Springfield College - Massasoit Yearbook (Springfield, MA)

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The first building used for classes was the Armory Hill Y.M.C.A. Tuition was free, but board could cost up to three dollars per week. The YMCA strongly supported the new school, with four men in the YMCA hierchy becoming trustees to the school. In 1877, all of the initial debts for the establishing of the school had been repaid, and two important men had joined the faculty: Luther Halsey Gulick and Oliver C. Morse. Robert Roberts was the first person to be placed in charge of the P.E. program, and within two years, at the age of 23, Luther Halsey Gulick became Roberts successor. The school’s growing P.E. programs established a need for more athletic fields, and a larger campus. Fortunately, both needs were satisfied with the purchase of property on Alden Street. ID S jf 6 V f r ( 3

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SPRINGFIELD’S FIRST CENTURY . The foundation and the establishment of Springfield College began in 1865, with Henry S. Lee, then the president of Springfield Institute for Savings. He and two other companions asked why a group of children were out sliding, instead of Sunday school. Their answer was that there was not a school for them to attend in the area. This sparked a response in Henry S. Lee that resulted in the establishment of a Sunday school in the home of a former slave named Eli Davis. The school was successful, and in the years to come, the attendance on Sundays grew so great that it was necessary to establish satellite Sunday Schools for the over flow of interested students. The idea of founding a school for Christian Workers was discussed and widely accepted during a discussion that took place on the Tuesday of Thanksgiving week in 1884. The people present decided that the school's classes would begin in January of 1885. The newly elected president was Rev. David Allen Reed. The establishment of the school was a controversial issue between the area clergymen, and caused a “falling-out among them. The school, however, opened with an initial attendance of five students, and the first act of the faculty was to suspend classes for one week until the controversey had quited down. Below: Class of 1887

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Luther Halsey Gulick The inverted Triangle was adopted as the school's emblem three months before the first comencement ceremonies,. The symbol was devised by Luther Halsey Gulick and symbolized the unit of many in his spirit, mind and body. When Dr. Reed retired, Henry S. Lee reluctantly agreed to become president. During his two year term, Lee saw the invention of basket ball. Professor James Naismith needed a game to keep the students active between football and baseball, and therefore the game of basket ball came into being. (There is not a misspelling of the word. Originally, the game was two words, but numerous mispellings has caused it to be known as basketball today.) The cornerstone for the first building on the “new” campus was laid on May 12, 1894. This building is now known as the Administration Building. Originally, the building had classrooms, dorm rooms and offices. It was five stories tall, but had the top three floors removed during World War II, after being found structurally unsound by the government. 4