the NMH Library Blog

This Week in NMH History #33

110 Years Ago

It may strike you as odd that a story about a holiday is appearing in the spring. “A holiday in the spring?” you ask, and you might wonder whether your editor has finally lost his mind in the windowless depths of Schauffler Library. You might not be far wrong, but not on this score, because this story is not about Mountain Day, even though it sounds like it could be. Unscheduled holidays used to be called at odd moments in the academic calendar, especially when D.L. Moody was around to declare them. The surprise holiday at the Seminary during the spring was later known as “Bird Day.”
 
from The Hermonite vol. 12, no. 15; p. 228-9  (May 20, 1899).

[Untitled; Spring Holiday]

            Thursday May 11, proved another decisive day in the history of the school. Mr. Moody placed an important matter of business before the teachers and pupils, and it was immediately acted upon with no sign of disagreement or discord. It is a remarkable fact that for twenty years Mr. Moody’s annual proposition of a holiday has never met with opposition, and the vote for its acceptance has never failed to be unanimous. To prove his statement of the perfect harmony in the school Mr. Moody suggested a holiday, and almost before he finished speaking the chapel rang with shouts of joy, and immediately plans for fishing and boating parties, picnics and drives were disclosed. 

 

This Week in NMH History #32

95 Years Ago

An article like this might cause a laugh or two, but that’s not why I offer it this week. Can you discern the underlying didactic message here? Don’t worry if you don’t “get” it; I’ll reveal the answer below.
 
from The Hermonite vol. 27, no. 13; p. 217  (May 2, 1914).

[Editorial]

            Two’s a company, three’s a crowd; and on the way to chapel, companies are much preferable. Imagine yourself with an earnest desire to reach chapel a little early – you are to be the speaker, perhaps, and wish to compose your thoughts before the beginning of the service. You are winding your way hurriedly in and out among the pairs of girls, when suddenly, about half-way up the hill, you find yourself confronted by a group of three. Now you may pass two people with a touch of the elbow and an “excuse me,” but with three barring your path, it is impossible unless you refuse to respect the lawn. The barrier strolls along, blissfully unconscious of your impatient, dogging footsteps and all the mental suggestion you are able to exercise avails not at all. Of course, if you should ask, they would gladly let you pass, but naturally you are reluctant to make the request.
            Certainly it is only thoughtlessness. No Northfield girl would intentionally be so inconsiderate of others, and the remedy, we know, has only to be suggested to be applied. It is simply this: Walk not three abreast on the way to chapel.
            Another word on that same “way to chapel” that oft-repeated appeal from the unfortunates at the end of the line of strollers at the end of the lines to the strollers at the head: “Kindly walk a little faster, for if you do not there will be a seat in the gallery for us. Move quickly, please.”

 

The key to this article, and the reason I chose it to editorialize comes from the passing phrase, “unless you refuse to respect the lawn.” I like that expression. It does not suggest that we must always “keep off the grass,” but it does imply that we are responsible for the beauty of our campus. Now you may laugh, but please respect the lawn, especially the edges. –ed.

 

This Week in NMH History #31

50 Years Ago

Outreach, though it has not always existed under that name, has always been part of the fabric here. In our earliest years, students would, of a Sunday, occasionally fill vacant pulpits in neighboring towns, or teach in the local Sunday Schools. From these roots, our students have continued to acknowledge need, both spiritual and material, in their immediate surroundings and beyond. The most recent issue of The Bridge recounts the recent visit by Arn Chorn Pond (class of 1986) and his efforts to heal his country through music, and a campaign by members of the class of 2012 to raise money for schools in Pakistan. Here is an account of an outreach program from 50 years ago.  
 
from The Hermonite vol. 72, no. 13; p. 1  (May 2, 1959).

37 Hermonites, 39 Northfield Girls Attend Rabbit Hollow Work Weekend

            A group of Mount Hermon and Northfield students is spending this weekend at a work camp which is being held at Camp Rabbit Hollow in Winchester, New Hampshire. Due to the plan which the Students’ Council proposed of giving free weekends to those boys who had none left but nevertheless wanted to attend the camp, thirty-seven boys from Hermon are attending the work session.
            Reverend James Robinson, who founded Rabbit Hollow, is well known to Hermon students as a result of his popular visits as guest speaker in the chapel. Dr Rob[inson is the minister of The Church] of the Master in New York City.
            Camp Rabbit Hollow serves the underprivileged children of New York has been built entirely by the labor of students from Amherst, Mount Holyoke, Williams, the Northfield Schools, and other institutions. The students who left Hermon at 2:30 Friday afternoon will be used to build cabins, clear brush, and paint some of the camp’s buildings. However, the weekend will not be one of all work and no play. Softball and dancing will fill much of the campers' free time, and Sunday worship will be held on the shores of Forest Lake.

The article goes on to list the boys who attended the work weekend. On a separate subject: the inquisitive reader may wonder why there is part of a word, and a phrase in square brackets in the article. You editor has supplied a reasoned guess about the contents of a line of type that was left out of the original. –ed.

This Week in NMH History #30

45 Years Ago

The periodic “State of the World” lectures of today have their roots in events like this interscholastic “International Weekend” in 1964.
 
from The Hermonite vol. 77, no. 12; p. 1  (April 18, 1964).

International Weekend Hosts Schwartz, 20 Schools

            Last Saturday, April 11, Mount Hermon and Northfield held their International Weekend. This year they and representatives from twenty other independent schools examined the question, “Is the Communist bloc breaking up?” The principal speaker was Dr. Harry Schwartz of the New York Times. 
            In studying the state of the Communist bloc today, the conference members concentrated on the so-called “satellite countries” of Eastern Europe. Throughout the winter the student body has been prepared for the discussion through bulletin board displays around campus and the offering of excellent movies on many of these nations.
            In his opening lecture in Camp Hall, Dr. Schwartz spoke to a large audience of students from Mount Hermon, Northfield, Abbot, Choate, Cushing, Concord, Dana Hall, Darrow, Emma Willard, Groton, Lawrence, Lenox, Loomis, MacDuffie, Milton School for Girls, Pomfret, Putney, Stonleigh-Hill Prospect, Suffield, Vermont, Williston, and Windsor. Also attending were two representatives from the Assembly of Captive European Nations – Mr. Gyula Szentadorjany, a leader of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, and Mr. Algirdas Landsbergis, the Lithuanian Secretary of the council.
 Dr. Schwartz is himself an expert on Soviet affairs. He recently received his Ph.D. from Columbia and taught economics for several years at Syracuse University before joining the New York Times editorial staff.
            The main point of both his opening lecture and his closing lecture at Northfield was that we must realize that the Communist bloc is no longer a monolithic monster whose only aim is to destroy the West, and that we should revise our foreign policy accordingly. He said that since no one seriously believes that there will be a third World War, the armed camps of East and West are breaking up, and nations are now acting according to their own national interests. Moscow has split with Peking [Beijing], Washington and Paris are drifting apart, the Eastern European nations are no longer at the beck and call of Kruschev. Dr. Schwartz suggested that the U.S. should begin looking out for its national interest by withdrawing from Viet Nam, by becoming more tolerant towards Castro, by recognizing Red China. But most important, we must discard the old image of the Communists as horrible, blood-thirsty fanatics who are united toward our destruction.
            After Dr. Schwartz’s first lecture, the conference divided into about twenty-five discussion groups of twenty members to digest and dissect what they had just heard and to compare it with their knowledge of the Communist bloc countries. The evening lecture was followed by a spirited question period.
            Although student interest at Mount Hermon was not at a particularly high pitch for the conference, and participation could have been increased, the organizers of the International Weekend, Bill Norris, Bill Green, and Mr. Jon Prentiss, still feel that this year’s conference was a rewarding one, perhaps the best yet.

