Seventy Years Of The Worcester Polytechnic Institute: Page 59

address he explained that "since courses of intellectual discipline and of mechanical training are carried on simultaneously, it is but fair to suppose that the two will supplement each other, so that, since the shop work will furnish the requisite amount of physical exercise it is expected that at least eight hours a day will be devoted to the work of the Institute by each pupil. Probably more than this will be found practically necessary." But he added that "physical training will not be neglected, and all manly sports will be encouraged." It was to be many a long year before faculty encouragement in this direction was to be detected.

But students were human then as ever. After they had overcome their awe of the school and, to a less extent, of the faculty, they began to engage in some of the pranks which so readily develop in the fertile minds of youth. Whispering and the drawing of caricatures in the study room brought vigorous reprimands, and he who threw chairs was promptly suspended. Good practical joking, in cases where the perpetrators escaped, appears to have been relished, for Principal Thompson records in his memorandum book that, in the fall of 1872, "a billy goat was found running at large in the chapel. He was summarily ejected. At evening a burlesque excuse was posted, thus: Reasons for proposed absence of Billy goat from prayers, -got kicked out the last time."

Discipline was rigidly enforced and the faculty felt responsible for the manners and morals of students out of as well as during school hours. One member of the first class was informed by Principal Thompson, "Before you resume your studies at this Institute it will be necessary for you to give the faculty satisfactory pledges that you will not use intoxicating liquor of any kind anywhere, and will not use tobacco in any form on our premises, including the shop."

The faculty also considered setting geographical limits to students' boarding places, because "temptations to squander evenings are greater near the city, proximity to the building is a great auxiliary to punctuality, it will relieve the study

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