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From 1877 until after 1890 Hallowe'en was an occasion when gates required to be fastened with unusual care, and when walks and signs needed to be watched. On that night in 1883 there was much disturbance; more plank walks were raised than at any time since the outburst of '73; the statue of the late B. Franklin received a coat of paint; PROFESSOR FRIEZE. and many business signs were removed to places where they could not be discerned. These varieties of lawlessness have now almost disappeared, and certainly are not as frequent as might be expected when the number and age of the students are considered.
A standing aggravation to law-breaking used to be the Ann
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Arbor policeman, a queer compound of prejudice, ignorance, and stupidity. In the early years of the "force " indiscriminate threats to shoot students for the offence of gathering in little groups at the down-town street corners, or for singing their college songs, were often made. In October, 1874, two students wrestling after dark on the campus were arrested by the vigilant guardians of the peace. There was a show of resistance, and the next night coun- ter demonstrations were made by the students. The Chronicle with good reason remonstrated against the invasion of the Univer- sity's grounds by the police. Soon afterwards the latter attacked a group of sophomores, and seizing the smallest of the lot began to drag him to the lock-up. The prisoner, now a representative in Congress from one of the Illinois districts, made a sudden jump, partially freed himself, and being caught by the coat-tails adroitly slipped his arms out of the coat and made good his escape. The astonished officers held up the coat and blandly invited the young fellow to get back into it, but were told where they might go with the garment. They concluded, says The Chronicle, to wait until cooler weather before they hung the coat on its accustomed peg in those warm regions.
Before 1882 the post-office was in a small and inconvenient building the entrance into and the egress from which were by the same narrow door. The carrier-delivery system had not yet been introduced, and the students were accustomed to assemble at the office every evening about the time of the arrival and distribution of the mails from the east and the west. Often there were pro- voking delays in the delivery, and it could hardly be expected that every one of five hundred or more students would refrain from jostling and pushing, or from raising his voice somewhat higher than the conversational pitch. On the night of the 12th of Octo- ber, 1877, the freshmen and sophomores came into closer contact at the post-office than the patience of either would allow, and as the office seemed not the best of places for a "rush " they ad- journed to the campus. After they had gone the Mayor and his minions came forward and boldly arrested a young fellow who had taken no part in the disturbance. He was released that night on his own recognizance, and was discharged the next morning.
More serious trouble came two years later. From the open- ing of the fall session of 1879 the policemen took especial satisfac- tion in making themselves obnoxious to students. A group of twenty-five could not assemble in any place without an officer's
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making his appearance. Tuesday evening, October 14, the boys on reaching the post-office found at the door policemen who would allow but one student to enter at a time. The passage to the de- livery windows was long and narrow, and as the closing hour was early, it became evident that unless the delivery was rapid many would not get their letters that night. Still, the students kept re- markably good order, but finally, incensed by the rough move- ments and language of the police they broke out into shouts and yells, whereupon several of them were struck and arrested. On the following night a large crowd of students and citizens gathered in the same place. This assemblage was a signal for the ringing of the fire-bell to call out the state militia and also a gang of roughs deputized as special policemen. The former charged with fixed bayonets, wounding a citizen of the town; and the special police, incited, it was said, by an offer from the mayor of two dol- lars for each arrest, laid hands on every student who could be found, no matter where he was going or what he was doing. Ten or twelve sons of Michigan tax-payers passed the night in the county jail, to be discharged the next morning, none of the offi- cers who made the arrests being on hand to prefer charges. For the disturbances of that term Mayor Smith was chiefly responsible. His action-influenced by hostility to the University-in calling out the militia and in summoning special policemen was both ridic- ulous and dangerous. Mr. Sessions, the city attorney, who re- fused to uphold the mayor's course was removed by the city coun- cil. Money having been raised, suits for false imprisonment were brought against the city and the Mayor, but on the advice of Judge Cooley and others who feared the consequences to the University of prolonging an unfortunate conflict, the actions were discon- tinued. In April, 1881, Mayor Smith, to the great delight of the students, failed of re-election.
