Ripon College Archives

Homecoming Tradition: Floats

2009-10-01T09:18:00.000-07:00

[From College Days, 5. Nov. 1929]

TRACY CAPTURES THE FLOAT AWARD

’29 HOMECOMING FLOATS SHOW IMPROVEMENT OVER PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS

The annual Homecoming parade featured by numerous floats of every sort, traveled up and down Watson st. [sic] to a successful close. Led by the Boy Scouts and the local high school band, the parade took on a stirring aspect.

Floats of every description were present. The prize winning floats were submitted by Tracy and Duffie, who took first and second prizes, respectively.

Tracy’s was a burial ground mounted on a truck, which was followed by six men carrying a casket. It bore the inscription, “in memory of Carroll.” Duffie offered a mounted zeppelin which was accompanied by the words, “Take Carroll for a ride.”

Merriman and Lyle were represented by huge telephones and accompanying signs reading, “Calling Carroll’s bluff.” Bartlett’s “Carroll wedded to de-feet,” was portrayed by a bride and groom. The bride represented Carroll, and the groom whose feet were gigantic, represented defeat. Sanford presented an operating room with Carroll on the operating table. Gore reigned supreme. The inscription was, “Will Carroll pull through?” Parkhurst portrayed “Ripon on Top,” by a huge football mounted on a car. Several girls carrying smaller footballs walking beside and in back of the car. Woodside’s contribution was a gigantic nut cracker bearing the words, “Crack the Carroll jinx.” Smith offered a large reproduction of the little schoolhouse where the Republican party was born. On the roof of the building were the words, “The hunting ground of the Redmen.”

This year’s homecoming float and vehicle decorating contest will take place on Saturday, October 3^rd at 11AM in the quads. Stop by to see the floats and stick around to see Ripon take on Carroll at 1PM at Ingalls Field. (Ripon beat Carroll in 1929, 20-6. Go Redhawks!)

Freshmen Hazing of the 1940s-1960s

2009-07-20T11:26:00.000-07:00

What ARE these five students from the class of 1946 doing on the ground, exactly? Praying? Kissing the earth? Awkwardly hiding from the camera? Actually, they are taking part in the Freshmen Hazing experience! The hazing of freshmen by the sophomore class was a time-honored tradition on the Ripon College campus from the 1940s until the late 1960s. Freshmen had to adhere to a variety of rules, which included a 10:30 p.m. curfew, being present at all football games and pre-game pep rallies, wearing “regulation beanies” at all times outside of their dormitories, and, most importantly, “buttoning” to upperclassmen, as seen in this photo. This hazing lasted until students went home for Thanksgiving break; that is, unless the freshmen class won the coveted grease-pole fight during homecoming (though, unfortunately, this rarely happened).

--Jacqie Fingerson

First African American Students at Ripon College

2009-07-20T11:22:00.000-07:00

[Picture from Ripon Magazine, Issue 33, Year 2000]

This picture is of the first known African American students to attend ripon. From left: Bill Stewart, Robert Walker, and Del Cornick. They graduated in 1952 and started what would become Ripon's journey through the struggle for diversity and understanding on a predominantly white campus. Each student had their own experience in a time that was much different from our own, where laws were not stringent enough to prevent overt racism. These days, the "Political Correction" movement and education have paved the way for tolerence, but how do the experiences of the past compare to recent Ripon graduate experiences with racism and prejudice?

--Morgan Douvris

Summer Archives Students Projects

2009-07-20T11:11:00.000-07:00

This summer, Jacqie Fingerson and Morgan Douvris have been working on research projects in the archives. Morgan has been investigating the history of African Americans at Ripon and the experiences they had here; Jacqie has been looking at the history of Greek life. The next few blog entries are from Jacqie and Morgan on their projects.

-AP

John Updike, HD Ripon, 1965

2009-01-28T14:06:00.000-08:00

(John Updike, ca. 1965)

(1965 Ripon College Commencement Program)

In 1965 one of the preeminent American writers of the twentieth century walked across the stage to receive an honorary doctoral degree from Ripon College. On that day John Updike shared the stage with several other literary luminaries. The press release announcing the event had the following to say: “RIPON, WIS.—The honorary degree recipients at the 99th commencement exercises at Ripon College on Saturday, June 5 will include playwright William Inge, novelist John Updike, poet William Stafford and theologian Nathan A. Scott, Jr., in keeping with the theme of “Literature.” … Updike is the author of Rabbit, Run, [sic. Rabbit, Run] The Centaur, Telephone Poles, The Coupled Hen, and others. In 1960, he received the Rosenthal award from the National Institute of Arts and Letters.”

Yesterday, January 27, 2009, John Updike passed on after a bout with lung cancer.

