Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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CAMPUS SCENES FROM YESTEN seepes from the campus in the early The picture on the left shows a visit i Literc By Scott Cain Feature Editor 'Over the course of the past 50 years the history of the campus literary societies has been grim indeed. Just following the suc cessful celebration of the 150th birthdays of the Clariosophic and Euphradian Societies, the two began experiencing a new surge of spirit which Is now evidenced in attendance at the meetings which is double and triple attendance at similar meetings only two or three years ago. . The new surge of spirit has been evidenced not only by the Clario sophics and Euphradians, but by the Euphrosynean and Hypatian Literary Societies for women also. Since 1900, however, times have not always been so good for the societies and it is interesting to note that almost without impedi ment the societies faded following their 100th birthdays celebration in 1906 until 50 years later when another celebration was the first evidence of a climb upward. Dr. Hollis' history of the Uni-. versity notes, "When the literary societies held their centennial celebration in February, 1906, more than half of the student body of 300 still belonged, and speakers T] GAMECO( wishes t< their i appreck Students -Faculti for makin this and e of~ GAME "Crowing For A YEAR . . . These two photograp 1900's when The Ganecock was In it o the University by President Willias try Soc could maintain with considerable truth that the societies will dom inated the campus." . However, the societies could only hold a certain number of members and when the enroll ment on campus grew by leaps and bounds the societies began to be lost among other organizations which sprang up over the campus. By the 1920's enrollment on campus was 1,800, but society membership was about the same. For over 100 years Saturday night was the traditional meeting night for the Euphradian and Clariosophic and as long as they were the two most important organizations on campus, students felt compelled to devote that night to the societies; but after World War I, with increased en rollment and multitudes of new activities, the societies decided to give up Saturday nights. Dr. Hollis notes that "in 1919 20 the organizations experimented with Friday meetings, but Friday was a favorable evening for call ing on young ladies and the venerable societies could hardly be exected to meet such competi tion." The societies then decided on Tuesday nights and that hap re IE :K STAFF i express incere ition to -Administration g possible very issue the COCK Garatr C'arolina" UNIFRSITY hs depict Taft. The crowd, in h B infancy. .poh of tfe University a Howard McKissicic Library. The ie ties mained the traditional evening until, the present. Co-Ed Societies In 1895 University co-eds peti tioned to have an organization of their own since Euphradians and Clarlosophics had taken great pains to pass amendments to their constitution forbidding their joining. As a result of their petition, the Parmethian Society was estab lished in 1900 for the promotion of "academic culture, sociability, friendship, and a spirit of loyalty to the campus." However, the following years witnessed so few co-eds that the society became extinct. In 1915 another moveme~nt was raised for the formation of a co-ed society due to the increased enrollment of women students. In the fall of the year the Hypatian Literary Society was founded as a result of this movement. By 1924 the co-eds on campus were so numerous that the need for a second such society was felt. The Euphrosynean, sister society of the Euphradians, was formed. The girls' societies usually have met in the afternoons, as they do now-the Hypatians in the Clario sophic Hall and the Euphrosy neans in the Euphradian Hall. After the formation of the two co-ed societies, the four organ izations took part in a joint grad uation ceremony. "These filled the chapel even as late as the 1920's, but joint society com mencements were abandoned dur ing the decade that followed. An other indication of the lagging interest in oratory was the dis appearance in 1981 of all student speakers from the University commencement programs," ac cording to Dr. Hollis. The Carolinian, long-time liter ary publicationa of the societies, was changed to a semi-humorous type of publication in 1981. By 1938, however, the beloved old magazine" had fallen victim to the depression, and although ef forts have been made to revive it, thef have never gotten very far. From its beginnings, editors of The Gamecock were elected each semester by joint assembly of the Clariosophics and Euphradians and the editorship was rotated from one society to the other.' This system caused great dissatis faction by the 1920's, however, and in 1929-80 control of The Gamecock was invested in a stu dent board of publications. Soeiety Bapenses According to Dr. Hollis, "up keep of the halls was a major problem. . . . Gas lights wer relaced by electrietty in 1908, but members still struggled to keep warm in the winter by 'punghing Jassakial staves.' The fuel shoa SCENES FROM Y1 P9 stles and derbies, heard the chief ext president's home which was located second picture was also taken on th4 [ave Re age in 1918 forced suspension of several meetings, and the socie ties did not enjoy the comfort of steam heat until the 1920's. "Ante-bellum luxuries . . . were casualties of hard times. . . . In 1914 the Euphradians felt opulent enough to purchase $85 worth of wine for their annual banquet, but two years later 'the treasury was empty auid the society was forced to adopt Solomon Blatt's motion to make the dinner a 'Dutch' affair. After World War I smokers, a less expensive form of entertainment that featured ice cream and cigars, became a standard feature. "Another popular entertainment was the -fall reception for new members, to which forensically inclined young ladies from Chi cora and Columbia College were sometimes invited. On one such occasion the Euphradian secretary wrote that the society dispensed with the regular program and 'adjourned- to a mingling of boys and girls. At 10:30 Mrs. Byrd (the matron at Chicora) carried her Birdies home--C. C. did the same'" Fraternity. Disputes In 1920 Senator George K. Laney of Chesterfield spoke against a bill allowing the restor ation of Greek letter fraternities on stace-supported college cam puses. He stated that the only reason he had been elected presi dent of the Euphradian