Editor’s note: Bill Green, class of 1964, has since been one of our “State of the World” speakers.

This Week in NMH History #29

70 Years Ago

            One feature no longer present at our school is its literary societies. Tau Pi was the principal club at Northfield, and survived successfully until the school merger as a drama society, though it bore no resemblance to its ancestor, which had been a bastion of “the few” in an otherwise egalitarian environment. At Mount Hermon, the situation was somewhat different. By the mid-1930s the clubs had become increasingly like their counterparts on the college scene, fraternities. They were not so much places for rowdyism or antisocial behavior, but certainly they had become exclusive cliques. In 1939 the clubs were under the microscope of the powers that be, and even the student body was sharply divided about the usefulness of the societies, as you may read below. The faculty were not: in a one-sided vote activities of the Mount Hermon literary societies were severely curtailed in the fall of 1941 and over the summer of 1942 they quietly disappeared from the school.
 
from The Hermonite vol. 52, no. 13; p. 2  (April 12, 1939).

Student Letters Discuss the Problems of Clubs and Open Forums

[Pro] In recent months, the societies, or better known clubs have been making heroic efforts to regain their lost prestige on the Hill. They have, to some degree, gained recognition, recognition that begins to show some light in favor [of] the clubs; but not enough. The alternatives recently laid before the clubs are evidence that not everyone is against them. However, it seems that more persons should show interest in their favor.
         There are several reasons why more persons should try to help their cause. If you have noticed, during this uncertain year for the clubs, they have remained calm and collected, continuing with their functions as in past years and not allowing the spirit of brotherhood to be lessened by the pressure brought to bear upon them. They have responded to recent demands in conducting themselves in such a manner as to contribute more to the good of the community as shown by recently presenting open forums and the more recent and very successful song fest. Moreover, the clubs have been very open minded in receiving the many biting criticisms thrown at them. It is quite evident that at this time, as much real democratic club spirit exists among the societies as ever did although they are supposed to be down and out. Such spirit is to be admired and should merit recognition from the community.
         It seems that those minors who pretend to concern themselves with the club situation and who furnish constant detrimental criticism, are apt to jump to conclusions without due consideration. They do not realize that they are dealing with a tradition in the clubs that dates back to the early days of the school. They also must remember that the clubs consider their situation seriously and at the times when they may seem to show little progress, or even a bit hesitant, they are actually thinking the matter through in order to avoid any mistakes in movements taken too suddenly. It takes months to build a house that can be destroyed in an hour.
         It is said that two heads are better than one. The clubs have the one good head and so combined with a sympathetic and carefully considering community as the other head, they should succeed.

[Con] To all thinking students:
         The recent discussion of the alternatives before the clubs at Hermon was a very important meeting. Putting the whole affair out in the open is bound to lead to better understanding between the two factions. But the other and less cheerful side that it brought out is that the students are frequently narrow-minded and unwilling to admit that the other side has any viewpoints worth seeing. The changes that have been proposed are not radical, and the clubs would lose little if any of their prized independence and social contacts. But rather than admit even a few concessions, they keep their straitlaced outlook and damage their own futures.
         From what I have been able to gather from talking to club men and listening to the many sessions that this ultimatum has brought about, I see that the clubs have either to accept the terms laid down by the Headmaster or face unconditional surrender of all of their rights. If they choose the latter, they will surely be a thing of the past, and all institutions that are unwilling to change with time to meet new requirements cannot expect any better fate than this. Although I am ignorant of what is at stake, I have presented what logically fits the situation. Some say that a non-club man will not present arguments against the present club system – here they are.

This Week in NMH History #28

25 Years Ago

            In the early 1930s, The Northfield Schools were forced to adapt to a changing educational landscape in the United States, a landscape marked by the rise of widespread public secondary education, and the diminishing role of ecclesiastic institutions as sources of scholarship funding for individuals interested in attending schools like ours. The resulting schools looked far more like other prep schools than they ever had. They remained inexpensive, and kept much of their core mission, but no longer did they refuse to accept students for being too wealthy. A few small internal programs, coupled with partnerships with larger national organizations somewhat offset the difficulty of attracting students from the most difficult economic circumstances, but in the early 1960s, then school president Howard L. Jones had a grander vision. What follows, alas, documents its end and not its bright beginning. Your school archives can help you learn more details, and will show you the programs which followed.

from The Bridge vol. 15, no. 18; p.1  (April 11, 1984)

ABC Loses Funds

            A program which places minority students in high schools has stopped providing scholarship money for the students it sends to NMH. A Better Chance (ABC), which NMH helped found, originally provided a substantial amount of the needed financial aid, but even as the tuition rose, it reduced the percentage it paid. Starting with the next academic year, it will pay none.
            The decision, announced at the end of last summer, leaves NMH with the prospect of raising the money itself. How it will do so is still being debated. In the future, the school may accept fewer of the students ABC will continue to attempt to place, accept them with less financial aid, or accept them for a shorter period of time. In the past, most of the ABC students have come for three or four years.
            Some of the 42 ABC students currently at NMH were worried when they received notification from ABC telling them that their money would be cut off. But for them, at least, there is no cause for concern; as Mr. Cooley, the Associate Dean emphatically affirmed: “No ABC student will lose the right to be here.” Their money will be found somewhere. 
            The greater challenge that NMH faces now, according to Mr. Cooley, is to take a fresh look at, and reaffirm its commitment to minority students in general.

