Tag Archives: Harold O. Whitnall

Dana Arts Center, Cutten Hall, Bryan Hall, and O’Connor Campus Center built (p. 336)

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also established a scholarship program for five years with an initial grant of $130,000 with the possibility of extending it for a second five-year period.

The expansion of Colgate’s physical facilities, an important feature of the Case presidency, continued during his successor’s. Four new buildings were erected and others modified or renovated. With the destruction of the Administration Building by fire in October, 1963, the old library, then serving as a Foreign Language Center, became the new Administration Building after extensive alterations and the transfer of the language center to Lawrence Hall. The Reid Athletic Center, in use since 1959, was completed in 1966 with the dedication of the basketball court to the memory of Wesley M. Cotterell, ’19, Trustee, 1961-65; the hockey rink in 1965 had been named for J. Howard Starr, Professor of Physical Education Emeritus, and former hockey coach. Alumni Hall was completely remodeled in 1965 and occupied by the Division of the Social Sciences, except for the Education Department which was located in Lawrence Hall; Arthur A. Meggett, ’36, was the architect. The Arts Center, named for Charles A. Dana whose foundation had provided a challenge grant as the basis of the funds raised for the building, was completed in 1966. A striking example of modern architecture, it was designed by Paul Rudolph, and provided classroom, office, studio and performing space for courses and activities in the fine arts, music and drama, and also housed a theater and an art gallery. Two residence complexes, Cutten and Bryan Halls, were completed in 1966 and 1967; the architects were Perkins and Will. The first was named for Colgate’s eighth president and comprised four houses commemorating faculty members active during his term-Albert P. Brigham (geology); Frank L. Shepardson (Greek and University Treasurer); Harold O. Whitnall (Geology) and Melbourne S. Read, (Philosophy, Psychology, Education, Vice President, 1912-21, and President pro tem, 1921-22). The second building perpetuates the memory of Colgate’s seventh president and also consists of four houses named for Dean William H. Crawshaw, ’87; George W. Cobb, ’94, Trustee (1907-45) and donor of the Cobb Awards; William M. Parke, ’00, Trustee (1926-61; President, 1937-48); and Norman F. S. Russell, ’01, Trustee (1928-54; President, 1948-52). The A. Lindsay and Olive B. O’Connor Campus Center, designed by Arthur A. Meggett, ’36, and opened in 1967, provided facilities for the

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Posted in Chapter 16, p. 336, The Barnett Period 1962-1969, timeline

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p. 283 – The Bryan Period, 1908-1922

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Centennial celebration. Over 1,200 alumni returned for the festivities held October 9-12. Since the University was in session the problems of feeding and housing were of major proportions but accommodations were found in the village and cots set up in campus buildings and large tents erected near the Administration Building for serving meals. The program included: Dean Crawshaw’s Centennial Ode, Dr. Lawrence’s Historical Address, Harry Emerson Fosdick’s tribute to the memory of the Gold Star servicemen, an alumni dinner, an academic convocation addressed by the New York State Commissioner of Education, John H. Finley; a football game with Brown University which Colgate won; and a concluding chapel service.

The most epoch-making feature of the Centennial was the founding of the Colgate University Alumni Corporation to supersede the old Alumni Association. It was designed as an efficient, permanently-staffed organization to keep in close touch with the graduates and to give them an opportunity to take a mote active part in University affairs. Twelve directors were immediately elected and they later chose George W. Cobb, ’94, who had been one of the corporation’s chief builders, President; Raymond E. Brooks, ’06, Vice-president; Professor Alfred E. Alton, B.D., ’02, Secretary; and Professor Harold O. Whitnall, ’00, Treasurer. Soon the corporation had an office on campus with Professor Alton in charge. Within a brief period he perfected class organization among the alumni; established and edited the Colgate Alumni Maroon (Colgate Alumni News) which replaced the sporadic Alumni Quarterly; opened a large correspondence with alumni; and helped to collect over $19,000 in support of the organization and the University. Encouraged by the success of the first few months the Directors in 1920 took the lead in launching the campaign for $1,000,000 and a new gym, in which Dr. Alton played a large role.

Before the campaign had concluded Dr. Bryan resigned effective June 30, 1921, to become President of Ohio University at Athens. He had led Colgate in one of its most notable periods 6f expansion-in size, buildings, faculty, and resources. His wisdom, genial friendship and personal interest won him lasting appreciation.

Responsibility for carrying on the affairs of the University fell on Vice President Read, now made President pro tem. The confusion of the post-war years added to his burdens which he shouldered with distinction. He drew together “the threads of cooperation” and kept up the general morale in a difficult transition period.