One afternoon a few months after the post-office incident, fire broke out in a small room adjoining the law-building. The fire company having arrived on the scene too late to be of service in extinguishing the fire, and being angered by the raillery of the stu- dents, attacked the latter and were worsted. The Chronicle deprecated the affair, saying that the firemen had reached the fire as soon as they could.
About the middle of January, 1882, a policeman named Por- ter whose officiousness in quelling serenades had made him decid- edly a persona non grata to the students, wantonly assaulted some
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members of the Alpha Delta Phi as they were returning from a supper at Hangsterfer's. For this he was prosecuted, the society courageously standing up for its rights. On the first trial the jury disagreed, although the evidence was clearly in favor of the prose- cution; but on the second trial he was found guilty, and was sen- tenced to pay a fine of six dollars and four dollars costs.
Of all the encounters between town and gown the most seri- ous occurred Wednesday, November 12, 1890. Several days be- fore five undergraduates had been arrested for "rushing " in the post-office, and the student community was in a state of great excitement. Consequently when the sound of rifle-shots was heard on the evening of the day mentioned, many supposed that trouble was at hand. At least four hundred students soon gathered at the place of the firing, which was in front of a house in the most densely populated part of the city. It seems that the marriage of a member of the local militia company was celebrating in the house that night, and that a number of the bride- groom's comrades, being about to attend the cere- monies, fired, before enter- PHYSICAL LABORATORY. ing the house, several volleys in honor of the occasion. Assembled in front of the house the students gave the University yell, and called for a speech. Some one came out and said to the boys-who had ceased their cries so they could hear-"This is the biggest crowd of ignorant people I ever saw". Of course this did not tend to dis- perse the crowd, which however was very good-natured and not particularly noisy. Soon the same speaker appeared again, and threateningly ordered the gathering to disperse. In a little while the militia-men filed out, and marched down the street to the inter- section of Division and Liberty streets. Here Sergeant Granger, the commander of the detachment, urged his men to resist the students who were following and guying the squad. The so-called soldiers charged, using their muskets as clubs, and chased the unresisting students hither and thither, following them individually. Two or three of the excited militia-men rushed to the side-walk
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and ordered I. J. Denison, a member of the freshman class, to "go ". He had been standing quietly upon the walk, taking no part in the tumult, and when he asked where he should go, one of the soldiers struck him on the head with the butt end of his musket, and felled him to the ground. Then the students rallied, and having supplied themselves with sticks and stones began to make show of resistance. Some one whose name it is to be hoped will not forever remain unknown to the chroniclers of deeds worthily done by Michigan men, hurled a missile at Granger, hitting the latter in the head, cutting a fearful gash, and completely disabling him. He still urged on the "military", and in a second charge four or five students were slightly injured. Then several police- men appeared on the scene, the soldiers were advised to go down town, Professor Thompson persuaded the boys to proceed to the campus, and comparative quiet reigned. After listening to a short speech in which the Professor thanked them for their self-restraint under difficult circumstances, the students went home, not realizing the extent of the injury to their associate. Young Denison died early the next morning, an artery under the skull having been ruptured. He was of a very quiet disposition, and during the few weeks of his stay in Ann Arbor had greatly endeared himself to his comrades. His parents lived in Toledo. As for Granger, a piece of his skull had to be removed, and he was for some time in a critical condition; but he survived to carry permanently the mark of the avenging stone. At the inquest it was shown that permis- sion to fire had been refused by the mayor, that the discharge of musketry within the city limits was prohibited by the ordinance, and that the students had been guilty of nothing but noise. Eight of the militia were arrested on two counts, murder and man- slaughter, but it was impossible to ascertain who dealt the fatal blow. The Governor of the State disbanded the Company for the unsoldierly conduct of its men, and not long afterwards a new military organization composed of some of the best citizens of the town, together with several of the University's professors, was effected. Mayor Manly, fearful of prosecution for the unwar- ranted arrest of students at the post-office, caused the cases against the boys to be discontinued, they agreeing not to sue him for damages, and he paying the costs.
Another episode of which the sensational press made much to the temporary injury of the University occurred on the evening of March 21, 1891. A member of the junior academic class, H. W.
