Springfield College - Massasoit Yearbook (Springfield, MA)

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The MASSASOIT 13 fourth, are alumni of the school. The physical course has furnished 2 physical directors for foreign work, 29 physical directors for schools and colleges in this country and 5 physical directors for other organizations. That Thesis Perhaps the one great and predominating task of the busy Senior is the preparation of “that thesis.” This task, we believe, is responsible for more anxiety and worry, more “midnight oil” and early vigils, more downright, persistent, patient plodding than any other event in connection with the course. The dreaded regulations of the trustee board inform the weary student that “A Senior will be recommended by the faculty to the trustees for graduation only after passing satisfactorily in every branch of the course and after presenting a thesis. Two neatly typewritten copies of each thesis (an original and first carbon copy on good linen paper 8)4x11 inches), after acceptance by the faculty, shall be bound in “regulation binding” and filed with the librarian. It is desirable that each volume when bound shall not be less than half an inch in thickness, so as to be readily marked on the back. It is understood that these theses when produced are the property of the Training School, which shall have the “right of publication.” It is in accordance with the mandates of this declaration that the worthy Seniors are brought forward and instructed to “choose ye, this day, what ve shall write, and after the first few weeks of the opening term the majority have their subjects chosen and are (sup- posedly) spending many thoughtful hours in their preparation. The subjects chosen cover a very wide range, and vary according to the individual tastes and interests of the writers. Some have attained to a very high degree of merit, winning the much coveted “worthy of highest praise.” Some are now quoted as the only authorities on the ground the} cover, and have been published both in pamphlet form and by leading scientific journals. The Senior Trip One of the most interesting and profitable features of the Senior year is the annual tour to New York and “way stations,” the object of which is expressed by the phrase, “education by observation.” On this tour the

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12 The MASSASOIT exchange observations on the experiences of the summer months. No matter how pleasant and profitable the vacations may have been, the opinion is everywhere expressed that there is no spot on earth as pleasant as the scenes of Dear old T. S., and all are eager for the renewal of the busy hours in the class room, in the study, and on the field. Growth of the School By permission of the editor of Association Men, we take pleasure in reproducing the following paragraph, which appeared in Men, for January, 1 DO. ) : The Springfield Training School has made steady progress. The number of students has increased over (!() per cent, the financial resources over 70 per cent, and the library has practically doubled its capacity. Courses have been added in the secretarial department, in municipal sociology, religious education, principles and methods of Bible teaching. The course in secretarial methods has been strengthened by the assistance of specialists in the departments of Bible study, religious meetings for men, missions, educational work and work for boys. In the physical course the faculty has been increased by the addition of an instructor in physiological chemistry and physics, gymnastics and athletics. Two laboratories have been added, one devoted to the physiology of exercise and the other to his- tology. New courses have been added in physiology of exercise, in hygiene, fencing and wrestling. The field work has been considerably increased. Ninety-nine men have graduated from the three years ' course of study, and a considerable number have taken from one to two years ' training. Seven alumni have entered work in foreign lands. Of the 519 general secretaries employed in the United States and Canada 07, or one eighth of the number, are alumni of the school. The secretarial depart- ment has furnished men for other departments as follows : For the foreign field and for supervisory positions in the United States and Canada, 15; for local boys’ departments, 11; Railroad Associations, 5; Industrial Associations, 2; Colored Associations, 3; also 10 assistant secretaries, one educational director, one army secretary and one religious work director. The number of graduates working in allied lines of religious work is IS. Of the 203 physical directors now employed by the Associations 04, or one

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14 The MASSASOIT ♦ largest and most successful branches of the Young Men ' s Christian Asso- ciation in New York and other cities, two of the largest universities, and many boys’ clubs, social settlements and similar institutions are visited. An opportunity is thus afforded to meet the leaders in the field of Asso- ciation effort, also those in the field of physical education in our schools and colleges. The trip this year has of course been the most successful in the his- tory of the school. Leaving Springfield on the morning of Thursday, March 1 ( , an enthusiastic, gay party of eighteen youths under the paternal care of Dr. Doggett, the contrast was very evident, as parties of one, two or three weary, haggard students slowly wended their way back to the dormitory. The first point visited was the beautiful and modern plant of the New Haven Association. Here, after a few hours of “condensed education” and dinner, we visited Dwight 1 1 all and the gymnasium at Yale University. Making a short stop at Bridgeport, we finally reached New York Union Depot at nine o’clock, and after a few hours spent in friendly argument with railroad and hotel officials, were finally lodged in our temporary resting place. From the Ashland House as headquarters we made many sallies upon the unsuspecting - Associations and secretaries, and in every case were treated with that kindness and courtesy which is synonymous with the name of Association leadership. A brief outline of our tour is all that space will allow us to present. Thursdav, our time was occupied with three hours of traveling and the visits to New Haven and Bridgeport Associations and to Yale University; Friday, the West Side Branch, Eighty-sixth Street Branch and Avenue ■‘.V’ Boys Club; Saturday, Brooklyn Central, where we were the guests of the Brooklyn secretaries for luncheon, the Navy Association, and the St. George’s Church, followed by a visit to the institutional department of the church, and in the afternoon attended the West Side men’s meeting Young Men’s Institute, and Bowery Branch: Sunday, morning service at and the famous address on “The Landless Man to the Manless Land; Mondaw the Twenty-third Street Branch, Foreign and College offices, International Committee, and the “grand finale” being the annual banquet given to the Senior Class by the Metropolitan Alumni Association; Tues-