The student union in small colleges

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THE STUDENT UNION IN SMALL COLLEGES

A T h esis P resented to t h e F a c u lty o f t h e D epartm ent o f E d u c a tio n U n iv e rs ity o f S outhern C a lif o r n ia

In P a r t i a l F u lfillm e n t o f t h e R e q u ire m e n ts f o r t h e D egree M aster o f S cience

by O l a f He rm a n T e g n e r March 1950

UMI Number: EP56161

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This thesis, written under the direction of the Chairman of the candidatefs Guidance Committee and a p p r oved by all members of the Committee, has been presented to and accepted by the Faculty of the School of Education of the University of Southern California in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of M a ste r of Science in Education. Date.

Dean Guidance .Committee

Chairman

TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I

PAGE S t a t e m e n t o f P r o b l e m ...............................................................................1 PART A HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF COLLEGE STUDENT UNIONS

II III IV V VI V II

The E a r l y E n g l i s h P e r i o d

4

T h e E a r l y A m e r i c a n P e r i o d ............................................................. 16 The C l u b P e r i o d .....................................................................................24 The D e m o c r a c y P e r i o d

...............................................................

30

T h e R e c r e a t i o n P e r i o d ..................................................................... 35 The C o n te m p o r a r y Change P e r i o d PART B

V III

.......................................................

........................................

39

SURVEY OF SMALL COLLEGE STUDENT UNIONS

A n a l y s i s o f t h e Q u e s t i o n n a i r e ................................................46 PART C PROPOSED PLAN FOR SMALL COLLEGE STUDENT UNION

IX X

L o c a t i o n o n C a m p u s ............................................................ 54 F lo o r P lans PART D

XI X II X III

....................................................................................

59

RELATION OF COLLEGE STUDENT UNION TO THE COLLEGE ITSELF

R e l a t i o n t o E d u c a ti o n a l Program .

.

R e l a t i o n to S o c ia l and C u l t u r a l

Program .

R e la tio n to B usiness O ffic e

.

.

.

66 .

.

................................................

69 72

CHAPTER XIV XV

PAGE R e la tio n t o F a c u lty and A d m in is tra tio n

XVII

.

76

PURPOSE AND FUNCTION OF THE COLLEGE STUDENT UNION

N a tu r e o f C o lle g e S t u d e n t Union

..............................

61

F u n c t i o n o f C o l l e g e U n i o n ........................................................ PART F

X V III

.

R e l a t i o n t o t h e A lu m n i A s s o c i a t i o n .......................................79 PART E

XVI

.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

Summary a n d C o n c l u s i o n s ..............................................................S9

BIBLIOGRAPHY

.....................................................................................................

92

APPENDIX A

C o lleg es V is ite d

APPENDIX B

C o lle g e s T aking P a r t in Q u e s tio n n a ire .

.

95

APPENDIX C

C om posite o f R e tu rn e d Q u e s t i o n n a i r e .

.

99

.............................................................

.

94

LIST OF FIGURES CHAPTER

PAGE

1*

S tu d e n t U nion B u i l d i n g , George P e p p e r d in e C o lleg e, Proposed L o catio n • • • • • • • • • • 5 5

2*

S tu d e n t U nion B u i l d i n g , George P e p p e rd in e C o lle g e , B u ild in g S ketch • • • • • • « « • , ,

60

3*

S t u d e n t U nion B u i l d i n g , George P e p p e r d i n e C o l l e g e , M ain F l o o r , • ♦ • . . • • • • • * • • 6 2

4*

S t u d e n t U nion B u i l d i n g , George P e p p e r d in e C o lle g e , Second F lo o r , • • • • • • • • • • •

5*

S t u d e n t U nion B u i l d i n g , George P e p p e rd in e C o l l e g e , B a s e m e n t .............................. • • • • « • • «

.6 3 65

CHAPTER I STATEMENT OF PROBLEM The p u r p o s e o f t h i s year co lleg e s

s t u d y was t o

d ete rm in e what f o u r -

(w ith an e n ro llm e n t o f f iv e - th o u s a n d o r l e s s )

considered e s s e n tia l f a c i l i t i e s

f o r a stu d e n t union b u ild in g .

As G r a d u a t e M a n a g e r o f G e o r g e P e p p e r d i n e C o l l e g e o f L o s A ngeles, th e a u th o r has seen a double s ig n if ic a n c e i n t h i s problem .

He h a s b e e n i n t e r e s t e d

i n f i n d in g out what o t h e r

co lleg es,

thro u g h y e a rs o f e x p e rie n c e ,

s tu d e n t u n io n s , and has w anted t o

have le a r n e d about

in te g rate th is

in fo rm atio n

i n t o a w o r k in g f o r m u l a w h ic h c o u l d be u s e d by G eorge P e p p e r ­ d in e C ollege to b u ild a s tu d e n t union b u ild in g to f i t

its

p a r tic u la r needs. A f t e r exam ining l i b r a r y m a t e r i a l s ,

it

was f o u n d t h a t

i n f o r m a t i o n on s t u d e n t u n i o n s was e x t r e m e l y l i m i t e d . cause o f t h i s , in sig h t

in to

th e w rite r f e l t

ten

t h a t t h e o n l y w ay t o g e t a n y

t h e m a t t e r w ould be t o a c t u a l l y t a k e t h e

d e n t u n io n problem l i t e r a l l y

Be­

to

th e sch o o ls.

stu ­

A fter v is itin g

s m a ll c o l l e g e s and d i s c u s s i n g t h e p ro b le m w i t h t h e s t u ­

dent union d i r e c to r s i t

was f e l t

t h a t t h e b e s t way t o g e t

t h e d e s i r e d i n f o r m a t i o n w o u l d b e t o make u p a q u e s t i o n n a i r e . The q u e s t i o n n a i r e u s e d i n t h i s help o f th e a lly

s t u d y w a s made up w i t h t h e

s tu d e n t u n io n d i r e c t o r s from th e c o l l e g e s a c t u ­

v isite d .

S e e A p p e n d i x A.

2 The l i s t n a i r e was s e n t , rep lied ,

o f t h e i n s t i t u t i o n s t o w hich t h i s

q u estio n ­

t o g e t h e r w ith a t a b u l a t i o n o f t h o s e w hich

did not re p ly ,

o r r e p l i e d but d id not have a s t u ­

d e n t u n i o n , may b e f o u n d i n A p p e n d i x B. The r e s u l t s

of th is

survey have been t a b u la te d

and a

c o m p o s i t e o f t h e f i n d i n g s may b e s e e n i n A p p e n d i x C. B efore t h e r e a d e r i s

i n t r o d u c e d t o t h e many r a m i f i c a ­

t i o n s o f th e contem porary s tu d e n t u n io n , th at th e

th e a u th o r f e l t

i t was e s s e n t i a l t o p r e s e n t a h i s t o r i c a l r e s e a r c h o f first

tee n th

co n cep tio n o f th e

s tu d e n t union in e a rly n in e ­

c e n t u r y E n g l a n d down t o t h e p r e s e n t t r e n d i n t h e

U nited S t a te s .

T his phase o f th e e v o lu tio n of th e

student

u n i o n b u i l d i n g i s d i s c u s s e d i n P a r t A, C h a p t e r s I I t h r o u g h V II. P a r t B d is c u s s e s th e n a tu r e o f th e survey and th e q u e stio n n a ire used.

It

a lso

g i v e s an a n a l y s i s o f t h e

m e n d a t i o n s made b y t h e c o l l e g e s p a r t i c i p a t i n g

in th e

recom ­ survey.

P a r t C p r e s e n ts a proposed b u ild in g p la n f o r a sm all co lleg e

stu d e n t union.

The a u t h o r h a s t a k e n t h e f a c i l i t i e s

d e e m e d m o s t d e s i r a b l e a s sh ow n b y t h e s e so lid ated

them i n t o

a w orkable b u ild in g p la n .

p a t t e r n h a s b e e n made t o a rc h ite ctu re It

sta tistic s

and con­

The o v e r - a l l

conform w ith t h e p r e s e n t ty p e o f

a t P epperdine C o lle g e .

is re a liz e d t h a t th e c o lle g e

stu d e n t union o f t o -

day i s unique in i t s

c o n trib u tio n to th e ed u catio n o f th e

s tu d e n t and t h a t t h e u n io n i t s e l f p a r t o f t h e w hole a c t i v i t y

s h o u ld be an i n t e g r a l

of co lleg e.

C h a p te rs X II th ro u g h

XVI o f P a r t D show t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p o f t h e c o l l e g e u n i o n t o th e v a rio u s p h ases o f th e c o l l e g i a t e program . By way o f c o n c l u s i o n ,

P a rt E a tte m p ts to analyze th e

o v e r - a l l n a tu r e and f u n c t i o n o f th e co n tem porary s tu d e n t un io n .

It

p r e s e n ts evidence i n d i c a t i n g t h a t th e

union o f to day i s

very d e f i n i te l y

stu d en t

a p a rt of th e ed u catio n al

p r o g r a m a n d s h o u l d b e p l a n n e d a n d o r g a n i z e d i n s u c h a way t h a t a l l o f i t s many p o t e n t i a l i t i e s may b e r e a l i z e d .

PART A HISTORICAL BACKGROUNDS OF COLLEGE STUDENT UNIONS

CHAPTER II THE EARLY ENGLISH PERIOD I n th e E ngland o f t h e

e a rly n in e te e n th century ap­

p e a r e d t h e b e g i n n i n g s o f a movement d e s t i n e d t o h a v e a f a r r e a c h i n g e f f e c t on u n i v e r s i t y

life

I s l e s and i n Canada,

i n tim e th ro u g h o u t th e U n ited

but a ls o

not only in th e B r i ti s h

S ta te s and in o th e r p a r t s o f th e w orld. Two s m a l l g r o u p s o f s t u d e n t s , a n o th e r a t O xford, d iscu ssio n .

one a t Cam bridge and

became f i r e d w i t h t h e p a s s i o n f o r f r e e

In th e d e b a tin g

s o c ie tie s of th e in d iv id u a l

c o lle g e s of t h e i r u n i v e r s i t i e s t h e r e had been f o r y e a rs an o p p o rtu n ity f o r debate but th e s e a lly

stu d en ts f e l t

cram ped t h r o u g h t h e l i m i t a t i o n s o f t h e

leg es.

in te lle c tu ­

in d iv id u al co l­

T hey c o n c e i v e d o f a n o r g a n i z a t i o n t h r o u g h w h i c h

t h e r e m ig h t b e a combat o f m ind a g a i n s t m ind i r r e s p e c t i v e of co lleg e r e g is tr a tio n . F o r t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n a t C a m b r i d g e , known a s t h e bridge

U nion, t h e a c c e p t e d o f f i c i a l d a t e o f f o u n d in g i s

1615*

S im ilarly ,

first l£ 2 3 .^

f o r th e o r g a n iz a tio n a t O xford,

a s The U n i t e d D e b a t i n g S o c i e t y , The U n i o n S o c i e t y ,

Cam­

kn ow n a t

th e o f f i c i a l d ate is

r e p l a c i n g an e a r l i e r D e b atin g

S o c i e t y a t C h r i s t C h u rch , was e s t a b l i s h e d a t W y a t t ’ s i n t h e

■^Elizabeth O u z ts Hum phreys, C o lle g e U nions ( I t h a c a , New Y o r k : A s s o c ia tio n o f C o lle g e U nions, W illa r d S t r a i g h t H a ll, 1 9 4 6 ), p . 11.

H i g h S t r e e t i n 1&20; a n d among t h e f a m o u s s p e e c h e s d e l i v e r e d t h e r e u n d e r g r a d u a t e s l o n g rem em bered young G l a d s t o n e ^ p e a c h m e n t o f L o r d G r e y ' s G o v e r n m e n t i n May 1 8 3 1 .

im -

2

In b o th c a s e s t h e d a t e s "lo o k b e f o r e and a f t e r " . F o r e x a m p le , a t O x fo rd a s e a r l y a s 1812 A u g u st H are a n d t h e fe w members o f h i s

"A ttic

S o c i e t y " w e re sow ing t h e s e e d s o f

t h e u n i o n o r g a n i z a t i o n t h a t was l a t e r t o

ev o lv e.

The b e ­

g i n n i n g s a t Cam bridge h a d b een e a r l i e r .

In f a c t ,

in th o se

d a y s C a m b r i d g e men e x e r t e d a n i n f l u e n c e o v e r t h e p a t t e r n o f activ ity

o f O x f o r d m en .

The c o n c e p t o f t h e

o r g a n i z e r s em bodied u n i t y t h r o u g h

th e u n d erstand ing of d if fe r e n c e .

By no m e a n s w a s i t

in ten d ed

to unloose th e c h a in s o f t h e t r a d i t i o n a l E n g lish e x c lu s iv e ­ n e ss - - an e x c lu siv e n e ss p a r t l y u a l.

Indeed th e

s o c i a l and p a r t l y

in te lle c t­

i d e a o f a g e n e r a l c lu b had n o t y e t dawned.

F o u n d e r s and e a r l y members o f t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n s fo rm e d w h a t H e rb e t A r t h u r M o rra h , p r e s i d e n t o f t h e O x fo rd U nion i n 1394, term ed "a d i s t i n g u i s h e d c l i q u e . "

The B r i t i s h U n i o n w a s

d i s t i n g u i s h e d by a m em b e rs h ip i n c l u d i n g s u c h names a s t h e P r i n c e o f W a le s ( a f t e r w a r d s K ing Edward V I I ) , R obert C e c il,

t h e f u t u r e Lord

Prim e M i n i s t e r G l a d s t o n e , C a r d i n a l M anning,

Jo h n R u s k i n , W i l l i a m M o r r i s and t h e t h r e e W i l b e r f o r c e s , The

2

Handbook t o t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f O x fo rd (O x fo rd , E ngland: O xford U n i v e r s i ty P r e s s , 1 9 3 2 ), p . 31.

6 R ig h t H onorable C h r is to p h e r R e d in g to n , p r e s i d e n t o f t h e O x fo rd U nion i n 1 8 6 9 ,

is

quoted a s h a v in g s a i d ,

w h o l e , t h e u n i o n o f my d a y , u sefu l p art of u n iv ersity

from 1865 o n w a r d s , was a v e r y

life

- - not r e f e r r e d to of course

by th e m ere s p e n d t h r i f t s and r o w d ie s , d en ts,

"On t h e

n o r by t h e m ere s t u ­

b u t a c e n t e r f o r men o f v a r i e d g i f t s a n d t a s t e s ,

w here t h e d e b a te s w ere o f t e n v i g o r o u s l y c a r r i e d o n , and t h e talen ts

o f many men o f s u b s e q u e n t d i s t i n c t i o n w e r e f i r s t

brought to l i g h t . The i d e a m u s t b e m o d i f i e d t h a t t h e o r i g i n a l o b j e c t i v e o f E n g l i s h U n io n s was d e b a t e and n o t h i n g m o re . t h e prim e o b j e c t i v e and as su ch i t a t O xford.

has rem ained,

D e b a tin g was n o t a b l y so

But t h e r e w ere o t h e r c o n s i d e r a t i o n s .

As H. A.

M orrah h a s w r i t t e n : " O r i g i n a l l y , d e b a t e a l o n e seemed r e a s o n enough f o r f o u n d in g a n i n s t i t u t i o n w hich sh o u ld r e a c h t h e h e i g h t s . I t w a s m ea n t o g r o w . I n t h e m inds o f t h e p i o n e e r s w e r e many e l e v a t i n g a n d e x p a n s i v e i d e a s . T h e re was th e love o f books. T here w ere th e c la im s o f p h ilo s o p h y . H i s t o r y m ight e n t e r i n . W hatever O xford t a u g h t o r en co u rag ed m ight p r o v id e i t s s p e c i a l c o n t r i b u t i o n s . P o litic s a llu re d , not th e o re tic a lly , but as a lik e ly o c c u p a t i o n f o r o n e ’ s w h o l e e x i s t e n c e . • • Add t o t h e s e p o i n t s o f im p o r ta n c e , good m an n e rs, and t h e p la n s o f t h e f o u n d e r s m ig h t be c o n s i d e r e d , a s i n f a c t t h e y h a v e p ro v ed , o f f a r re a c h in g v a lu e - - even to t h e n a t i o n . " ^

^ U n iv e r s itie s and T h eir Sons. V ol. I I from C h ap ter b y C h e y n e y ( B o s t o n : E d w a r d P . R. H e r n d o n C om pany, 1 9 0 1 ) , pp. 11-114. ^H. S . M o r r a h , The O x f o r d U n i o n . C a s s e l l a n d C o m pany, 1 9 ^ 3 ) , p p . 4 - 5 .

1823-1923

(London:

7 T h o u g h t h e same h i s t o r i a n a l s o

speaks o f th e union as

h a v i n g g r a d u a l l y grown t o m ean, t o t h e r a n k and f i l e ,

as

m o r e " a home aw ay f r o m h o m e ” t h e d i s t i n c t i v e f e a t u r e o f t h e O x fo rd U nion h a s c o n s i s t e n t l y b e e n i t s i n t e l l e c t u a l th o u g h t,

force in stim u la tin g

d is c u s s io n and d e b a te .

So c l o s e l y

r e l a t e d t o t h e i n t e r e s t o f d e b a t e was t h e i n t e r e s t so urces o f in fo rm atio n th a t th e lib r a r y

o f t h e O x fo rd U nion

m ig h t be c o n s i d e r e d a s a p a r t o f t h e d e b a t e a s p e c t . t h e prom inence o f t h e l i b r a r y th e

in th e

However,

sh o u ld be em phasized and a l s o

im portance of th e p o s i t i o n of th e l i b r a r i a n . The g i f t t o t h e u n io n o f a h u n d re d pounds by t h e

P r i n c e o f W ales, on h i s d e p a r t u r e from O x fo rd , w as s p e n t f o r books.