This Week in NMH History #27

90 Years Ago

            It can be rather difficult to dig up school news for this time of year. This is due partly to the timing of spring break. Over the years it has occurred as early as the first two weeks in March and as late as the last three weeks in April. In the years when break occurred later, the end of March or the first week in April was marked by a graduation at Mount Hermon, which ran year round in three fourteen week terms, and the commencement issue of The Hermonite generally offered little or no news. Later, the first spring issue of The Hermonite and more recently, The Bridge became a joke issue, coinciding as it did with April Fool’s Day. That issue also marked the transition from one editorial board to the next.
            Given these difficulties, your editor has still managed to turn up something. Note the discrepancies in the dates for the first piece. The poem follows the letter immediately, and is a reminder of the part knitting played in the war just ended in the spring of 1919. Any knitters curious? Find the origin of the term “Kitchener Stitch.”

from The Northfield Star vol. 3, no. 7; p.11-12  (April 1919)

Word from Mary Frasca
PALERMO, (SICILE).
December 4, 1918

“The war is over,” is a pleasing phrase which we hear on all sides, and naturally, the reaction is pleasant, and our yearnings for home very strong. We are turning over most of our activities to the local societies here, and are hoping that most of our work will be carried on by them. The experiences here have been varied and the opportunities for service a real privilege. I have enjoyed every bit of it, and I am sure I shall be sorry to leave, although I must admit I am unusually eager to see home and friends. I am enclosing a picture which shows me at work in my busy office.
 As you probably know, Edith Corson is here in Italy. I saw her in Rome about a month ago. She is at present in Padua. I heard from her last week. She is helping to close up the work in that district. If we possibly can, a few of us are planning to go to Tunis for Christmas. We are hoping the boats will sail at that time, as we are quite near Tunis – just a trip of twenty-four hours – and are anticipating a treat.
 I shall be so glad to see you all. I shall visit Northfield, I hope, shortly after my return. There is so much to tell!! Won’t it be jolly? I hope that you are all well, and that the dreadful Spanish fever [influenza –ed.] has not gathered many victims in Northfield.
   Faithfully and loyally yours,
    Mary A. Frasca

 “Just Knitting”

Just because we were knitting,
         Yes, knitting were we,
I smiled at her and she smiled at me.
         We had never seen each other before
Till I came as a stranger into her store.
         She, a poor shabby woman with coarse calloused hands,
Who tended the store, did the work of a man;
         I, a woman of leisure, of rank and of wealth,
Who had naught to do but take care of myself;
         But because we were knitting,
Making grey socks, you see,
         I smiled at her and she smiled at me.

Just because we were knitting,
         Making grey socks, you see,
I spoke to her and she spoke to me.
         “I’ve a son over there,” I said with deep pride.
“My boy, too, was there,” she said, “but he died.
          He poured out his life; he suffered and bled
And dyed dear ‘Old Glory’ a more precious red.”
         Her voice, at first harsh, became softened and tremulous
For a deep sister-love together had bound us;
         Just because we were knitting,
Making grey socks, you see,
         My arm stole around her as she smiled up at me.

   Marion Rich, ‘19

 

This Week in NMH History #26

100 Years Ago

Welcome back from what I hope was a restful break. With April, National Poetry Month, just around the corner, here is a reminder that both spring and poetry have long been honored at our school.
 
from The Hermonite vol. 22, no. 7 (March 1909), pp. 108, 104. 

Editorial

   Poetry.

Three years ago, a prize was offered by Dr. Pierson for the best poem on an assigned subject for the purpose of arousing an interest among [the students] in the production of poetry. No award was made, and it is very probable that there were no competitors. Yet today THE HERMONITE can offer to its readers specimens of verse from several contributors. We should be glad if an annual prize for poetry were established in the school to promote consistent effort in this the most noble branch of literary art.

ODE TO SPRING

R.F.J. ’11 H.

‘Tis spring! And joyous from its rest
 The whole earth answers to the call;
E’en Mother Nature does her best
 To drive off icy Winter’s thrall.
Away with storms and wintry blasts!
 The air is cool and light the breeze,
And tender buds adorn, at last,
 The naked summits of the trees.

‘Tis spring! though ‘cross the fading hills
 White blots of snow may yet be seen;
A thousand icy woodland rills
 Are painting barren meadows green,
A thousand whispers fill the air,
 As many robins gaily sing,
And there is joy everywhere,
 For lo! at last ‘tis come! the spring!

This Week in NMH History #25a

85 Years Ago

Mr. Wagar’s Problem Pit (Solution)

There is a meadow of 20 acres on which the grass grows at a uniform rate. If 133 oxen be turned into this meadow, they will consume in 13 days the grass now on it plus the grass that grows on it in 13 days, while 28 oxen would require 16 days to consume the grass on 5 acres of this meadow plus the grass growing on this 5 acres in 16 days.

How many oxen can eat up 4 acres of it [plus the grass growing on it] in 14 days?

N.B. The ticklish point of this problem is the uniformly growing grass, but grass will grow, given proper conditions of soil and weather.

Solution:

Let x = original length of grass

Let y = length grass grows per day

We must assume that all oxen consume the same amount of grass per day, that is, the amount of grass eaten by a single ox in a single day will be a constant. We may then express the equality of per day grass consumption in the two examples at the start of the problem thus:

        20 acres * x        +     20 acres * y    =     5 acres * x       +      5 acres * y
133 oxen * 13 days              133 oxen          28 oxen * 16 days           28 oxen

Simplifying:

        20 acres * x        +     260 acres * y    =     5 acres * x       +      80 acres * y
     1729 oxen days            1729 oxen days 448 oxen days           448 oxen days

Simplifying:

 8960 x + 116840y = 8645x + 138329 y   or    x = 208/3y

Using this, we can then plug the x:y relationship into the problem question and solve for z, the number of oxen:

        4 acres * 208/3        +     4 acres * 1    =     5 acres * 208/3       +      80 acres * 1
     z oxen * 14 days                 z oxen                 448 oxen days              448 oxen days

Simplifying:

        832/3         +       56                =      1040/3     +       80
     z oxen * 14       z oxen* 14               448 oxen        448 oxen

1000/3    =   1280/3      or         32 oxen * 1000    =  z oxen     so z = 25
z oxen         32 oxen                                   1280

The answer is 25 oxen!

This Week in NMH History #25

85 Years Ago

Some things never change: the school's Weekly Math Puzzle,  on SWIS, (the moniker for the campus intranet if you're uninitiated) has competition! This problem can be solved with simple algebra. Reply to pweis@nmhschool.org with your answer. Remember to show your work! The solution will be presented a week from today in this space, with an acknowledgement of correct and incorrect answers. Prizes may be awarded.

from The Hermonite, vol. XXXVII, no. 7, p. 155; March, 1924.

Mr. Wagar’s Problem Pit

There is a meadow of 20 acres on which the grass grows at a uniform rate. If 133 oxen be turned into this meadow, they will consume in 13 days the grass now on it plus the grass that grows on it in 13 days, while 28 oxen would require 16 days to consume the grass on 5 acres of this meadow plus the grass growing on this 5 acres in 16 days.

How many oxen can eat up 4 acres of it [plus the grass growing on it] in 14 days?

N.B. The ticklish point of this problem is the uniformly growing grass, but grass will grow, given proper conditions of soil and weather.

Mr. Wagar taught mathematics at Mount Hermon from 1902 until 1924.

This Week in NMH History #24

40 Years Ago

            Many (and I hope by now, most) of you already know that the Northfield and Mount Hermon schools merged in the fall of 1971 to become a single co-educational institution, but few may realize that co-educational classes had been part of the educational scene here for several years before the merger. Here is some evidence of that.
 

from The Hermonite vol. 82, no. 12; pp. 1  (February 26, 1969)
.