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Booth, was a passenger in one of the cars of the new electric street railway, and having been carried beyond the street at which he wished to alight, he demanded that the car should return. Of course the motor-man refused to put the car back, whereupon an altercation ensued, both men getting out and standing beside the car. Whether apprehensive of attack, or in sheer anger, Booth drew a revolver and shot the motor-man, inflicting a slight wound. Booth was arrested, on the charge of assault with intent to kill, and also of assault with intent to do great bodily injury, but pleading self-defence he escaped conviction. He was however expelled from the University and from his fraternity.
Disputes between students and those good citizens of Ann Arbor who furnish the former with food, lodging, and other neces- saries, are not so frequent as the number and the circumstances of the undergraduates would lead one to expect. Occasionally a stu- dent or a newly-fledged graduate leaves the city without settling an account which some landlady or shopkeeper has allowed to run too long; but as a rule the' college boys pay their bills. Not many years ago two students were sued in trespass by an angry woman whose table they had forsaken, and over whose ground they were wont to pass en route to the abode of another provider of meals. Nothing came of the action.
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CHAPTER VI RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES
Although the instruction given by our University is entirely secular, yet the religious needs of the students are served even more amply than in most of the denominational colleges by cer- tain institutions which private liberality has founded and endowed, and which the zeal of the undergraduates has kept in active and beneficial operation. The oldest of these valuable adjuncts to student life and culture, in fact the oldest society of its kind in America, is the Students' Christian Association, itself the suc-
cessor of an older organiza- tion which had been estab- lished some years prior to 1857 for the encouragement of foreign missions and for the propagation of infor- mation concerning mission work. It confined its ef- forts chiefly to the taking of a few periodicals, and to the holding of occasional meetings for reading and for the discussion of mis- sionary affairs. Not long STUDENTS' CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION BUILDING. after the beginning of the academic year 1857-58, a disposition was manifested to modify the character of this institute. Foremost in the reorganization, which took place in February, 1858, was Adam K. Spence, '58, the first President of the new society, and afterwards President of Fisk University. Henry A. Humphrey, also of '58, identified himself with the movement at the start. Fayette Hurd, '58, Simon C. Guild, '60, Eben L. Little, '61, Byron M. Cutcheon, '61, and R. H. Tripp, '61, were all early and influential members. Charles Kendall Adams, '61, now President of the University of Wisconsin, says that the organization of the Association was very largely due to the powerful Christian influence of the class of
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I861. He adds "The nature of the work in those early days was somewhat different from that of similar associations at a later time. The exercises were largely devotional; but at almost every meeting a paper was read on some religious subject believed to be of more or less vital importance to Christian living and working ".
A room on the fourth floor of South College, now the south wing of the Main Building, was the meeting-place of the Students' Christian Association until 1864, when room 9, at the right of the north entry of South College was set apart for the use of the society. This continued to be the headquarters until the organi- zation obtained a home of its own. In 1883 the twenty-fifth anniversary was celebrated, and the society became a corporation. As a result of the interest then aroused a building fund was started, and in September, 1883, the lot directly in front of the central entrance to the campus was purchased for $2,500. Work upon the building was begun in April, 1888, the corner-stone was laid May 26 of the same year, and the dedication-deferred until the debt resting upon the edifice had been paid-took place June 21, 1891. Of the total cost of the building, $36,775, the sum of $17,400 was given by Mrs. Helen F. Newberry of Detroit, widow of the late John S. Newberry, '47, in whose honor the structure is named Newberry Hall. With outside dimensions of 62x91 feet, the building is two stories in height above the basement. The material is field-stone, trimmed with Ohio blue stone and "Forest City" brown stone. On the first floor are reception rooms, a library, and three rooms for prayer meetings. The floors are of hard wood. A staircase of oak leads to the upper story, which is mainly devoted to a hall capable of seating 550 persons. There is a large memorial window on one side, and leading out of the hall are two rooms for those who take care of the building.