Even th o u g h t h e u n i o n p r e f e r r e d p o l i t i c s t o p o e t r y

th e g if t

by B row ning o f a n a u t o g r a p h e d s e t o f h i s poems and

p l a y s w a s a c c e p t e d w i t h g r a t i t u d e a n d i s now a t r e a s u r e d p o ss e s sio n of th e union.

From t h e v e r y b e g i n n i n g t h e u n i o n

c o n s i d e r e d t h e p u r c h a s e o f b o o k s, m aps, lam ps and n e w sp a p e rs a n ecessary ex p en d itu re. A lso c l o s e l y

r e la te d to th e i n t e r e s t

i n d e b a t i n g was

t h e p r o v i s i o n f o r c o m m i tt e e rooms f o r p u r p o s e s o f c o n f e r e n c e , l a r g e l y betw een d e b a t e r s .

C om m ittee ro o m s, a s w e l l a s a

ro o m f o r d e b a t i n g a n d o n e f o r r e a d i n g w e r e r e n t e d b e f o r e t h e y e a r s o f th e Oxford u n io n b u i l d i n g . One o f t h e f a v o r a b l e c o n d i t i o n s now m o r e o r l e s s assum ed by A m erican c o l l e g e u n io n s a s a n a t u r a l c o n c o m ita n t

d i d n o t e x i s t i n t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e u n i o n m ovem ent. A m erican cam puses o f t o d a y , u n iv ersity a u th o ritie s

it

is

On

r a t h e r common p r a c t i c e f o r

t o b e co m e p r o m o t e r s w i t h t h e

stu d en ts

f o r s e c u r i n g c o l l e g e u n i o n s on t h e i r p a r t i c u l a r cam puses* At C a m b r i d g e a n d O x f o r d , o n t h e o t h e r h a n d ,

th ro u g h long

y e a r s t h e u n io n s met w i t h a c t i v e d i s a p p r o v a l by u n i v e r s i t y a u th o ritie s.

In th e f i r s t p la c e ,

pro cto rs

i n t e r f e r e d on

t h e acknow ledged b a s i s t h a t d e b a tin g o c c u p ie d tim e t h a t t h e stu d en ts

sh o u ld be s tu d y in g .

und esirab le r e s u lts

S e c re tly th ey a ls o fe a re d t h a t

o r c r i t i c i s m s m ig h t a r i s e from f r e e and

open d i s c u s s i o n on su ch a b ro a d s c a l e . The f a c t i s

th a t E n g lish unions have n ev er re c e iv e d

a n y o f f i c i a l r e c o g n i t i o n by t h e i r u n i v e r s i t i e s . t o be i n t e r p r e t e d ,

how ever,

p e c u lia r to th e un ions.

T his i s not

a s i n d i c a t i n g a n odd c o n d i t i o n

To E n g l i s h u n i v e r s i t i e s

stu d en t

o r g a n iz a tio n s o u ts id e th e classro om a r e " e x tr a to u n iv e rsity ."

That i s

to

the

say, th e u n iv e rs ity does not recog­

n iz e any stu d e n t o r g a n iz a tio n s . A t t h e same t i m e , many v a l u e s o f t h e u n i o n s w e r e a p p reciated ,

even b e fo re th e tu r n o f th e c e n tu ry ,

a s may b e

j u d g e d by t h e r e s p o n s e o f t h e C h a n c e l l o r o f O x fo rd U n i v e r s i t y to

a t o a s t given to th e u n iv e r s ity a t th e f i f t i e t h

ju b ile e

c e l e b r a t i o n o f t h e O x fo rd U n ion i n 1373* " I c a n n o t f o r g e t t h a t we a r e h e r e t h i s e v e n i n g not to c e l e b r a t e th e U n iv e rs ity o f O xford, b u t a rem arkable i n s t i t u t i o n in i t . . . I b e liev e th e re

i s no e d u c a t i o n a l i n s t r u m e n t so v a l u a b l e t o t h e l a r g e c l a s s o f s t u d e n t s - - I m e a n t h o s e who h a v e t o e x p r e s s t h e m s e l v e s i n p u b l i c - - a s t h e U nion S o ciety . • • I t i s a g re a t honor to th e inde­ pendence and s e l f - g o v e r n i n g i n s t i n c t o f t h e E n g lis h p e o p l e , t h a t a s o c i e t y , h a v in g h ad so g r e a t an i n f l u e n c e f o r g o o d , and p r o d u c i n g so a r d e i t a g ro u p o f men among i t s m e m b e r s , s h o u l d b e f o u n d e d by th e spontaneous a c t io n o f th e u n d e rg ra d u a te s t h e m s e l v e s • • . Though n o t e s t a b l i s h e d by t h e law s o f t h e p l a c e , th o u g h n o t u n d e r t h e s a n c t i o n o f p u b l i c a u t h o r i t y , t h e O x fo rd Union S o c i e t y h a s p r o v e n i t s e l f by i t s f r u i t s t o b e o n e o f t h e b e s t i n s t i t u t i o n s o f t h i s u n i v e r s i t y ( c h e e r s ) . "5 The s t o r y o f t h e O x fo rd U nion i s

incom plete w ith o u t

so m e d i s c u s s i o n o f t h e h i s t o r y o f t h e O x f o r d U n i o n B u i l d i n g . I n l e s s t h a n a y e a r a f t e r t h e U n ite d S o c i e t y o f O x fo rd was o rg an ized

(la te r to

b e known a s t h e O x f o r d U n i o n )

i t was

a g re e d t h a t t h e m a tte r o f a perm anent p la c e f o r m e e tin g s h a d become g r a v e ,

th at th e h o sp ita lity

o f i n d i v i d u a l mem­

b e r s i n t h e i r p r i v a t e room s c o u l d no l o n g e r be e x p e c t e d o r co n sid ered s a tis f a c to r y . fo r th e

An i m p o r t a n t m e e t i n g w a s c a l l e d

purpose of re a ch in g a d e c is io n in re g a rd t o r e n tin g

rooms a s h e a d q u a r t e r s f o r t h e s o c i e t y . "caused i t

But t h e p r o c t o r s

t o b e kn o w n " t h a t t h e y w o u l d i n t e r r u p t t h e

pro ceed in g s.

W i t h i n two y e a r s a f t e r t h e f o u n d a t i o n o f t h e

Cam bridge U nion S o c i e t y t h e v i c e - c h a n c e l l o r o f t h e U n iv e rsity issu ed a decree a b o lish in g th e d e b ates.

5lb id .,

pp. 245-247.

In both

10 cases,

h o w e v e r, t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n s d i d t h r i v e and from t i m e t o

tim e l a r g e r p r e m is e s w ere a c q u i r e d t o meet t h e n e e d s o f grow ing m em berships. T h a t t h e u n io n i d e a e a r l y em bodied a u n io n b u i l d i n g may b e d e m o n s t r a t e d b y c o n s i d e r i n g t h e g e n e r a l m a n n e r i n w hich r e q u ir e m e n ts f o r h e a d q u a r t e r s o f t h e g ra d u a lly ev o lv ed •

o rg an izatio n s

I n t h e e a r l y y e a r s a t C am bridge a d in g y

b a c k r o o m o f t h e R ed L i o n I n n a n d a t O x f o r d " a l o w b r o w e d " room a t C h r i s t C h u rch C o l l e g e s e r v e d a s h e a d q u a r t e r s f o r t h e new o r g a n i z a t i o n s . W ith e m p h a sis a t f i r s t

a lm o s t w h o lly on d e b a t e i t was

n a t u r a l t h a t t h e p h y s i c a l c o n c e r n was t h a t o f a room l a r g e enough f o r t h e m e e tin g and t h e number o f b e n c h e s t h a t c o u ld be r e n te d .

As t i m e w e n t o n a n d p e r m a n e n t q u a r t e r s w e r e

r e n t e d o r p u r c h a s e d , members o f t h e s o c i e t y a r r i v e d e a r l y i n order to

read about o r d is c u s s th e is s u e s o f th e evening.

Thus d e v e lo p e d t h e

dem and f o r a r e a d i n g room a n d a l o u n g e .

T h o s e who came e a r l y n a t u r a l l y d e s i r e d th e union,

t h e i r ev en in g m eal a t

a n d t h u s d e v e l o p e d t h e d e m a nd f o r d i n i n g s e r v i c e .

I n a s i m i l a r m a n n e r cam e d e m a n d s f o r o t h e r c o n v e n i e n c e s o f a clu b .

C o n se q u e n tly o v e r a p e rio d o f y e a r s and th ro u g h th e

e f f o r t s o f many e n t e r p r i s i n g

i n d i v i d u a l s t h e Cam bridge and

O x f o r d U n i o n s h a v e l o n g p r o v i d e d many o f t h e f a c i l i t i e s

now

m ore o r l e s s t a k e n f o r g r a n t e d i n c o l l e g e u n i o n s i n A m e ric a . O nce t h e s t r u g g l i n g d a y s w e r e o v e r - - t h o u g h t w a s g i v e n t o

11 th e type of h e a d q u a rte rs a p p ro p ria te f o r th e u nion. d i g n i t y o f th e union p lu s th e

The

s o c i a l p r e s t i g e o f t h e members

demanded s u r r o u n d i n g s o f r e f i n e m e n t . I t w a s i n 1&57 t h a t t h e O x f o r d U n i o n t u r n e d i t s on r e n t e d q u a r t e r s and p l a n n e d i t s

own b u i l d i n g .

Woodward, a d e s i g n e r r e p u t e d f o r h i s p i c t u r e s q u e

back

B enjam in in v en tiv e­

n e s s a n d r e f i n e m e n t i n h i s w o r k o n t h e U n i v e r s i t y m u se u m , was g i v e n t h e t a s k o f d e s i g n i n g t h e O xford b u i l d i n g . in stru ctio n s

t o him w e re t h a t h i s e f f o r t s

The

in d esig n in g th e

union should be "very s p e c i a l ." When t h e b u i l d i n g w a s c o m p l e t e d i t w a s d e s c r i b e d a s "a lo n g and handsom ely e l e v a t e d b u i l d i n g w ith a p s i d a l e n d s ." The c h i e f m e r i t o f t h e r o o m s l a y i n t h e i r a d a p t i o n t o p u r p o s e s f o r w hich th e y w ere d e s i g n e d .

the

Of t h e a r t i s t i c

t r e a t m e n t o f t h e w a l l s by D a n te R o s s e t t i , W i l l i a m s M o r r i s and Edward B u r n e - J o n e s ,

one h i s t o r i a n had t h i s

to

say:

" T h e r e n e v e r dawned on t h e O x fo rd c o n s c i o u s n e s s a t h e m e o r s c h e m e m o r e v i t a l i n p r i n c i p l e t h a n cam e i n t o b e i n g a s s o o n a s t h e w a l l s o f W o o d w ard ’ s b u ild in g looked re a d y t o r e c e iv e an id e a . The h a l l had been ro o fe d i n . The n a r r o w g a l l e r y w a s a l r e a d y f i t t e d w i t h book s h e l v e s . Abov e t h e s e w a s a b r o a d b e l t o f a l l d i v i d e d i n t o t e n b a y s p i e r c e d by t w e n t y s i x - f o i l c i r c u l a r w indow s. T his broad b e l t o f a l l a t t r a c t e d t h e g la n c e o f D ante G a b r ie l R o s s e t t i , an O x f o r d g u e s t , who saw h e r e i n a n o p p o r t u n i t y f o r a r t i s t i c developm ent and so m e th in g m ore. F o r him , t h e w a l l s w ere hungry f o r p i c t u r e s . He w e n t r o u n d , to h is frie n d s . H is t h o u g h t, w ith t h e i r s ex panded.

6Ib id .,

p. 169.

12 The r e s u l t was t h a t R o s s e t t i and o t h e r P r e - R a p h a e l i t e s c r e a t e d on t h e w a l l s o f t h e u n io n tw e lv e s c e n e s o f c h i v a l r y , rom ance and a d v e n t u r e from T e n n y s o n 's A r t h u r i a n c y c l e . in flu e n c e o f t h i s grap h ic

com bination o f l i t e r a t u r e

was g r e a t e r t h a n one m ig h t s u s p e c t .

The

and a r t

The i d e a l i s m t h u s

p o r t r a y e d b e ca m e s y m b o l i c o f t h e U n i v e r s i t y a n d o f t h e u n i o n a s w e l l a s o f i d e a l s o f many i n d i v i d u a l O x f o r d m e n . The f r e s c o e s f a d e d ;

but th e

s p i r i t u a l in flu e n ce of

p h y s i c a l s u r r o u n d i n g s h a d become d e m o n s t r a t e d .

Ever a f t e r ­

w ard t h e s t a n d a r d o f t h e O x fo rd Union i n g e n e r a l a r c h i t e c t ­ u r a l p l a n a n d i n t e r i o r d e c o r a t i n g w a s t o b e h i g h a s show n b y th e n a tu re o f f u tu r e re m o d e llin g and a d d i t i o n s , o f l£ 9 0 and 1910.

p a rticu larly

One w o n d e r s w h e t h e r t h e f a c t t h a t t h e

A m erican U nions have s u r p a s s e d t h e E n g l i s h i n t h i s r e s p e c t o f a r c h i t e c t u r a l b e a u ty and adequacy o f b u i ld i n g s b ut n ot rea ch e d th e h e ig h ts o f i n t e l l e c t u a l e x p e rie n c e s i n th e union may b e i n d i c a t i v e o f e f f e c t s o f A m e r i c a n m a t e r i a l i s m . The c o l l e g e u n i o n movement s p r e a d f r o m C a m b rid g e and O x f o r d t o many p a r t s o f t h e B r i t i s h E m p i r e , t o t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s and o t h e r p a r t s i n E ngland, S c o tla n d , and Canada.

o f th e w orld. N orth I r e l a n d ,

South A f r i c a ,

A u stralia,

U nions have b e e n r e p o r t e d a t t h e U n i v e r s i t i e s

o f B irm ingham , C a n t e r b u r y , E d in g u rg h ,

Today u n i o n s a r e fo u n d

L iv erp o o l,

S h effield ,

A berdeen,

G lasgow , B e l f a s t , M e lb o u rn e , C apetow n, T o r o n to ,

M cG ill and O tago;

i n m any f o r e i g n c o u n t r i e s ;

and i n t h e

13 m a jo rity of th e

sta te s

in th e U nited S ta te s * ?

N a tu ra lly each u n io n ,

i n c l u d i n g t h o s e a t Cam bridge

and O xford, h as a p e r s o n a l i t y a l l

its

p r o a c h e s and emphases p e c u l i a r t o

it

its

own t r e a s u r e d t r a d i t i o n s .

p reciate.

own.

Each h a s a p ­

alo n e.

Each b o a s t s

A l l t h e s e we r e s p e c t a n d a p ­

B u t f o r o u r p r e s e n t p u r p o s e s we m u s t d e a l o n l y

w i t h b r o a d common f a c t o r s . Add t o w h a t h a s a l r e a d y b e e n s a i d a n e m p h a s i s o f t h e f a c t t h a t t h e f i r s t u n io n s were s t r i c t l y

f o r men a n d we w i l l

have t a p p e d t h e m ain s tr e a m s o f i n f l u e n c e o f t h e E n g li s h u n io n s on th e developm ent o f c o l l e g e u n io n s i n A m erica. The s o c i a l a c t i v i t i e s c a s u a l and u n p re m e d ita te d .

o f O xford o f to d a y , T here i s an i n f i n i t e

s o c i e t i e s t o w h i c h a n u n d e r g r a d u a t e may b e l o n g , many men t h e p r o b l e m i s

are not number o f and f o r

n o t to f i n d enough s o c i a l i n t e r e s t s ,

b u t t o k e e p some o f t h e m o f v e r y a n c i e n t t r a d i t i o n s , i n g f o r m any d i f f e r e n t b atin g S o ciety ,

purposes.

T here i s

a n d some k i n d o f l i t e r a r y

e x ist­

g e n e r a l l y a De­ s o c i e t y w here

e i t h e r p l a y s a r e r e a d o r p a p e r s a r e p r e s e n t e d on l i t e r a r y to p ic s; e ties

a g o o d many c o l l e g e s h a v e D r a m a t i c o r M u s i c a l S o c i ­

o f t h e i r own; a n d ,

TTt h e r e a r e

s o c i e t i e s w hich e x i s t f o r

^ A D i r e c t o r y o f C o l l e g e U nion B u i l d i n g s and O th e r Cen­ t e r s U s e d f o r S o c i a l and C u l t u r a l R e c r e a t i o n on A m erican C o lle g e Cam puses. C l t h a c a , New Y o r k : A s s o c ia tio n o f C ollege U n i o n s , W i l l a r d S t r a i g h t H a l l , 1 9 4 6 ) , p p . A14-A16.

c o n v iv ia l purposes*

The c o n v i v i a l a s p e c t ,

i n d e e d , may

p r e d o m i n a t e i n c l u b s w hich o s t e n s i b l y h a v e m ore solem n o b jects;

we k n o w , f o r e x a m p l e , o f o n e S h a k e s p e a r e S o c i e t y ,

i n w hich t h e f i r s t

p u b lic b u s in e s s o f th e evening a t

m e e t i n g i s t o move, and c a r r y u n a n i m o u s l y , be not rea d t o n i g h t ." groups a re l im ite d

" t h a t t h e Bard

The g r e a t m a j o r i t y o f t h e s e c o l l e g e

i n n u m b ers, on an e l e c t i v e b a s i s ;

t h e f r e s h m a n c a n n o t m e r e ly c h o o se them a t w i l l , commend h i m s e l f t o

o f ephem eral groups c o n s ta n tly s p rin g i n to as c o n stan tly d isap p ear.

b u t m ust

a number

e x iste n ce ,

and

They s e r v e t h e i r p u r p o s e i n

g a t h e r i n g t o g e t h e r men o f t h e

same i n t e r e s t

and g e n e r a l l y

a n d t h e i r im perm anence d o e s n o t stam p

them w i t h f u t i l i t y : num bers w ith

so t h a t

t h e members a s a d e s i r a b l e r e c r u i t .