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p. 277 – The Bryan Period, 1908-1922

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tradition, one of its most violent aspects, lasted until 1919 when the faculty abolished the institution because of increasing intensity of the conflict, the dangers involved, and the money and time squandered. After a freshman accidentally drowned in the “proc” rush in 1919 this contest was replaced the next year by a frosh-soph tug-of-war. Under-classmen faithfully observed the pre-Moving-Up Day customs such as
burying the hatchet in Taylor Lake and smoking the peace pipe. On occasion their exuberance got out of bounds as when some of them in 1915 sheared the “flowing locks” of a villager and were hailed into court, or in 1921 when they burned the Whitnall Field grandstand and in 1922 the horse sheds behind St. Mary’s Church. The behavior of a minority reflected to a degree a relaxed attitude to law and order found throughout the country following World War 1.

Campus leaders wrestled with disciplinary and other problems in the Student Association and the senior honorary societies. The latter, in imitation of those established in American colleges as early as the 1890’s, were composed of those students who were outstanding primarily for extracurricular achievements and service to the University. The first, Skull and Scroll, was organized in 1908 for “the guardianship and promotion of the fair name of the college” with Professors Hoerrner and Whitnall as honorary members. The second, a rival, was Gorgon’s Head, founded in 1912 “to encourage the growth of manly character, scholarship, and College spirit”; Professors Alton, Allen, and Brigham were its sponsors. Distinguished off-campus recognition came to a Colgate undergraduate when Whitney H. Shepardson, ’10, son of the Academy Principal, and member of Skull and Scroll, was named the University’s first Rhodes Scholar in 1909.

To the five existing Greek letter fraternities six were added to meet the needs for social life, dormitory accommodations, and eating facilities brought about by the increased size of the student body. The Iota Chapter of Theta Chi was chartered in 1912 and Alpha Zeta Zeta of Lambda Chi Alpha in 1916. In 1917 three received charters-New York Delta Gamma of Alpha Tau Omega, founded as the Madison Club in 1902; Delta Upsilon of Sigma Nu, founded as Theta Delta Sigma in 1914; and Delta of Kappa Delta Rho. The last of the six, New York Zeta of Phi Delta Theta, originated in 1907 as the “Owl Club” which became Sigma Alpha in 1908 and was chartered in 1918. There had been only one house on the campus constructed for a fraternity,

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p. 252 – The Merrill Presidency, 1899-1908

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under Professor Thomas were among the most popular. Students saw them not only as a means for learning skills useful after college but also as training for the several oratorical and debating contests which engendered as much undergraduate enthusiasm as intercollegiate athletic competition.

To relieve Professor Moore of his courses in French, Frank C. Ewart, a Denison graduate who had studied at Chicago and Heidelberg, joined the faculty in 1899. In 1900 he added Spanish and in 1903 Italian and in 1907 seems to have introduced the use of the phonograph for instruction in speaking.

The arrival in 1903 of Everett W. Goodhue, a Dartmouth alumnus, to teach economics and sociology enabled Professor Spencer to offer additional history and political science courses until his departure in 1905 to become one of Woodrow Wilson’s preceptors at Princeton. His successor was Adna W. Risley, A.B., Colgate, 1894, who had studied at Chicago and whose modern approach is indicated by the “Catalogue” (1906-07) statement that the basic course in political science emphasized “practical citizenship” rather than “Theoretical government” and featured student reports on the government of their own localities.

Additions to the Science and Mathematics staff included: Roy B. Smith of the University of Michigan, who had studied at Heidelberg, in Chemistry; Arthur W. Smith, Chicago, in mathematics; and Harold O. Whitnall, Ph.B., Colgate, 1900, who did postgraduate work at Harvard, in geology and biology. They were promising young men hired to assist Professors McGregory, Taylor and Brigham, and were to round out their own careers as worthy successors to the earlier generation. Herman T. R. Aude, Colgate, 1905, who was in the group from 1905 to 1907, returned in 1920 to teach mathematics until his retirement in 1949. Mention should be made also of Albert B. Stewart, more nearly a contemporary of Taylor’s, a graduate of Bucknell, who came into the Department of Mathematics in 1909, after a career which covered secondary education in Pennsylvania and at Colgate Academy.

No newcomer of the Merrill period made a greater mark on Colgate than Ellery C. Huntington who arrived in the fall of 1900 to take the place of George W. Banning as Instructor in Physiology and Hygiene and Director of the Gymnasium. Inheriting the title of “Doc” from his predecessor who was an M.D., he quickly won the esteem and affec-

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