Seventy Years Of The Worcester Polytechnic Institute: Page 112

which he was asked to decide whether these men had not forfeited their right to Graduates' Aid prizes. He answered that they had not. A similar affair took place on December 31, 1881. Several students entered the shops and painted fantastic designs on several crates of drawing stands that were awaiting shipment. One was apprehended and he, a man of high scholarship who had been class president, was dismissed.

The most serious clash between students and faculty grew out of a disturbance at an Amherst glee club concert in February, 1881. Many students attended and sat in the gallery. They were noisy and turbulent. At the close of the concert, a group of the troublemakers was accosted in the hall by a faculty member, who ordered them to go home. He chose one senior as the major culprit and this man refused to obey the order. The following day a special faculty meeting was called and the scapegoat was given a statement of regret to sign. On Mr. Salisbury's advice he signed it. Thereupon, seventy-five students held a protest meeting and signed a communication to the faculty, which was somewhat defiant and disrespectful. At the end, they requested the faculty, "as gentlemen," to give them an answer. This aroused the faculty thoroughly.

Two days later it was decided that the protest was somewhat too severe, so the signatures were withdrawn and a milder letter written. Even this was unsatisfactory, and students were told that no statement of the faculty's position would be made until all signatures were withdrawn. The students capitulated and were given a long exposition on the law by Principal Thompson, who laid special emphasis on the catalogue statement, "Students are expected at all times to demean themselves in a quiet and gentlemanly manner." It was a faculty victory, but a hollow one, for the students were never convinced that their cause had been fairly tried. It was during this period of general suspension that the raid on the Oread took place.

Participation in these escapades and sports developed class unity and a certain amount of college spirit. The deep

112

webmaster@wpi.edu

Last Modified: Fri Jul 30 11:15:25 EDT 1999