University of Missouri College of Engineering - Shamrock Yearbook (Columbia, MO)

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A HISTORY OF SAINT PATRICK'S DAY CELEBRATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI From the Records of the National Guard of Saint Patrick. Let profs do their worst, there are moments of joy, Bright dreams of the past which they cannot destroyg VVlhich came in the night time of Flunker's Despair. And bring back the features St. Pat used to wear. Thus began the Shamrock of 1906, the first of :1 series of annuals that was destined to record the yearly activities of the engineers of the 'University of Mis- souri. and which continues to be published upon the day of homage to our Patron Saint. The celebration in honor of St. Patrick began with the discovery of the Blarney Stone in the excavations for the foundation of the Engineering Annex in the year 1903. The stone was found to be covered with ancient figures resembling the hieroglyphics of old, and for a long time these obvious purveyors of some im- portant text were unread, but the strange writings were finally translated after some concentration on the part of the Senior Electricals, and the translations were given to the world. These men announced that the results of their researches into the languages of the past ages had given them the knowledge whereby they found the Blarney Stone to convey the fact that Erin Go Braglf' meant St. Pat- rick VVas An Engineer. Such is tradition. As a matter of fact the whole thing started from a dis- cussion in the Senior Electrical Design Room one night. A history of St. Pat had been published by some historian and was causing comment throughout the country. That night an engineer asked the question: 'Who was St. Patrick? The immediate reply was, An engineer, of course, and it was decided that March 17 should be a holiday. On the morning of St. Patrick's Day a large group of engineers attended the prayer meeting in a body and held a later meeting in the general library where they dedicated themselves to the service of their Patron Saint. It is said that it was :1 most imposing and impressive scene. After this they followed the band , ,., ,, ,Y ENGINK E QE Page 40 IW' . f,-, --Yi f E- Y., .W f is Y-Y Y Y 7 ---1 --if f G K'vQAa'f6is.fwf.A. ,Y fe, -: f Y +4l Q' -7 -T lf' xi! ffGBe Stlaimfioc 'Q

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eggw------ff H1562 Stianiroclllf------s u i W'j,Ai P ' T3 x x il w 1 N ,. I f It 1 N l 'W 7 ' ' ' ' ix U M N i ,E l Y w, W M M l ,M , I i 1. iq N H i l l 'y X ' il M 1 i M M ,w w N, 1 W , l H il 1 , A E 1 wa y M W I X H X! i N it M W ill! ,' H UP qi.. .gi Hi i M 44 1 u U! J Ti Q, ,w , w i x ' . V ,qi , ' N i . . w 1 The photos above show clearly enough the lengths to which the Engineers will in go to provide themselves and their guests with ample means to enjoy themselves ii M at the annual celebration in honor of their patron Saint. Each year the Repre- M' I sentative of Saint Patrick mfukes his first aippczuwlnce at the Ball in his honor, rl and we Engineers would he shamed indeed if he found us ill. equipped to receive f rl him in the eustomary splendor. The St. Pat's Ball is the crowning event of the '- celebration and every effort is made to make it bigger and betterl' each year. ti ii N Page 39 ' , M 5 Q r' 54 ,QW A if-?h 'Q Y Q Q71 W V-f. - Y f,,, -1--7n,, Y lil - 'Yi Y ir Y bg' V Y- ' '

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era U. . if a. A 1 vb ri A 3 L-N 1 about town singing Irish songs and having a splendid time in general. XVith this bit of introduction to the Spirit of St. Patrick, the men departed to their rooms where they enjoyed a much needed rest. lt was to be expected that such action on the part of the students would call forth opposition from the faculty, and the expectations were not slighted. Various members of the faculty, WVT10 were not yet converted to the new filltll, expressed their opinions. It is needless to say that the condemnation did not aH'ect the faith of the engineers in the Blarney Stone and its message. But the Discipline Committee get more results, its action being more in the nature of a physical rebuke than a verbal one. The action of the com- mittee resulted in the suspension of Nappy Morehead, a senior, for two weeks. The year 1904 was marked by a spirit of unanimous cut. Never a nay was heard to this motion to cut all classes. However, the pleadings and advice of A. M. fArtiej Green, professor of Mechanical Engineering and Junior Dean, re- sulted in the students attending classes that day. That night the students celebrated at the Gordon Hotel with the iirst St. Pat's Banquet. The year 1905 marks the extensive changes in the St. Pat's program that resulted in the type that we now know and enjoy. That year committees were appointed to plan the celebration and direct it. This committee seems to have been the first St. Pat's Board. Several new features were introduced, among them being the presence of the representative of St. Patrick and the holding of the Kow-Tow on thc Quad. During the celebration an engineers banner was Hown from a wire stretched from the engineers' own building to Jesse Hall. This was the real be- ginning of the Campus Stunts. The senior banquet that marked the celebration the year before gave way to the Pat's Ball, which still holds sway. The year 1906 saw the appearance of the first Shamrock, which was a twenty page, four inch by seven inch, edition, which was dedicated to St Patrick, the perfect integral, whose first derivative was an engineer. The celebration for the year was elaborate, St. Patrick arrived in an airplane, which hovered over the columns throughout the clay. The Kow-Tow took place in spite of the snow that covered the ground, and the knighthood of the Order of St. Patrick was bestowed upon those who had served faithfully for four years. The grand ball in honor of the Knights of St. Patrick closed the day. During these four years that the idea of the celebration was in the nascent state, the spirit of the thing was so instilled in the students that 'since that time the celebration of St. Pat's birthday has grown and developed to its present propor- tions, not only at Missouri but at other colleges who have followed our example. . F. P. G. 9' 'ii' ' I Page 41 ,Qt1saia'rcr:Rlr---------wget ' 4 4, i R t? L O 3, XJ V . 5 . :ffl-.LM ee