University of Pennsylvania - Record Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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UNIVERSITY With its Bicentennial Celebration already here, the University of Pennsylvania has moved more and more into the public spotlight with a series of outstanding events during the academic year l939-40. The first of these milestones was the completion and dedication of two new additions to the Student Union, Houston Hall. The enlarged Houston Hall was made pos- sible by a generous gift of S350,000 contributed to the bicentennial fund by Samuel F. Houston and his sister, Mrs. George Woodward, and the late Mrs. Charles W. l Henry. The formal dedication of the new additions took place on Thursday, October l2, 1939. Among the speak- ers on the occasion of the dedication were former Sen- ator George Wharton Pepper: Foster M. Coffin, Director of Willard Strait Hall, the student union at Cornell University, and President of the Association of College Unions: and Paul B. Hartenstein, Director of Houston Hall. Again, on Monday, December 4, l939, the University of Pennsylvania was a source of news. On this day, students of the Wharton School heard another in the series of Howard Crawley Memorial Lectures. The speaker on this occasion was Postmaster-General Iames A. Farley, who spoke on the subject Politics as a Profession for Business Men. The occasion which really focused all eyes on the University, however, was Founders' Day, Wednesday, Ianuary l7, l940. This date marked the beginning of the two hundredth year of life for Pennsylvania, and ceremonies apropos of the occasion were held. His Excellency M. Rene Doymel de Saint-Quentin, French Ambassador to the United States took an active part in the proceedings, placing a wreath on the statue of the founder, Benjamin Franklin. The afternoon program of events was opened with an address by Provost George W. McClelland. At the conclusion of the address, Dr. Arnold K. Henry, Dean of Student Affairs, presented student awards on behalf of the General Alumni Society. Recipients of these awards were: Robert Edmiston, Chairman of the Undergradu- ate Council, Robert McDonald, President of Sphinx Senior Society, and President of the Wharton Association: Arthur l. Murphy, Ir. President of Friars Senior Society, Paul S. Scalera, Football Manager and Managing Edi- tor cf the Daily Pennsylvanianp and Warren B. Smith, Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Pennsylvan- ian. Also representing the General Alumni So- ciety was the Honorable Robert E. Lamberton, jlIIlII?I!f IlllIlIl Mayor of Philadelphia, who presented Alumni tm.-lgm-J Y Awards of Merit. 1nnllilnulllllllnlllmmm Irvine Auditorium was -iii the scene of the evening :- -L program which featured if Egg. addresses by outstanding ? ?- Alumni. Among the speak- ers were former Senator Pepper, President Gates, and the Honorable Owen l. Roberts, Iustice of the U. S. Supreme Court.

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In .- ax nn ---5 1iaxk1ll l?2f5,i'V fx-7 K , I Q Qs liter-ffflsgai-We fi ll llnlllllllllnlllmmm im 6 Faris, AQQ? FNJ Maxtor 4.2 aG Es ' VA INE M0mBU Dormitories. felis X5,.,! Where there are located lO7 buildings tional purposes, including laboratories, museums and hos- pitals. Many buildings are given over to the housing of students in dormitories and fraternity houses. Also located off the camous are the Graduate Hospital, the Phipps Insti- tute, the Flower Astronomical Observatory, the Morris Arbore- tum, and the University Boat House. From the few students and faculty there Were at first, the Universiy has expanded until there are over l5UO members of the faculty and over l7,UUO students taking either full- or part-time Work, making it one of the largest universities in the United States.

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UNIVERSITY On Monday, December 4, l939, ground was broken for the construction of two new units of the University Hos- pital and to make room for alterations to the existing buildings. The construction work will cost the University an estimated Sl,435,000. Funds for the operations were obtained largely from bicentennial donations by friends and alumni of the University. In April the University was honored beyond measure by an occurrence which gladdened the hearts of all Pennsylvania men. Our respected President, Dr. Thomas Soverign Gates, was presented with the scroll, gold medal, and Sl0,0UO check emblematic of the Philadelphia Award, first started by the late Edward W. Bok. This was the nineteenth presentation of the award which goes annually to that citizen of Philadelphia who in the opinion of the award committee has rendered outstand- ing service to his city. From an academic standpoint the most newsworthy event of the past year came with an announce- ment late in September by Dr. George W. McClelland, Provost of the University. According to the announce- ment, plans have been made for the University to participate in the program of the United States Civil Aeronautics Authority, which provides for the training of civilian pilots through edu- cational institutions. Professor Francis P. Witmers, director of the Towne School's de- r partment of civil engineering, was placed in charge of the course. The training course includes seventy-two hours of ground school instruction and from thirty-five to fifty hours of actual flight instruction. The City of Philadelphia cooperated with the Univer- sity by granting it the use of the Municipal Airport for actual flight instruction. Dr McClelland pointed out in his original announcement that the purpose of the Civil Aeronautics program is to create a reserve of pilots for commercial aviation, and that it has no connection with military or naval service. But even in this banner year, Pennsylvania has not neglected its contributions to the cultural life of the University and Philadelphia, A for it has continued its sponsorship of the Cultural Olympics. During the year l939-40 the University has held at various times many competitions in all of the various phases of music, the dance, art, and dramatics. This has contributed greatly to the growth of interest in the arts among high school and university students who are interested in these pursuits as an avoca- tion. This has also led to the formation of many groups devoted solely to the participa- tion in and development of the arts. llllllll Slim!!! I' l lll From this brief account of events of the past ulnlllllllllllllllnlllluunn year, it is evident that :fi our school is ever chang- ., .- ing. Yet is remains the if iii same in one respectg it ?- :-ET is always a source of interest and always an object of devotion for its students, past present and future.