University of Miami - Ibis Yearbook (Coral Gables, FL)

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THE FIRST TEN YEARS of A UNIVERSITY by the Rats. On October 24th. indignant sophomores, juniors, and seniors met en masse to take up tin problem of the obnoxious freshmen. They drew up a list of restrictions and musts. sticking green dinks on the frerhmen's heads and seizing paddles in their own hands, determined to show the Rats who owned the school. On October 30. the theme song. Hail to the Spirit of Miami U was introduced in assembly by the orchestra. It was out of this rather chaotic, confused, hectic, but determined first year that the University evolved. It must be a hardy school with a destiny that could survive, in its infancy. the blow of a hurricane and the crush of a nation-wide depression. The rest of the story is one of a steady but certain development, the creation of tradition and conventions, the introduction of new courses and feature that make this University distinctive among the colleges of the country. It has been a steady, uphill fight. But it is rather obvious reasoning that to achieve height and distinction, one must strive uphill. The personality of a university is a fabric woven out of many threads through many years. In 1927. for instance, was established the tradition of Junior Proms. On the evening of May 7 it was held at the Miami Bilt-more with 500 guests attending. In 1928 Latin American students were first brought here on the scholarship exchange plan. In 1926 the Symphony orchestra, under Arnold Volpe. was organized. In 1930 the symphonic band was founded under the direction of Walter Sheaffer. May 23. 1928 saw the first Field Day at the University. In October of the same year, the first marine zoology class was formed. In 1926 the theatrical department was launched on its distinguished career by one major production. So. too. were founded the Winter Institute of Literature, bringing, as it does, outstanding literary figures of the country: the Pan American Forum, encouraging, as it does, the free discussion and the more complete understanding among the Latin American countries: and the recently reorganized student chorus. These were varied threads out of which the personality of our school has been woven. Gradually the University has developed into a strong cultural force in the community. It is fast marching toward its place as a Pan-American University. Under progressive and intelligent administration that has conducted such experiments as the quarterly system, and concentrated courses, it is moving toward assuming its place as one of the outstanding universities of this section of the country. Ten years is not a long time. Much water has flowed under many bridges in that time, it is true. It is only a breath compared with the life span of most of the universities of our country. Tradition and purpose are not yet cemented. In the finest sense of the word we students today are still pioneers. It is within our hands to aid in the molding of the destiny of our school. It is within our power to vindicate the shrewd foresight and courage of those who founded this institution. On October 13. 1926. there appeared an editorial in the Miami Daily News: During the next ten years the soul of the University will be formed, the tradition will be made, and the dominant spirit and outlook of the institution will take on a new aspect. —These years will determine the future of the University.” And so. from tlx height of our ten years, we look backwards, note what strides we have taken, inhale a deep breath, and turn determined faces toward a distant horizon.

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THE FIRST TEN YEARS of A U N I V E R S I T Y Judge William E. Walsh, member of the Board of Regents, faced the future: Hard upon the heels of a retreating wilderness we are today planting the institution of learning, an event which will loom large a hundred years hence, when other things you and I have done will be forgotten. Into this high resolve, extravagant plans, and great dreams whirled the intruder from the southern seas. Upon the heels of the devastating winds came the pricking of the boom bubble with tlx subsequent depression that turned rich men into poor ones — and rich schools into poor schools. The story of the next ten years is not to be obscured in secret shame. It should be exalted with pride of achievement. The tale of how the leaders of our school, greatly handicapped by general lack of money and by deflated promises and pledges which could no longer be fulfilled, dug in and nursed the baby university on its way amidst the greatest of adversities, and the memory of how these same leaders clung tenaciously to their high purposes in the face of the lashing of the worst depression our country has ever known, cannot but excite with pride those who turn, now. and pause to look back over those first ten years. It is a story of courage and determination in the face of discouragement and difficulties that would have floored lesser men. Facing the fact, realistically, that endow ments had vanished into thin air. the heads of the school abandoned temporarily the site originally projected for the University and moved into the Anastasia Hotel. The building. at that time, was nothing but an incom-pleted skeleton, and the school opening a bare six weeks off! Hordes of workmen and carpenters were turned loose. I hey fell over one another in their frantic attempt to whip things into shape for the seven hundred students who were waiting opportunity for en- trance at the beginning of the school year. The beat of the hammer and the hum of the saw were still echoing down the halls when classes began in October. 1926. The seven hundred students represented 14 states. Seventy per cent, were from Florida, sixty per cent, from Miami. Four hundred were enrolled in the School of Music, two hundred and fifty in the School of Liberal Arts, and fifty were freshmen in the School of Law. The faculty of all schools aggregated sixty. Those who were present at the birth year of our school look back now in half -humorous recollection upon the trials and hurdles that confronted them. The side walks were not yet laid, and the patio became a slushy sea of mud after each rain. The school had less than one-half of the equipment it now possesses. Soon, however, things were functioning more or less smoothly. On October 19th. the first social function of the school was held with the regents as hosts at a reception given in the Coral Gables Country Club for the faculty and the students. The football team, which had been quickly whipped into shape by H. B. Buck, then coach, was on its way to an undefeated season. The Footballers had been spontaneously and defiantly dubbed ■■Hurricanes. The Student Council had been formed and had passed its first law. a ruling prohibiting students from smoking in the corridors. On November 4th. the first University section appeared in the Riviera. This was the grandfather of the Miami Hurricane. On November 3rd Dr. Ashe, who had been executive secretary, was unanimously chosen President of the University of Miami. He has filled this office with distinction and dignity. Fraternities were established. The University was finding difficulty in locating living quarters and work for students. In those early days, the upperclassmen were greatly troubled

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★ As president of the student body for the past year and a member of the Graduating Class of 1936. I wish to extend to the faculty and to the student body this farewell message. It is a message of appreciation and gratitude for the inspiration that we have derived from the University, both by instruction and by example. But more than that it is a message of loyalty: a promise that by our lives in the community we shall endeavor to reflect by word and reputation that for which our University stands. HARRY VETTER PRESIDENT OP THE STUDENT BODY