University of Chicago - Cap and Gown Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

Page 27 text:

appoint at more modest salaries, young men who showed these were to work under. . promise in original 1esearch; the influence of the cider, experienced faculty, and, upon later necessity, to replace them. Dr. Burton next turned his attention to the students and created new advantages for the undergraduate. A Dean of the Colleges was appointed, and mote assistant cleans1 to aid and advise the' students in their choice or- pursuit of studies. This added supervision resulted in fewer failures and raised the general standard of gonduct and scholarship. Credit for uextra work was still re! ceived in the CoIIeges. Scholastic requirements for eligi' bility were made thesame for class officers as for 31th letes. It was during this administration that Dr. Michelson of the department of physics received the Nobel prize. In those happy days, the tuition ranged from sixty to sew enty'hve dollars in the College of Liberal Arts, eighty dollars in .the Medical School, and eighty'fwe in the School of Business. - In the early 20's, the old Dramatic Club was divided into two organizations, the ihGargoyles and the iiTower Players. The latter was of a iiworkshopii type, and con! sisted entirely of men; its founder was Will Geer, later of Broadway fame. With the inevitable realization of the 01d proverb, United we stand; divided we fall,n the two groups fused in 1924 into the Dramatic Association. This fusion naturally resulted in better support and manage' ment; student interest was aroused, and the plays were characterized by a. smoothness of detail and hnish of performance. By October, 1924, the Dramatic Association had its own quarters in the Tower Room adjoining the Reynolds Theatre stage. Frank Hurburt OiHara, the new director of dramatics, was also in charge of all student activities, but soon he was to be able to devote his entire time, talent. and energy to the student dramaties. 9 The former Prince of Wales visits the Campus with a smile. beauty. Abqut this time, University women wanted a dramatic group of their own and secured 125 signatures to a 'petition for av separate organization. As a direct result, Mirror was formed in 1925. Its ideal: to reflect the college girl as she isewith music, dance, satire, and a bit of i1 Suitably enough, the hrst revue was titled Where Are We Going:2n but the merit of that hrst show left no room for query; Mirror was to be an integral part of student activities. Since 1920, Blackfriars produc- tions have become more la'vish in their presentation; a show may be weak in talent but make a hit by extravagant scenes and costuming. Already an established tradition, Blackfriars flourished in the Burton reign. Legends of So Long, Susan U920 and iiPlastered in Paris 09270 still ring on the campus. Up to 1929, the Board of Super! iors was elected by members of the order in an Open election, and a ward committeeman would have been completely outclassed in the politics which resulted A change was made in the constitution so that the outgoing Board of Superiors were to appoint their successors. Recent furor indicates that politics still reigns supreme. During the presidency of Burton and successor Max Mason, the crash of '29 seemed a remote possibility and so the Universitfs social set went blithely on its way. Until 1929, there was a steady upward trend in the growth of fraternities. Traditionally, fraternities have stood for the histatus quo. Most of them were founded in small colleges, imbued with a Joe College spirit of ritual, secret grip, and hazing. They were Iargely antie intellectual and did not keep pace with the growth in intellectual life of the colleges. The old rushing policy was to keep the newiyvarrived freshman from seeing the larger houses; he was, at the latest, pledged the third day after contact. In one instance, a freshman desired by two different houses was spirited off the train by representa' tives of one house at 59th street, while representatives

Page 26 text:

