University of Virginia - Corks and Curls Yearbook (Charlottesville, VA)

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iiOne of these unlucky students when brought before the Dean of the University made a most noteworthy defense of his actions. Claiming a certain veneration of the past, the student professed his concern for the happiness of the iold rock and the prehistoric creature and that he only hoped to get them both togetheri where they might be more happy. The Deanis comments on this concern went unrecorded, but we note that the mammoth remained in Brooks Museum. iiBut getting back to what Martin said about politics? Cary went on, upolitics at the University has often been concerned with issues other than those immediately concerning the student body? Student political demonstrations have not always been disorderly amalgamations of bearded iconoclasts. Fm sure the old Charlottesville families remember the demonstration once held here in behalf of Grover Cleveland. On a designated evening just after his election, U.Va. students marched through town en masse, making quite a noise with their tin horns and drums. At 11 RM. all returned to the Lawn with a brass cannon and plenty of ammunition. Salutes commenced to be fired. The next morning all was well, but certain members of the faculty could be found nowhere. At noon, the missing Chairman of the math department sud- denly appeared, rifle in hand. After being told that the festivities of the previous night were simply a political rally, the red-faced old veteran of the Civil War, embarrassed beyond words, finally admitted that he and some of his uninformed colleagues had feared that the University was under siege, perhaps by some new- ly-sprung extremist group. These men had looked themselves in their basements for protection. He was the only one Who would dare venture out to see what had finally happened? With the same whiskey sour in his hand, Cleghorne promised to relate a story on the riots at the University before the Civil War. Silence greeted this announcement. But he went on, iiProbably the two most se- rious riots in the history of the University occurred in 1836 and 1845 when . . . , 'Cleghorne paused, and turned to find where an irritating new noise was coming 'from. Gotts, who had been a student guide for three months, was noisily scrib- ibling notes with a dull pencil to use on his next tour. Cleghorne asked him to look in Bruceis history of the University for the details. iiThe fact is, resumed Cleghorne, iithat riots occurred about every five years at the University before the Civil War, and were caused mainly by the resentment of the students against the petty rules at the University then. During the usual riots the students rang the bell continually all night, caned any professors who came out to identify the riot- ers, threw bricks through the pavilion windows, and fired pistols from horseback on the Lawn? Sparked by the interest shown his latest story, he decided to relate another one along the same lines. iiMost students are intimately familiar with the traveling carnivals that come to town during the year e they are anticipated with great excitement. Back in 1846 a fair came and situated itself about a mile out of town. Naturally, the first night attendance was not very large, as most of the students hadnit heard that the fair was in town. During that first night, however, several students became involved in a fight with one of the showrnen over a card game. The argument was quickly ended when the man pulled out his pistol and shot one of the students. The news spread quickly the next day, and that night every student in the University proceeded to march on the fair, the tromping of their boots and their wild yells throwing the town into a state of petrified alarm. Women and children cowered in their beds as the mighty juggernaut rolled unhesitatingly towards the carnival grounds. Bullets ricocheted in the streets and the civic leaders of Charlottesville dared not to stop the onslaught. The students

