics, interest in which had been aroused by the formation of the Drama Club the year before, receivd a fresh stimulus thru the presence of Professor Hammond. The completion of the gymnasium added new vigor t0 the athletic life of the college and made possible several untried forms of sport. In order to stir up college spirit in a new way, a rally was pland early in the second semester. This gathering was instru- mental in arousing a genuin and spontaneus enthusiasm which was a surprise even to those who manifested it. A good part of the spring term was spent in getting redy for the performance of Antigone which came just before the second conference. This Portland 1915 Conference was even more successful than the one of the previus year, and attracted wide attention thruout the city. By this time social life at the college was becoming more complex. Dancing had come to be a popular form of amuse- ment and numerus dances wer given. The democracy of some of these parties was questiond and the matter was made the subject of many a lengthy argument among the students. COLLEGE ANNUAL 4- 1915 The sanguinary mystery of the Arts bildings was another nine days, wonder, but it was soon forgotten in the stres of examination week. THE FOURTH YEAR Last fall the college Opend its doors for the first time to a student body consisting of four classes, and the upperclasmen became seniors in name as wel as in responsibility. The first intercollegiate debates wer held in January, and the Reed men came out victorius. The enthusiasm which fol- loed the decision of the judges wil not soon be forgotten by those who wer on the campus at the time. During the first semester interest in the feminist movement was increasing among the women. Symposia wer held on the subject and books upon feminism wer in demand from the library. Even some of the stand-patters began to waver in their firmness against the independence of woman, economically, politically, and socially. In the meantime, however, classes in modern dancing in the gymnasium wer being wel attended, and a markt increase in the enthusiasm for new steps was manifest. For a short time dancing became one of the most prominent extra-curricular activities. It was later superseded, however, dramatics taking its place in popularity. ,T'r.