O Wartime Reserve of- ficers training corps. fields of education were opened up, and new schools esv tablished. It was necessary d u t i n g these years of the Universityis youth to obtain prominent educators who had already established themselves in their own fields. Salaries to attract such men w e r e necessarily high. but the per' sonal frame that these men achieved was naturally transt ferred to the grow ing University. In 1913, Dr. Milliken received the Cemstock Prize for his research on electricity, magnetism, and radiant energy. In 1920 Dr. Michelson was elected to the French Royal Academy of Sciencest President Judson himself brought fame to the University when, in 1910, he received the decoration of thcer of the Legion of Honor. Under Judson a system of retiring allowances to professors, and allowances to their widows, was established. This system has been so improved that now it is one of the most competent in the United States. New methods of instruction and admission were also introduced. In 1911, high school students aspiring to attend the University of Chicago were required to be in the upper section of their high school class; in 1920, the grade required for entrance was set at a minimum of two-thirds of the passing grade of the school from which the student had graduated, plus thirty'three and a third per cent. Those deemed capable, but who were prevented from making such grades by being forced to earn their way through school, were admitted on the basis of phsychological aptitude tests. From the students; view point there were also financial changes in 1916. The tuition was raised from $40 to $50 a quarter. After the Armistice, Le Verne Noyes gave $2,500,000 in Chicago real estate, the income from which was to provide scholar! ships for the veterans of the World War, and their descendants. o Threaquarters ciub hazing - publicly administered. In the Senior college the privilege of electing courses was granted; the faculty extolled. this method as conducive to making the students program coherent and progressixre. Early in the 192015. radio offered new possibilities for a. medium of instruction. University interest became so great that the Daily Maroon started a hradl'o news section ! In 1922 Professor Moulton began the broad! casting over WMAQ, with his astronomy lecture entitled The Everlasting Sky? 1926 witnessed the hrst broad! casting of claSSi-oom lectures. Later, with the inceptioin of the New Plan and its attendant survey lectures, greater possibilities were to become apparent; until, in 19333314, the complete series of Humanities Survey lectures was broadcast. At that particular comprehensive, notes 'and syllabi Were brought to the examinationT'room; the exam- ing board considered the ability to select and synthesize far more important than the mere knowledge of facts. Harry Pratt Judson cdntinued in ofhce three ye'ars'past the retiring age of '70, resigning in 1923. His admin? istration was characterized by a. slow, steady upward trend, rather than by striking innovations. Harper and. Judson had guided the University safely through its dangerous infancy; the character and individuality of its adolescence remained to be developed by its presi' dents of the future. ' 93ft anh Aniuitg The administration of 'Ernest DeWitt Burton had the effect of a stimulus on the steadily but slowly beating heart of the University.-'New ideas in education, a boom in campus activities, a new building era-all gave life and impetus to the temporarily dormant institution, and' brilliantly added to the already colorful history of our University. - ' - In 1923, Dr. Burton, an intimate friend and associate of former Presidents Harper and Judson, Was unanimously elected President of the University of Chicago. President Burton immediately took steps to expand and improve the. departments of the University. He saw that the original personnel was growing old. How to replace these with equally capable men was a problem of no little importance, and one which had never before confronted the young University. He reeagnized that high salaries were needed to attract and hold capable men, but additional funds were not available. Finally the decision was made to Nin cteen

Page 28 text:

from the other waited in vain at 63rd. 'ngh pressure methods included the pledging of freshmen whlle they were drunk. One Beta actually went at; farI as to pledgia freshman while both were in the Chl Ps1 lodge. In tde earlier day, there was a stigma attached to the mdepertt EM; no seiferespecting girl wouIld date a non'fratern; y man, and one Quad was ostrac1zIedIat aIclub partybIIoIJI' bringing an houtsider. Dean WllIklnIs med to estaIII ls order, in one instance, when he dlsmlssed three stuI enctIs at a settlement dance, charging that they were Imehpate .l Dean Wilkins also inaugurated the preferentlal dlnneIlI-I in ciuh rushing in April of 1924. In February of $925 tte Psi Upsilon fraternity won exemptlon from State rope: 3: Tax, because it was an educational and charltahIIe metigtl:l tion!H And in April of the same year, the MlhlgaIr-y af was inaugurated. It was in I927 that the then ernceIIIt: Wales visited the Chicago campus and dined m e Hutchinson Commons. I . In 1927 a quiet spot for relaxatlon, cailed the Umv Sod Fountain, was opened. Before-ltIs opIenlng, students chriZtened it more familiary the TTSpa. With its changigg character, it changed its name and has becoIme oug- $811If ee Peacock Alley, acrid with smoke and g0551p-- t e 0 She . I I I Agter the World War, there was a great mihax oIIfh i113: into the University. This fact may account 3015124 ewe triumphs in the 19203. In the years 1922 aILn b ketball had a champion football team w1thI a champmg asII the team in 1920 and 1924. The tenms team heI 0orIIIII 011 h championship for five successive years, .192II K; E 1924; the University gymnastic team bicameh aiglfal y repeatedly winning the title from II920 t rang 't Cr-isler In the sports limelight at' that tune were hi'zmurder: Campbell Dickson, Elmer Lampe tfamous fcnI I 15 fcer be 0115 tackle of NorthwesternTs star, Moan Ba. :1:ng d Chi- had caught a puntL Bob CurIIey twho drop;I 111k Paul Cago to the '24 championshlpL JIaCk P01; elIII3 f1 team Hinkle, and Ed Curtiss. The champtonshlp ISlot a 1 bid of 1924 had a perfect record; even though t eytonmy ton three games, and won two, the famous IllIgnoI: ?'m-le '5 which Red Grange starredt was heIdIZIvJ Y ', Y three kicks. , I I I I President Burton, reIalizingII t? Bievsggtyfogeggrg; ment of the h sical ant 0 t e I II , I I Plans for theptTyDeveloppment CampaIlgnI. For Iiim$egfgli needs $17,500,000 was deemed sufECIent, so abl' et 'Two firm was consulted on how to eqnduct the puH1c1rygft5ItOI new ViceIPresidents were appointed, james - ersity ' ' ' tt care handle internal affairs, and Mr. Trevor Arnett o I for business matters. For publicity and the epngifgnganog alumni for contributions, Mr. Henry JIlIlstlnI assistants Mr John Y. Aitchison were va1ted to ecome I I to the President. I Meanwhile RuSh Medlcal ' The Inter-Fratemily Sing. 0k traditional highlight through the yearsJ Chllege was incorporated o 24, our last championship football team. into the University U929; steps toward this nnaI achievement had been taken as far back as 1898. An anonymous donor had added a large sum to the fund for the building of the Diviriity School. tPresident Burton lightened pre' vious religious requisites fat the President and trusteesj The chiI' dren of Mrs. Anna M. Swift ene dowed it, and construction was soon started. Miss Marion Talbot provided a foundation, hearing her name, for the advancement of education of women by defraying the expenses of lectures, publications, research, etc. The original chapel plans were restudied in this-period, though unfortunately, the architect, Bertram G. Goodhue, had died-Mr. and Mrs. Wieholdt saw need of a building for modern languages and through the Wieboldt Foundation, gaveSSSOQOOO to he used in erecting the building. In the midst of the new round of activity, President Burton died on May 28, 1925. It was the responsibility of his successor to carry to completion the unfinished plans. max manna UHEE-IHEET ' Max Mason, a professor of mathematical physics at the University of Wisconsin, became the new President of the University of Chicago on October 1, 1925'. Dr; Tufts and Mr. Arnett who resigned as Vice-Presidents were replaced by Professor Frederic CA Woodward and Mr. Lloyd R. Steere. ' The Committee on Development had carried out a very successful campaign, and many new buildings were now under way. Swift Hall, the new Theology Building, was completed; Bond Chapel, the University ChapeI, and the Albert Merritt Billings Hospital were begun during 1925,26. The Carnegie Corporation endowed the Gradur ate Library School, while the Commonwealth Fund, Gen. eral Education Board, and the Laura- SpelmIan Rockefeller Memorial continued their help. The ' Illinois Training Schonl for' Nurses gave about a'haIlf aImillion dollars toward the establishment of the School of Nursing. The Dr. Girard von Schaick Foundation made special provision for research in pathology. Many .were the splendid gifts given in this period; some were for' buildings, and others for research endowments and professorships. The spirit of cooperation prevalent at the time is exemplified by the Alumni Executive Committee, which in the preface to' their T'Honor Roll of Alumni Contribu- tors to the Development Fund of 'the University 'of Chi, cage, stated: . . from now on, youcan feel reassmed that the alumni are an integral part ofI the institution, and that, as they grow in numbers-and wealth, they' will,