B e s i d e s t h e e s t a b l i s h e d and p e rm a n e n t s o c i e t i e s ,

o f t h e sa m e y e a r ,

every

a t the l e a s t,

th e y have p rovided t h e i r

a p r e t e x t f o r w e a r i n g a new t i e ;

for i t

is a

p o o r k in d o f c lu b o r s o c i e t y w hich c a n n o t f l a u n t a gaudy d t i e o f i t s ow n." The m e e t i n g s o f a l l t h e s e g r o u p s a r e u s u a l l y v e ry in f o r m a l and u n cerem o n io u s: a fix ed h a b ita tio n ,

b u t m eet, by r o t a t i o n ,

th e y seldom have i n t h e rooms o f

m em b ers, t h e o c c u p a n t o f t h e rooms a c t i n g a s h o s t o f t h e evening.

An O x f o r d u n d e r g r a d u a t e s o c i e t y g e n e r a l l y f e e l s

^ Handbook t o t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f O x f o r d (O xford, E n g l a n d : O x f o r d U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , I 9 jJ2 ) , p p . 2 6 5 - 2 6 6 •

15 th at

i t m ay , w i t h o u t p r e s u m p t i o n ,

p u b lic

person to t a l k

w alks o f l i f e It

to

it,

in v ite a d istin g u ish ed

a n d men o f e m i n e n c e i n d i f f e r e n t

a re very generous in a c c e p tin g th e s e i n v it a ti o n s .

is need less to

general u n iv ersity

say th a t o u ts id e c o lle g e s th e r e a re

s o c i e t i e s o f l a r g e m em bership and o f

e la b o rate o rg an iz atio n .

The m o st fam ous o f t h e s e i s

the

U n io n , w hich s e r v e s t h e d o u b le p u r p o s e o f a c lu b and o f a d eb atin g

so ciety .

I t has i t s

own b u i l d i n g

th e u su a l a m e n itie s o f a clu b a re p ro v id ed , h a l l fo rm s a w in g by i t s e l f .

T his i s

and g r o u n d s , where and th e d e b a tin g

c o n s t r u c t e d on t h e

p a r l i a m e n t a r y m odel, and th e d e b a t e s , w hich a r e h e ld w eekly d u rin g term ,

a re a ls o p a rlia m e n ta ry in p la n and p ro c e d u re .

T h e u n i o n h a s b e e n t h e t r a i n i n g - g r o u n d o f many e m i n e n t B ritish asp irin g

p o litician s,

and i t

a f f o r d s am ple o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r

sta te sm en and p u b lic

speakers.

co n sid ere d a high underg rad u ate honor. great v ariety of su b jects, p o litic a l, gay;

and a r e

and t h e

The d e b a t e s c o v e r a

predom inantly but not e x c lu siv e ly

j u d i c i o u s l y b le n d e d o f t h e g ra v e and t h e

s p e a k e r s o f t e n i n c l u d e v i s i t o r s who a r e

d istin g u ish ed

in d i f f e r e n t d epartm ents of p u b lic

v a lu a b le f e a t u r e o f th e union i s is

The P r e s i d e n c y i s

its

len d in g l ib r a r y ,

p a r t i c u l a r l y r i c h i n m odern f i c t i o n

and bio g rap h y .

life .

A w hich

and E n g lis h h i s t o r y

CHAPTER III THE EARLY AMERICAN PERIOD A n o th e r i m p o r t a n t and n o t d i s s i m i l a r m ethod o f c o - o p ­ e ra tio n

i s fo u n d in what i s

c a lle d th e s tu d e n ts 1 union.

The

Am erican i n s t i t u t i o n f o l l o w s w i t h o u t i m i t a t i n g t h e E n g li s h C a m b r i d g e U n i o n o f 1 3 1 5 a n d t h e O x f o r d U n i o n o f 1 3 2 3 by th ree

q u a rte rs o f a cen tu ry .

p u rp o se w hich i t for

is

The v e r y name i n d i c a t e s t h e

designed to

stu d e n ts the r i g h ts ,

serve.

d u tie s,

p riv ileg e s,

t i e s w hich b e lo n g t o a s o c i a l g ro u p . u s u a l l y h a s rooms f o r a s s e m b l i e s , g a m e s , o f m any t y p e s . ing s e rv ic e . talk in g ,

It

It

It

resp o n sib ili­

i s a clu b .

l a r g e and s m a ll,

a lso has,

o f course,

It and f o r

a proper d in ­

i s p rim a rily a p la c e f o r lo a f i n g , m eeting,

and r e a d i n g .

C hanges, m o reo v er, w hich a r e to ry

The u n i o n e m b o d i e s

b e i n g m ad e i n t h e

dorm i­

sy ste m o f t h e A m erican c o l l e g e an d u n i v e r s i t y prom ote

t h e fo rm a l and in f o r m a l c o - o p e r a t i o n o f f a c u l t y and s t u d e n t s These changes r e p r e s e n t

a nd e m b o d y , a s a l m o s t a r e v o l u t i o n ,

a t r a n s f o r m a t i o n o f h o u se s from a ty p e o f b a r r a c k s i n t o m u n ity homes.

com­

The t y p i c a l c o l l e g e d o r m i t o r y w a s a n d s t i l l

j u s t an a s s e m b la g e o f rooms f o r j u s t a c o l l e c t i o n o f s t u ­ d en ts.

Only t h e y o u t h f u l n e s s ,

s t u d e n t s made i t

and f i n e f e llo w s h ip o f th e

at a ll h a b itab le.

was and i s l o n e l y , lonesom e,

d eso late.

For th e

in d iv id u al i t

I t had a few and o n ly

i

17 a few o f th e com forts; free

n e ce ssitie s fo r liv in g .

I t was b a r e o f m ost

and y e t t o t h e f e l l o w s i t was r a t h e r c o m f o r t a b l e ,

from th e im m ediate c o u n s e l and w is e o r unw ise o v e r s i g h t

of co lleg e o f f ic e r s . ly did,

If rio ts

broke o u t,

a s they o c c a s io n a l­

t h e p r o c t o r s w o u l d come i n w i t h t h e m a t t e r s o f t h e

sh e riff. even i f

I t was a sa d s p e c t a c l e a n d a s a d d e r e x p e r i e n c e , i n ways r a t h e r a m u sin g .

The c h a n g e w h i c h t h e s o - c a l l e d h o u s e - p l a n h a s made i n t h e d o r m ito r y system o f H a rv a rd , and o f Y a le , and w hich a i d s i n m aking s i m i l a r c h a n g e s i n o t h e r c o l l e g e s , elem en ts.

The h o u s e s t h e m s e l v e s a r e b u i l t

lie s

in

several

in groups.

The

head and th e h e a r t o f each house i s found i n th e p re se n c e o f a m aster and h is fa m ily .

A ll th e f a c i l i t i e s

liv in g ,

not only p erso n al ap artm e n ts,

nished,

but also

are

in stalled .

am ple and w e l l - f u r ­

common r o o m s , d i n i n g r o o m s , It

i s a c o l l e g e home a n d t h e

se n t a c r o s s - s e c tio n of un d erg rad u ate l i f e . o p p o rtu n ities

f o r com plete

lib ra rie s,

—

stu d en ts re p re ­ I t has abundant

not only f o r stu d y b u t a ls o f o r o th e r d u tie s

and e n jo y m e n t s , and e s p e c i a l l y f o r w hat m ig h t be c a l l e d u n ­ p roductive read in g . lo afin g .

It

in v ite s to

For of lo afing of t h i s

t o r o f 1931 s a i d ,

"L oafing,

doubtedly a f in e a r t ;

c r e a t i v e and i n t e l l i g e n t

ty p e th e H arvard c l a s s o r a ­

i n one s e n s e o f t h e word i s u n ­

in te llig en t

lo afin g i s

o b v i o u s l y one

o f th e m ost v a lu a b le t h i n g s t h a t an u n d e r - g r a d u a te can

18 le a r n a t H a rv ard ." 9

i»he w h o l e p l a n s t a n d s n o t o n l y f o r

c o m f o r t a b l e n e s s b u t a l s o p u t s an em phasis upon t h e s o c i a l r e la tio n s h ip s of th e h ig h e r ed u catio n . m unity l i f e

It

r e p r e s e n t s com­

w ith a p r o p e r em phasis upon i n d i v i d u a l i s m .

The l a r g e a n d p r o p e r human l i v i n g

i n s t a l l e d a t H arvard

i n h e r houses has a ls o been brought i n to th e l i f e In th e b u ild in g of h er c o lle g e s ,

a t Y ale.

Y ale h a s i n t r o d u c e d b e n e -

f i c i e n t c h a n g e s m aking f o r t h e b e s t l i v i n g o f s t u d e n t s .

At

b o t h Y ale and H a r v a r d t h e G e o r g ia n a r c h i t e c t u r e

p rev a ils,

y e t w ith in tim a tio n s o f th e c o lle g ia te

G othic.

The H a r v a r d

h o u s e s may seem m o r e a c a d e m i c a n d l e s s

lu x u rio u s.

The Y a le

c o l l e g e s may s e e m a b i t m o re l u x u r i o u s a n d l e s s a c a d e m i c . The l i b r a r y room s, t h e p laces,

in

each h o u se ,

t h e common r o o m s , t h e

in d iv id u al su ite s fo r stu d e n ts,

a re what d o r m ito r ie s

stu d en ts.

Each h o u se ,

and t h i r d

co n stitu tio n of P h illip s

was,

affirm ed as th e

to

"learn " h is

in g ."

The l i f e

is,

stu d en ts th at

o ld est

c o lleg e

in m a te r ia l type th e purpose

w hich i n t h e e a r l y and s t i l l

even th e f i r e ­

sh ould be and sh o u ld g iv e t o

in the f i r s t

i n A m erica, n o b ly r e p r e s e n t s

d in in g

"the g r e a t

A c ade m y ,

Andover

duty of th e te a c h e r ,

—

and r e a l b u s i n e s s o f l i v ­

i s th u s o ffere d to th e

9 P aul B rooks, "C o lleg e U n io n s," T r a n s c r i p t » J u n e 1 6 , 1931*

s t u d e n t s o f Yale

B oston E v ening

19 and o f H arvard,

in i t s

p h y sic a l form ,

is

q u ite as com fortable

and happy a s t h a t w hich O xford o r C am bridge p r o v i d e s . " T h a t t h e l i v i n g and e a t i n g c o n d i t i o n s o f o v e r 1700 u p p e rc la s s m e n have been im proved a s com pared w ith th e s i t u a t i o n e x i s t i n g p r i o r t o 1 9 3 0 no o n e c a n d e n y . The House l i b r a r i e s h a v e b e e n u s e d t o t h e i r f u l l e s t e x t e n t . A more n a t u r a l and c o n v e n i e n t s e t t i n g h a s b e en p r o v i d e d i n w h i c h t o c a r r y o n t u t o r i a l w ork b e c a u s e a l a r g e p r o ­ p o r t i o n o f t h e u p p e r - c l a s s m e n a r e now w o r k i n g w i t h t u ­ to r s a ttach ed to t h e i r re s p e c tiv e houses. Through t h e A s s o c ia te s t h e u p p e rc lassm en have had a t l e a s t an o p p o r­ t u n i t y t o come i n t o c o n t a c t w i t h a l a r g e n u m b e r o f mem­ b e r s o f t h e F a c u l t y r e p r e s e n t i n g v a r i o u s f i e l d s o f work; w h i l e t h r o u g h t h e s p e c i a l House d i n n e r s f o l l o w e d by i n ­ f o r m a l d i s c u s s i o n i n t h e common r o o m s t h e men h a v e b e e n u n a b le to m eet i n t e r e s t i n g p e rs o n a g e s from o u t s i d e th e U n iv ersity . N u m e ro u s t a l k s b y m e m b e r s o f t h e F a c u l t y a n d v i s i t o r s h a v e b e e n made o n v a r i o u s t o p i c s . In terest C lu b s, o r d is c u s s io n g ro u p s, have been form ed. O ccas­ i o n a l c o n c e r t s have been h e ld ; C h ristm a s p a r t i e s and o r i g i n a l p la y s have been g iv e n ; and t h e r e have been t e a s and d a n c e s. As s t a t e d i n t h e S t u d e n t C o u n c i l R e p o r t on t h e House P l a n , " t h e v a r i e d House e n t e r t a i n m e n t s , and d i s c u s s i o n g r o u p s , t o g e t h e r w i t h t h e m o st w elcom e v a r i e t y o f c o n t a c t a n d e d u c a t i o n by a t t r i t i o n w h i c h g o e s o n i n t h e d in in g h a l l s , have been an a t t r a c t i v e and a v a lu a b le f e a tu r e of th e P lan. A ll of th ese th in g s are in d ic a tiv e o f t h e r i c h e r i n t e l l e c t u a l a n d s o c i a l l i f e t h a t i s made p o s s i b l e by t h e l i v i n g t o g e t h e r i n c o m m u n itie s o f m anage­ a b l e s i z e o f u p p e r c l a s s m e n , g r a d u a t e s t u d e n t s , a n d mem­ b e rs o f the F acu lty . " T h e H o u s e s a l s o h a v e p r o v i d e d a much m o re n a t u r a l a n d p o p u l a r b a s i s f o r i n t r a m u r a l s p o r t s t h a n was p o s s i b l e under th e old plan of i n t e r - c l a s s c o m p etitio n . The r e ­ p o r t o f t h e f i r s t I n t e r - H o u s e A t h l e t i c C om m ittee f o r t h e y e a r 1931 — 1932 showed t h a t i n a l m o s t e v e r y s p o r t t h e r e w e r e f r o m t w o t o t h r e e t i m e s a s m any men p l a y i n g o n t h e House te a m s a s u n d e r t h e f o r m e r c l a s s s y s t e m s ; w h i l e t h e r e p o r t f o r 1932 — 1933 shows a s t i l l f u r t h e r u pw ard t r e n d i n t h e num bers p a r t i c i p a t i n g . Added z e s t i s f u r n ­ i s h e d t o t h e i n t e r - H o u s e c o n t e s t s by t h e f a c t t h a t t h e w i n n i n g H o u s e t e a m s c l i m a x t h e i r s e a s o n s by c o m p e t i n g a g a i n s t th e le a d in g c l a s s team s in th e c o rre sp o n d in g s p o r t a t Y a le, w hich b e g in n in g w ith t h e c u r r e n t y e a r w i l l be r e p l a c e d by House te a m s s i m i l a r t o o u r s . The S t u d e n t

20 C o u n c i l R e p o r t on t h e House P l a n c o n c l u d e d t h a t ; d u r i n g t h e p a s t y e a r H o u s e a t h l e t i c s h a v e made a d e c i d e d a d v a n c e i n a lm o s t e v e ry way. T h is i s l a r g e l y due t o th e i n ­ c r e a s e d c o - o p e r a t i o n b e t w e e n M r. A. W. S a m b o r s k i * 2 6 , S e c r e t a r y f o r House A t h l e t i c s , and t h e v a r i o u s House a t h l e t i c co m m ittees. At t h e same t i m e a n e n t h u s i a s t i c s p i r i t o f i n t e r - H o u s e r i v a l r y h a s become e v i d e n t ; t h i s h a s r e s u l t e d i n more te a m o r g a n i z a t i o n s w i t h i n t h e H o u s e s , a s w e l l a s i n c r e a s e d n u m b e r s o f men r e p o r t i n g f o r the v a rio u s s p o r ts . T his y e a r in p a r t i c u l a r , th e second y e a r u n d e r th e seven-H ouse sy stem , a t h l e t i c s have pro v ed a n e c e s s a r y l i n k betw een u n i t s , and have su c ­ c e s s f u lly tak en th e p lace o f th e p rev io u s i n t e r - c l a s s sp o rts. " A s id e fro m t h e g r a d u a l e v o l u t i o n o f t h e House p l a n , t h e m ost im p o r ta n t d e v e lo p m e n ts a f f e c t i n g t h e Houses a s a w hole d u r i n g t h e p a s t y e a r h a v e b e e n , (1) t h e a d o p t i o n o f a p la n o f in te r - H o u s e e a t i n g , w hereby s t u d e n ts l i v i n g i n o n e h o u s e may t a k e a l i m i t e d n u m b e r o f m e a l s e a c h w e e k i n t h e o t h e r H o u s e s a n d h a v e t h e same c h a r g e d a g a i n s t t h e q u o t a o f m e a l s f o r w h i c h t h e y p a y i n t h e i r own H o u s e ; ( 2 ) t h e l o w e r i n g o f t h e p r i c e o f ro om a n d b o a r d f o r t h e y e a r 1933 — 1 9 3 4 ; a n d ( 3 ) t h e s e t t i n g u p o f a c e n t r a l c o m m i t t e e t o s u p e r v i s e t h e a s s i g n m e n t o f members o f t h e C l a s s o f 1 9 3 6 among t h e s e v e n H o u s e s . " As P r e s i d e n t L o w e l l h a s s a i d , to h elp

s u b s titu te f o r th e

"T he H o u s e s a r e d e s i g n e d

s c h o o l b o y a t t i t u d e o f m ind —

w h i c h h a s d o m i n a t e d so much t h e A m e r i c a n c o l l e g e — a t y p e o f l i f e more m a t u r e ,

a n d , when u n d e r s t o o d , more e n j o y a b l e .

We s h o u l d p r o f i t b y d e e p e n i n g a n d b r o a d e n i n g o u r a s s o c i a t i o n s w hile in c o lle g e ,

befo re the ru sh ,

th e p ressu re,

th e p reo c­

c u p a t i o n o f l e a r n i n g o r p r a c t i c i n g a c a r e e r m ak e t h e m m ore d iffic u lt.

New c o n t a c t s ,

good t a l k ,

s h i p s f l o u r i s h w h e n men l i v e

w ide ra n g e o f f r i e n d ­

i n a com m unity a n d t a k e t h e i r

10 O f f i c i a l R e g i s t e r o f H a r v a r d U n i v e r s i t y , XXXI, No. 3 , F e b r u a r y 5 , 1 9 3 4 , PP $ 2 - 9 3

V ol.