Co-education Increased For Next Year

         Mr. William Compton has announced plans for the growth and development of the coordinate system between Mount Hermon and Northfield School.. Presently about a dozen Northfield girls can be found taking classes here at Hermon. This number will be expanded to around 60 girls here and the same number of boys going to Northfield. Co-educational classes will be limited mainly to advance courses. The advance science and math courses will be at Mount Hermon and advance foreign language and English courses will be at Northfield.
         Only one major schedule change will be made to accommodate this broadened program: the reversal of the Varsity and junior league sports periods; the juniors and seniors will have all their classes before their sports period [therefore] the number of schedule conflicts between the two schools will be decreased.
         The day classes will start at Northfield at 8:15 in the morning and each period will last fifty minutes. The girls will have a mid-morning break at the end of the first two periods. Mount Hermon’s first class will be at 8:00 and each class will last forty-five minutes. There will be no mid-morning break.
         The current idea is that a bus should be bought or leased. This bus would bring a load of girls to Mount Hermon for periods one and two. The mid-morning break will allow the girls to return to Northfield in time for their last two morning classes. A busload of Mount Hermon students will also go to Northfield for the final two morning periods.
Non-dating Atmosphere
         This experiment in co-education is being planned for a variety of reasons. The most important reasons are 1) to let the students become acquainted in other than a dating atmosphere, 2) to take advantage of the variety of courses offered by each school (Northfield, for example, offers an anthropology course which will be offered to qualified Mount Hermon students), and 3) to add flexibility to students’ schedules.
         Among the problems that must be solved are 1) the difference in weekly schedules of the two schools (Northfield has a five-day week with no Saturday classes) and 2) the differences in the marking scales (At Northfield, a 70 is [the lowest] passing [grade] and “B” is the average grade).
 According to Mr. Compton, the future for co-education appears to be promising. All of the above problems are presently being worked on and Mr. Compton and his aides are meeting with success in dealing with them.

This Week in NMH History #23

65 Years Ago

            In the winter of 1944 while war raged in Europe, Asia, and the Pacific, its effects were clearly felt at the Northfield Schools. Both The Northfield Star and The Hermonite were filled with articles about conservation, patriotism, war stamp drives, and faculty and alumni in the armed services. The issue of the Star cited below contains no fewer than 6 articles related to these subjects. At other times, this column has examined campus reaction to war, but now, in the midst of winter, it is worth noting that while Seminary students had an eye turned to the events happening in the world beyond our valley, they were just as concerned as you were two weeks ago about the arrival of Winter Carnival.
 

from The Northfield Star vol. 28, no. 3; pp. 1-3  (February 17, 1944).

Royalty Prepares For Date Carnival Itself is Late

            During the week before examinations the staff of this paper set about getting some “hot” news that would outdo the distant and factual front-page material that is necessary of a paper published every six weeks. They planned to have a fresh “scoop” on the Winter Carnival, with a picture of their Majesties, the King and Queen, and the last minute list of the various winners.

            Contrary to custom, then, the King and Queen were informed of their election before the Carnival Day, and were secreted away during one Monday morning chapel to the gymnasium to be photographed by Miss Kingsbury. To insure complete secrecy, they figured out deep alibis about their absence from chapel even to the extent of creating false illnesses, such as an injured wrist, which the King feigned carefully all that day.

            Ah! The trials and tribulations of the journalistic life! The articles for the issue were shipped away to the printer, Mr. Gould, and he was duly informed to leave a blank on the front page for a “scoop” of the Carnival. The picture of their Majesties was made into a cut and then printed for a picture on the front page. Then, the inside workers patted themselves on the back and waited for the Carnival Day to appear.

            Well, they waited and waited, but they stopped patting themselves on the back. There was no Carnival on the weekend before examinations because the general opinion was that there would have been many dissatisfactions in such a case. Everyone, it was said, intended to study, and besides, people seemed to like the idea of having it after examinations.

            When snow began to fall on Friday, February 11, the staff regained their faith in the Carnival scoop. Not for long, however, because, in spite of the increasing snowfall there was no Carnival on the 12th. And there was the staff with a picture of the King and Queen going to the printer.
Now, however, the Star has issued a prophetic edition; for the front page boasts a picture of the future King and Queen of the Northfield Carnival ’44. 

Editor’s note: And here is the picture of the future king and queen. Note that both are Seminary students. Winter Carnival was not held jointly with Mount Hermon until the 1960s. Years later, Nancy Bartram (Beecher) had a distinguished tenure on the NMH Board of Trustees, including service as the first woman to head the Board.

This Week in NMH History #22

120 Years Ago

            For many years, The Hermonite contained columns devoted to bits of campus news. The Northfield news column was called “Seminary Items” while the news from the Mount Hermon side was variously titled “Local News” or “Hermonitems.” The following gives such a detailed picture of life at Northfield in its earliest days, that it captures what a photograph simply cannot. When I read a letter from this era, or even a newspaper column, I like to think that sometimes a word is worth a thousand pictures. Read the following, and you’ll see the day to day concerns of a hundred and twenty years ago.
 

from The Hermonite vol. 2, no. 11; p.44  (February 15, 1889)

Seminary Items

Miss Hartzler has gone to her home in Pennsylvania, and we regret that we probably shall never see her among us again as a student.

Miss Grace Taft has also gone home, but hopes to be able to return in the spring.

Another of our number, Miss Georgie Hough, has been taken to the hospital for rest, and we hope entire recovery.

Mrs. Bishop, of Keene, N.H., spent a day with her daughter about a week ago.

Miss Helen Birkenmayer, from Hartford, Ct., spent the first Sabbath of this month with her mother and sister at Marquand hall.

Rev. Mr. Hatch from Monson was with us for a few hours on Saturday. Mr. Hatch will be especially remembered by those of us who were here two years ago, as the one who preached the funeral sermon of our former teacher, Miss Fanny Holton.

Mention was made in the last number that Dr. Burnham was with us on the Day of Prayer for Colleges. We wish to add that he was an immensely interesting speaker and we trust his faithful efforts in our behalf will bring forth the desired fruits.

Rev. Mr. Poor from Kansas has been visiting the Seminary. He was the former pastor of Miss Kitty Crowell.

On the evening of Feb. 4th, Mrs. Livermore gave an interesting lecture in the town hall on Wendell Phillips. A number of the students attended.

At Marquand hall on Friday nights the young ladies have very pleasant social times in the chapel, where the straight-back chairs placed in stiff rows, have been set aside for easy chairs. A good fire in the fire-place adds to the general enjoyment.

Hillside last Friday evening was a scene of much enjoyment. After a bountiful supper, the remainder of the evening was spent in making and pulling candy. The next morning reports reached us of frightful dreams which had visited some of the guests, and we naturally concluded that they were the result of the previous dissipation.

Feb. 5th is memorable to us as the birthdays of Mr. Moody and his mother. In anticipation of the day a number of letters were sent to Mr. Moody by the young ladies. On the evening of the 5th, after supper, prayer-meetings were held in each house to seek an especial blessing on his work in the West. Various gifts were sent to Grandma Moody and those who called on her that day found her enjoying birthday letters, many of which brought up pleasant memories of the past.

