Blasts from the Past: April 26, 2018
Commencement May 15, 1918. From left: Frederick Ritscher Knubel (Salutorian Class of 1918), Former President William H. Taft, William A. Granville (President of Gettysburg College 1910-1923), members of the faculty. Detail from a panoramic photograph by William H. Tipton. (Photo via Special Collections in Musselman Library)
By Shannon Zeltmann, Staff Writer
This week in 1898, Gettysburg students held a parade when they heard the news of the Spanish American War beginning. Students marched from their dorms into town with American and Cuban flags. They stopped at several professors’ residences and wanted them to make speeches about the war. Some did, giving them words of encouragement and to remember the somber aspects of war as well. The parade ended when Dr. McKnight gave his own speech about the war to the students.
This week in 1918, the commencement day had finally been set. There was some deliberation as to when the date would be because the orator for it was former President William Howard Taft. Taft was honored to give a speech and did not want to miss it because he had other engagements in Philadelphia. So, the date of graduation was determined and was to be held in the Chapel. And since Taft was the speaker, the college was given a new American flag to be flown on the “Old Dorm,” that was 5 x 8 feet.
This week in 1978, Parents’ Weekend kicked off with the Spring Honors Convocation. Thirty-one awards were given out to students and three alumni received distinguished Alumni Certificates. A luncheon was held the next day for the honorees. Then, parents could see a studio recital, the women’s tennis match, a square dance, and other events. Parents were formally welcomed by President Glassick on Saturday and they could attend open houses of the different departments on campus. Quite like our fall version of Parents’ Weekend!
This week in 1988, there were plans to rejuvenate the Dining Center over the summer. There was an expansion on the east side of the building. There would also be two new entrances, replacing the old ones where twenty-person dining spaces would be created. The new entrances are where the Servo entrances are now, on the corner of W. Lincoln and College Ave. The interior changes included making the layered sections in Servo today and the booths.