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small paper sevens showered from the rafters and the band played Good Night Ladies, with seven beats to the bar. mI'he fame of the 7 society has spread far and wide. In one of John O,Hara,s nov- els, From the Terrace, a prominent Character is spoken of as one whose name is always mentioned when Virginians get together to speculate on membership in the 7 Society. tlAdm. iBull, Halsey,s grand-daughter tells me of the famous Navy man,s funeral, which was held in the National Cathedral in Washington and attended by the highest oflicers of government. The funeral was an occasion of military and gov- ernmental solemnity. As she entered with her brother, a student at the Uni- versity, they were stopped by the sight of a large wreath beneath the casket - the symbol of the 7 Society in white flowers against magnolia leaves? Gotts, in a state of near collapse, said, iiThan amazing! Where in the world did you ever find out so much about those societies? Phelps, not giving Randolph a Chance to reply, said, lilfs wonderful how much you learn, living in Richmond. A bit reluctantly, Cary joined in the laughter that ensued from Phelpsi comment. 01 wish the venerable Seven Society would give a new Geology buildingfl de- clared Grant Sayers. People are always griping about that architectural monstrosity of a Geology building, but few realize that it is supposed to be one of the best constructed buildings on the Grounds. In 1924, a party was given there in honor of the mar- riage of the daughter of Dean Lile. It seems that a certain student, notorious for never breathing a sober breath, was allowed to attend under stipulation that he keep his wits for that particular evening. While walking home after the party, he noticed smoke streaming out of the roof of the building and reported the tire in time to save the building from destruction. After that, everyone wished that he had been his usual happy self that night. Cary interrupted the laughter by saying, nThere are many stories that go with that old building. iiLate in the 19th century, a geology professor, whose true identity shall remain anonymous, managed by patient and careful lobbying in Pavilion VII, to per- suade the University to give a home to several wild beasts. Now these animals, al- though wild and woolly, were not the least bit dangerous because they were stuffed. The told rock; as the geology professor was known, was particularly proud of a woolly mammoth reputedly 10,000 years old, and he gave the animal the prime space of the newly completed Brooks Museum. Thereafter, every day the iold rock, would dust off the mammothk head and polish his tremendous tusks. ltRecognizing the professofs righteous pride and wishing to increase it to the overflowing, certain mischievous students declared that they would clandestinely transport the creature to the professors home on the East Lawn. Thus, late one night, they broke into the museum and succeeded in carrying several of the smaller animals up to the Lawn and placing them in a semi-circle around the told rocks door. The mammoth, alas, would not Et through the door, through most of the night was spent in trying either to enlarge the door or reduce the beast. Mean- while, the told rock for some reason or another came to the front door and was shocked to see his animals staring back at him, out of the night. Fearing the worst for his mammoth, he quickly dressed and headed for the Museum, where he caught the students in the act.

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cut horses loose from the wagons, mounted them, and rode helter-skelter over ev- erything and everyone connected with the Circus, ripping and burning tents, breaking up wagons, and trampling the showmen. One circus man was killed, and a great number wounded before the students had avenged their colleagues death. Needless to say, it was a long time before another carnival ventured near Char- lottesvillef, At the end of Cleghornels monologue, Grant Sayers quickly interjected his own iiriot story? iiIt seems that back in 1827 a school of military instruction was es- tablished at the University, and it attracted a great number of students, since a knowledge of and proficiency with arms and fighting was requisite to the making of a true gentleman. Drill was conducted on the Lawn, at first with wooden sticks as rifles, but soon with muskets, on the demand of the indignant students. The administration was terribly strict about issuing arms; hence the only time a student could be in possession of a rifle was during a drill period. The French drill instructor was often away on business, so the students petitioned the faculty to form a company of their own to replace the military company. Thus, when the military instructor was in residence in the University, there would be two com- peting companies. Before each drill the captains of each company were required to turn into the faculty the names of all who would be issued arms for that day. Well, at the very first drill of the fall term of 1836, the civilian company forgot to turn in such a list and did not obtain permission to draw arms at all. When the faculty demanded an explanation the students became riled and refused to turn in their rifles as ordered. They made a resolution That we have our arms and intend to keep themf and shortly after presenting this resolution to the faculty, the proctor informed them of the expulsion from the University of every member. From that Saturday night until Monday morning, a scene of unparalleled disorder and violence continued. The company marched on the Rotunda and captured it, taking its occupants prisoners and tying them up. They put their flag in the sky- light and shot it to shreds from within the dome, several being hit by reflected bullets. The Rotunda bell was rung continuously for six days, leaving the towns volunteer fire department in a state of utter confusion as it sped around town looking for a fire. Faculty dwellings were attacked, forcing residents to retreat to the upper Hoors to avoid injury. The rioters inserted megaphones in the windows and shouted insults at the faculty members and their wives, while tearing draper- ies and breaking down doors. iiThe faculty appealed to the legislature for help on the fourth day, and a special committee of representatives were sent immediately from Richmond to investi- gate the matter. After they had gotten into their hotel in Charlottesville, they were given a reception by the students that night. The students showered the ho- tel with rocks, chanted throughout the night, and scared the delegates half to death. One of the frightened committee members got a message out to Richmond that night to send troops to the University. It was believed in Richmond that the rioting students had burned the entire University down. The following morning, two hundred state militia marched to the University and assumed guard over the buildings. Only after the most offensive rules had been removed did the students return to normalf, Vanderslice declared that he had a iicharmingT riot story of his own. Students used to blow off steam, by means of calathumps, which were wild riots consisting of horn-blowing, tin pan-beating, and pistol-firing on the Lawn. Students would go from pavilion to pavilion shouting, heckling professors, and generally making merry. Everyone wore masks, and it resembled a miniature Mardi Gras, except that it was slightly more hazardous. On November 14th, 1840, during one of the