21 m eals i n t h e

same d i n i n g room - n o t o n l y w i t h o t h e r u n d e r ­

g rad u ates of d if f e r e n t

classes,

types,

and e a r l y a s s o c i a t i o n s ,

b u t a l s o w i t h t u t o r s whom t h e y m e e t i n o f f h o u r s a t b r e a k f a s t , lunch,

or d in n er.

That i s

t h e m eaning o f t h e h o u s e s .

.

.

" P e r h a p s t h e b e s t sum m ation o f t h e a d v a n t a g e s o f t h e H a r v a r d H o u s e s i s f o u n d i n a p a p e r w r i t t e n b y A r t h u r W. T o d d , C hairm an o f t h e L o w ell H ouse, and p u b l i s h e d i n t h e H a rv a rd A l u m n i B u l l e t i n o f N o v e m b er 1 6 , 19 34* in q u irin g g rad u ate,

He s a y s ,

"To t h e

I w o u l d r e p l y t h a t we h a v e b e e n p r e s e n t e d

w ith an u nequalled o p p o rtu n ity o f liv in g

i n a com m unity o f

f e l l o w s t u d e n t s o f e v e ry t y p e and i n t e r e s t ,

th a t th e m ajo rity

o f u s h a v e w orked w i t h them i n f o r m a l l y and w i t h a f r e e w i l l in

sch o larsh ip ,

and d ra m a tic s ,

in o th er in te lle c tu a l and i n a t h l e t i c s ,

in te rests,

and t h a t

i n m usic

i n t h i s way t h e

f o r m a l v a l u e o f o u r c o l l e g e y e a r s h a s b e e n g r e a t l y h e l p e d . "12 The H a r v a r d U n io n h i s t o r i c a l l y be term ed t h e f i r s t

p e r io d o f developm ent o f th e c o ll e g e

u n io n , th e "E arly E n g lish P e r io d .” H arv ard U nion,

b e lo n g s t o what m ight

F o r many y e a r s ,

th e

l i k e t h e e a r l y E n g l i s h u n i o n s , was p r i m a r i l y

a d eb atin g s o c ie ty .

In th e a r c h i v e s o f H arvard U n iv e rs ity

a r e r e c o r d s o f such a s o c i e t y ,

H arv ard U nion, f o r t h e y e a r s

• ^ H a r v a r d Alumni B u l l e t i n . F e b r u a r y 2 3 ,

1934, p .

574.

^ C h a r l e s F r a n k l i n T w i n g , The A m e r i c a n C o l l e g e a n d U n iv ersity (New Y o r k : T h e M a c m i l l a n Com pany, 1 9 3 5 ; pp7 126-135.

1632-1639 and 1660-1696. th e

B u t a s we s h a l l

see p r e s e n tly ,

tim e t h e H a rv a rd Union s e c u r e d a b u i l d i n g ,

by

in 1901, th e

e m p h a s i s o f t h e o r g a n i z e r s h a d b e co m e m o r e s o c i a l t h a n arg u m en tativ e.

C o n s e q u e n tly , t h e H a rv ard U nion a l s o b e lo n g s

t o th e s o c i a l o r c lu b s ta g e o f developm ent.

T his s o c ia l

e m p h a sis c h a r a c t e r i z e d t h e H a r v a r d U nion t h r o u g h t h e n e x t stag e,

from 1919-1929*

By t h e t i m e t h e u n i o n s t h r o u g h o u t t h e

c o u n tr y w ere grow ing i n t o

"The R e c r e a t i o n a l S t a g e . "

H arvard U nion, i n 1930, had changed i t s u n iv ersity

The

c h a r a c t e r from an a l l

s o c i a l c e n te r to a c e n te r f o r freshm en o n ly ,

m ain tain in g ,

how ever,

its

o r i g i n a l name o f " u n i o n . "

In o th e r

w ords, w hereas t h e g e n e r a l developm ent o f c o ll e g e u n io n s i n A m erica had b e e n c h a r a c t e r i z e d by a g r a d u a l l y c h a n g in g c o n c e p t o f f u n c t i o n and m e m b e rs h ip , t h e H a r v a r d U nion r e p r e s e n t s what a p p e a r s t o be a c o n t r a d i c t i o n i n t h e t r e n d o f developm ent. By no m e a n s d o e s t h i s

situ atio n

in d ic ate a d is c re d it­

i n g on t h e p a r t o f H a rv a rd U n i v e r s i t y o f t h e p u r p o s e s o f t h e union of to d ay .

Through i t s

House P l a n ,

e s t a b l i s h e d i n 1921,

H a r v a r d h a s i n c o r p o r a t e d many o f t h e o b j e c t i v e s o f t h e u n i o n in each of i t s se v era l houses,

house u n i ts a l l o v e r th e u n i v e r s i t y .

In th e

c o m p o s e d o f a p p r o x i m a t e l y 2 3 0 m en e a c h ,

rep resen tin g a cross th e freshm en h a l l s

se c tio n of th e th re e upper c la s s e s ,

in

a n d i n t h e common d i n i n g r o o m s , l i b r a r y

and lo u n g e s o f t h e Freshm en U hion,

H arvard i s a tte m p tin g to

give

its

stu d en ts a so c ia liz e d a ttitu d e

tow ard l i f e .

W ith

t h e a s s i s t a n c e o f t h e m a s t e r s o f e a c h House and t h e p r o c t o r s o f th e freshm en H a lls i t

is

hoped t h a t t h e r e w i l l be

a c h ie v e d n o t o n ly a b e t t e r env iron m ent f o r s c h o l a r l y work, b u t a l s o t h a t t h e r e w i l l be s t i m u l a t e d g r e a t e r s tu d e n t p a rtic ip a tio n in d iscu ssio n ,

a t h l e t i c s and s p o r t s and i n th e

v a r i o u s form s o f a s o c i a l l y and c u l t u r a l l y What H a r v a r d t h r o u g h i t s a re attem p tin g fo r th e t h e i r un io n s, comm unity*

h o u se s and Y ale th ro u g h i t s

co lleg e s

s m a l l g r o u p many i n s t i t u t i o n s ,

a re attem p tin g fo r th e

en tire

through

u n iv ersity

The i d e a l seem s t o be r e p r e s e n t e d n e i t h e r by t h e

sm all nor th e th e tw o.

rec rea tio n a l l i f e .

larg e u n it in i t s e l f

In th e house u n i t ,

b u t by a c o m b i n a t i o n o f

o b v io u sly ,

th ere is

g reater

o p p o r t u n it y f o r th e p e r s o n a l i t y developm ent o f each i n d i v i d ­ u a l w i t h i n th e g ro u p and f o r t h e m o ld in g o f g roup s p i r i t on a sm all s c a l e .

In th e c o lle g e union t h e r e

i s g r e a te r opportu­

n i t y f o r d e v e lo p in g an i n d i v i d u a l and group se n se o f com m unity r e s p o n s i b i l i t y , com parable t o

l o y a l t y and m o rale on a s c a l e

t h e com m unity l i f e

o f w hich t h e

stu d en ts w ill

be a p a r t a f t e r g r a d u a t i o n from t h e u n i v e r s i t y .

I f a ch o ice

h a s t o be made, m ost i n s t i t u t i o n s w i l l choose t h e u n io n , f o r m onetary,

if

not fo r o th er reasons.

It

i s more e c o n o m ic a l

and p r a c t i c a l t o p r o v i d e o n e l a r g e com m unity c e n t e r , w ith l e a d e r s h i p and f a c i l i t i e s s o c ia l and c u lt u r a l n a tu r e , such c e n t e r s .

su p p lied

f o r e x p erien ce o f a broad

th an i t

is to

eq u ip a s e r i e s o f

CHAPTER IV THE CLUB PERIOD The f i r s t

two c o l l e g e u n i o n s i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s ,

th e

H a rv a rd U nion and H o u sto n H a l l a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f P e n n s y l ­ v an ia,

l i k e m any o t h e r s t h a t f o l l o w e d , w e r e i n f l u e n c e d n o t

o n ly by t h e E n g li s h u n io n s b u t a l s o by t h e u n io n c o m p lete d i n 1 9 0 1 , a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f G lasgow , S c o t l a n d . d i s s i m i l a r i t y o f t h e A m erican u n io n s t o less

The o b v i o u s

the E n g lish la y in

e m p h a sis on d e b a te and more on s o c i a l l i f e . As we s h a l l p r e s e n t l y

see,

e a r l y A m erican u n i o n was l i k e U nion.

t h e prim e o b j e c t i v e

of th e

t h a t o f U n i v e r s i t y o f G lasgow

N ote t h e Glasgow o b j e c t s :

"The o b j e c t s o f t h e u n i o n

a r e t o h o ld d e b a t e s and t o form a c e n t e r t o w hich v a r i o u s u n iv ersity

s o c i e t i e s may b e a f f i l i a t e d . "

As t h e l a t e

P r o f e s s o r R. M. W e n l e y , o f t h e U n i v e r s i t i e s o f G l a s g o w a n d M ic h ig a n and f o u n d e r o f t h e G lasgow U n io n , o n c e p o i n t e d o u t , t h e o r d e r o f im p o rta n c e i n t h e Oxford and o t h e r E n g lis h u n io n s was (1 ) d e b a t i n g , clu b .

(2) a f f i l i a t i o n

of s o c ie tie s ,

At G l a s g o w a n o n - r e s i d e n t i a l u n i v e r s i t y ,

(1) a c lu b

( w i t h d i n i n g commons),

so c ietie s,

a n d ( 3 ) d e b a t i n g . ^3

and

(3) a

t h e o r d e r was

(2) a f f i l i a t i o n

of v arious

Any m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g a s t o w h i c h o f t h e f i r s t

^ D a v i d M u rr a y , M em ories o f t h e Old C o l l e g e a t G lasgow (G lasgow : J a c k s o n , W y l i e a n d C om pany, l 9 2 7 ) pp. 573-579.

two

25 A m erican u n io n s p r e c e d e d t h e o t h e r h a s been due t o u s e o f t h e t e r m u n i o n by a p p l y i n g i t

a loose

only to th e union

o r g a n iz a tio n o r only t o th e unio n b u ild in g .

C onsidered as

a n o r g a n i z a t i o n t h e H a rv a rd Union h a s t h e d i s t i n c t i o n

of

p rim a c y w h e re a s from t h e p o i n t o f view o f a u n io n b u i l d i n g , H o u sto n H a l l was f i r s t . As a l r e a d y i n d i c a t e d , e a r l y y e a r s was l i t t l e th e

th o u g h t h e H a rv a rd U nion o f t h e

m ore t h a n a d e b a t i n g s o c i e t y , to w a r d

end o f th e 1 9 th c e n t u r y t h e u n io n c o n c e p tio n a t H arv ard

em braced t h e id e a o f a g e n e r a l c lu b . " T h e r e v i v a l o f t h e name H a r v a r d U n i o n i n 1 8 8 0 w a s a c c i d e n t a l a n d r e l a t e d e v e n t o t h e O x fo rd U nion more th a n to th e S o c ie ty o f 1830-40. • . C olonel H igginson i n h i s a d d r e s s on M arch 2 , 1 8 9 7 , r e f e r r e d t o h i s v i s i t t o O xford w hich s u g g e s te d t h e fo u n d in g o f a H arvard U nion i n 1 8 8 0 . " ! ^ I n 1899 H a j o r H enry L. H ig g in s o n o f f e r e d $ 1 5 0 ,0 0 0 .0 0 to

e re c t a b u ild in g .

tow ards th e f u r n i t u r e , fo r th e lib ra ry .

M r . A u g u s t Hemenway f 7 5 g a v e $ 1 0 , 0 0 0 * 0 0 a n d Mr.

J.

H. Hyde r 98 g a v e $ 2 0 * 0 0 0 . 0 0

T h e b u i l d i n g w a s o p e n e d o n Commencement Day

i n 1 9 0 1 .1 5 An e x t r a c t f r o m t h e s p e e c h o f d e d i c a t i o n o f t h e b u i l d i n g by M a jo r H ig g in s o n shows an e m p h a s is on t h e asp ects of l i f e ,

w hich i t

is

im plied th e

so cial

b u i l d i n g w i l l make

^ U n i v e r s i t i e s and T h e i r S o n s , V o l. I I from c h a p t e r by Cheyney (B oston: Edw. £ . R. H e r n d o n C o . , 1 9 0 1 ) p p .119-122. l^Sam uel E l i o t M o riso n , T hree C e n tu r ie s o f H arvard ( H a r v a r d U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 19371 pp. 4 ll- 4 l 2 .

p o ssib le : " E x c e l l e n t a s a r e t h e e x i s t i n g c l u b s , t h e y do n o t f u r n i s h t h e r e q u i r e d f i e l d . . • Hence, t h e need t o you o f t h i s house f o r m ee tin g th e o l d e r g r a d u a te s • • . P e r h a p s y o u may e s t a b l i s h h e r e , a s a t O x f o r d , a n a r e n a , where you can t h r e s h o u t t h e q u e s t i o n s o f t h e d a y , a n d l e a r n t o s t a t e o n y o u r own f e e t y o u r o p i n i o n s an d t h e r e a s o n s f o r them ♦ . . L e t M e m o ria l H a l l s t a n d a tem ple c o n s e c ra te d t o t h e s p i r i t o f l a r g e p a t r i o t i s m and o f t r u e dem ocracy . . . L e t t h i s h o u se s t a n d a t e m p l e c o n s e c r a t e d t o t h e same s p i r i t a n d t o t h e same f r i e n d s h i p . "16 The m ost d i r e c t s t a t e m e n t o f t h e

s o c ia l purpose of th e

H a r v a r d U n i o n a p p e a r s i n t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n a d o p t e d i n May, 1 9 0 1 " I t s o b j e c t s h a l l b e t o p r o m o t e c o m r a d e s h i p among members o f H a r v a r d U n i v e r s i t y , by p r o v i d i n g a t C am bridge a s u i t a b l e c l u b h o u se f o r s o c i a l p u r p o s e s . "17 P e rh a p s t h e m ost s i g n i f i c a n t h i s t o r i c a l d i f f e r e n c e b e tw ee n H ouston H a l l , th e U nited S t a t e s , from i t s

first

th e o ld e s t c o lle g e union b u ild in g in

and t h e H a rv a rd U nion i s t h e f a c t t h a t

c o n c e p t i o n H o u s to n H a l l was c o n s i d e r e d a p a r t

o f th e u n i v e r s i t y a d m i n i s t r a t i o n and n o t ,

l i k e th e H arvard

U n i o n , a p r i v a t e l y owned c l u b i n no way c o n t r o l l e d by t h e U n iv ersity of i t s

first

tw enty y e a r s .

a c c o u n t s somewhat f o r t h e t h e tw o u n i o n s ; freshm en,

T h is f a c t p ro b ab ly

d iffe re n c e in th e present

sta tu s of

t h e H a rv a rd Union a s an a d o p te d c e n t e r f o r

a n d H o u s t o n H a l l a t t h e p e a k o f a new e r a i n

^ U n i v e r s i t i e s and T h e ir Sons, o£. 17M orrison, o p . c i t . t p . 412.

c i t .,

pp. 116-119.

27 serv in g th e c u ltu ral

e n tire u n iv ersity

com m unity a s a s o c i a l and

center*

Dr* E d w a r d P . C h e y n e y , P r o f e s s o r o f E u r o p e a n H i s t o r y a t th e U n iv e rs ity o f P en n sy lv an ia,

giv es

so c l e a r l y a

p i c t u r e o f H ouston H a l l and o f t h e p a r t p l a y e d by t h e p r o ­ v o st of th e U n iv ersity in c re a tin g

it

th at

I quote a t le n g th :

" T h e f i r s t new b u i l d i n g t o b e b r o u g h t t o c o m p l e t i o n a f t e r M r . H a r r i s o n b e c a m e P r o v o s t w a s h o w e v e r a new d e p a rtu re o r a t le a s t th e cu lm in atio n o f a com paratively r e c e n t movem ent. T h i s w a s t h e H ow ard H o u s t o n H a l l . For some y e a r s t h e r e h a d b e e n a n e f f o r t i n p r o g r e s s am ong t h e s t u d e n t s , p r i n c i p a l l y i n s p i r e d b y t h e Young M e n’ s C h r is tia n A s s o c ia tio n , to c o ll e c t funds f o r th e e r e c tio n o f a s tu d e n ts ’ h a ll in ten d ed f o r v a rio u s p u rp o ses, in clu d in g th e h o ld in g o f r e lig io u s s e r v ic e s . T h is movement was b r o u g h t by Mr. H a r r i s o n t o t h e a t t e n t i o n o f H e n r y H. H o u s t o n , a m em ber o f t h e B o a r d o f T r u s t e e s , a n d on November 6 , 1 3 9 4 , i t was a n n o u n c e d t o t h e b o a r d t h a t Mr. a n d M rs. H o u sto n h a d g i v e n $ 5 0 ,0 0 0 .0 0 each t o c a r r y o u t t h e o r i g i n a l p l a n s and s u c h e x t e n s i o n o f t h e m a s w a s made p o s s i b l e b y t h i s l a r g e sum a n d some o t h e r g i f t s w h i c h f o l l o w e d . The g i f t w a s i n t e n d e d a s a m e m o r i a l t o t h e i r s o n H ow ard H o u s t o n who d i e d i n t h e m i d s t o f h i s c o l l e g e c o u r s e . The T r u s t e e s r e s o l v e d t h e r e f o r e t h a t t h e b u i l d i n g s h o u l d b e known a s " H o w a r d H o u s t o n H a l l . " "When c o m p l e t e d i t p r o v e d t o b e t h e m o s t b e a u t i f u l and a r t i s t i c b u i l d i n g i n t h e U n i v e r s i t y , w ith ev ery a p p o in tm e n t o f good t a s t e and c o n v e n ie n c e and s u i t e d to a very g re a t v a r ie ty of stu d e n t u se s. I t co n tain s a sw im m in g p o o l * a n d b a t h s , g y m n a s i u m , b o w l i n g a l l e y s , b i l l i a r d , p o o l and c h e ss t a b l e s , lu n c h c o u n te r s and f a c i l i t i e s f o r more e x t e n s i v e r e p a s t s , r e a d i n g a n d w r i t i n g ro om s, and a u d i t o r i u m an d s m a l l rooms f o r r e l i g i o u s s e r v i c e s , an d a l a r g e number o f s e p a r a t e room s f o r t h e u s e o f c o m m i t t e e s , t h e A t h l e t i c A s s o c i a t i o n ,

* T h e sw im m in g p o o l w a s d i s c o n t i n u e d a f t e r a m e n ’ s gym nasium was b u i l t e l s e w h e r e on t h e cam p u s. A book s t o r e r e p l a c e d t h e sw im m in g p o o l i n t h e u n i o n .

