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

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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

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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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College or Libera 1 Arts SlNCF. THE FOUNDING of (he University of Miami in 1926. the central unit of the whole University, the College of Liberal Arts, under the able and progressive guidance of Dean Henry S. West, has expanded steadily. Nearly every year new courses have been added and the scope of the College has been correspondingly widened. In this, the tenth year, it is possible for a student to make selection from more than triple the number of courses ofTered in the first year. Then tlx College of Liberal Arts consisted of English. Education. History. Dramatics. Psychology. Language. Mathematics. Chemistry, Physics, and Natural Science. Each of these departments offered a limited number of courses. Now the English department alone offers thirty-two courses, among which are Criticism. Contemporary Continental Literature. Shakespeare, and many other special courses, as well as the usual foundation courses in composition and literary history. One of the features of the school year is the Winter Institute of Literature which has brought to the University many literary personages, including Robert Frost. Padraic and Mary Colum. Carl Sandburg. Zona Gale, Bernard de Voto and Hervey Allen. Educational courses have been, since tlx school's inception, under the capable supervision of Dean Henry S. West. The work is so arranged and conducted that students are prepared to go directly into teaching positions. Furthermore, graduates who have fulfilled the Florida State requirements are awarded the official State certificate without the requirement of passing the special State teachers' examination. Nearly four-fifths of the teachers holding degrees in Dade County have obtained them at the University of Miami. The History department has been augmented by the addition of a number of new courses. They include the study of European History. United States History. Latin American History, and a unique course in Florida History. The Psychology department has grown from two courses to nine. Several of the outstanding activities in this field are the psychological tests being