Wittenberg University - Witt Yearbook (Springfield, OH)

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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

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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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authority. One morning when he came to class he consulted it and found that it registered freezing. The weather was mild outside, 'twas true, hut classrooms are cold for more reasons than one. when it isn’t proper for them to he. And this one was cold apparently. At any rate Dr. Keller dis- missed the class. After they left, the mercury ascended to the normal position in which the stu- dents had found it before they packed it with ice. The present field NEW CHEMISTRY BUILDING This is onc-half of the present building program. It will re- lieve quite a bit of tension for crowded Space for classes in the scientific division. house was for many years the gymnasium and stood along the western part of the campus. Some stu- dents were even so daring as to attend dances and keg parties in this famed building. Perhaps it is just as well that these «lays are past and gone forever. It L the custom at Wittenberg to plant an oak on the campus at commencement. One year the student who was appointed to get the tree experienced considerable difficulty in getting one to suit his taste. Finally he rode down to Clifton on his bicycle, hoping to find a tree so worthy as to be planted on iiis Alma Mater's campus by his fellow class mates, lie returned triumphant with his little tree. At commencement it was planted with due ceremony, and many were the minds that turned to thoughts of great oaks from little acorns grow. Time passed and the tree didn’t grow into a big oak after all for it was a scrub ash. and it didn’t change a bit. A tardy rule was in force thirty years ago or more. In order to maintain it. Sam Keller, professor of mathematics, locked his door after the bell had rung. One day the late comer was Sam Shaffer. ’94. who. when he found the door locked, took time to push his calling card under the door. Professor Keller, who always appreciated good jokes, considered this a huge one. He took the card, but refused to open the door. A day or so later another student tried the same thing. This time Professor Keller’s strong arm reached out. grabbed him. and threw him into his seat. That tardy rule went the way of others. If you think that Wittenberg co-eds are ruthless and heartless today, you should have come to Wittenberg years ago. Then girls gave men the mitten just the same as they do now. To be sure. I)r. I ,.- F. Prince. Wittenberg’s grand old man, found a petrified mitten under a tree and he is sure that that i just what happened. He is certain that a young lady and gentleman were out under the tree t tlking in early spring and that she must have handed him the mitten. If you have a roommate who is interested in journalism it might be well to suggest that the two of you start a print shop on a small scale. That was done once before at Wittenberg, and the tiny shop grew into one of our largest publishing houses. It is the Funk Wagnalls Co.. which publishes The Literary Digest. When Funk and Wagnalls were but lads in college they roomed together at Myers Hall. They started a little print shop of their own just for experiment’s sake and it grew into a large firm. Wittenberg didn't always have a newspaper. The newspaper used to be a tiny tabloid arrangement, and it was called the Wittcnbergcr. Then K. G. Lind got the idea to found a real newspaper on the campus which would meet the requirements of mod rn journalism, so today we have The Torch. Speaking of journalism and good copy, brings to mind a story about our own “K. G. He was grad- uating. The last issue of the Torch for the year had appeared, and lie was justly proud of it. when some one discovered .some plain cuss” words on the back page. K. G” ran hurriedly through his Porch. Sure enough, there they were. The linotype operator became so tired reading poor copy that lie Net up what he was thinking. Men at Myers Hall used to have hoarding clubs the same as now. But instead of one, there were two. They were dubbed the Saints and Sinners. These clubs were conducted by students who took turns in acting as steward. Cooks were hired from the outside. The fare was simple, but nourishing. Meat was served once a day. butter not at all (at least not by the Saints). Board for the Sinners sometimes cost two dollars and fifty cents a week. The LAYING THE CORNERSTONE Saints paid from one dollar At the New Chemistry Building and seventv-five cents to two f commencement time lest , ,, . . , . , , June. Dr. Rees Edgar I u I loss dollars, varying with the food hoIding the docum,.nt. nnd , ro. and the good management. fessor E. A. Jensen, kneeling. 1927 WITTENBERCER 1 I Page Twelve J