Society in 1893 was because a split devel oped among the fraternities. Judge Joshua H. Hudson charged in 1905 that fraternities had "eaten the life out of the TODAY'S COED . .. Libby Bag n a I , Carolina's Homecoming Queen of 1957, is representa tive of the esed of today. iJke her sisters of yest ear (me.. tiemed in Section r of this issue) Libby Bagnal is a partiel pant in the life of the camp.. An .leasentary edmeationmao she is a mesmber of KappaDea Soroeity, and studest euneai. In addition she is a fraternity apon see fee Phi Eappa Alpha In this year's Gaee and Blaek and has repu.esentd her hemeew. be KSTERYEAR 41. .,A~ entive speak from the the cast o on the present site of munity p Horseshoe and shows Field. birth two grand old Literary Societies, giving nothing hi return but vicious social distinctions and ex travagances." The societies' election form has evolved over a number of years. "In 1897 the Clariosophics adopted the Euphradian policy of electing three presidents a year, and high est honor in both societies was the junior presidency. In 1935-36 the societies reduced the number of elections to two a year, and terms of office were changed to conform with the University's semester sys tem," according to Dr. Hollis. 150th Anniversary On February 14, 1956 the two societies were hosts to approxi niately four hundred alumni at the sesquicentennial celebration of the founding of the two societies. Congressman James P. Richards delivered the main address and the entire affair was accompanied with proper pomp and pageantry. Somethfng happened, however, and the societies began to boom. The Euphradian has probably felt it more than any other. When the fall semester of 1956 began, society enrollment was less than twenty and '-attendance at the previous semester's meetings was generally around ten. 'By the end of the year, under presidents Robert M1. Bell and Carl M. Reynolds, Euphradian enrollment was past forty with at tendance hovering around 85 at every meeting. The boom has con tinued this year and no end seems in sight. Clariosophic has felt the new surge. According to John Duffy, membership got down to fifteen just a few years ago. It is now up to approximately thirty and at tendance is consistently Increasing. Jo Allen Bradham, president of the Hypatian Society, noted that membership in the Hypatian Is now over forty members and that attendance and interest has greatly increased since organizing on a two-party system. The Athenian and Spartan par ties have brought an Increase In interest in debate and cam paigns for offices in the Hypatian next year will be based on the party system. The societies have experienced their ups and downs over the past fifty years, and, unfortunately, they have been mostly downs. But the slump seems certain to be over and the societies can confidently look forward to a future of great stren=th and' ahivemi.n a Shakespearean play. mTse dram rojects and played before large au I Camspu Fees Due Fees are payable beginning to day at the Treasurer's Office ir the Administration Building frorr 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and on Saturday from 9 until 1. Today all students whose sur names begin with A, B, C, D, or E are due. Tomorrow F, G, H, I, J K, and L. On Saturday M, N, 0 P, and Q. On Monday, the lasi day, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, anc Z will be due. Student Union Any student interested in help ing the Student Union Committe with any of the three Studen Tournaments scheduled for thi semester -- bridge, chess, or pinj pong - or with any other projec of the committee is requested -t leave his name with any member o the committee or at the informa tion desk in Russell House. Euphradian Meeting Meetings of the Euphradian So ciety on Tuesday nights at 7 p.m are open to all men students oi campus and visitors are welcome according to Pete Martin, presiden of the society. Euphradian meets in the Eu phradian Hall on the third floor o Harper College. Registration Deadline Late registration closes at p.m. on Monday. No schedul< changes will be ' permitted afte1 this date. After Monday, any stu dent who has not turned in a] cards and paid all fees for th semester will have his enrollmen cancelled, according to Registra: H. 0. Strohecker. Junior-Senlor "Y" Junior-Senior "Y" will hold it next meeting Friday at 1 p.m. il the Russell House assembly roomr The meeting will feature a movi, on popular music. The Junior Senior "Y" Cabinet has schedule< a Spring Planning Retreat to b, held Friday, Saturday, and Sun day at Camp Harmony. SNOW ON THE C Snow this deep on the Carol This seene was taken In 32 3 South Carolina and Melten Obh for thi plitre. As you eam e days. Extensive shrubbery bas and by the brick wall. (Prime eeayww b..a am. Pu......) -N as, staged on a grand-scale, were coma diences on the Horseshoe and Davis International Relations Club The International Relations Club will hold its next meeting at 5 p.m. Thursday hi room 204 of the Rus I sell House. * * * Art Exhibit Two paintings on exhibit at the Columbia Museum of Art are painted by Prof. Edmund Yagh jian, head of the University art department. The exhibit is com posed of paintings from collections of Columbians. "Study in Black and Blue" from Dr. and Mrs. W. J. Brockington's t collection is by Professor Yagh 5 jian. Also "Steel Mill" from the collection of B. H. Kline. * * Hlypatian Meets The next meeting of Hypatian Literary Society will be at 5 p.m., Feb. 4 in Clariosophic Hall. Jo Allen Bradham, newly elected president, will deliver the inau gural address. 1 * * * t Business Staff All students interested in work uig on the G;amecock Business Staff should contact Jim Herring in the (amecock office. * * * 5 Westminster Fellowship Westminster Fellowship m et Wednesday night in Fellowship Hall of the First Presbyterian IChurch. After a supper, slides t were shown on the subject, ' What r is a Work Camp?" * * * Wesley Program The new Wesley schedule for s Sunday morning will be: 10:00 icoffee, 10:30 wvorship, 11:15 Bible .Study. The Sunday evening sched e ule will feature a supper at 6 p.m. - followed by a forum at 6:30. i A seventy-five-cent luncheon will e be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday. There -will be a program at 7:30 Wednes day followed- by a recreation period. AROLINA CAMPUS baa camapus is not seen verny ofte. ihen heavy snows were r.eeeded in ervatory makes a good background ., things he changed since these been planted along the wahways eeurtesy ot CarnMliuama tCuleanm;