From the outset the S. C. A., as it is familiarly called, has been an important factor in college life. During the year 1866-67 work was begun by it in the medical and law schools. The society opened its doors to women as soon as they were admitted to the University; but they did not take an active part in its operations until 1874. The successive heads of the University, and many of the leading professors, have been earnest promoters of the Asso- ciation, attending its meetings, advising its councils, and con- tributing to its funds. Until 1895 students not members of evangelical churches were not eligible to active membership, though they could be admitted to associate membership; but by
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a change in the pledge a more liberal rule now prevails. About 3250 members have been enrolled by the Association, and the present number of active members is 675, far more than the entire collegiate attendance upon any of the denominational institutions in the State. Under an arrangement recently made the duties of the officers are divided so that the woman vice-president has entire charge of the work among the women members. The men and women meet together once a month; the other meetings are separate. The Association offers courses in the systematic study of the Bible; assists new students in obtaining rooms and boarding- places; and extends the valuable privileges of its library and reading-rooms to all mem- bers and persons intro - duced by members. In February, 1880, the society began the publication of a periodical called The Monthly Bulletin, which, as the S. C. A. Bul- letin, is now issued every week. Another and a very useful publication of this organization is a Students' Hand-Book or manual of information concerning HARRIS HALL (EPISCOPALIAN). the University, Ann Arbor, and the Association, which is issued annually at the opening of college. Early in March, 1898, this society celebrated its fortieth anniversary. An endowment of $10,000 is now sought, and a large part of that sum has been subscribed. Following is the list of those who have served as presidents of the S. C. A. :
A. K. Spence, '58,
S. C. Guild, '60,
E. L. Little, '61,
H. A. Burt, '62,
J. H. McClure, '63,
W. B. Hendryx, '64,
F. A. Barbour, '78,
John Thompson, '65,
J. F. Millspaugh, '79,
J. A. VanFleet, '66,
T. C. Green, '80,
I. N. Elwood, '67,
A. G. Hall, '81,
J. C. Freeman, '68,
F. C. Bailey, '82,
W. C. Darby, '69,
A. T. Packard, '83,
T. C. Christy, '70,
W. B. Millard, '71.
J. F. Dutton, '72,
H. W. Gelston, '73,
D. A. Matthews, '74,
J. W. Parker, '75,
W. J. Warner, '76,
H. C. McDougall, '77,
W. S. Hough, '84,
F. C. Wagner, '85,
H. J. Powell, '86,
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A. J. Covell, '87, John E. Hodge, '88,
F. A. Manny, '93,
A. J. Ladd, '94,
E. C. Goddard, '89,
N. A. Gilchrist, '95,
W. E. Goddard, '90,
W. M. Mertz, '96,
W. H. Nichols, '91,
C. P. McAllaster, '92,
H. M. Rich, '97, J. K. Marden, '98 m.
Formerly the Students' Christian Association was a member of the Young Men's Christian Association, State and National, but the firm adherence of its leaders to the union of men and women in religious work led to the severance of the connection. In 1895 the society decided not to permit the organization within its mem- bership of the Y. M. C. A. and the Y. W. C. A., and in conse- quence a college branch of the Y. M. C. A. was founded by stu- dents who had been members of the older organization. This new society occupies the Presbyterian hall at the southwest corner of Huron and State streets. Its first presiding officer was F. A. Beach, '95; his successor was G. G. Crozier, '96 m; and the pres- ent incumbent is C. E. Tompkins, '98.
In the college year 1867-68 students attached to the Protes- tant Episcopal Church joined in organizing "The St. Andrew's Church Society", a society designed to do for undergraduates of Episcopal affiliations what the S. C. A. seeks to accomplish in a wider field. Among the presidents of this organization were W. J. Stuart, '68, George T. Campau, '70, and Albert P. Jacobs, '73. After 1873 the society became dormant; but when the late Samuel S. Harris was consecrated Bishop of Michigan, he learned about the organization which had existed at Ann Arbor a few years before, and under his advice and direction it was revived in 1885 as "The Hobart Guild ". Of his action President Gilman of John Hopkins University has written thus in The North Am- erican Review:
" The Bishop of Michigan, having seen the vigor and prospects of the great foundation at Ann Arbor, has wisely directed his zeal to the building of a great collegiate hall, which shall not be in rivalry with the state university, but in cor- dial though informal cooperation with it ".