This Week in NMH History #21

100 Years Ago

            Our column this week comes on Thursday, February 5th for a reason. Exactly one hundred years ago today, on what would have been D.L. Moody’s 72nd birthday, Founder’s Day saw the dedication of three school buildings, Olivia Hall (the music building) and Sage Chapel at Northfield, and Alumni Hall (known originally as the Dining Commons, and later, West Hall) on today's NMH campus. We’ll focus on the dedication here, since that’s the building students know. You know where you can read about the others.
 
from The Hermonite vol. XXII, no. 6; p.93  (February, 1909)

FOUNDER'S DAY.

            From the exercises in the Chapel the huge crowd made its way to the new Commons, where a magnificent feast was prepared. To some, however, who had to sit on the improvised benches (for Mount Hermon’s stock of chairs was far too small, even though the boys were asked to bring them from their rooms), it seemed perhaps more like a picnic. The guests, alumni, and faculty of both schools occupied the center of the hall, while the Seniors, Sophomores, and Second Form students of both schools occupied the north end, and the Juniors Freshman, and the First Form students the south end. There was room for all and the feast prepared by our good chef Mr. Watson, was certainly of the finest...
            During the meal the different classes gave class songs and yells. 
            Mr. W.R. Moody, presiding, called upon Mr. Proctor, president of the Board of Trustees, to accept the building in behalf of the trustees. Mr. Proctor spoke briefly about the long-fought battle that had been waged in order to procure the money for the building. He also recalled the part Mr. Bulkley had taken in the work. Mr. W. M. Kingsley of New York, one of our most recent trustees, Dr. G. Glenn Atkins of Detroit, a former teacher at Mount Hermon, and Dr. G. E. Yarrow , of the famous tribe of Yarrow , also spoke briefly. The exercises were closed with the singing of doxology and the benediction by Rev. N. Fay Smith of Northfield.

The editor notes that while the tables and chairs did not arrive until a few weeks after the dedication, but they are the same ones which we use today. Do a little math, remembering meals served during summer schools and camps, and you’ll see that more than 40 million individual meals have been served at them.

This Week in NMH History #20

20 Years Ago

       The school newspaper has never been a “daily.” That is, it has never been a place to turn to find the very latest news stories of local importance. That said, we must not assume that our paper is not a great place to turn to find good news coverage of significant campus events. When you open the next issue of The Bridge, and read a news story that seems a bit out of date, remember that the rhetorical question, “Who reads yesterday’s papers?” does not apply here. Anyone wishing to learn our history need read no further than “yesterday’s papers.”
 

from The Bridge vol. XX, no. 9; p.1  (January 26, 1989)

Power Plant Disaster Cripples Hermon Campus

            The early Friday morning fire is really no news to anyone at this late date, but there are some unknown facts behind the fire and the fight against the fire. The fire was started by electrical heaters in the small office of the building. There was a faulty thermostat which sent the temperature skyrocketing, and ignited nearby combustibles. The fire spread up the rafters and into the roof. A total of eleven fire departments responded to the blaze, some just covering the area in case of another fire.
            The firefighters used approximately 240,000 gallons of water in dousing the flames, including water from the bottom of the frozen-over Shadow Lake. The water tower behind Ford Cottage was drained, along with the hydrants being used in the effort to control the fire. Damage is estimated at $750,000 which is largely covered by insurance minus a $10,000 deductible. The Power Plant did not actually generate the power for the campus. It did, however, generate all the hot water. [And heat. – ed.]
            It couldn’t have been a stranger Friday the 13th, because compounded with the large expenditure of water, the large pumps at the school reservoir had just broken down, leaving a water shortage of dangerous proportions. There was a great fear that the pipes in the dormitories would freeze and burst, leaving hundreds homeless and canceling school for weeks. It was cold on that Friday night, but it stayed warm enough to ward off any damage due to freezing pipes. 
            The school rented large Acme boilers to generate heat and hot water, and the campus has been asked to be especially careful to conserve as much hot water and energy as possible.

 

This Week in NMH History #19

15 Years Ago

        As we mark Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, it is worth noting the roots of the school’s observance. What I find most moving about the following article is its optimism. To call any event “The 1st Annual…” is to be confident about its future and to assert its importance from its inception. This issue of The Bridge, contains other related articles. To read them, stop by the school archives.
 

from The Bridge vol. XXV, no. 6; p.1  (January 24, 1994)

Northfield Mount Hermon Commemorates Martin Luther King Jr.
1st Annual Celebration Deemed a Success

             On Monday, January 17th, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, students attended workshop sand presentation by many faculty and guests of NMH. This project is an attempt to revitalize the promise of Martin Luther King and his philosophy.
            The idea partially began with Richard Ford when he arrived at NMH two years ago and asked the question, “What do we do for Martin Luther King Day?” Nothing significant was being done at that time. Along with other students and teachers, such as Lorrie Byrom, Director of Curriculum; Wendy Sue Walker, Director of Cross-Cultural Development; and Russ Bartlett, Assistant Chaplain, input was gathered and suggestions were entertained on possibilities of observance. Last year a petition circulated calling for a formal observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day at NMH.
            The goal of the day’s observance was to commemorate and celebrate King’s life and struggle in a way which was compatible with his philosophy. Above all, King’s message centered around education. The program of workshops, films, and presentations confronted many of the prejudices and stereotypes which exist in any community.
            The discussions between faculty and students which stemmed from the day’s activities helped to bring about the ultimate goal of education and tolerance.
            “His life signifies the best of what America is about,” said Ford of King. Ford also noted that Martin Luther King was a man who lived by his principles, lived his speeches, and was not a hypocrite. He was willing to put his own life and career on the line, to stand up for what he believed in, and to benefit others.
            Although it was early to tell, much of the feedback on the day’s observance was positive and the event was deemed a success.

This Week in NMH History #18

5 Years Ago

       Your editor was tempted to write about something which has been happening this week on campus: the transfer of the major collections from the old school archives in the Dolben Library at Northfield to new quarters on the lower level of Schauffler Library, continuing the move which began late in the fall semester. Tuesday the 13th was the big moving day, but materials will continue to arrive over the course of the week. Drop by to see the new facility. This news still pales in comparison to the real news of the week. Even though no current students were on campus at the time, I imagine this story needs no introduction. And yes, the headline was that big.

from The Bridge, vol. XXXIII, no. 6; January 29,  2004; p. 1.

Trustees Vote to Close Northfield Campus by Fall 2005

At 3:30 on Saturday, January 17th, the Northfield Mount Hermon Trustees announced their decision to close the Northfield campus and relocate the entire high school to the Mount Hermon campus by September 2005. The unanimous decision came after three days of intense discussion among the Trustees following three years of study into the finances, academic standing, and culture of the School. The Trustees also decided to decrease the number of students to between 600 and 750 within a few years. The percentage decrease in faculty and staff will match that of the students.
At the Saturday meeting, the Trustees spoke of the benefits of a single campus school to the community who filled Memorial Chapel on Mount Hermon. William Rhodes, Chair of the Board of Trustees said the decision was not made out of financial necessity and that “the school has never been more financially sound.”
The decision to move the School to the Mount Hermon campus was based on the need to “maintain our academic excellence, improve our care for students…[and]…to strengthen our sense of community.”