Robert Page Sims

2009-01-16T11:27:00.000-08:00

With Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday and the inauguration of Barack Obama on Tuesday, many Americans are taking the time to look back at the Civil Rights movement of the the 1960s and earlier. One of the first steps at Ripon College in support of Civil Rights was taken in 1924, when Robert Page Sims, an African-American student from Bluefield, West Virginia, was admitted.

Noted alumnus Pearl Dopp, '25 writes about taking Robert to the "Walk-Around" (a dance/social for first year students). She wrote in a letter to her mother on September 27, 1924 [Available at: http://www.ripon.edu/library/archives/exhibits/dopp1924.htm ] that, "I saw him on the campus and realizing that he would undoubtedly not get a chance to go to the walk around, I conceived the idea of asking him." The Walk-Around was covered in the College Days on September 30th, 1924, but there is no mention of Sims or Dopp. (The article is transcribed below.)

[Friday, September 30, 1924]

Why Walk-Around?
--Or—
The Mysteries of a Blind Date

By Catherine Whittier

“Get me a date!”
“Can she dance?”
“Is he good-looking?”
The time—first week of college.
The place—the campus, the commons and Ingram Hall
The characters—all the college boys and girls…U, rah, rah!
The subject—the Walk-around.

The answers were in the affirmative. The dates were secured. Some were blind ones, others were unsconscious, some were merely dumb. The senior took the beautiful little blond and found that she “juth lovths college life, becauth it wath tho thrilling.” The stately brunette turned out to be a frost and the coy little Titian-haired date was the original “Enfant Terrible.” The long-suffering junior co-ed was left aghast at the animated bit of encyclopedia that trailed her to the “Walk-Away.” He talked vociferously of the political trend of parties and the logical choice for president. She groaned inwardly, fearing he’d choke on some of the five syllable words he tossed carefully about. He didn’t, though! (He was the H.S. orator in His Town—at least he called it “my town”—and she didn’t doubt his veracity!)
Grind Begins on Time
The various dates assembled in the gym and the Walk-Around began. The dates shook hands enthusiastically with the benign professors at the head of the line, but the near finish the dates’ parched tongues hung out and they extended limp hands. Nothing hearty about their handclasp. Well, that was over.
The hardened seniors sat in the balconies and gazed on in grim humor. Circles were formed of the freshmen girls encircled by upper-class escorts. The escorts moved about and curiously examined the license plate on the lil’ Frosh gals. As one little Frosh remarked, “Felt just like a horse being looked over by a prospective buyer. Nearly showed my teeth!”
The upper-class girls were doing likewise to wearers of the green headgear. After the drummer had dropped his prized Ingersol—Ford case—several times, the Walk-around was over and the walk over began.
Walk-Over a success
They reversed and trod on the left foot of their partners each time around the floor. They slipped and they galloped! There were sad awakenings and some were put solidly to sleep. The little freckled girl danced divinely while the striking Anglo-Saxon moved like a great lakes dredge.
The dancing ceased. Ice cream cones were distributed. It was a circus plus! The annual walk-around, 1924, for the freshmen was over and they dispersed. Sweet dreams of rosy conquests embellished many tired sleepers’ craniums.

"...then college life dons its winter clothes."

2009-01-14T12:54:00.000-08:00

"When Lane Library stands frozen on the snowy campus, and a fireplug tempts no dog to leave his cozy home, then college life dons its winter clothes." --Crimson 1948

Ripon College students will don their winter clothes when they arrive back on campus this weekend and early next week. Classes begin Tuesday, January 20th.

Beware, Frosh! (And be thankful...)

2008-11-26T11:57:00.000-08:00

It is the Wednesday afternoon before Thanksgiving break--many students are visibly excited about going home for a few days to see their families, to catch up with friends from high school and to have a few days off from papers, projects and studying. First year students (whose connection to home is stronger since they haven't even been at Ripon for an entire semester yet) may be the most thankful for Thanksgiving break. This excitement though, cannot match that of the class of 1928 when they and the rest of the country celebrated, "the three hundred and fourth commemoration of the manifestations of divine goodness experienced by the heroic
founders of our glorious nation." Thanksgiving to them meant the end of a series of rituals and rules enforced upon them by the school's "soph-o-mores." Current first year students should commemorate the divine goodness of the lack of these rituals in 2008.

The text of the poster reads:

Who is the big man in the picture? He is a soph-o-more. What
is a soph-o-more? A soph-o-more is one of the guardians of the
[?] entrusted with the caring for the morals and the upbringing
of freshmen. What is the soph-o-more in the picture doing? He is
administering punishment to a naughty frosh who has disobeyed
one of the commandments laid down below:

1. Commencing instantaneously and enduring up to and in-
cluding the three hundred and fourth commemoration of
the manifestations of divine goodness experienced by the heroic
founders of our glorious nation. All members of the freshmen
class shall embellish their persons as follows:

(a) Each and every female adherent of the class of '28 shall
accomplish the encompassment of the left humerus with the des-
ignated encirclement.

