Wittenberg University - Witt Yearbook (Springfield, OH)

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Geiger was graduated from Wittenberg College, the first co-ed to be graduated in the history of the institution. In the meanwhile, numbers had been increas- ing in the enrollment, and a boys' dormitory was needed, so it was decided to devote the college building to that purpose and to build a new col- lege building. Recitation Hall. It was completed in 188b. After girls began to CARNEGIE SCIENCE HALL Wlicrc all classes in chemistry and the other sciences are to be tauRht until the completion of the New Chemistry building. attend Wittenberg, a dormitor v w a s needed to h o u s e them, so Ferncliflf Hall was completed in 1889. In the same year, the men's glee club was organized at the institu- tion. and the Senior class decided to submit to the student body for official adoption, a combination of college colors, and an official yell. It was during these times that some innocent Freshman would leave Myers Hall by the lower front entrance and receive as a parting token a bucket of water hung over the door or thrown from an up- stairs window. If the drenched Freshman did return to the rooms on the upper floors lie found upper classmen too deeply engrossed in their lessons to permit interruption. 1890 marked the building of Keller Hall, then the Seminary building for those young men who were interested in entering the ministry. The Hon. John L. Zimmerman donated the Zimmerman library to the college in 1891. College students used to have fun the same as they do now. The present tug-of-war between the Freshmen and Sophomores was termed the rush. One morning, as was the custom, the Sophomores were all out of town, having spent the night in some place known only to themselves, and Freshmen were very conspicuous about the campus. Boldly they hung the Sophomore dummy in plain view in a big elm tree. The Freshmen girls, to be obliging, as is still their custom, brought the Freshmen warriors their breakfast, and such a breakfast as it was—a few runty apples and some hard biscuits. Suddenly the Freshmen co-eds decided that it would be clever to capture a Sophomore girl, and so they did. until her fellow classmates sent a detachment to her rescue. So that was the first and last rush ever held between the girls of the two classes. I)r. Prince was one of Wittenberg’s popular professors at the time, and the joke is still told, that once when he was lecturing to his Bible class on the Egyptian plague of frogs, a student asked very in- telligently if that was the origin of frogs. After 1907. would-be scientists at Wittenberg were given the best of opportunities, for the Carnegie Science Hall was then completed, and many scientific students had begun to work in the new laboratories. Freshmen, by this time, received their full share of probation, and one poor fellow, believing it to be his lady's birthday, because some serious Seniors told him that the tale was true beyond a doubt, bought her two pounds of chocolates. Yes. even when chocolates were rare! The Wittenberg Torch made its appearance at Wittenberg under the influence of K. G. Lind, now director of publicity of Wittenberg. The first Dorm initiation in 1914, was a clever one, somewhat resembling the method used today by the dignitaries of Myers Hall. Numerals were painted on the backs of the prep's pajamas and a band was organized from a goodly number. Instead of being contented with going to Ferncliflf Hall as they do now. to be sure, they paid a stately and dignified call at the homes of Dean Shatzer and President Heckert. Better discipline in college work came to be the plea of many Wittenberg professors, so they got together and proposed a remedy, which is still one dreaded today. They decided to check up on absences so as to increase attendance at class. Every Commencement Day. but one. in the history of the col- lege, Seniors have received really and truly diplomas engraved on the proverbial sheepskin, but in June. 1914. sheepskin could not be secured so to the stately, dignified JHE WALK class in cap and gown, blank rolls of . . . .... . , Trod a thousand or more times paper, decked 111 large satin bows. daily. Good as a morning con- • .‘i .I.„ 11„. c stitutional. Rather a steep were given, until the following Sep- grade. r 1927 WITTENBERCER 1 I Page Ten J

