University of Wisconsin Madison - Badger Yearbook (Madison, WI)

Page 28 text:

Y3! w .5 . Wheels to Escape By The call of the open road draws cyclists from perilous traffic routes to freewheeling. Whirring freewheels and rusty crank-sets share the bike paths of Mad- ison nearly year round. Some 145,000 bicycles jockey for position on city streets with belching dump trucks, overbearing buses, and impatient motorists. Competition for space extends to the bike racks as mopeds invade the territory. This year, the university realized the bikerts peril and instituted much- needed improvements in bike paths. Buses were rerouted to Johnson Street making University Avenue bus lanes open to bikers only. Even though this hasntt prevented lost motorists fromt inching down the Texclusivet, lanes, the bikers appeal for equal treatment is being heard as more people take inter- est in this form of energy-efficient transport. The beauty of a bicycle lies in its ability to entice a biker to turn a monotonous 20-minute walk into an adventuresome 5-minute ride. The investment in touring provides many returns which far outweigh the cost. With each pump of the pedals, blood surges through every limb of the cyclist, giving him a refreshed outlook on the day ahead. The purist may escape to the differ- ent niches of the Arboretum for relief from the bustling madness of the city. The trails unfold in a blaze of color dufing the cooling transition to early fall. An escape to the back roads near Madison allows the cyclist an unob- structed view of the countryside and breaths of air which have not been inhaled by a carburetor. Transforming a standard bicycle into to 5 3 O n: E '0 5.4 a touring bike requires little effort. A rack must be mounted on the rear of the bicycle to hold the panniers. Panni- ers are nylon bags used for storing all the gear necessary for self-snfficiency on the road. Basic camriing gear, 5 water bottle, tire pump, and tobl kit fit: comfortably on the bike. ' A cyclisfs effort to break away from the city is immediately rewarded by the absence of noisy city traffic and bum- . bling pedestrians in the bike lane right of way. , ' The route to countryside relaisation may include the risks of a stray eow '01; two along with the snapping teeth 01: farm dogs, but the touring cyclist wilkil gladly side-peddle these hazards know- ing that the shuffling madness of the city is many miles behind.

Page 30 text:

Social Values Reflected in Campus Construction Bascom Hall, with its white pillars gleaming, boldly overlooks the univer- sity as a symbol of an institution steeped in a tradition of academic excellence. Looking downward from this histori- cal landmark stand buildings from many different eras. Each reflects the way society has changed over the past 130 years. Before the birth of the University of Wisconsin, high school graduates most likely attended colleges which were predominantly denominational, sex- ually segregated and enforced dorm residency. However, when the State of Wiscon- sin joined the Union in 1848, the state constitution required that a university be established near or at the seat of state government. Thus, the University of Wisconsin was established in 1849. The university consisted of only a few buildings. The first to be built in 1855 was North Hall. It was also known as North Middle, North Col- lege, and North Dormitory. Then in 1857, South Hall and Bascom Hall, referred to as Old Main or University Hall, were built. Wisconsin sandstone was used in constructing the building foundations and walls; the floors and roofs were made of partitions of tim- her. The university was still an academic infant when the Civil War began and threatened the schools existence. Funds from the state were funneled out of education and into the armed forces. Many students volunteered for the draft, and the 1864 commencement ceremony had to be cancelled. Peace brought expansion to the uni- versity. For the first time in 14 years, fund and enrollment levels were suffi- cient to permit the construction of more buildings. Music Hall, originally called Assem- ble Hall, was built in 1871. This Victo- rian Gothic structure, resembling a church, was also built of sandstone. Its stained-glass windows depicting reli- gious scenes were meant to be artistic inspirations to the music students. Only two windows remain. During this period, the university expanded further to accommodate changes in the fields of science and technology. The red brick Science Hall was built from such fireproof materials as steel and hollow tiles to guard against fire, which destroyed the original Science Hall four years earlier. Science Hall, engineered by a university professor who was aided by Frank Lloyd Wright, was one of the first structures built using steel girders. Although typical of the popular Romanesque style featuring arched doorways and towers, Science Hall hasnit always received praise for its appearance. The May 1918 edition of by Craig Roberts The Wisconsin Engineer said, ffHad the use of Madison sandstone been continued in fother buildingsy greater unity would have been conserved, espe- cially the deep red brick of Science Hall which breaks the harmony of the principle university groups? The Red Gym was built in 1894 in response to the growing interest in ath- letic recreation of the llGay Nineties? The building was the center of campus activity before World War 1. Between 1900 and 1917, Wisconsin residents were influenced by the Prog- ressive movement headed by Bob LaFollette. They also succumbed to the Wisconsin Idea which resolved that the university should be available to sokye the problems of the state, particularl? I in the area of agriculture In the period from 1908 to 1913, the Wisconsin Idea prompted constructiOn of the Stock Pavilion and other life-sci- ence buildings. e T. Lengnick