(b) Members of the sex masculine of the same class shall de-
posit upon their brain pans the ordained cerebellum confines.

2. Suitable deference and humility shall be manifested to
members of the faculty and upperclassmen through the
medium of an industrious and sedulous rapping upon the crimson
protuberance provided for in sections (a) and (b) of 1.

3. The herbaceous and verdant accretion embellishing the
campus shall be sacred from the encroachments of the
members of the frosh class.

4. Abstain from chasing on campus.

5. The confines of thy domicile shall undeviatingly limit thy
inhalation of the vapor of the wicked weed. The sole per-
missable container for the noxious vegetation shall be one man-
ufactured from the chaffy axis of the fruit of the maize.

6. Venerations and respect shall be manifested at the termi-
nation of each chapel excercise by the entire freshman
class remaining seated until all faculty members and upper class-
men shall have left the confines of the edifice.

7. Do not provoke your instructors unnecessarily by utiliz-
ing the arms of the lecture room chairs to cut your teeth
on.

The Consternation Administering Class
1927

Untied and the 1901 Ripon College Glee Club

2008-11-19T13:51:00.000-08:00

The cover story of the College Days this week features a piece on Ripon College's newest vocal ensemble, Untied. The ensemble features Zac Mans, Timothy Fulton, Andy Peck and Paul Williams who are presenting a benefit concert on behalf of the Santa Squad, a non-profit organization that purchases toys for families in need during the holiday season. The concert is Friday, Nov. 21 at 7PM in the Great Hall of Harwood Memorial Union.

Untied is following an over-a-century old tradition of great choral music at Ripon. Pictured above are the members of Ripon College's 1901 Glee Club.

Redhawk Basketball Season Begins

2008-11-12T12:26:00.001-08:00

The 1975-76 Ripon College Women's Basketball Team

1st Row: Linda Secor, Joanie Sugler, Louisia Gabeleine, Anne Millon, Melissa Schroeder,
Lois Vanleer 2nd Row: Jennifer Baker, Mary Kuntzer, Elizabeth, McKnight, Barb Horne,
Brenda Lancaster, Gina Brady

The women's basketball team opens their season this coming Saturday against Wheaton College at 2PM at Ripon's Storzer Center. Although the first women's team to play intercollegiately was the 1975-76 team, the college apparently fielded a women's team in 1915 as pictured above. Good luck Redhawks!

Ripon College Theatre

2008-11-07T14:12:00.000-08:00

The Ripon College Theatre Department is currently putting on Jim Leonard's

Anatomy of Gray, directed by Ripon's Robert Amsden. The last peformance is Saturday evening (Nov. 8, 7:30PM, Benstead Theater at Rodman Center for the Arts), so don't miss it!

As many may know, Ripon has a storied history in it's Theatre department with Harrison Ford and Frances Lee McCain having graced its stages. The image above is of the cast members of Merchant of Venice, one of the earliest theatre productions (sometime before 1920.)

Studs Terkel, 1912-2008

2008-11-05T09:26:00.000-08:00

Studs Terkel, renowned oral historian and radio host from Chicago passed away this past Friday (Oct. 31, 2008). According to his obituary in the New York Times, [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/01/books/01terkel.html?scp=2&sq=studs%20terkel&st=cse] (Accessed 5. Nov. 2008) some Terkel’s best know works include Division Street: America (1966), Hard Times: An Oral History of the Great Depression (1970) and Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do (1974). He also won the Pulitzer Prize for non-fiction writing in 1985.

Terkel also has a Ripon connection. In 1989, the theme for commencement focused on the “World of the Media” and it’s responsibility in society. Terkel along with Margaret Andreasen and Richard D. Threlkeld ’59 received the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters at the ceremony.

Before Seward and Elm Streets

2008-11-04T12:35:00.000-08:00

Hi, I'm Andrew Prellwitz, Ripon College's new archivist. As I've been looking through the collection of photographs and documents in the archives, I've noticed quite a few great snapshots of the college's past that I would like to share with you all. Some of the images are pertinent to changes currently taking place at Ripon College--others are just interesting images that capture the college's rich and vibrant history here on the prairie and rolling hills of east central Wisconsin. If you have any comments or stories about the images on this blog, I invite you to share those.

The first image that I would like to share with you is of the areas around Elm and Seward Streets. If you have been back to campus recently, you may have seen the transformation of these streets into more pedestrian friendly sidewalks and green areas. (Well the green areas will appear in the spring when the grass grows again...) The first image above is taken approximately from where Bowen's Woods begin on your way to lower campus. Bartlett Cottage is visible behind the young men playing tennis.

The second image is taken presumably from the top of what is now the Evans Admissions Center (Hughes House) looking at Bartlett Cottage, upper campus and of what is to become Seward Street.