University of Illinois - Illio Yearbook (Urbana Champaign, IL)

Page 32 text:

Early students often inspected the zoological collections. Well-dressed students attend an 1884 field day.

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This May Fete, which was held in 1908, is typical of the elaborate productions held by the women students. «W Early rooming houses had the atmosphere of a true home. Students Form Literary Societies Early at l.l.U. Student life in 1868 consisted of camaraderie and little else. During the first years, all stu- dents lived on the two upper floors of the main building, nicknamed the Elephant. To heat the living quarters, each student had to bring a small stove, which was sometimes used for cooking. Organized into semi-military order, students were marched to and from compulsory chapel and classes. Students also had to spend two hours a day in manual labor. Five days after the opening of the University, male students formed two literary societies — the Adelphic and the Philomathean. A year later the women students formed a society of their own— the Alethanae Society. Gregory's foresight in providing club rooms on the top floor of Univer- sity Hall brought these ventures into full activ- ity. These societies did much to lessen the austerity of early student life. 29