Through the zealous labors of Bishop Harris, supplemented by contributions and bequests from pious churchmen and church- women, the edifice at the northwest corner of State and Huron was built at an expenditure of $31,000, and was formally dedicated in April, 1887. An endowment of $30,000 has been raised, the in- come of which is used partly in maintaining the house-now called Harris Hall-and partly in sustaining courses of lectures. The Hobart Guild has a large membership, and the privileges of the
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Hall-library, reading-rooms, bowling-alley, lecture-room, etc.,- are fully improved. It may be added here that Bishop Perry of Iowa, following the example set in Michigan, has laid in connec- tion with the Iowa State University a foundation similar to the one at Ann Arbor. Doubtless the chief theological school of the Epis- copal Church west of New York will be established before many years upon the basis furnished by Harris Hall and its endowment.
Another religious society affiliated with the University is "The Presbyterian Tappan Hall Association", the objects of which are to bring the Presbyterian students of the University into closer com- munion with each other, and to increase their influence in advanc- ing the cause of Christianity. Professor Francis W. Kelsey, in papers which have attracted the attention of all thinking Presby- terians throughout the United States, has shown that our under- graduates include more students of Presbyterian connections than are to be found in the ag- gregate attendance at half a dozen colleges of the de- nomination named; so that the importance of the work of the Tappan Guild is apparent. In 1888-89 the society came into posses- sion of the lot and building at the southwest corner of State and Huron streets. Early in 1890 Senator James McMillan gave $15, - SACKETT HALL-TAPPAN HALL. ooo for the erection of a building in Huron street, and this gift he supplemented with $5,000 to complete the structure, which was dedicated May 23, 1891. At present the property is used by the Young Men's Christian Association, but efforts are making to secure an endowment and to establish courses of lectures.
In 1888 a society which had been formed three years before for the purpose of bringing students into closer relations with the Methodist Episcopal Church, was reorganized as " The Wesleyan Guild of the University of Michigan ". Through the liberality of the Hon. Henry M. Loud of Oscoda, who gave $15,000 for the purpose, a course of lectures has been endowed. The property at the southwest corner of Huron and Washington streets has been secured, and it is planned to erect a commodious hall in the near
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future. As early as 1870 students of the University contributed $500 to aid in paying the debt of the Methodist Church.
A fourth organization, the Foley Guild, which was founded in 1889-90 by the Roman Catholic interest at Ann Arbor, is doing good work among the many students for whom it is designed; and about one year ago a similar society was established under the auspices of the Congregational Church.
It is difficult to exaggerate the importance of these voluntary associations which include in their memberships or spheres of influence the greater part of the student attendance. When pro- vided with chapter houses and adequately endowed, they will accomplish much in a field which the University itself cannot enter directly It may be that before many years have passed the lead- ers of other religious bodies will realize, as the Episcopalians have realized, the futility of seeking to rival with their little colleges the great institution which the State itself fosters, and, turning those colleges into academies, will establish at Ann Arbor theological schools in which the graduates of the University may be trained for the Christian ministry.
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CHAPTER VII LITERARY SOCIETIES
In each of the older Eastern colleges the undergraduates founded as soon as practicable two literary societies, to which were given Greek-letter names or names compounded of Greek words. Adopting this custom, students of our University organ- ized during the first academic year at Ann Arbor a literary club called the Phi Phi Alpha. This was started June 10, 1842, under the presidency of the late William B. Wesson, '44, of Detroit. To it belonged Collins, Fish, Goodrich, Lawrence, Marsh, and Pray, all of '45. On the 30th of September, 1843, some of its mem- bers, including Collins, Fish, and Marsh, joined in forming the Alpha Nu, of which P. W. H. Rawles, '45, was the first presiding officer. The two societies embraced in the early days most of the students in college, and were nearly equal in membership. It is said that they were generally at variance about questions of col- lege import. "The elections of their officers " says a graduate of '48, " were fruitful of bitter contests managed after the most approved methods of the political wire-pullers of the day ". For some years the societies were measurably secret, and to reveal their transactions was an offence for which members were tried and punished. This imitation of Princetonian methods did not however last long.
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