If you want to read the rest of the article, you know where to find it. –ed.

This Week in NMH History #17

(Almost) 75 Years Ago

“Couples dancing” was considered scandalous during the first fifty years of our schools’ existence. When Elliott Speer became headmaster at Mount Hermon in 1932 he, with Mira Wilson at Northfield, added zest to the social calendar and strengthened the community between the Northfield and Mount Hermon schools, by, among other things, introducing the scandalous. It is interesting to note that Northfield had for several years offered various forms of dance, including tap and “natural dancing,” when the events related in The Star occurred. This introduction of artistic or “calisthenic” dancing seems to have provoked little controversy, but when girls were first permitted to have social dances in their residence halls, even without boys, a storm of protest (which ultimately included the resignation of 13 teachers) resulted when the Board of Trustees decided to allow it in 1925. That story even made the New York Times (May 22, 1925).  Imagine then, response to the following news. You can read about it in the school archives.

from The Northfield Star  vol. 18, no. 7; p.1  (January 24, 1934)

Teacher From Murray School Gives Lesson

       Miss McCabe, an instructor from the Arthur Murray School of Dancing in New York City, gave a dancing lesson in the gymnasium at Northfield Seminary, Saturday afternoon, January 13th. In the earlier part of the afternoon, the Sophomores were taught some of the fundamentals of good ball-room dancing. At 3:45 o’clock, a class was held for the Juniors and Seniors of both Mount Hermon and Northfield Schools. Miss McCabe helped them improve their various steps and their dancing positions. Also, she taught them some new steps. The music for the dancing was furnished by the Hermon Orchestra.
      Juniors and Seniors, who were not dancing, and High School graduates watched the dancing from the balcony. Miss Wilson, the principal of the Seminary, and a few other faculty members were also present.

This Week in NMH History #16

115 Years Ago

At least once a year, this column tells a story with an image; since they say that a picture is worth a thousand words, you might consider this the longest extract of the year. On the other hand, what if the picture is a digital scan of words? Is it still worth a thousand? You do the calculus, but however it turns out, I’ll bet your computer will not be able to produce all of the fonts so beautifully displayed here.

from The Hermonite; vol. VII, no. 7 (Dec. 16, 1893); p. 130.

This Week in NMH History #15

75 Years Ago

Despite its name, for the first 29 years of its existence, The Hermonite newspaper served both the Northfield and Mount Hermon schools. By the fall of 1916, tired of seeing the space devoted to Northfield interests grow smaller and smaller, Seminary students established a monthly periodical of their own. Like The Hermonite, it was not solely devoted to news interests, but had a decided literary flavor as well. The evidence is in this excerpt.

from The Northfield Star vol. 13, no. 3; p.13  (December 1928)

“Fine Feathers Don’t Always Make Fine Birds”
An Allegory

       The comma and the semicolon happened one day to be walking on opposite sides of the same road to the town of Good Punctuation. When the semicolon saw some family resemblance in the features of the comma he decided he must be a new relative of his. Crossing the road he engaged the other in conversation by inquiring, “What is your work in the town of Good Punctuation, my friend Sir Comma?”
       “My mission in the world is a very important one,” was the reply. “My task is to make people understand more readily the printed page. I separate words and phrases in a series.”
       “Is that all?” interrupted the semicolon, haughtily and condescendingly. “I do a greater work than that. I separate clauses and complete sentences, and a person’s position and importance is determined by his associates. Furthermore,” as he swelled he chest into a perfect round to show his superiority in possessing the additional round of a dot, “I combine both you and the period; I am much more imposing in appearance.”
       “Well of course,” said the comma with a sigh. Then with a look of cheerfulness, “But if you do your work in a big way to help the reader, you can’t do at the same time what I’m doing. He needs me just as much as you, and needs me oftener. We have a place, whether great or small, and you in your corner, and I in mine.”

      -- Doris A. Shaw [class of 1929]

This Week in NMH History #14

30 Years Ago

Two weeks ago this editor looked to an outside source for a polished report of a campus event, this week we are reminded that the school newspaper is sometimes the only source for tracking the origins of particular traditions and programs. Here is just one example.

from The Bridge vol. X, no. 9; p.7  (December 6, 1978)

Help is on the Way

       Starting next term, there will be something new you can do about failing Algebra, Religion, etc., besides the dreaded student-teacher conference. [Actually these can be rather fun.--ed.] The magical answer to your problem (though unfortunately, it's not guaranteed to work proof positive) is a student tutor. Until now, students have been tutoring other students for pay on an informal basis, but never before has there been a comprehensive Tutorial Program at NMH. The new program has been instituted by the Tutorial Committee of the Student Association (yes, committees do do something), and sponsored by Dr. Tilson, Academic Dean, and will go into effect at the beginning of next term. Once you do start getting those feared low grades, just go to your counselor who will help you decide for sure, and put you name on a list. Soon you will be miraculously matched with another student who has either already taken the course in question, or is taking it at the present time. He or she will be paid from your Miscellaneous Fund (which your parents have already paid), and the two of you will get together for and hour or two each week to work on basic concepts.
        For those of you who have already mastered the secrets of the universe, you can be a student tutor and unveil them to others for $ 2.50 an hour. It would mean a few hours a week in whatever subject you feel most competent. This is much appreciated time that can be very productive. Help make the Tutorial Program work! For more information about tutoring and being tutored, talk to your counselor.

(Last) Week in NMH History #13

105 Years Ago

A regular reader of this column noted that it had been sometime since the last post. The crush of the short Thanksgiving week here on campus meant that the following piece only appeared on SWIS (the campus e-mail system) and never made it here. For those who don't like to miss it, I'm posting last week's column today. 

A word of background: until the mid-1950s there was no Thanksgiving break, in fact, there were even classes on the Friday after Thanksgiving. For many years, scores of alumni, particularly those who had recently left, would come back to the school and celebrate Thanksgiving there. You can read the whole article at the school archives.

from The Hermonite vol. XVII, no. 4; p.63-4  (November 28, 1903)

Thanksgiving, 1903

Tho men may come and men may go,
 And newer types may evolute.
This lower mundane sphere of ours
 Doth never cease to revolute.

 And that revolution has brought once more to our fair hilltop the day of all the year to Hermonites, and as swiftly taken it away again, leaving only a host of pleasant memories in our hearts, or at least on the way thereto if one believes in the old adage concerning the way to a man’s heart, to remind us of its brief tho welcomed sway.
 …The morning of Thanksgiving day dawned in its accustomed brightness and by 6 o’clock every student had wakened to the fact that the gladsome day had actually arrived, bringing with it the happy realization of an event which had been awaited in a spirit of anticipation that had pervaded everybody and everything about the campus, from the faculty to the pig-sty, for weeks preceding, and it was in the true spirit of thanksgiving  that the great body of Hermon’s sons gathered at the chapel…[A]fter President Roosevelt’s proclamation had been read and the quartet had sung…the speaker of the morning…gave an impressive talk on “The Necessity of Cheerfulness…
 At 2 o’clock, the authorities deeming that enough time had elapsed since breakfast…called a mass meeting in the Dining Hall for the purpose of investigating more closely the internal situation in Turkey, and a crowd of boys more bent upon becoming thoroughly acquainted with their subject matter would have been hard to find.
 The hall was very prettily decorated…The portion allotted to ’07 was tastefully draped in red and black...
 After due justice had been rendered to the bountiful supply prepared by Dick Watson and everybody had settled himself comfortably in his chair, Professor Cutler, as toastmaster, called upon G.F. Lewis representing ’07, who responded in impressive manner to the toast, “The Red and Black.”
 [At last] the school song was sung and everybody dispersed thoroughly happy and satisfied.

