Swarthmore College - Halcyon Yearbook (Swarthmore, PA)

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THE ymitrm ©? 4) regress of tl)e V ar By J ' ri ' .siileiit .luaepli Swain G ment. celebrated as F ' ouiid- The exercises were President VV. H. P. President Joseph S a!n ' OMPLYING witli the reciuest from tlie Alumni Association, the Board of Managers changed Alumni Day from Third-day to Seventh-day. The change went into effect last Commence- In order to make Alumni, Baccalaureate, and Com- mencement Days on consecutive days and at the week- end, the Commencement period has been somewhat short- ened, the Commencement being held on Second-day in- stead of Fourth-day. Perhaps a longer period of trial is necessary before hnal judgment can be passed on this arrangement, but thus far the change seems to have given satisfaction. Founders ' Day Tenth month 28th, was this year ers ' Day. The attendance was large, held in the Outdoor Auditorium. Faunce of Brown University, gave the chief address. We have seldom, if ever, had at Swarthmore a more fitting or more appreciated address than that of President Faunce. The day was a fine one. The speaker placed himself in touch with the audience at once when he said, If this is a specimen of an Octolier day at Swarthmore, then I wish that all the year were October and all the world a Swarthmore. Wharton Hall The third and last section of Wharton Hall, the men ' s dormitory, was almost com- pleted during the past summer. In all essential particulars the building has been com- pleted as approved by the donor, Joseph Wharton. The problem of a suitable college home for the young men is now solved for this generation. In connection with the completion of Wharton Hall it seems appropriate to call attention to the fact that the dormitory for men is only one of the many gifts of Joseph Wharton for the up-building of Swarthmore. He gave the money for one-half of the Science Building: all the money for the Meeting House; he helped to endow the Library, and endowed the Professorship of Political Science. He gave in all about $250,000 to the college. During a long and useful lifetime he set a noble example of great achieve- ment, high intellectual attainment, and sterling personal character. The New Athletic Fields It has been evident for many years that some change in our athletic field was nec- essary. Whittier Field was too small, was too near buildings already erected and was the natural site for at least three new buildings. With the completion of Swarthmore and .Alumni Fields this question has been satisfactorily settled for all time. In order to make way for these fields it was necessary to move the water tank, the barn, and the servants ' quarters, and to construct new tennis courts. The grading itself involved the movement of a great amount of eartli, sliale, and solid rock, the greatest cut being about fourteen feet and the deepest fill about thirty-five feet. The money for grading the baseball field was given in part by .A ' umni and others, and the remainder for this field and all the money for the football field and track was given by Morris L. Clothier, ' 90. Tlie Committee that solicited the funds consisted of Howard Cooper Johnson, ' 96, Chair- man: Morris L. Clothier, ' 90: Henry C. Turner, ' 93, and Robert H. Walker, ' 02. . portion of the fill required for the new fields w s obtained by lowering the grade of Whittier Field and making it conform to the natural slope from the Chemistry Building to Beardsley Hall. This not only furnished material for the fill liut in addition greatly improved the a|)pcarance of this portion of the campus, and also impro c(l tlie sites for any new buildings that may be located there. The college is much indebted to all tliose who have contributed to make this movement possible, but feels esijecially indebted to Morris L. Clothier, who gave so generously, both of his money and time, that the College might have these large, lieautiful, and conveniently located fields. Beardsley Hall The Engineering Slio]) liuilding, in Tenth Month last, was named by the Board of Managers, Beardsley Hall, in recognition of the devoted and efficient services of Arthur 12

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THE K ACYOi ®r 19 H available, a student body nevertheless resembles nothing in the world so much as a flock of sheep. Some, perchance, hold aloof from the struggle on the specious pre- te xt that the} ' are preparing themselves for the sterner trials after graduation. With most, however, it is sheer ditifidence or plain preference for irresponsible drifting. Yet every baccalaureate orator in the country will soon be busy hailing 191 7 ' s crop of grad- uates as the chosen leaders of the future, specially prepared for this function b} ' their college training! Leaders there are, of course, for the various student activities. — athletic, dramatic, journalistic, religious, social, and what not. Always, however, the tendency is strongly marked for offices in these various lines to gravitate into a few hands. Out of the six hundred students sixteen become known as live wires of the familiar type which prides itself upon never allowing their studies to interfere with their college work. So common is this concentration of power in a few strong or popular hands that faculties have begun to legislate against it. Each undergraduate office is given the value of a certain n umber of points according to the time it recjuires or the honor it carries with it. No student is allowed to accumulate offices in excess of a certain num- ber of points. It is a clumsy mechanical device, a mere crutch at best, but helpful per- haps under existing conditions. What is really needed among students is a wide- spread, vigorous industrious spirit of emulation that will smash prevailing cliques and coteries into fiindereens and open wide all avenues to leadership and influence. Atheltics and social activities are useful in their place, but that place is of secondary importance. Primarily the business of the student is to study. And of the faculty to see that he does it or makes room for men who will. In spite of all the scholarships and aids there are thousands of the latter stamp outside our colleges today. An effi- cient educational system based on truly democratic lines would prevent this senseless neglect of splendid human material and the equally senseless casting of pearls before those not eager to treasure them. Of course this will seem a dreadfuU} ' pedantic and radical conclusion to many of my college friends. The cakes and ale contingent will howl over it in chorus. Dull epicureans that they are, how should they understand that only sturdy eff ort creates healthy appetite? Too well have they grasped the profound principle that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. But they are prone to forget that all play and no work makes Jack a sad shirk. And those colleagues of mine who believe in inspiration rather than perspiration will also protest. Certainly I am not an enemy of the former, but I have never yet seen inspirations ripen unless they were plentifully v. ' atered with perspiration. All things considered, pessimism certainly is not indicated by any thoroughgoing- study and experience of American college life. If there is a body of youth anywhere on this planet more lovable, more vigorous, more clean of body and of spirit than our undergraduate men and women I have never run across it. The miracles of growth that are accomplished between the freshman and senior years constantly renew one ' s faith in human nature. Not that the college can claim credit for all the growth that the booming years between eighteen and twenty-two brings to its children. But Alma Mater at least fosters this growth with keen interest and solicitous cultivation. In the return of her children ' s love her own richest harvest is garnered. Old Ponce de Leon sought in vain the fountain of eternal youth. Many a college professor has found it in close contact and co-operation with an American student body. 11

