Category: College

Masochists In The Midst

Ralph Kestly

Setting: First day of school, fall 1939, at the University of Puerto Rico in Rio Piedras.

Plot: Same old song and dance. Upperclassmen defile face of newbie frosh. Onlookers smile. Well-dressed people spank each other with paddles.

Y’all, I just don’t get it. I don’t get hazing. I didn’t do the Greek scene. I would never have allowed myself to be humiliated like that. But golly, it’s in every single one of my yearbooks. The tradition continues!

People have always been cruel, since the first brothers to exist, Cain and Abel, became murderer and murderee. Honestly, murderee rolls off the tongue better than victim. Why don’t we say that instead? Anyhoo, the point is that violence always has been and always will be, and praying for world peace (which Andie McDowell’s foolish character did in Scrooged) is like trying to boil the ocean, as they say.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jmZRORDUM0

Fun fact to temper bitterness: That looming tower is the FDR Tower, which contains a carillon of 25 bells. What’s a carillon? A set of bells.

The tower still stands today (unless Dorian takes it out).

It commemorates then-president Franklin D. Roosevelt, and will remain named after him until future generations decide they don’t agree with something he did–at which point, it will either be renamed in honor of a more PC and palatable figure–or toppled altogether in the name of retribution.

 

Making Merry Music

In the fall of 1947, the Jawhawker published its seasonal magazine, full of pictures of musical students on campus at the University of Kansas. Here we see trumpet major Dorothy Brewer (from Olathe) showing us what she’s got.

But she wasn’t the only one.

Horns were in fashion.

But the piano never went out of style. Old mentored young.

The ladies of Miller Hall gathered to tickle the ivories during this late night pajama party.

These days, however, they may look more like this.

giphy.com

Methodist Mustang Art

While we will, in fact, return to more amazing 1935 Teachers College images later in the week, today I thought we’d cleanse the palate with some yearbook artwork. The year remains 1935, but the source is Southern Methodist University. While you don’t normally think of a yearbook as a trove of great art, I think you will find this interesting. Keep in mind, their mascot is the mustang.

 

More 1935 Goodness From West Texas

Today we continue with more amazing pics from West Texas Teachers College. I may not be a fan of West Texas, but I sure like their yearbooks.

The first image was captioned, “The Ruff Nex in Edmund.” Well, I tell you what, if I had been born during the first world war, I gladly would have joined one of these fellows for a ride in his Packard and a Clark Gable movie. And if it were the one second from the right, we might even go get a gin fizz afterwards.

The next foursome of gals were called “Four inmates of Randall Hall.” Did you ever see a group of folks more comfortable in their own skin? Again, remember to click to enlarge.

George and Rena

Willy and Dizzy
“Nonchalant Faulkner”

Return To 1935

Yesterday, we visited West Texas State Teachers College for a glimpse of campus life. As you can imagine, with images ranging in size from a stamp to a business card, the resolution can be sketchy. But amazingly, some images are crisp as a kettle chip. Feel free to click to enlarge.

 

So Maybe 1935 Wasn’t Entirely Unpleasant

Prohibition was over, yes. But the Depression was still in full swing, with 20% unemployment, compared to today’s 3.8%. Not being able to support a family might be a justifiable reason to drink, which probably contributed to the formation of a group called Alcoholics Anonymous that year. In addition, The Social Security Act was signed. Wikipedia fun facts include these bits of trivia:

  • Airplanes were banned from flying over the White House.
  • Porky Pig made his debut in Looney Tunes’s I Haven’t Got a Hat.
  • The world’s first parking meters were installed in Oklahoma City. Really? OKC?
  • Humorist Will Rogers was killed when his plane crashed shortly after takeoff near Barrow, Alaska.
  • The China Clipper took off from Alameda, California to deliver the first airmail cargo across the Pacific Ocean; the aircraft reached its destination, Manila, and delivered over 110,000 pieces of mail.

Meanwhile, fortunate young Americans still attended college, like these students at West Texas State Teachers College. As you know, my favorite parts of my many yearbooks are the candid shots. Many of them are only two inches high in brittle paper collages, but with the power of zoom, we can get a great sense of the campus culture.

Come back soon for more 1935 pics; this yearbook is a treasure trove!