This Week in NMH History #12

40 Years Ago

Generally, school newspapers are the preferred source for our stories. This week diverts from that practice, and takes the further step of reproducing an article about a planned event rather than one which had already taken place. As later accounts only confirm the success of the conference detailed below, and as the following article provides the best description of the event, the editor takes this irregular approach.

Newsclipping from the Greenfield Recorder, Nov. 19, 1968
Northfield Mount Hermon School Archives,
Clubs and Societies Collection - Afro-American Society [folder]

Afro-American Group Talks in Northfield

NORTHFIELD -- "I was once a Negro. I was born again; now I am black," will be the theme of the Afro-American Societies on the Northfield campus Saturday.
       Guest speakers will include the Rev. Virgil Wood, director of the Blue Hills Christian Center in Roxbury; Mrs. Jetta Jones of Chicago, lawyer, Northfield School alumna and trustee; the Rev. Eugene Callender, founder of Harlem Preparatory School and deputy administrator of housing and development in New York City; William McCurine, Dartmouth student and director of "A Better Chance" program; and Miss Linda McLean, associate director of ABC, Boston.
       More than 150 delegates from nine independent secondary schools are expected to register in Stone Hall at 11 a.m. Saturday. Lunch will be served at Marquand before speeches begin at 1 p.m. in Stone Hall.
      Greetings from the Northfield and Mount Hermon Afro-American Societies will be given by Emelda Peters, a senior from Bogalusa, La., chairman of the Northfield group. Vice-chairman Geraldine Woods of Cleveland O., and Mount Hermon's chairman Tony Garcia of Wilmington, Del., and vice-chairman Cornell Hills of Chicago, will introduce the guests.
       Panel discussions in ten groups will be at Sanda Countway Hall. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. and a dance limited to delegates will follow at 8 p.m. in the Skinner Gymnasium.
       All students at Northfield and Mount Hermon School are invited to the conference.

This Week in NMH History #11

80 Years Ago

This week we observe Veterans’ Day, recalling that it originated as Armistice Day in remembrance of “The Great War” of 1914-1918, and that it honored those who served their countries in that fighting. Today, in this country, November 11 is a day when we thank (and remember those who are not here to thank) those who have worn military uniform in defense of our freedoms. 

from The Hermonite vol. 42, no. 5; p.1,2  (November 10, 1928)

Chapel Exercises For Armistice Day Were Held Today

         Today we commemorated an event that took place in our own generation. Perhaps one of the most significant events that have yet occurred; certainly one of the greatest historical events in the history of the world.
         Of that first November eleventh, most of us have but hazy recollections; a few, however, were on the battle fronts of the war-ridden countries of Europe, and they know better than anyone else ever can know, the significance of this day we celebrated. Those who heard Vernon last year or who have heard our fathers, brothers, or relatives, were perhaps most vividly recalled to that glorious day of rejoicing.
         Last year our chapel service was conducted by “one who was over there,” and by one who was too young to go. This year two of the latter class conducted the services. Their words seemed to have dropped some of the customary triteness and to have rendered a new aspect to the day. They seemed to have caught and passed on its significance.
          The meeting was held under the auspices of the Pierian Literary Society. Beebe and Wight were speakers; and they did honor to their society.

ALSO from page  one of that same issue, this light-hearted but ominous ditty:
 
De Mumpibus

Have you got an achey feeling
 Right beneath your ear?
Is there something when you swallow
 That feels sort of queer?
Hie you then unto Miss Speakman
 To the mumps’ ward go;
You no more amongst the mumpless
 Wander to and fro.
No more trips across the river
 To pass the time away;
Just to stay there and be mumpy
 All the livelong day. 

This Week in NMH History #10

55 Years Ago

 With this week’s column we celebrate not one but two events from our history. The library dedication noted in the newspaper article is our first reminder this year of the Northfield Campus and that part of our history which will always be linked with this place. More words on Northfield, both the school and the place, will follow in the coming weeks. It is fitting that this week’s piece relates to Northfield which is, after all, the birthplace of both our founder, D.L. Moody and our school: fitting because this week also marks the fifth anniversary of “This Week in NMH History.” Thank Mr. Tierney for the idea. The story below reprises the first installment of our weekly look back. It was originally published on SWIS for members of the class of 2007 (along with their teachers, deans, and advisors) on November 5, 2003. 

from The Hermonite vol. LXVII, no. 5; p.1 (November 14, 1953)

New Northfield Library Addition is Dedicated

“What! No social activities? While a quiet air of tranquility rested upon the Mount Hermon campus, an extensive new wing to the Talcott Library [later, the Bolger Art Center –ed.] for the Northfield School for Girls was formally opened in afternoon and evening ceremonies on Saturday, November 7. The afternoon program included the annual Book Week Tea and the official presentation of the wing by Dr. William E. Park, president of the Northfield Schools, and the acceptance by Headmistress Barbara M. Clough. Mr. John L. Grandin, Jr., who was to make the presentation was unable to attend.
 An overflow audience attended an evening dedication program in Silverthorne Hall at which Dr. William E. Park presided. Guest speakers on this occasion included an author, a pianist, and an artist, representing the three principal fields for which the new wing provides facilities.

This Week in NMH History #9

10 Years Ago

 Generally your editor prefers internal sources for stories, but on occasions when the wider world takes notice of what happens on campus, it is gratifying. In this case, the University of California at Berkeley picked up the story.

from http://berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/98legacy/11-19-1998.html (accessed October 27, 2008)

