William Smith College - Pine Yearbook (Geneva, NY)

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WILLIAM SMITH 1818-1912 william bmitb Eecennial As this is the tenth year since the founding of William Smith College, it seems fitting that we should print a brief review of its history. William Smith C1 81 8-19125, a prominent citizen of Geneva, desired to found a college in which young women might gain the broadest preparation for life, and together with Dr. Stewardson, the President of Hobart College, he planned the establishment of a college for women in coordination with Hobart. His offer of half a million dollars for this purpose was accepted by the Trustees of Hobart College on December 13, 1906, which we commemorate yearly with Founder's Day exercises. A beautiful estate of twenty-four acres, adjacent to Hobart campus, was chosen as the site of the new college, and the residence was remodelled as a dormitory which bears the name of Blackwell house, in honor of Elizabeth Blackwell, who received the degree of Doctor of Medicine from Geneva College in 1849 and who was the first woman to take that degree in America. Her portrait, presented to the college by Mrs. Miller, hangs in the library of Blackwell House. When the first class entered William Smith College in September, 1908, the college buildings consisted of only Blackwell House and Smith Hall, named for the founder of the collegeg but its connection with Hobart provided it with an excellent library and laboratory equipment for chemistry and Physics. In December, 1909, the Gymnasium was opened. In Cctober of that same year the corner stone of Miller House was laid, and the girls took possession of the new dormitory in 191 I. It was named for Elizabeth Smith Miller, a W fm? ' 1 'il'-l 1 -T 4 if r if 1 Ni V Wi E ill -i 1 11 1- it ,wg his 14 W 1. ly, aug l v- ?ew E:?f9f8S'fi'wr1-:swf-' e 'W Quia?-12-Qsiez. 116

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lv V x . 4 J Ir' all A v -f Glass ilapmn M ' 1 IL .J Let hymns of older halls be sung, Z F 7 Oh, little college, fair and young, C -of gi? Of halls, where past enchantrnents fling Nl ll A glamour 'brighter year by yearg . GE gh Kiki, About thy walls no legends cling 5 And yet thou art far more dear. f if ' Qi HQ For we've known thee in thy youthful grace, 'ie The Hush of dawn on thy glad face, l We've seen the bloom of May-time break Z 1 SU: White and fragrant over thee: Oh, college, throned above thy lake, Golden hours We've passed with thee. P' T gilt' .35 f J Qi .lf fl' E' 'E l-PM M' TF qw I I E' 'E If ll lla s , wage-if-5' ff ' 4-P r r 191.-3 . Q .25 us.,

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.P 1. I n 1 ' 'CJ' I K .NLJKQWV1 I i7'f ' Nr Y' 'im woman widely known for service especially in the cause of women. The charter class of 1912 erected a bronze tablet in Smith Hall in 'Fill memory of William Smith, and each succeeding class has made a gift il to the college at graduation. To this source we owe our sun-dial, gg senior bench, flag, a shady pool for birds and 'a collection of books on economics. l At the opening of the college, Dr. Milton H. Turk, Professor of Q83 English at Hobart College, became the Dean of William Smith and 1, administered its affairs until 1915, winning the esteem of all William Smith girls. But in view of the rapid growth of the college, the my Trustees felt that there should be a woman Dean who could live on SK the hill and supervise all the activities of the students. In 1915 Miss -If Anne Dudley Blitz, a graduate of the University of Minnesota, was installed as Dean with headquarters at Miller House. W William Smith has always had a self-governing student body. S To unify college activities, the students organized the Board of Control in 1910, which consists of the chairmen of the various com- mittees and a treasurer or general manager from the Faculty. This ,lk board has fixed a regular calendar for the annual college events. When Mr. Smith gave the money for the college, he requested that its religious services be non-sectarian and that attendance should 1 i not be compulsory. In accordance with his wish, the daily chapel service is purely voluntary. At first it was held after breakfast in the dormitory parlors under the direction of the girls, or special speakers invited by them. In 1915 by removing the partition between the ,A two rooms at the south end of Smith Hall, the college made one large room in which to hold services. At present the service takes place N, between classes at twelve o'clock . In 1916 Dr. Hubbs was made chaplain of William Smith as well as Hobart College, and has general direction of its religious activities. Al He has charge of chapel four days a week, Dean Blitz one day, and :Qi the Christian Association one day. 'Wi In accordance with the wise precedent established by the first 9 :S class, there have been no sororities at William Smith, but the college ml, has been the center of all our interest and loyalty. The William gi Smith Christian Association includes a large proportion of the students I and performs various services. In the fall it welcomes the freshman M, by a tea and evening party in their honor. Its members help teach ' Ji at the school maintained by the Civic League to train Geneva's little foreign citizens in sewing and manual training. It sends H Christmas cheer in substantial form to the county home and to 7-5 Madeline, its protegee at a School in Elmira. Each year delegates of 'L 'Q - l A f p ' A Q'ez'Z:?f9f3S si5f - - - 'A . 117