Blasts from the Past: December 7, 2018
Hanson Hall (Photo courtesy of Gettysburg College)
By Shannon Zeltmann, Staff Writer
This week in 1898, several of the music groups on campus had their performances for the end of the semester. The Glee and Mandolin Clubs sang that week in two different concerts with large audiences at both. The Gettysburgian wrote, “frequent and painstaking practice is bringing the clubs up to a high standard of excellence.” Each one picked wonderful selections, although they do not list what the two groups sang, or at least, the highlights of their concerts. They do list the members of each group, with the leader of the Glee Club, A. H. Shoup, class of 1901, and leader of the Mandolin Club, Louis Young, class of 1903.
This week in 1943, President Hanson had a message for students over winter break. Since World War II was going on, Hanson reminded students that they may find people have heavy hearts as they make their way home. He suggested for students to be “messengers of good cheer” during the holiday season by bringing happiness and being a spirit of Christmas to friends and family and those who need it.
This week in 1958, the college created new Language Labs for 100 level foreign language classes, first with Spanish and French. This weekly, hour long lab was supposed to be a way for students to work on their pronunciation of foreign words, one of the most challenging aspects of learning a new language. They created ten booths with headphones and recording machines, so students could say a word or sentence and hear a native to the language say it and the student could correct their pronunciation if need be. Professors could listen in to the students working, so they could hear how the students are doing. There were also extra hours the workspace was open for students to get in extra practice with their foreign language.
This week in 1968, a new non-discrimination statement was established, which all campus organizations had to have signed by the 1968-69 academic year to be recognized by Gettysburg College. An original statement, “Statement on Discriminatory Practices,” had already been signed by all organizations, but this new one also needed to be signed by the representative of the National Council of each organization. At that point, only one club was in the process of having this form signed and that was the Phi Mu sorority. By the beginning of the new year, all clubs had to have this form signed.