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M llCYOi ®F 191© Beardsley. for eighteen years in the Department of Engineering. It is a matter of grati- fication that this tribnte to the late Professor Beardsley was given while he was yet ' ' ' S- Jonathan K. Taylor Scholarship By the will of the late Jonathan K. Taylor, Swarthmore College is to receive the sum of $10,000 to establish a scholarship. The condition of the gift is in part as follows: ' T give and bequeath to Swarthmore College, Swarthmore. Pennsylvania, the sum of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000) for the purpose of a perpetual scholarship, to be know as the ' Jonathan I-v. Taylor Scholarship. ' I direct that the recipients of this schol- arship shall be selected by the Board of Trustees of the Baltimore Monthly Meeting of Friends, Park Avenue. American Astronomical Society The American Astronomical Society held its nineteenth annual meeting at Swarth- more College in the Sproul Observatory August 28th. to September 2nd, 1916. There were present eighty-five astronomers, coming from all parts of the United States and Canada; also a representative from Japan, two from Holland, and one from Belgium The membership of the society includes the greatest astronomers of America, most of whom were present, among them being the President of the Society, Professor Edward C. Pickering, Director of the Harvard College Observatory: Dr. L. A. Bauer, Director of the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism of the Carnegie Institution of ashing- t.on: Director Schlesinger of Allegheny Observatory ' , Director Fox of Dearborn Observatory, Director Mitchell of McCormick Observatory, Director Doolittle of Flower Observator} ' , Professor Brown of Yale, Professor Russell of Princeton, and Professor Eichelberger, Director of the Nautical Almanac, The name of Anna J. Cannon of the Harvard College Observatory should be mentioned as she is the most distinguished woman astronomer in the world. Department of German As is generally known. Dr. Benjamin F. Battin has spent the time since the begin- ning of the European war in doing what he could to help establish better international relations. He has become so much absorbed in this work, ha ing a deep concern that it is his duty to continue it, that the Board of Managers have with great regret accepted his resignation from his present position. It is desired that he in some way, however, continue his connection with his Alma Mater. The College is fortunate in having Dr, Clara Price Newport to succeed him as Professor of German. She is a graduate of the College, has for five 3 ' ears had charge of a department in the absence of the head, is thoroughl} ' familiar with the ideals and workings of the College, and is in every waj ' equipped for this service. Proposed Girls ' Dormitory Shorth ' before last Commencement, J. S. and ' . P. Worth e.xpressed a desire to establish some permanent memorial to their parents, who were both managers of Swarthmore College, and stated that the} ' would contribute $50,000 for this purpose when the details had been agreed upon and satisfactorily covered, A Girls ' Dormitory being most needed at present, it was suggested to have plans prepared and start the building of one section. There was, however, more or less necessary delay in the selection of a site and the preparation of plans to be sulimitted to contractors, and when ready to ask for bids, it was found that labor and building material had so advanced that it would be unwise to start the work until conditions changed to a more normal basis. Therefore, the amount pledged has been turned over to the College, to be invested and added to bj- the interest which will accrue, imtil a building has been definitely de- termined upon and started, and in the meantime, $50,000 is in the possession of the Col- lege, and until otherwise used, will be designated as the Worth Fund. The Jubilee Fund . t the meeting of the Board of Managers in Tenth Month, 1915, the President of the Board was instructed to appoint a Committee to consider the question of increasing the endowment of the College and to report to the Board at its meeting the following Twelfth Month. The Committee is as follows: Emma C. Bancroft Howard Cooper Johnson Elsie Palmer Brown Joanna W. Lippincott Isaac H. Clothier ' ' ilson M. Powell Emma Mcllvain Cooper Marianna S. Rawson Robert M. Janney. Ex-Officio Philip M. Sharpies Charles F. Jenkins Joseph Swain Robert H. Walker Caroline H. Worth Robert M. Janney. E-x 13