23 f o r th e c o ll e g e p a p e r s , f o r t h e m u s ic a l c lu b s and a d a r k roo m f o r p h o t o g r a p h i c p u r p o s e s . The H a l l was opened Ja n u a ry 2, 1896. " S t u d e n t s e l f - g o v e r n m e n t w a s a p p l i e d by p u t t i n g i t u n d e r t h e i m m e d i a t e c h a r g e o f a H o u s e C o m m i t t e com­ p o s e d o f s t u d e n t s , w i t h o n e m em ber o f t h e f a c u l t y , and i n c a se o f need an u l t i m a t e r i g h t o f v e to a t t h e han d s o f a Board o f D i r e c t o r s c o n s i s t i n g o f t h e Deans of th e v ario u s F a c u ltie s . F o r t h e enjoym ent o f i t s f a c i l i t i e s t h e H o u sto n Club was f o r m e d , by w h ic h t h e ru n n in g e x p e n s e s be p ro v id e d f o r . S in ce i t s opening i t h a s b e e n u s e d by a v e r a g e s v a r y i n g fro m 1 ,0 0 0 t o 1 ,5 0 0 p e rs o n s a day d u rin g th e w hole te rm tim e . T he i n f l u e n c e o f H ouston H a ll o v e r t h e p h y s i c a l , m e n t a l , and m o ra l l i f e o f t h e s t u d e n t s h a s been most b en eficien t. Few i f a n y g i f t s t o c o l l e g e s h a v e e x e r t e d a m ore v a r i e d o r more c o n t i n u o u s i n f l u e n c e f o r good. H isto rica lly ,

it

is

in te re s tin g to

f i n d t h a t from t h e

v e r y b e g i n n i n g a c o n c e p t o f s t u d e n t g o v e rn m e n t was i n j e c t e d , th e f a c i l i t y

p a t t e r n o f th e c o lle g e union o f to d ay e s t a b l is h e d ,

and t h e e n v i r o n m e n t a l i n f l u e n c e s o f t h e u n i o n on t h e l i f e stu d en ts

recogn ized.

I t m ust be a d m itte d , days,

little

th at

in those e a rly

o f the p a rt th a t re c re a tio n a l

o ften p lay s in a ffe c tin g perso n al h a b its ,

a ttitu d e s,

m ental h e a lth ,

C o nsequently, e ith e r in tim e.

how ever,

o r no r e c o g n i t i o n w a s g i v e n t o t h e e d u c a t i o n a l

v alu e o f th e l e i s u r e hour, life

of

little

so cial

and even academ ic a t t a i n m e n t .

o r no d i r e c t i o n w as g i v e n t o

self-governm ent o r in th e use o f t h e i r

stu d en ts leisu re

T h e f a c i l i t i e s w e r e t h e r e f o r t h o s e who c a r e t o u s e

^ U n i v e r s i t i e s anc* T h e i r S o n s , o £ . c i t . ,

pp.

173-174*

29 them . T hat A m erica’ s f i r s t u n io n h a s f i l l e d im p o rtan t place in th e l i f e

an i n c r e a s i n g l y

o f th e U n iv e rs ity o f P en n sy lv an ia

may b e j u d g e d b y t h e a d d i t i o n t o t h e b u i l d i n g o f t w o w i n g s i n 1939*

The e n l a r g e d H o u s to n H a l l r e p r e s e n t s a g i f t by t h e

d e s c e n d a n t s o f S a l l i e S . and Henry H o u s to n , d o n o r s o f t h e o rig in a l b u ild in g s.

CHAPTER V THE DEMOCRACY PERIOD It

is

e v id e n t t h a t th e c o lle g e union id e a in th e

U n i t e d S t a t e s may b e t r a c e d f i r s t f o r m en ,

to t h a t o f a s o c ia l

d a t i n g from t h e o p e n in g o f H ouston H a ll a t t h e

U n iv e rsity o f P en n sy lv an ia,

i n 1895, an d so f a r a s t h e a u t h o r

knows, h a v in g b een p r e c e d e d o n ly by t h e S c o t t i s h at

clu b

t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f G la sg ow *

precedent

Though t h e r e h ad b e e n f o r

y e a r s a U nion D e b a tin g S o c i e t y a t

H arvard,

i n f l u e n c e d by t h e

e a r l y E n g l i s h U n i o n s , when H a r v a r d s e c u r e d i t s

union b u i l d ­

i n g i n 1 9 0 1 t h e e m p h a s i s c e n t e r e d so much o n t h e c l u b i d e a th at

t h e d e b a t i n g m o t i f was a l m o s t e n t i r e l y D uring th e

to rie s,

lo st

s i g h t of*

e a r l y y e a r s o f t h e u n io n i n A m erica, dorm i­

so f a r a s t h e y w e r e p r o v i d e d a t a l l ,

were l i t t l e

t h a n body s h e l t e r s i n w hich u n i v e r s i t y

a u th o ritie s o ften

p l a c e d f a c u l t y members a s d i s c i p l i n a r y

o fficers

ding to

L acking a lm o st en­

tire ly

stu d en t — fa c u lty a n tip a th y . the f a c i l i t i e s

o f today, w ith t h e i r l i b r a r i e s ,

th e

e a r l y Am erican d o r m i t o r i e s a f f o r d e d l i t t l e

th e ex p erien ces ty p ic a l of l i f e C onsequ ently ,

lik e

th e union a t

tia l

u n iv ersity ,

— th u s ad­

common t o t h e m o s t a d v a n c e d d o r m i t o r ­

ies

co lleg es.

more

l o u n g e s a n d game r o o m s , o r none o f

in th e E n g lish r e s i d e n t i a l

t h e u n io n on th e Am erican cam pus,

t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f G lasgow , a n o n - r e s i d e n fille d

a d istin c t

s o c ia l gap.

I t h a s been

31 c o n sisten tly tru e

t h a t t h e m ore c o l l e g e e n r o l l m e n t s i n t h e

U nited S ta te s in c r e a s e d ,

p articu larly

a f t e r th e p assin g of

t h e M o r r i l l A c t, a n d i n t h e y e a r s f o l l o w i n g t h e F i r s t W orld War, t h e g r e a t e r was t h e n e e d f o r a s o c i a l i z i n g zin g agency.

The c o l l e g e

s o c ia l b ein g ,

responded w h o le -h e a rte d ly to

m eeting fe llo w

stu d en t,

and dem ocrati­

b ein g e s s e n t i a l l y

a

o p p o rtu n ities fo r

s t u d e n ts i n t h e i n v i t i n g and h o m e -lik e atm os­

phere of th e u n io n . What t h e A m e r i c a n u n i o n d i d i n h e r i t f r o m t h e E n g l i s h u n i o n w a s t h e b r o a d i d e a o f a common m e e t i n g p l a c e ,

th e con­

c e p tio n o f stu d e n t c o n tr o l o f th e union o r g a n iz a tio n , t h e p r e c e d e n t s e t by t h e O x fo rd u n i o n i n g i v i n g

and

sig n ifican ce

t o t h e a r c h i t e c t u r a l p l a n and b e a u ty o f t h e u n io n b u i l d i n g . The A m e r i c a n u n i o n a l s o u n d o u b t e d l y i n h e r i t e d f r o m E n g l i s h u s a g e t h e word " u n i o n " a s a p p l y i n g o n l y t o o r g a n i z a t i o n s o r s o c i a l h e a d q u a r t e r s f o r m ale s t u d e n t s . C oncerning th e l a t t e r p o in t i t

is

of i n t e r e s t to n ote

t h a t from t h e b e g in n in g o f t h e A s s o c i a t i o n o f C o lle g e Unions i n 1914 an d u n t i l 1931 t h e d e f i n i t i o n o f t h e word " u n i o n ” a c c o r d in g to t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n o f t h e A s s o c i a t i o n was,

"an

o r g a n i z a t i o n i n any c o l l e g e o r u n i v e r s i t y whose p u r p o s e i s t o f u r t h e r and p ro m o te s o c i a l a c t i v i t i e s , o r g a n i z a t i o n s b e in g open t o

m em bership i n such

a l l m ale s t u d e n t s . "

The d e s i g n a t i o n o f p e r i o d s

in th e developm ent o f th e

c o l l e g e u n i o n m o v em en t i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s

is not to

be

32 in terp reted

in a rig id

sense.

It

is

c le a r th a t the p erio d s

re p re se n t an o v er-lap p in g of in flu e n c e s. term s of th e

" c l u b p e r i o d " may b e t r a n s l a t e d :

i n w hich t h e s o c i a l l i f e in clu d e a l l th e

For exam ple,

stu d e n ts."

"The p e r i o d

o f a c l u b f o r men w a s e x t e n d e d t o T aking a fo rw a rd lo o k ,

" d e m o c r a c y p e r i o d " may b e t r a n s l a t e d :

i n berm s o f

"The

o n ly i n w hich a s o c i a l l i f e

is

d en ts but a ls o

seeds of a c u ltu r a lly

c atio n a lly

in w hich th e

so cial lif e

fo r th e

stag e".

to th e

ch aracteristics

perio d not

e n j o y e d bymen a n d women s t u ­

e n tire

and e d u ­

c o l l e g e com m unity a r e

b e i n g p l a n t e d — t o a p p e a r an d grow i n t h e tio n a l

"com m unity r e c r e a ­

I n no o n e p e r i o d a r e a l l u n i o n s t r u e

The c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s

in

sta te d

for th at

so lely

s ta g e o f developm ent.

r e p r e s e n t w hat seems t o be t r u e o f t h e

m ajo rity of cases. As a n e x a m p l e o f o v e r - l a p p i n g i t

s h o u l d be p o i n t e d

o u t t h a t a number o f u n io n o r g a n i z a t i o n s w hich h ad b een f o r m e d i n t h e c l u b s t a g e , a n d i n some c a s e s w e r e r e n t i n g i n ­ ad eq u ate h e a d q u a rte r s , ent

stag e.

I n some c a s e s t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n w a s n o t a c t u a l l y

form ed b u t t h e q u e n tly ,

com pleted b u ild in g s d u rin g th e p r e s ­

i d e a was t a l k e d a b o u t a n d p r o m o te d .

i n a number o f c a s e s t h e b i r t h

was i n one s t a g e and t h e

Conse­

o f th e union id ea

f i r s t appearance o f th e union b u ild ­

i n g o f some t y p e o f p e r m a n e n t h e a d q u a r t e r s ,

in an o th er sta g e .

In o r d e r to g e t a com plete p i c t u r e o f th e

e x te n t o f the

33 u n i o n movement t h r o u g h 1929 o n e s h o u l d e x a m in e The D i r e c t o r y o f C o lle g e U nions.

^9

in c lu d in g th e n in e te e n union b u ild ­

in g s m entioned above, a t o t a l o f f i f t y - n i n e

union b u ild in g s

o r s i m i l a r h e a d q u a r t e r s had b e e n p ro v e d on A m erican cam puses by t h e end o f 1929,

th irty -n in e

p e r i o d 1 9 1 9 — 1929*

o f them b e i n g o p e n e d i n t h e

In te rm s o f num bers,

fifty -n in e

i n g s o v e r a p e r i o d o f t w e n t y - f i v e y e a r s may n o t siv e.

They r e p r e s e n t ,

how ever,

seem i m p r e s ­

a w idening a c c e p ta n c e o f a

b r o a d e r view o f e d u c a t i o n on t h e p a r t o f f i f t y - f i v e c o lle g e s lo c a te d i n tw enty-tw o d i f f e r e n t The t o t a l o f f i f t y - n i n e b u ild in g s,

sta te s.

i n c l u d e s a f e w Y. M. C. A.

a n u m b e r o f A lu m n ae H a l l s ,

such a s A gassiz

R a d c l i f f e a n d Alumnae H a l l a t P e m b ro k e , a few

women1s b u i l d i n g s u c h a s t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f I l l i n o i s , also

the

sep arate

su c h a s t h o s e a t Clem son C o l l e g e and G e o r g ia S c h o o l

o f T echnology; House a t

b u ild ­

and

I n t e r n a t i o n a l H o u s e i n New Y o r k C i t y .

There a re

s e v e ra l e x p la n a tio n s f o r th e in c lu s io n in

t h i s d ir e c to r y of b u ild in g re p o rte d a s b ein g used " p rim a rily to house s o c i a l ,

c u ltu r a l or o th e r types o f e x tr a - c u r r ic u la r

a c t i v i t i e s 11 b u t n o t commonly c l a s s e d a s u n i o n s . t o r y was p r e p a r e d t o used f o r s o c ia l

in d icate

The d i r e c ­

t r e n d s and ty p e s o f b u i l d i n g s

and r e c r e a t io n a l p urposes a s w e ll as to

19 a D i r e c t o r y o f C o l l e g e U n i o n B u i l d i n g s , p p A3 — A13

re-

o£. j c i t .,

co rd th o s e b u ild in g s t h a t a re o r d i n a r i l y th o u g h t a s union b u ild in g s.

On c e r t a i n c o - e d u c a t i o n a l c a m p u s e s s e p a r a t e

b u i l d i n g s h a v e b e e n p r o v i d e d f o r men a n d women, f o r e x a m p l e , a t th e U n iv e r s ity o f C hicago, I d a Noyes H a l l

( f o r w o m e n );

t h e M ic h ig a n U nion wom en).

R e y n o ld s Club

( f o r men) a n d

a t th e U n i v e r s i t y o f M ich ig an ,

( f o r men) a n d t h e M i c h i g a n L e a g u e

I n some c a s e s ,

th e union i s

f o r men w h i l e no b u i l d ­

i n g i s p r o v i d e d f o r t h e women, f o r e x a m p l e , th e U n iv e rs ity of P en n sy lv an ia. view t h e most im p o r ta n t

(for

H ouston H a ll a t

From t h e a u t h o r ’ s p o i n t o f

c o n s id e r a tio n i s w hether th e

in sti­

t u t i o n i s m aking p r o v i s i o n f o r t h e r e c r e a t i o n a l l i f e

of th e

stu d e n t.

P r a c t i c e h a s sh o w n t h a t t h e f i r s t

an ad eq u ate b u ild in g i s o f te n to ad eq u ate f a c i l i t i e s

in securing

d e m o n stra te th e need f o r

by u s i n g w h a t e v e r i s a v a i l a b l e

o ld c o lle g e b u ild in g s, a ttic s.

step

ren ted resid en c es,

such as

b asem en ts,

o r even

CHAPTER VI THE RECREATION PERIOD One o f t h e o u t s t a n d i n g t e n d e n c i e s i n A m e r i c a n u n i v e r ­ s i t i e s to d a y i s t h a t to p ro v id e b u i l d i n g s d e s ig n e d to m eet the

r e c r e a t i o n a l and s o c i a l need s o f s t u d e n ts o f each se x .

T h e s e " u n i o n s ” , a s t h e y a r e co mm only c a l l e d , added f u n c tio n s and th e

such a s t h e accom m odation o f alum ni g u e s t s ,

s e r v in g o f m eals to p a r e n t s ,

but th ese are

su b sid ia ry .

a p e rio d ical

r e a d i n g room ,

a n o t h e r r e a d i n g room, l o u n g e s , bow ling a l l e y s ,

a large

alum ni,

a c a f e t e r i a and soda

a selec te d lib ra ry a b illia rd

p laced in

and p o o l room,

dance and assem bly h a l l ,

s m a ll d i n i n g rooms f o r s o c i e t y b a n q u e t s , tee

and v i s i t o r s ;

The e q u i p m e n t o f a t y p i c a l b u i l d ­

i n g f o r men i n c l u d e s a sw im m in g p o o l , bar,

o f t e n t a k e on

num erous

a number o f com m it­

room s f o r t h e m e e t i n g s o f campus o r g a n i z a t i o n s ,

few p r i v a t e

room s f o r campus h o n o r a r y s o c i e t i e s .

and a

At M i c h i g a n ,

l a r g e d an ces a r e h e ld on F r id a y and S a tu rd a y n i g h t s ;

a body

o f j u n i o r a n d s e n i o r men who h e l p a n d a d v i s e f r e s h m e n i s o r ­ g a n i z e d by i t s ways a l e r t

o fficers;

and th e

to arrange banquets,

s tu d e n ts in charge a re a l ­ recep tio n s,

and m e e tin g s

whenever a p a r t i c u l a r l y

im portant

d is tin g u is h e d person a t

t h e u n i v e r s i t y makes such f e s t i v i t i e s

d esirab le

event or the presence of a

a n d o p p o r t u n e . 20

20 R o b e r t C o o l e y A n g e l l , T h e Campus (New Y o r k : A p p l e t o n a n d C om pany, 1 92& J p p . 1 6 3 - 1 6 4

D.

36 The d e v e l o p m e n t o f t h e

c o l l e g e u n i o n i n t o a com m unity

r e c r e a t i o n c e n t e r seems t o r e p r e s e n t a s i g n o f t h e t i m e s . It

i s a n a t u r a l d ev elo p m en t from a d e m o c r a tic s o c i a l c lu b

t o a common l e i s u r e t i m e c e n t e r f o r t h e e n t i r e u n i v e r s i t y com m unity.

