Springfield College - Massasoit Yearbook (Springfield, MA)

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▼ (j olden Years ▼ ▼ ing in the establishment ot the Social Science, Natural Science and General Arts and Sciences departments in 1934. Today vve see the successkil result of the incessant efforts of those pioneers ot the previous century. Springfield College— a broad pro- gram a well-balanced curricula an efhcient faculty- a well- balanced foreign association a college experience ot diversity, offer- ing the young man with a purpose an opportunity for a technical and liberal education among men of character, purpose and ideals. .■ nd thus we see Springfield today, training and developing men of purpose and character. 1 omorrow, we can visualize the college still training men who, hv their ability and unique college experience, are in demand by society, to mould and guide the lives of not only the voLith of America, hut also to lead the parade of social intercourse among adults, m an attempt to realize the abundant life. W e salute you, Springfield, for your indomitable spirit, growing through the years. Sometimes you were thwarted, hut you kept constantly moving. W e admire your graduates in their service to man throughout the world. And so a toast to you, Springfield, on this birthday, commemorating your golden ANNIVERSARY. “ To you, beloved Springfield, in your success this memorable year. For your value to man, may you never die.” 16

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Golden Years ▼ ▼ T startling football teams. If ever there was a golden age of sports at Springfield, it was then. It was Springfield who played with ale in the first game of indoor football in the Madison Square Gar- den. In 1907 in the Harvard Stadium Dr. McCurdy demonstrated his invention, the spiral pass from center and the forward pass before a crowd of 45,000 spectators. In 1910 Springfield maintained a decisive lead over West Point m a stirring football game which finally ended in a victorv for the Army when they kicked a last-minute goal kick. This year marks the advent of Coach Brock for the soccer team. Then, as today, there was an effort being made by the student body for the restatement of the college title. Our present-day “ radi- cals” prove to be no novel group after all. By 1915 such structures as the Administration Building, an addi- tional gymnasium (West Gymnasium), the library and the McCurdy Natatorium were present on these grounds. Among the faculty at that time were such men as Professor Hyde, Professor Affleck, Dr. McCurdy, Dr. Campbell, and of course Dr. Berry. Here appear the most significant links in the chain of growth between the original creation and the present college as we know it. Not only in the realm of sports were we prominent then. Profes- sor Hyde was already outstanding because of his poetic and musical contributions. In 1915 he was not only writing poems, hut playing the organ and writing music with proficiency. Woods Hall was functioning as a social and dining hall then as today. 1 here were private eating clubs, among which was the noted Piggly Eating Club about which organization little can he gleaned from the records, hut which seemingly was a real force at the time. The entrance of the United States into that horrifying struggle in 1914 had a parado.xical effect upon Springfield. From a standpoint of service to the Allies, the college contributed many valuable men to the cause, though sacrificing ultimately some of her finest and most capable leaders. If a “dark ages” was to be noted it was from 1920 to 1930. Society was rebuilding its broken and disintegrated routine. Everywhere reconstruction was predominant. Even the college, though not actually torn and discouraged, was involved in an effort to rebuild, reorganize and develop more effectively its increasing student body and curricula. By 1930, the school was efficiently equipped with proper buildings to accommodate her rapidly increasing student body. It was then that the influx of numerous progressive young professors marks the new era of growth for Springfield. There it was that the college finally escaped the narrow and somewhat stagnant traces of the nineties and awoke to a redefinition of courses and curricula, result-

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T T T LAW RENCE L. IXXiCETT Ph. D„ D. D. President of the College T ▼ T 17