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Over the Campus In Davjs Gone Bcj RECITATION HALL Was the second building on the campus. At the present time it holds half of the daily classes and the college offices, tot. WITTKXB ERG COLLEGE had a date as a forerunner to tell of its coming and that was May 12, 1812. the birthday of Rev. Ezra Keller. After the Rev. Keller was graduated from Gettysburg, Pa„ college, he came to the re- gion of Ohio. Indiana, and Illinois as an itinerant missionary. The synodical conference of the Lutheran church held in Washington. Guernsey county. Ohio, in 1842. passed a resolution which provided for the establishment of a Lutheran educational institution in the state. On March 11. 1845. the state of Ohio granted a charter for a college which was to he named after Wittenberg in Germany. So over the hills on a long and tedious journey came the itinerant mis- sionary to Ohio from his Pennsylvania home. With him he brought an old trunk and a walking stick which are now in the possession of the college along with an old diary, the chronicle of Dr. Keller's early experiences. Dr. Keller had wandered almost to Indiana when he reached Springfield, and. journeying a mile farther, he sighted a hill covered with trees, elm, ash. sycamore, and ironwood. So much was he taken with the sight that he immediately resolved that here the memorial to his religious sect would be built. Work was begun at once. Six students attended the first classes which were held in the First Lutheran church. Days were very trying for Wittenberg's only professor, loyal and true though lie was, but he kept on patiently with a vision that some day this Wittenberg would be a great school where students would come from afar. By virtue of his efforts Dr. Keller lived that motto, never to be forgotten by her followers, “Having light we pass it on to others.” The construction of the college building, now the central portion of Myers Hall, begun in 1846, was completed two years later. In 1847, the Freshman and Sophomore classes were organized and a professor was added to the ad- ministrative board. The whole campus was a dense forest and there was no direct road to the college. To go to and from Springfield was like picking one's way through dense undergrowth. The nearest road to the col- lege was what is now Limestone street, with a crude bridge spanning Buck creek. A little later on college authorities saw the necessity for a shorter road from the college to the village and with the help of residents built the first bridge over the creek at Fountain avenue. Years after it was replaced by the first iron bridge in this section of the country. Walks to the city were made by students who were com- pelled by the state to work two days without pay each year. In 1852. the students built a foot bridge across Buck creek. City authorities took a notion that it was unsafe, and Dr. I!. F. Prince, having traversed it once while going to town, found it missing on his return. Bridges at that time were so narrow that it was necessary for the male escort to jump off and wade in the water to help the girls across. Dr. Prince says. In 1848, literary societies were started as one of Wittenberg’s outstanding activities. Much enmity there was between them. too. Every Wednesday afternoon these societies met instead of going to school, for. as Dr. Keller said, they were worth as much to the students as two days of study. In 1849. the first college catalogue was published. No student was allowed to matriculate until he was sixteen years of age, the catalogue stated. Two public examinations were given each year and reports were made to parents of the students in regard to their behavior, diligence, and scholarship. Commence- ment day was the third Wednesday in August, and the school session was held between October 7. and the third Wednesday in March. In 1874 it was decided to admit girls to Wittenberg College as well as men, and in 1879. Miss Ella f 1927 WITTENBERG F. R 1 I Page Nine J

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Nearly all the knowledge of the world stored here. Also, for those who arc interested, a complete file of Wittenbergers. teniber when sheepskin could again be secured. Freshmen today would be glad it they had been at Wittenberg years ago. instead of now, ior then the Sophomores, too. had to wear hats to distinguish them from the lofty upperclassmen. Said some student poet when asked to describe Myers Hall: “The optimist sees a dorm: the pessimist a barn.’' Fifteen years ago, students had to revolt to get a vacation on Washington’s birth- ZIMMERMAN LIBRARY day. Only a few city students came to classes and pro- fessors were amazed to find nothing but empty chairs in the classrooms. Provision was made for prospective ministers. I lamina Divinity Hall was completed in 1915. and sem- inary classes have been held in the building henceforth. Keller Hall was used from then on for a sem- inary dormitory. Today, when Ferncliff co-eds arc late to meals, they are usually excused. Several years ago some few residents of the hall decided that it was permissible to enter the dining room at almost any time, so they tried entering twenty minutes late so often that it became a nuisance. Imagine their surprise when they came down to the dining room only five minutes late and found it locked. The Euterpea Literary Society gave the first play ever given by women at Wittenberg in 1916. Tricks that are played today may be good ones, but not many are equal to that which a Senior played on some haughty Sophomore when he presented him a mysterious bundle, on a date. His friends gathered around to admire. He opened it. It was his night shirt. The feature at the formal opening of Myers Hall in 1916, was the presentation to the college of an old cane and a diary of Dr. Keller’s by Dr. Greenawalt. Other side lights on Wittenberg's past history are interesting. Dr. Charles G. Hcckcrl, sixth president of Wittenberg, will long be remembered as a member of the charter committee, which thirteen years ago fashioned the present city government of Springfield. The first home of Wittenberg College was the east part of the present Myers Hall. Here the students lived and had their activities. The professors were versatile, for there were few of them, and there were many subjects to cover. Professor Geiger, father of the first Wittenberg co-ed. taught mathematics and natural science. His official survey of the Blue Ridge mountains for the government was the first authentic one to determine the period of their formation. The students thought that the anniversary oi the receipts of the Stroud bequest should be observed as a holiday. The faculty did not agree with them and declared that school should go on as usual. In the morning, Rctitation Hall was crowded with students, eager for something to happen. Who was to be the leader of such a rebellious group? He took his place. Students were quick to follow him. The procession wended out of Recitation Hall and marched around it and back again. The cry of Holiday! Holiday! was heard everywhere. But there was no holiday. Faculty members decreed that the place for those students was in their classes and sent them there. Who could have dared to be the audacious leader of such a crowd? Little did he dream on that day that in May. 1927, he would be president of Wittenberg College. Professors, read and take heed, for winter isn’t far behind. Dr. Samuel Keller, professor of mathematics, always looked at his thermometer as he entered the classroom. If the mercury stayed near the bottom he dismissed his class without further consideration. But if it was high. stay they did. no matter how much they might complain of the cold. To Dr. Keller, the thermom- eter was the final INSIDE THE LIBRARY There is nothing wrong with this picture. It's an every-day occurrence to see co-eds and fellows going to and from the library. This is what they do. while there. [ 1927 WITTENBERGER 1 [ Page Eleven J