C o n sid e rin g th e s o c i a l and e d u c a ti o n a l changes

t h a t h av e b een and a r e

c o n tr ib u to r y to

th e f u l l developm ent

o f t h e w hole p e r s o n a l i t y ,

approaching t h i s

tab le.

stage i s

The u n i o n o f t h i s

stage

seems i n e v i ­

th e union as d e fin e d in

th e p reface to th is th e s is . The t e r r a " c o l l e g e u n i o n ” i m p l i e s a n o r g a n i z a t i o n a n d a b u ild in g . d en ts, for

The o r g a n i z a t i o n ,

f a c u l t y and alum ni i s

o rd in arily

composed o f s t u ­

a n i n f o r m a l e d u c a t i o n a l m edium

i n d i v i d u a l and group s e l f - d i s c o v e r y and e x p r e s s io n

th ro u g h a b ro ad program o f s o c i a l and c u l t u r a l r e c r e a t i o n a d a p te d t o t h e l e i s u r e tim e i n t e r e s t s l e g e com m unity.

and needs o f th e c o l ­

The u n i o n b u i l d i n g i s t h e c o m m u n i t y c e n t e r ,

— th e p h y s ic a l in s tru m e n t f o r im plem enting t h e o b j e c t i v e s o f t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n and f o r f a c i l i t a t i n g a com m unity l i f e . By no m e a n s h a v e a l l u n i o n s r e a c h e d t h i s b y no m e a n s w i l l many o f t h e m e v e r do s o . w hich t h e y a p p ro a c h i t

s t a g e — and

The d e g r e e t o

i s d ependent upon th e e d u c a tio n a l

p h ilo so p h y no t o nly o f th e union s t a f f but a ls o o f th e u n i ­ v e rsity

a d m i n i s t r a t i o n and f a c u l t y .

upon i n t e r e s t s ,

It

is

dependent a lso

a t t i t u d e s and a p p r e c i a t i o n s o f s t u d e n t s and

o f members o f t h e l o c a l com m unity and s t a t e .

37 The p r o g r e s s i v e u n i o n a s p i c t u r e d h e r e

in clu d es th e

c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f t h e two p r e c e d i n g s t a g e s and m o re. W hereas t h e dem ocracy o f t h e p r e c e d i n g p e r i o d was l a r g e l y

in

t e r m s o f e q u a l e n j o y m e n t o f p h y s i c a l c l u b s e r v i c e s now i t

is

i n t e r m s o f a n e x p e r i e n c i n g o f t h e d e m o c r a t i c w ay o f l i f e . VJhereas a r a t h e r n a r r o w l y c o n c e i v e d n o t i o n o f t h e b u i l d i n g as

" a p l a c e t o m e e t 11 a n d o f t h e p r o g r a m a s a r o u n d o f " d a n ­

c in g ,

t e a i n g and b a n q u e tin g " c h a r a c t e r i z e d th e

p reced ing

stag e,

now r e c r e a t i o n d a y s a r e t h o u g h t i n t e r m s o f

" th e u n io n program f o r t h e y e a r " t h e r e th in g as

c lu b and t h e

" th e program ",

i s t o d a y no s u c h

f o r e x p e rie n c e s a re in term s o f th e

i n t e r e s t s a n d n e e d s o f members o f t h e co m m u n ity .

W hereas i n

f o r m e r s t a g e s t h e t i m e s p e n t i n t h e u n i o n was o f t e n l o o k e d u p o n by f a c u l t y a s u n n e c e s s a r y l o a f i n g ,

now t h e r e i s

a grow­

in g a p p r e c i a t i o n o f th e v a lu e s f o r p e r s o n a l developm ent th ro u g h e n v iro n m en ta l in f lu e n c e s and c o n ta c ts w ith f e llo w stu d en ts.

W hereas i n t im e s o f " b i g g e r and b e t t e r "

f o r exam ple,

d u rin g th e war m em orial b u i l d i n g ,

b u ild in g s,

unions o fte n

p rid e d th e m se lv e s on th e b e au ty and adequacy o f th e m i l l i o n d o lla rs

stru c tu re ,

now t h e b o a s t i s

in term s o f th e d egree

t o w hich t h e b u i l d i n g s e r v e s a s t h e r e c r e a t i o n a l n e e d s o f its

m em bers. U n d erlying th e p a t t e r n o f l i f e

union a re

such p r i n c i p l e s a s ;

in th e

contem porary

m aking t h e i n d i v i d u a l p a r t i c i ­

p a n t s more i m p o r t a n t t h a n t h e a c t i v i t i e s

th em selv es;

determ ­

in in g and u s in g in f o r m a tio n c o n c e rn in g th e r e c r e a t i o n a l i n ­ terests b ility leisu re

and n e e d s o f t h e g ro u p — w i t h an accom panying f l e x i ­ o f program ; a c tiv itie s

in te rests;

p ro v id in g f o r a r ic h v a r i e ty o f ch o ice in a n d o f f e r i n g so m e i n d u c e m e n t t o t r y new

and p ro v id in g o p p o r tu n itie s f o r aw areness o f th e

v a lu e s o f le is u r e

in clu d in g

"fun j u s t f o r f u n ’ s sake*"

CHAPTER VII THE CONTEMPORARY CHANGE PERIOD An u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e c o l l e g e u n i o n o f t o d a y d e ­ m a n d s a n a w a r e n e s s o f c e r t a i n t r u t h s common t o m o s t s o c i a l change.

In th e developm ent o f th e union i t

i n mind t h a t t h e in itio n

a t t h e opening o f t h i s t h e s i s ,

cept as i t be

concept o f th e union,

s h o u ld be b o rn e

as sta te d

in th e d e f­

re p re s e n ts th e con­

h a s evolved o v e r a p e rio d o f y e a r s .

I t w ill not

s u r p r i s i n g t o f i n d c h a n g e s m ore g r a d u a l and l e s s m arked

in an i n s t i t u t i o n

lik e

serv ativ e tra d itio n s , F urtherm ore, little its

th e ty p ic a l c o lleg e ,

w ith i t s

con­

th a n i n most o ff-c a m p u s a g e n c ie s .

o n e s h o u l d b e m i n d f u l t h a t t h e r e h a s b e e n so

aw areness of th e

in te rre la tio n

betw een t h e u n io n and

r e l a t e d a g e n c i e s on t h e campus and i n s o c i e t y a t l a r g e

t h a t th e y have s c a r c e l y b e en r e c o g n iz e d a s f a c e t s o f one broad s o c i a l and e d u c a tio n a l change. A lm ost c o n te m p o ra ry w i t h t h e d e v e lo p m e n t o f t h e c o l ­ le g e union in th e U nited S t a t e s , tee n th

beginning in th e

c e n tu r y and c o n tin u in g to t h e p r e s e n t ,

late

n in e­

has been th e

d e v e lo p m e n t o f a number o f a g e n c i e s t h a t c o n t r i b u t e t o t h e e d u c a t i o n o f t h e w h o le man.

Some o f t h e a g e n c i e s b o t h o n

t h e campus and i n s o c i e t y a t

la rg e had t h e i r ro o ts b e fo re

t h e l S 7 0 Ts b u t

i n g e n e r a l t h e y may b e c o n s i d e r e d a s a p p e a r ­

i n g a b o u t t h a t t im e and g o in g t h r o u g h a p e r i o d o f more o r less

c o n s c io u s developm ent

sin ce th e tu rn of th e c e n tu ry .

40 Among t h e c h a n g e s t h a t b r o u g h t a b o u t d e h u m a n i z i n g c o n d i t i o n s o n t h e c o l l e g e c a m p u s may b e m e n t i o n e d a n i n c r e a s e of c o lleg e s,

p a rtic u la rly of sta te u n iv e rsitie s

women’ s c o l l e g e s ;

an in c re a s e

in en ro llm en ts;

and o f

and th e e f f e c t s

o f t h e German e d u c a t i o n a l i d e o l o g y o n A m e r i c a n e d u c a t i o n . F o rty p e r c e n t o f t h e c o l l e g e s o f to d a y w ere founded p r i o r to th e — 1391,

C i v i l W ar.

In th e next tw en ty -fiv e y e ars,

about th irty -o n e p er cent o f th e p resen t c o lle g e s

and u n i v e r s i t i e s were begun; tw en ty p e r c e n t; per cen t.

1365

from 1390 t o

1941 an a d d i t i o n a l

and d u rin g th e p a s t tw e n ty -fiv e y e a rs nine

The r a p i d g r o w t h i m m e d i a t e l y f o l l o w i n g t h e C i v i l

War w a s s t i m u l a t e d by t h e p r o v i s i o n s o f t h e M o r r i l A c t o f 1362, opening h ig h e r e d u c a tio n to th e m asse s. I n 1391 t h e r e w ere a p p r o x i m a t e l y s e v e n t y - f o u r t h o u s a n d stu d en ts e n ro lle d

i n c o ll e g e s and u n i v e r s i t i e s

n o rm a l s c h o o l s and t e a c h e r s c o l l e g e s . years la te r ,

exclu siv e of

By 1 9 3 1 — 1 9 3 2 , f o r t y

t h e number e n r o l l e d was t h i r t e e n t i m e s a s g r e a t ,

o r about n in e hundred n in e ty th o u san d .

The g r e a t e s t p e r i o d

o f i n c r e a s e was from 1914 — 1923. The s e c o n d h a l f o f t h e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y w i t n e s s e d t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f women’ s c o l l e g e s — M t . H o y o k e , W e l l e s l e y , S m ith, V a s s a r and o t h e r s . i n 1353.

Women h a d b e e n a d m i t t e d t o O b e r l i n

From t h a t t i m e o n w a r d p a r t i c u l a r l y d u r i n g t h e

p e r io d o f developm ent o f s t a t e u n i v e r s i t i e s , o f women s t u d e n t s i n c o l l e g e s i n c r e a s e d

th e enrollm ent

rap id ly .

The i n c r e a s e

41 fro m 1891 t o 1931 was s i x t e e n f o l d . the

D u r i n g t h e same p e r i o d

e n r o l l m e n t o f men s t u d e n t s i n c r e a s e d o n l y t w e l v e f o l d . 21 The i n c r e a s e

in t h e number o f c o l l e g e s and accom pany­

in g in c re a s e in c o lle g e

en rollm ents g re a tly

problem o f c o l l e g e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n .

i n c r e a s e d and

The i n c r e a s e

in e n ro ll­

m en t p r o d u c e d a n u n w i e l d y and a m a z i n g l y h e t e r o g e n e o u s campus p o p u latio n .

S t u d e n t s came t o c o l l e g e w i t h l e s s o f a s o c i a l

and c u l t u r a l background th a n t h e i r p r e d e c e s s o r s , ures

and f a i l ­

in c o lle g e in c re a s e d trem en d o u sly . The d e m a n d s o f p a r e n t s ,

t a x p a y e r s and alum ni l e d c o l ­

l e g e a d m i n i s t r a t o r s t o t r y many p l a n s f o r h u m a n i z i n g a n d i n ­ d iv id u a liz in g

c o lleg e ed u catio n .

T here was a f u r t h e r e x t e n s i o n o f c o u r s e s t o a ll

i n t e r e s t s and a b i l i t i e s .

On a s o u n d e r b a s i s ,

appeal to certain

e d u c a to r s b e li e v e d t h a t t h e c o l l e g e e d u c a t i o n a l system sh o u ld provide f o r fo r th e

such e x p e r i e n c e s and know ledges a s a r e n e c e s s a r y

r e a l i z a t i o n o f t h e p o t e n t i a l i t i e s o f t h o s e who a r e

ad m itted to th e

co lleg e.

In a c c e p t i n g t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y c f e d u c a t i n g t h e w hole man t h e of a ll

c o l l e g e came t o l o o k u p o n t h e e d u c a t i o n a s p e c t s o f ex perience as r e la te d to th e fu n c tio n of th e

c o lleg e .

21 E d i t h O u z t s H u m p h r e y s , C o l l e g e U n i o n s ( I t h a c a , New York: A s s o c ia tio n o f C o lle g e U nions, W illa rd S t r a i g h t H a ll, 1946) p . 31

42 As l o n g a s c o l l e g e s h a d e x i s t e d t h e r e h a d b e e n c e r t a i n ex tra c u rric u la r a c tiv itie s ,

b e g in n in g w ith th e d e b a tin g

so­

c i e t i e s and d e v e lo p in g th ro u g h a t h l e t i c s and f r a t e r n i t i e s the p resen t m u ltip lic ity

o f c lu b s and o r g a n i z a t i o n s .

to

The

c o l l e g e now s e i z e d u p o n t h e s e a n d o t h e r e x i s t i n g a g e n c i e s w hich h i s t o r i c a l l y erated ,

and f i n a l l y

it

had p r o h i b i t e d o r ig n o re d ,

later to l­

encouraged — o f te n to th e p o in t o f

academ ic c r e d i t . The c o l l e g e ’ s e n c o u ra g e m e n t o f t h e s e

e x tra -cu rricu lar

a c t i v i t i e s w h en w e l l o r g a n i z e d a n d c o n s t r u c t i v e l y p u r s u e d p a v e d t h e way f o r t h e a c c e p t a n c e o f t h e s tu d e n t ex tra-c3 .ass a c t i v i t y . au sp ices,

idea of a c e n te r fo r

Y. M. C. A . Ts u n d e r p r i v a t e

had e a r l y f u r n i s h e d t h e exam ple o f w hat t h e

c a l c e n t e r m ig h t be l i k e . i n g l y became t h e

The u n i o n , a f t e r 1 9 0 0 ,

p h y si­

in creas­

s y m b o l a n d t h e name f o r a c e n t e r u n d e r t h e

c o l l e g e ’ s own d i r e c t i o n . In a d d itio n to ricu lu m ,

i n d i v i d u a l i z i n g and e n r i c h in g th e c u r ­

p ro v id in g f o r c o lle g e u n io n s, a n d

th e v alu es o f e x tr a - c u r r ic u la r a c t i v i t i e s ,

c a p i t a l i z i n g on co lleg es

sim ul­

t a n e o u s l y b e g a n t o make p r o v i s i o n f o r t h e many s e r v i c e s w h i c h a r e now t e r m e d p e r s o n n e l s e r v i c e s , of stu d en ts, enviro nm ent.

and fo r th e p ro p e r housing

w ith em p h asis on t h e e d u c a t i o n a l i n f l u e n c e s o f The same i n t e r e s t

in th e w e lfa re o f th e

d e n t a s a p e r s o n w hich p ro d u ced t h e

e a rly unions a ls o

stu ­ — and

43 a l m o s t c o n t e m p o r a n e o u s l y — may h a v e p r o d u c e d t h e f i r s t g an ized a t h l e t i c s , men a n d women, ad m issio n , gan to

" p h y s ic a l e d u c a tio n " program s,

d o rm ito ries,

and a d v i s o r y

h ealth

system s.

serv ices,

or­

deans of

d ir e c to r of

A ll th e s e the c o lle g e be­

look upon a s in s tr u m e n ts f o r c o n t r i b u t i n g to th e

r e a liz a tio n of the Perhaps i t

en larg ed fu n c tio n o f th e c o lle g e . s h o u l d be e m p h a s iz e d t h a t

each agency con­

c e r n e d w i t h t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f t h e w h o l e i n d i v i d u a l may h a v e its

own m o r e o r l e s s d i s t i n c t i v e

approach.

The c o l l e g e u n i o n ,

f o r e x a m p l e , w o r k s t h r o u g h t h e m edium o f t h e so cial.

Through a p l a y - l i k e

environ m ent,

sp irit

and i n an e asy and f r e e

th e union h e lp s th e i n d iv id u a l to a c q u ire broad

s o c ia l and c u l t u r a l

s k i l l s and a p p r e c i a t i o n s .

signed to e n ric h h i s le is u r e - tim e to c o n trib u te

in f o r m a l and

T h ey a r e d e ­

e x p e rie n c e i n c o ll e g e and

to w a r d e q u i p p i n g him f o r s p e n d i n g i n a s a t i s ­

f y i n g manner h i s l e i s u r e h o u rs a f t e r c o l l e g e . But i n t h e u n i o n , th e e ffe c ts o f a l l

as elsew h e re,

th e

stu d en t rev e als

i n f l u e n c e s t h a t have p la y e d upon h i s l i f e .

S tan d in g a t t h e th r e s h h o ld of th e u n io n he i s n o t a b le to say,

" I have l e f t

i n my c l a s s r o o m t h o s e h a b i t s a n d s k i l l s a n d

a t t i t u d e s t h a t w ere n eed ed i n academ ic w ork; my d o r m i t o r y o r f r a t e r n i t y home l i f e ;

I have l e f t

in

th o se b e h a v io rs a p p lic a b le to

I h a v e come u n a f f e c t e d b y t h e t h o u g h t a n d a c t i v i ­

t y o f t h e r e s t o f t h e d a y — t a k e me a n d h e l p me t o t o an i n t e r e s t i n g a n d happy p e r s o n a l i t y t h a t

grow i n ­

I may know t h e

44 j o y s o f c o m r a d e s h i p t h r o u g h f u n a n d r e c r e a t i o n w i t h my f e l ­ l o w s . Tf

I f th e union i s to

in flu e n ce s i t ences a re .

It

su p p le m e n t and com plem ent o t h e r

m u s t know w i t h u n d e r s t a n d i n g w h a t t h o s e needs t o b e alw ays in i n t i m a t e

in flu ­

in te rrelatio n

w i t h t h e o t h e r p e r s o n n e l a g e n c i e s o f t h e cam pus. And i t m u s t k n o w , t o o , s i d e t h e campus i t s

in to what kind of s o c ie ty o u t­

s t u d e n t s w i l l m o v e.

W h ile t h e c o l l e g e was m e e ti n g s o c i a l and p h y s i c a l c h a n g e t h r o u g h a r e o r g a n i z a t i o n o f c am p u s l i f e a l p rocedure i n term s o f s o c ia l and p e rso n n e l p ro c e d u re s ,

cen ters,

and e d u c a tio n ­

curricu lu m change,

s o c i e t y - a t - l a r g e was d e a l i n g w i t h

t h e p a r e n t s and b r o t h e r s and s i s t e r s o f t h e c o l l e g e ’ s p ro b ­ lem s.

Indeed,

t h e c o l l e g e a n d t h e l a y com m unity h ad s i m i l a r

problem s. P u b l i c r e c r e a t i o n p r o g r a m s , h a r d l y k nown b e f o r e 1 9 0 0 , a r e now a n e s t a b l i s h e d and a re

s e r v i c e i n th o u s a n d s o f com m unities

in c r e a s in g ly re c o g n iz e d alo n g w ith p u b lic

a s t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f g o vernm ent.

ed u catio n

The f e d e r a l g o v e r n m e n t

g a v e i m p e t u s t o t h e p r o v i s i o n f o r t h e new way o f l i f e d u c e d by v a s t l e i s u r e a n d t h e to

need t o

resto re

in ­

sa tisfac tio n

t h e i n d i v i d u a l i n a n a g e o f m e c h a n i z a t i o n by c r e a t i n g

( t h r o u g h W. P . A . , cen ters, a rt,

P . W. A . ,

playgrounds,

a n d C. C. C. c a m p s ) ,

sp o rts f ie ld s ,

dram a, m u sic, and h a n d c r a f t s .

com m unity

cu ltu ral p ro jec ts

in

45 The r e c r e a t i o n p ro g ra m f o r s e r v i c e m e n d u r i n g W orld War I I p r o v i d e d g r e a t i m p e t u s t o t h e w h o l e m o v em ent o f recreatio n ,

as i t

d i d a f t e r W o r l d War I .

U. S . 0 f s a n d

Red C r o s s C l u b s d e m o n s t r a t e d t o h u n d r e d s o f t h o u s a n d s t h e n eed f o r r e c r e a t i o n a l s o c i a l c e n t e r s f o r young p eople* The c o l l e g e u n i o n i s

th e

campus c o u n t e r p a r t o f t h e

com m unity r e c r e a t i o n c e n t e r an d t h e w a r - t i m e s e r v i c e c e n t e r , and i t

now f i l l s

many o f t h e s a m e n e e d s .

It

i s n o t and

n ev er w i l l be th e so le answ er to th e need f o r th e d evelop­ ment o f th e

stu d e n t o u ts id e th e classroom .

W hatever c o n t r i ­

b u t i o n i t may make a s a c o m m u n i t y r e c r e a t i o n c e n t e r ,

educat­

in g f o r a f r u i t f u l use o f l e i s u r e and p ro v id in g e x p e rie n c e s i n com m unity p l a n n i n g , w i l l a lw a y s b e l a r g e l y d e t e r m i n e d by t h e wisdom w i t h w h ic h i t w o rk s w i t h a n d t h r o u g h an d f o r r e ­ l a t e d a g e n c ie s and v ic e v e r s a . its

The u n i o n t h a t i s

a f o r c e on

campus w i l l b e e v e r r e a d y t o a d a p t t o c h a n g in g c o n d i t i o n s .

F o r exam ple, a s t h e l i n e b etw een t h e " i n s i d e and o u t s i d e ” o f t h e c la s s ro o m becomes l e s s p ro n o u n ce d t h e u n io n w i l l r e - e x am ine what m ig h t be te rm e d " i t s n iq u es."

p r e s e n t c o n te n t and t e c h ­

PART B SURVEY OF SMALL COLLEGE STUDENT UNIONS

CHAPTER VIII ANALYSIS OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE The p r e s e n t c h a p t e r m akes a n a n a l y s i s o f th e q u e s tio n n a ire used in t h i s

survey.

a l l t h e f i n d i n g s may be f o u n d i n t h e

of th e fin d in g s

The c o m p o s i t e o f

sam ple q u e s t i o n n a i r e

show n i n A p p e n d i x C. T h e c o n c l u s i o n s d r a w n by t h e a u t h o r i n t h i s a r e t a k e n from t h e f i n d i n g s on t h e

ch ap ter

retu rn ed q u e stio n n a ire s,

a s sh o w n i n A p p e n d i x C, a s w e l l a s f r o m t h e i n t e r v i e w s h e l d w ith th e

s t u d e n t u n io n d i r e c t o r s from t h e v a r i o u s c o l l e g e s .

The l i s t

of c o lleg es v is ite d The p r e s e n t

is

ch ap ter is

sh o w n i n A p p e n d i x A. b r o k e n down i n t o

seven c a te g o r ie s a s th e q u e s tio n n a ir e , as a sep arate u n it.

The r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s made r e p r e s e n t t h e

so cial purposes.

It

seems t o

o f o p in io n t h a t th e m ost needed f e a t u r e b u ild in g i s undoubtedly th e lounge, f u n c tio n o f th e lounge i s members o f t h e by t h e

sa m e

and each i s d is c u s s e d

m a jo rity of o p in io n o f a l l th o se p a r t i c i p a t i n g F°r

the

in th e

survey.

be t h e c o n s e n s u s

o f any s tu d e n t u n io n

and th e most im p o rta n t

to provide a g a th e rin g p lace f o r

c o l l e g e com m unity.

From t h e o p i n i o n s

stu d e n t union d i r e c t o r s ta k in g p a r t i n t h i s

expressed

survey,

i t was f e l t t h a t t h e m ost i m p o r t a n t lo u n g e s w ere t h e g e n e r a l c o ed u catio n al lounge,

and w here f a c i l i t i e s w ere l a r g e

s e p a r a t e l o u n g e s f o r men a n d women s t u d e n t s .

enough,

A m ajo rity of

th e c o lle g e s f e l t

th a t p riv ate

w ere v e ry d e s i r a b l e

but n o t e s s e n t i a l f o r a sm all c o ll e g e .

A few o f t h e c o l l e g e s , c iv e to

l o u n g e rooms f o r t h e f a c u l t y

lo c a te d in g e o g ra p h ic a l a re a s condu­

outdoor l iv i n g ,

had r e c e p t i o n s room s, t e r r a c e s and

s o c i a l r e c r e a t i o n rooms w h ic h w e re o n l y s e m i - e n c l o s e d .

A l­

t h o u g h a b a l l r o o m i s a common f e a t u r e o f t h e u n i v e r s i t y s tu d e n t union to d ay , f e lt th at

th e m ajo rity of th e

i t was n o t n e e d e d .

sm aller c o lle g e s

On c o e d u c a t i o n a l c a m p u s e s t h e

g e n e ra l c o n te n tio n i s to p ro v id e lo u ng in g f a c i l i t i e s

f o r men

a n d women t o g e t h e r a n d s e p a r a t e o n e s o n l y w h e r e t h e r e d e fin ite

need.

g e n e ra l lo u n g e, ficien t

Most o f t h e

sm aller c o lle g e s f e l t

is a

th a t the

com bined w i t h t h e g r i l l o r soda b a r ,

is

suf­

t o c a r e f o r t h e n e e d s o f a s t u d e n t body u n d e r f i v e

thousand. F°r c u l t u r a l p u rp o s e s . p ressio n

" c u ltu ra l purposes",

r e f e r r i n g to w ith m usic, tiv e

leisu re a rt,

ecto rs f e l t them f e l t union.

s tu d e n t union d i r ­

t h a t th e y w ere n o t need ed i n t h e

the m a jo rity of sm all c o lle g e

o n ly one c o l l e g e i n t h e

f o r such w o rksho ps.

o p in io n co n cern in g such la rg e f a c i l i t i e s r e h e a r s a l room,

ex­

d ram a--th e g e n e ra l run of th e c re a ­

hobby w orkshops w ere d e s i r a b l e ,

By a c t u a l c o u n t ,

th e

g en erally a sso ciated

A lthough a few o f t h e

vey had any f a c i l i t i e s

lib ra ry ,

sectio n ,

i s used as a convenience in

tim e e x p e rie n c e ,

cra fts,

and a s t h e t i c .

In t h i s

stag e,

e tc .,

en tire

sur­

The c o n s e n s u s o f

as an au d ito riu m ,

was t h a t t h e y s h o u ld

4$ n o t be h o u se d i n t h e

stu d e n t union.

I t was f e l t ,

how ever,

t h a t t h e c o l l e g e w h ic h was endowed w i t h a g r e a t d e a l o f a c r e a g e ,a n d f i n a n c i a l s u p p o rt m ight p la c e th e s e f a c i l i t i e s in lim ite d siz e w ith in th e

stu d e n t union b u ild in g .

O b jectiv es of a c u ltu r a l n a tu re , w hich m ost d i r e c t o r s d e s i r e lim ited

degree.

the

e tc ,

but re a c h only in

The p r e s e n t p l a n seem s t o b e t o

develop i n t e r e s t a tio n ,

to a tta i n ,

re p re s e n t g o als

i n t h e developm ent o f h o b b ie s ,

attem p t to art

r a th e r th an to provide a c tu a l f a c i l i t i e s

express need.

The c o n c e p t b e h i n d t h i s

ap p reci­ t o meet

seems t o be t h a t

a s t u d e n t u n i o n s h o u l d b e a m ed iu m t o a r o u s e v a r i o u s i n t e r ­ e s t s w h ic h m ig h t be m ore c a p a b l y h a n d l e d on o t h e r p a r t s o f the

cam pus. 3 • For r e lig io u s p u rp o se s.

I t w a s t h e o p i n io n o f t h e

m ajo rity of d ire c to rs p a rtic ip a tin g

i n t h e q u e s t i o n n a i r e and

th o se e x p re ssin g o p in io n s not asked f o r in th e fa c ilitie s c o lleg e

th at

f o r r e l i g i o u s p u r p o s e s s h o u l d be p r o v i d e d on t h e

campus, b u t n o t i n t h e

was f e l t

survey,

s tu d e n t union b u ild in g .

b y some t h a t o f f i c e s f o r r e l i g i o u s a c t i v i t y

It

could

be p r o v id e d where sp a c e p e r m i t t e d b u t t h e c h a p e l , m e d i t a t i o n room , o r o t h e r p l a c e o f w o r s h i p , t i n c t from th e 4. the

and d i s ­

stu d e n t union.

For food s e r v i c e s .

lounges,

s h o u ld be s e p a r a t e

W ith a p o s s i b l e

no o n e d e p a r t m e n t o f a t y p i c a l

ex cep tio n of

s tu d e n t union is

a s p o p u lar or as g r e a t a s o c i a l i z i n g agency as th e food s e r -

49 v ice d epartm ent.

A lm ost a l l

ize th e c a f e te r ia ;

alum ni,

o f t h e campus com m unity p a t r o n ­

so ro ritie s,

frate rn ities

and

o t h e r o r g a n i z e d campus g r o u p s f r e q u e n t l y u s e t h e b a n q u e t room;

s tu d e n ts g a th e r a t the

soda f o u n t a i n betw een c l a s s e s ,

and f i n d th e f o u n t a i n and g r i l l during l e i s u r e

an e x c e l l e n t p l a c e t o meet

hours.

Most s m a ll c o l l e g e

s t u d e n t u n i o n s do n o t h a v e a c a f e ­

teria

o r a b a n q u e t room a s p a r t o f t h e

in g .

In stead ,

purpose.

stu d e n t union b u i ld ­

t h e y h a v e a s e p a r a t e d i n i n g r o om f o r t h i s

However, t h e m a j o r i t y o f t h e p a r t i c i p a n t s

survey f e l t

in th is

t h a t b o t h a c a f e t e r i a a n d a b a n q u e t ro om w o u l d

add a g r e a t d e a l t o

th e u s e f u ln e s s o f a union b u iB ing .

ty p e o f soda f o u n ta in ions stu d ie d .

and g r i l l was fo u n d i n a l l

Some

of th e un­

T h e s e r a n fro m m e r e l y l u n c h rooms w i t h a u t o ­

m a tic c o in m achines t o

r a t h e r e x t e n s i v e f o u n t a i n s and g r i l l s

rea c h in g in f l o o r space a re a to tw elv e-h u n d red square f e e t . A ll of th e unions of th e survey p ro v id e d in in g v i c e o f some k i n d . terias, room s,

soda b a r s ,

ity

At l e a s t t w o - t h i r d s o f t h e m h a v e c a f e ­ p r i v a t e d i n i n g rooms and g r i l l s

a l l ty p e s g e n e ra lly found in th e

had f a c i l i t i e s

or tea

same r o o m .

Seven

f o r p r i v a t e p a r t i e s o r h a d a l u n c h r oo m f a c i l ­

fo r off-cam pus

s t u d e n t s who b r i n g t h e i r l u n c h e s .

5- F o r m e e t i n g r o o m s a n d o f f i c e s . th e

ser­

About o n e - h a l f o f

s tu d e n t u n io n b u ild in g s re p r e s e n te d in th e survey p ro -

vide o f f ic e tio n s

s p a c e o f some k i n d .

Among t h e

stu d en t o rg an iza­

and c o l l e g e a g e n c i e s fo u n d most f r e q u e n t l y t o have t h e i r

o ffices

i n u n io n b u i l d i n g s w ere t h e

dent co u n cil,

th e c la ss o f f ic e rs ,

th e c o lleg e p u b lic ity o f f ic e , bureau,

th e c o lle g e y e a r book,

p u b lic r e la tio n s o f f ic e . th e f a c i l i t i e s in g f e l t

th at

stu d e n t union d i r e c t o r ,

the

c o lle g e new spaper,

A ll of th e

and th e

s c h o o l s who d i d n o t h a v e

in th e ir

s tu d e n t union b u ild ­

o f t h e m w h e n m oney a n d s p a c e p e r m i t t e d . sch o o ls pro v id ed o f f ic e s

as th e debate c o u n c il,

th e d ram atic

so ciety ,

t h e v a r io u s m usic o r g a n i z a t i o n s ,

th e honorary stu d e n t

These f a c i l i t i e s , sm all c o lle g e

t h e news

i t w o u ld be d e s i r a b l e t o h ave them and c on tem ­

Many o f t h e

d en ts,

th e

th e s tu ­

t h e alum ni s e c r e t a r y ,

fo r th ese o ffic e s

p lated in s ta lla tio n

so ciety ,

service c lu b s,

so ciety ,

f o r such g ro u p s the

lite ra ry

n o n -fratern ity

and th e a r t

stu ­

so ciety .

h o w e v e r , a r e n o t common a t t h e a v e r a g e

stu d e n t union and th e

a u th o r does n o t see th e

n e c e s s i t y f o r them . Depending upon t h e th e

s iz e o f the

siz e of the

stu d e n t union i t s e l f ,

c o l l e g e e n r o l l m e n t and i t was f e l t

th a t th e

s tu d e n t unio n d i r e c t o r sh o u ld d e te rm in e what o f f i c e s a r e needed fo r h is

im m ediate a d m i n i s t r a t i o n .

About o n e - f o u r t h o f t h e

c o lle g e s p a r t i c i p a t i n g provided o f f i c e s f o r th e d i r e c t o r , b u s in e s s m anager and v a r io u s a u x i l i a r y gro u p s w ith in th e d e n t union a d m i n i s t r a t io n .

stu ­

51 About o n e - f o u r t h o f t h e fa c ilitie s for

alum ni g r o u p s .

t h a t alm ost a l l

o f them f e l t

c o lle g e s p rovided o f f ic e I t was i n t e r e s t i n g t o n o t e

fa c ilitie s

o f t h i s ty p e w ere

v e ry d e s i r a b l e and r e a l i z e d t h e need f o r u n i t i n g t h e alum ni w ith th e contem porary sc h o o l. Few o f t h e l a r g e r

schools in th e

survey pro v id ed o f ­

f i c e s f o r t h e d e a n o f men e n d d e a n o f women, of the d ir e c to r s f e l t th a t th e s e o f f ic e s

but the m a jo rity

s h o u l d n o t be i n t h e

stu d e n t union b u ild in g . Some o f t h e l a r g e r i n s t i t u t i o n s a l s o made p r o v i s i o n f o r a n em ploym ent b u r e a u an d a s t u d e n t l o a n s e r v i c e . About o n e - h a l f o f t h e th a t th e

stu d e n t union d i r e c t o r s f e l t

s tu d e n t union b u ild in g should house th e c o lle g e

p u b licity

program and in c lu d e f a c i l i t i e s

p u b lic ity

o ffice,

c o l l e g e y e a r book and c o l l e g e

A ll o f th e c o lle g e s p a r t i c i p a ti n g f e l t vice lic

f o r a news b u r e a u , new spaper.

th e need f o r t h i s

ser­

and i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h e i r f u t u r e p l a n s i n c l u d e d t h i s

pub­

rela tio n s

program a s a p a r t o f th e

s tu d e n t union.

o f t h e s c h o o l s p a r t i c i p a t i n g w e n t so f a r a s t o a n d p r i n t i n g room f a c i l i t y

of th e d ir e c to r s ta k in g p a rt in

union.

I t was f e l t th e

i s t h e most im p o r ta n t s t u d e n t Because th e

i n c l u d e a morgue

f o r t h e i r p u b l i c a t i o n s program .

6* F o r s t u d e n t s e r v i c e s .

sto re

A few

by t h e m a j o r i t y

s u r v e y t h a t t h e book serv ice

of th e

stu d en t

stu d e n t union i s g e n e r a lly th e c e n te r o f

52 stu d en t a c t iv i t y

and u s u a l l y t h e m ost p o p u l a t e d p l a c e on t h e

cam pus, t h e book s t o r e , be l o c a t e d h e r e .

w ith

i t s many r a m i f i c a t i o n s ,

I n many o f t h e

s tu d e n t unions

should

th e p ost o f­

f i c e was i n t h e b o o k s t o r e and i n a b o u t o n e - f o u r t h o f t h e u nions,

th e b o o k sto re a ls o housed th e c o lle g e t i c k e t o f f i c e . Most o f t h e s c h o o l s i n d i c a t e d t h a t p u b l i c t e l e p h o n e s

and p u b lic union.

rest

rooms w e re e s s e n t i a l f a c i l i t i e s

S everal of the la r g e r

study f e l t

t h a t w here i t

in a student

sch o o ls p a r t i c i p a ti n g

was p o s s i b l e ,

the

in th is

stu d e n t union

s h o u ld i n c l u d e an i n f o r m a t i o n b u r e a u and a checkroom f o r t h e b e n e fit o f the

stu d en ts.

A lthough th e y a r e n o t f r e q u e n t l y found i n sm a ll c o l ­ leg e stu d e n t un io n s,

th e tren d

such s e r v i c e f o r t h e

s t u d e n t s a s m im eo g rap h in g and a p u b l i c

sten o g rap h er. o p in io n t h a t

seems t o be to w a rd i n c l u d i n g

A few o f t h e d i r e c t o r s i t w o u ld be w i s e t o

i n te r v ie w e d w ere o f t h e

in s ta ll a ty p ew riter re n ta l

serv ice. About o n e - f i f t h sta te d th at i f

p o ssib le,

of th e r e p lie s to the q u e stio n n a ire a fu lly

equipped s tu d e n t u n io n sh o u ld

in c lu d e a b a rb e r shop, b e a u ty shop,

candy shop and f l o r is t shop,

but th e m ajo rity of th e d ire c to rs f e l t

th a t th ese

serv ices

w e r e n o n - e s s e n t i a l a n d s h o u l d o n l y be p l a c e d o n t h e l a r g e r u n iv ersity

cam puses. F ° r game r o o m s a n d a t h l e t i c

grow ing r e c o g n i t i o n o f th e

serv ices.

There i s a

v alu e o f encouraging r e c r e a tio n a l

53 sk ills

i n c o l l e g e w hich n o t o n ly p r o v i d e p r o f i t a b l e

tim e b u t have a c a r r y - o v e r v a lu e . of the

o f th e unions

s u r v e y r e p o r t e d p r o v i s i o n s f o r g a m e s o f some k i n d ,

c lu d in g bow ling a l l e y , sh u ffle

board,

sh o w s t h a t

cards,

and b i l l i a r d s .

th e average

checkers,

in ­

chess, ta b le ten n is,

A c lo s e check o f th e survey

sm a ll s t u d e n t u n io n h a s o n ly one o r

tw o o f t h e s e f a c i l i t i e s . ever,

A lm ost a l l

leisu re

The f e e l i n g a l o n g t h i s

lin e ,

how­

in d ic a te s t h a t th e s tu d e n t unions o f th e f u tu r e w i l l

d e v o t e more s p a c e t o t h e h o u s i n g o f t h e s e f a c i l i t i e s . A few o f t h e s t u d e n t u n io n d i r e c t o r s f e l t ath letic

train in g

tab le

t h a t an

c o u ld be h o u s e d i n t h e s t u d e n t u n i o n

b u t a s t h e a v e r a g e s m a l l c o l l e g e d o e s n o t d eem t h i s

p rac tic e

n e c e s s a r y anyw here on cam pus, t h e y f e l t t h a t t h i s f a c i l i t y was n o t a r e q u i s i t e . The p r e s e n t t r e n d w i t h r e f e r e n c e t o t r o p h i e s won f o r v a rio u s achievm ents

in

in te rc o lle g ia te

co m p etitio n s,

d i s p l a y them i n t h e

s tu d e n t union b u ild in g .

is

to

N in e o f t h e s t u ­

d e n t u n i o n s s t u d i e d a l r e a d y h a d a t r o p h y room a n d a m a j o r i t y w e re m aking p l a n s f o r a p e rm a n e n t d i s p l a y . A number o f s c h o o l s h a d t h e g r a d u a t e m a n a g e r ’ s o f f i c e a lread y in the

s tu d e n t union and th e m a jo r ity f e l t

w ould be d e s i r a b l e .

I n many i n s t a n c e s ,

th e g ra d u a te m anager

a n d a l u m n i s e c r e t a r y a r e t h e sa m e p e r s o n a n d i t a cen tral o ffice

in the

th at th is

is fe lt

th at

s t u d e n t u n i o n w ould be a d v a n t a g e o u s

f o r b o th s t u d e n t and alum ni a c t i v i t i e s .

PART C PROPOSED PLAN FOR SMALL COLLEGE STUDENT UNION

CHAPTER IX LOCATION ON CAMPUS In s e le c tin g th e lo c a tio n union b u ild in g , No o n e h a s t h e

on c a m p u s f o r t h e

student

one m ust s t a r t w ith t h e a s s u m p tio n o f g ro w th . l a s t w o r d on w h a t t h e

c o l l e g e may w a n t t h e

u n i o n t o b e a n d do t w e n t y y e a r s f r o m now o r e v e n t e n . u nions a re not n e a rly la rg e

enough.

Most

Many s t u d e n t u n i o n s a r e

now p l a n n i n g a d d i t i o n s t h a t a r e l a r g e r t h a n t h e e n t i r e

o rig i­

nal stru c tu re . The p r i m e r e q u i s i t e f o r t h e l o c a t i o n o f a n y s t u d e n t u nion i s

th at i t

a c c e s s a b le to

i s near the c e n te r of the

c e r t a i n campus f a c i l i t i e s .

campus and e a s i l y Most c o l l e g e b u i l d ­

in g program s to d a y a r e a tte m p tin g to p la c e t h e i r

stud en t

u nion as c lo s e as p o s s ib le to th e p h y s ic a l c e n te r of th e cam pus. F i g u r e 1 shows t h e it

s h o u ld be p l a c e d on t h e

s tu d e n t union as th e a u th o r f e e l s George P e p p e r d i n e C o l le g e cam pus.

One o f t h e t w o p r o b l e m s t o b e d e t e r m i n e d i n t h i s

s t u d y , was

how G e o r g e P e p p e r d i n e C o l l e g e c o u l d i n t e g r a t e t h e f a c t s l e a r n e d from t h i s union b u ild in g . the

su rv ey i n to a w orking fo rm u la f o r a s tu d e n t The f o l l o w i n g w i l l d i s c u s s t h e p o s i t i o n o f

stu d e n t union b u ild in g as

sh ow n i n F i g u r e 1 t o t h e v a r i ­

o us p a r t s o f t h e campus: In r e l a ti o n to cam pus,

classroom s are

classro o m s.

On t h e P e p p e r d i n e C o l l e g e

lo c a te d in th e B usiness A d m in istra tio n

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STUDENT UNION BUILDING, GEORGE PEPPERDINE COLLEGE, PROPOSED LOCATION

V-Tl

56 B u ild in g ,

th e A d m in is tra tio n B u ild in g ,

B u ild in g ,

and in th e F ine A rts B u ild in g ,

p l a c e d so t h a t

its

p o sitio n is

th e s e classroom b u ild in g s , o f them .

The u n i o n h a s b e e n

b e tw e e n t h e d o r m i t o r i e s and

and i s

From d o o r t o d o o r ,

t h e Home E c o n o m i c s

e a s ily accessab le to a l l

th e d i s t a n c e from th e

student

u n i o n t o t h e B u s i n e s s A d m i n i s t r a t i o n B u i l d i n g w o u ld be seventy f e e t , fee t,

t o th e A d m i n is tr a t i o n B u ild in g one hund red f i f t y

t o t h e Home E c o n o m i c s B u i l d i n g t w o h u n d r e d f e e t ,

and

t o t h e F i n e A r t s B u i l d i n g two h u n d r e d s e v e n t y - f i v e f e e t . In r e la tio n to o f f i c e s . are

The A d m i n i s t r a t i v e O f f i c e s

lo c a te d in th e A d m in istra tio n B u ild in g ,

fifty

f e e t from th e t e n t a t i v e

site

of th e

The u n i o n i s p l a c e d s o t h a t v i s i t o r s e sc o rte d to

a b o u t one h u n d re d

s tu d e n t union.

i n t h e o f f i c e s may be

t h e u n i o n b u i l d i n g v e r y r e a d i l y and w ould n o t be

caught in congested stu d e n t t r a f f i c . In r e la tio n to th e a u d ito riu m .

L o c a te d a b o u t one

h u n d red e i g h t y f e e t from t h e a u d it o r iu m , c a n s e r v e many n e e d s .

the

s tu d e n t union

I t w i l l be l o c a t e d c l o s e

e n o u g h so

t h a t t h e p a t r o n s o f c o l l e g e f u n c t i o n s may u s e t h e c o l l e g e f o u n t a i n o r c a f e t e r i a w i t h o u t h a v i n g t o go o f f c a m p u s . s tu d e n t union in t h i s

The

r e f e r e n c e w ould a l s o a c t a s t h e t i c k e t

agency f o r th e v a rio u s au d ito riu m p ro d u c tio n s . In r e l a ti o n

to

the l i b r a r y .

The s t u d e n t u n i o n i s

lo ­

c a te d a b o u t one h u n d red s e v e n t y - f i v e f e e t from t h e l i b r a r y ,

57 in a d ire c t

l i n e betw een th e

S tu d e n ts w ishing to brary

lib ra ry

and th e

d o rm ito ries.

s p e n d a f e w m i n u t e s away f r o m t h e i r l i ­

s t u d y i n t h e u n i o n may do s o e a s i l y w i t h o u t h a v i n g t o

go n e a r a n y o f t h e o t h e r c o l l e g e b u i l d i n g s o r become i n ­ volved w ith s tu d e n t t r a f f i c . In r e l a t i o n to th e

d in in g h a l l .

The s t u d e n t u n i o n i s

p l a c e d a b o u t one h u n d re d f e e t from t h e c o l l e g e d i n i n g h a l l . It

is

d e s i g n e d i n s u c h a way t h a t

be u se d f o r b o th f a c i l i t i e s .

It

one s e r v i c e i s o fte n th e

e n t r a n c e may case th a t th e

d in in g h a l l and th e

s t u d e n t u n i o n w i l l h a v e t o work t o g e t h e r

i n num erous c o l l e g e

e n t e r p r i s e s and i t

th ey are lo c a te d clo se to

seems e s s e n t i a l t h a t

each o th e r.

In r e l a ti o n to th e d o r m ito rie s .

As b o t h d o r m i t o r i e s

f a c e th e c o l l e g e prom enade, t h e a u th o r f e l t

th at

u n io n s h o u ld a l s o be p l a c e d n e a r t h i s a v e n u e .

a student

The t e n t a t i v e

l o c a t i o n o f t h e s t u d e n t u n i o n i n F i g u r e 1 shows t h e u n i o n a p p r o x i m a t e l y two h u n d r e d f i f t y

student

f e e t f r o m t h e m en s

d o r m ito r ie s and about s e v e n ty - f iv e f e e t

f r o m t h e womens d o r ­

m ito ries . In r e la tio n to

t h e gym nasium .

L o c a t e d a b o u t two

h u n d r e d f e e t fro m t h e gym nasium , t h e

s t u d e n t u n i o n w o u ld be

very e a s ily

In r e la tio n

nasium ,

it

r e a c h e d by s p o r t s f a n s . is

situ ated

in

s u c h a way t h a t

it

h u n d r e d f e e t o f t h e gym nasium p a r k i n g a r e a .

t o t h e gym­

i s w i t h i n one

5S In r e la tio n to

ad jo in in g

streets.

The s t u d e n t u n i o n

i s a b o u t one h u n d red s i x t y f e e t from 7 9 th S t r e e t and a b o u t one hundred f i f t y p lan c a l ls th is

f e e t from B udlong Avenue.

The p r e s e n t

f o r tw o s e r v i c e e n t r a n c e s f r o m B u d l o n g A v e n u e , a s

s t r e e t h a s t h e l e a s t amount o f t r a f f i c

a n d seem s t o be

m ore c o n d u c iv e f o r h a n d l i n g su c h p ro b le m s a s h a u l i n g g a r b a g e , d e l i v e r i n g m a il and s u p p l i e s ,

and lo a d in g f a c i l i t i e s

for

b u s e s and t r u c k s . In r e l a t i o n to t h e prom enade. F ig u re 1,

th e te n ta tiv e

site

a lo n g the

c o l l e g e prom enade.

As may b e s e e n i n

f o r a s tu d e n t union b u ild in g In p a s t y e a rs ,

t h i s prom enade

h a s been th e c e n t e r f o r a g r e a t d e a l o f a c t i v i t y au th o r f e l t

is

and th e

i t was a d v i s a b l e t o t a k e a d v a n t a g e o f t h i s f a c t .

The p r o m e n a d e may a l s o b e u s e d a s a d r i v e w a y b e t w e e n t h e s tu d e n t u n io n and t h e d in in g h a l l . w orking t o g e t h e r ,

it

is

When t h e s e t w o u n i t s a r e

o f t e n n e c e s s a r y t o move a g r e a t num­

b e r o f t h i n g s fro m one b u i l d i n g t o a n o t h e r , p o ssib le .

as b riefly

as

CHAPTER X FLOOR PLANS The a u t h o r h a s t a k e n t h e f a c i l i t i e s sira b le ,

a s sh o w n by t h e c o m p l e t e d q u e s t i o n n a i r e a n d t h e

o p in io n s o f th e in te rv ie w s, p lan .

deemed m o st d e ­

s tu d e n t union d i r e c t o r s ta k in g p a r t

an d c o n s o l i d a t e d them i n t o

a w orkable b u ild in g

T h e o v e r a l l p a t t e r n h a s b e e n made t o

conform w ith t h e

p re s e n t type o f a r c h i t e c t u r e a t P ep p erd in e C o lle g e . rea liz ed

in th e

It

is

t h a t t h e s e draw in g s and s k e tc h e s a r e not p r o f e s s i o n ­

a l,

and b e f o r e any a c t u a l p l a n n i n g and b u i l d i n g c o u ld b e g i n ,

th e

i d e a s w ould h av e t o

th o ro u g h r e v i s i o n .

be g iv e n t o an a r c h i t e c t

However,

p i c t o r i a l resum e o f t h e

F ig u r e s i th ro u g h

re su lts of th is

f o r a very

5 present a

survey.

An a t t e m p t h a s b e e n made t o a d a p t t h e s e p l a n s t o m eet p r e s e n t need s a t P e p p e rd in e C o lle g e ,

e s p e c ia lly w ith

r e f e r e n c e to

e n r o llm e n t and th e p o s s i b i l i t y

th e fu tu re .

The f i n a n c i a l c o s t o f t h i s

been ta k e n in to

of enrollm ent

fa c ility

in

has also

c o n s id e r a tio n w ith th e p o s s ib le a p p ro p ia tio n

w h ich c o u ld be a l l o t t e d

by t h e

c o ll e g e and r a i s e d

by o t h e r

means f o r t h i s p u r p o s e . The b u i l d i n g

s t r u c t u r e has been a d ap ted to th e p re ­

v a ilin g type o f a r c h i te c t u r e . F igure 2 p re s e n ts a sketch of th e ing,

and a tte m p ts t o

stu d e n t union b u i ld ­

f o l l o w t h e sa me b u i l d i n g l i n e s a s may

FIGURE 2 STUDENT UNION BUILDING, GEORGE PEPPERDINE COLLEGE, BUILDING SKETCH

61 be s e e n on t h e r e s t o f t h e cam pus. tativ e

p l a n f o r t h e m ain f l o o r ,

F i g u r e 3 shows t h e t e n ­

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fa c ilitie s: Form al l o u n g e . T h i s ro om w o u l d b e 50 X 70 f e e t w i t h a s e a t i n g c a p a c i ty o f 250. A r o om o f t h i s n a t u r e w o u l d p ro v id e a p la c e f o r fo rm a l and in fo rm a l r e c e p t i o n s , l e c ­ t u r e s , m e e ti n g s , s m a ll c o n c e r t s , and num erous s o c i a l a c t i v i t i e s , as w ell as a p lace fo r a l l of our stu d en ts t o spend t h e i r l e i s u r e tim e . Tea room a n d s n a c k b a r . A p la c e f o r s t u d e n t s and f a c u l t y t o buy l i g h t l u n c h e s an d a l l t y p e s o f f o u n t a i n p ro d u cts. W i t h a s e a t i n g c a p a c i t y o f 1 2 0 , t h i s ro om w o u l d make a n i d e a l p l a c e f o r s t u d e n t g a t h e r i n g s . Book s t o r e a n d g i f t s h o p . These shops w i l l c a r r y a l l ty p e s o f s c h o o l equipm ent and s u p p l i e s . Post o f f ic e . C om plete p o s t a l s e r v i c e w i t h p r i v a t e m a i l b o x e s f o r e a c h m em b er o f t h e f a c u l t y a n d b o a r d i n g stu d e n ts. O utdoor p a t i o . A 1 9 0 X 65 f o o t f l a g s t o n e p a t i o c om p l e t e l y equipped f o r a l l ty p e s o f s o c i a l g a th e r in g s , i n ­ c lu d in g b a n q u e ts and b a rb e q u e s . Trophy c a s e . A 13 X 6 a l l - g l a s s c a s e , w h i c h w o u l d house a l l c o l l e g e t r o p h i e s and aw ards. F i g u r e 4 shows t h e t e n t a t i v e p l a n f o r t h e se c o n d f l o o r , in c lu d in g th e fo llo w in g f a c i l i t i e s . F acu lty lo u n g e. A much n e e d e d p l a c e f o r m e m b e r s o f t h e f a c u l t y t o m eet f o r work o r p l a y d u r i n g l e i s u r e hours. S t u d e n t body o f f i c e . In a d e m o c ratic i n s t i t u t i o n , t h e r e i s an a c t i v e i n t e r e s t i n s t u d e n t body governm ent and p r o p e r f a c i l i t i e s s h o u l d be p r o v i d e d f o r t h i s work to be c a r r i e d on. S ervice o rg a n iz a tio n s o f f i c e . A p l a c e f o r members o f t h e c o l l e g e ^ s e r v i c e o r g a n i z a t i o n s to m eet and p la n t h e i r num erous s c h o o l a c t i v i t i e s .

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