Massachusetts High School Students Discover New Asteroid

NORTHFIELD, Mass. - Three stargazing high school students from Massachusetts made astronomical history last week by finding a previously unidentified celestial object in the Kuiper Belt.
Heather McCurdy, Miriam Gustafson and George Peterson, who formed one of six Asteroid Search Teams at Northfield Mount Hermon School in Northfield, Mass., collaborating with Oil City Area High School students in Oil City, Penn., found and verified the distant object, now officially called 1998 FS144.
Under the direction of astronomy teacher Hughes Pack, students searched computer images of the sky provided by the Supernova Cosmology Project at the University of California, Berkeley, as part their fall-term astronomy class.
How significant is the find?
"Before this one, only about 72 such objects had been identified in the Kuiper Belt," says Pack. "These Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs), found beyond Neptune, are generally believed to be left over from the formation of our solar system."
"It has been one of the most rewarding discoveries I have had a small hand in of my entire career!," says the founder of the Hands-On Universe project, astrophysicist Carl Pennypacker of Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and the Lawrence Hall of Science.
He adds, "This is a fantastic piece of science, of education, of discovery. The Northfield Mount Hermon School (NMH) discovery has proven beyond a doubt that all students, from a broad range of backgrounds, can make solid, exciting, inspiring scientific contributions as part of their normal education."
"This is quite an accomplishment. Before this discovery, only government and professional astronomers have found such objects," said astronomer Tom Gehrels of the Lunar and Planetary Lab and Spacewatch Project at the University of Arizona, visiting the astronomy class of the students who made the discovery.
Gehrels impressed on the NMH students what a luxury it is for them to able to do what he calls "big-shot research" using some of the best telescopes in the world.
"It's only been in the last 10 years that there's been a trend toward getting people your age involved in research," Gehrels said. "When I was in school, I was forbidden to use the telescope until I was a graduate student. Even then, it was restricted."
"The Kuiper Belt represents a whole new dimension to the solar system, and it has the potential to tell us a great deal about how the system originated and evolved and how it compares to others," says Brian Marsden of the Minor Planet Center in Cambridge, Mass. Marsden received the data from Pack and confirmed the discovery.
Finding 1998 FS144 was several years in the making for Hughes Pack, who joined the Hands-On Universe (HOU) project in 1991. HOU is now based at the Lawrence Hall of Science, the public science center at the University of California, Berkeley…

Full disclosure, NMH's own Hughes Pack wrote this story. You can read the locally produced story in the January 26, 1999 issue of  The Bridge. --ed.

 

This Week in NMH History #8

70 Years Ago

Occasionally this space is devoted to remembering individuals who devoted their working lives to the school. This week we note the career of Demetius Raduloff who cooked in the dining hall from 1911 to 1955 -- 44 years.

from The Hermonite, vol. LII, no.3, p. 3; October 21, 1938.

                                               Campus Personalities

 

DEMETRIUS “DEMI” RADULOFF

 
        For twenty-seven years Hermonites have been ravenously devouring Demi’s food and howling for more, He is the man “behind the meat-hook.” [with apologies to vegetarians --ed.]

        Demetrius K. Raduloff (to use Demi’s maiden name) came to Hermon from Bonsko, Bulgaria, in 1911. When Turks who were oppressing his country, tried to force him into the army, he decided to leave, and point his nose towards Uncle Sam. A cousin of his, already working here, obtained a job for Demi on the farm. Demi, believing the soup-ladle mightier than the pitch-fork forsook the barn for the kitchen. The latter proved to be his natural habitat; he settled right down to business, and is still refueling the student body thrice each day.

        Thanksgiving Day is Demi’s day. Food is the reigning power. At the end of the dinner, the waiters bring him out before the assembly and do they cheer! Demi, however, since he is quite bashful, pretends to dislike the ceremony, long a tradition. The happy grin that spreads itself over his face tells an entirely different story.

        Hermonites have already had over a quarter century of Demi. Here’s to another. Three long, lusty cheers for Demetrius K. Raduloff!

This Week in NMH History #7

50 Years Ago

This column reports the good, the bad, and the ugly. And even the unhealthy. For about fifty years, beginning in the early 1940s, the use of tobacco was permitted to certain students and in designated areas. By the early 1990s, with the health risks clear, the school returned to the no smoking policy which had been in place for the first 60 years of its existence. The "new" policy was noted in this space last December. This week we recall the halcyon days of The Blue Cloud. If you want to know more about it, ask Messrs. Batty and Ward; they can tell you even if they never frequented the spot.

from The Hermonite, vol. LXXII, no.3, p. 1; October 18, 1958.

Cloud Organizes; Partel Heads Club

Directed by Frank Partel as president, the Senior Cloud has commenced a year which will surely be one of its best.

Partel says, "So far, I feel that the Senior class has exhibited excellent responsibility in exercising its smoking privilege. If this continues for the whole year, we should have a highly reputable organization."

Mr. Williams is the faculty advisor.

Furniture will be repaired through cooperation between faculty and seniors. New molding, a new bulletin board and pictures are being placed in the cloud.

Five years later the same publication reported:

Fiends Pay Close Heed

 In the Senior Union, entertainment is provided for all smokers. Mr. Bailey, the Senior Class advisor, has posted the latest study in the N.Y. Times relating cancer and death to the smoking of cigarettes. Though the article shows the considerable percentage in cancer and death rates for smokers, the number of cigarettes emptied out of the ashtrays seems to increase, rather than decrease. Can we conclude that smokers are illiterate?

--The Hermonite, vol. LXXVII, no. 7, p.1; Dec. 14, 1963.

 

This Week in NMH History #6

35 Years Ago

Blake Cornerstone Placed

 The laying of the cornerstone of the new Blake Student Center, given by Mr. S. Prestley Blake in memory of Herbert P. Blake and in honor of Benson P. Blake, took place on October 12, the beginning of the Trustees Weekend. The ceremony began with an invocation offered by The Rev. Philip Rider. After the invocation, Dr. Howard L. Jones introduced Mr. Blake and his son, Benson P. Blake. Mr. Blake, assisted by George F. Kiefer, Jr., then put the cornerstone into place. Mr. John L. Grandin, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, offered his thanks and was followed by Mr. William R. Compton of the Mount Hermon Center, and Monie H. Thomas, student representative.

 Contained in the cornerstone are the Mount Hermon School transcripts of Herbert P., S. Prestley, and Benson P. Blake. Also included are biographies and pictures of the Blakes, a picture of the yacht, "America," and the front page of the "Springfield Union" from October 12, 1973. The other contents of the cornerstone are the story of the Blake Brothers and Friendly Ice Cream Corporation, and pictures of the Friendly Ice Cream plant in Wilbraham, Massachusetts. In addition, the financial records of Friendly's first year of operation (1935) are included with the 1973 reports.

 The Blake Student Center, a beautiful addition to the Mount Hermon campus, is due to be completed early in 1974.

Those who note that the date of the cornerstone on the Blake Student Center is 1994 may be perplexed. The present student center replaced the 1973 structure, noted above, in the mid-1990s.
 --ed.

This Week in NMH History #5

120 Years Ago

With an election upcoming, the importance of speaking clearly and forcefully should be on our minds. 

from The Hermonite, vol. II, no. 2; October 5,  1888; p. [2.]

 If there is any one thing a student in a 19th century school should learn, it is to read aloud distinctly, and in such a way that the meaning is clear. Mr. Moody intends that the Mt. Hermon students shall know how to read in such a way that those who hear may understand, and the department of elocution is ably conducted this year by Miss Hooper. We are all becoming very much interested in the study, and the effect of muscular and breathing exercises is beginning to show already in the carriage of some students. We hope ere the school year closes to be able to do as well as those who read the law in the time of Nehemiah. Neh. VIII., 8. “So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.

A version of this course is still offered. Look in the curriculum guide for “Speech and Oral Interpretation” (ENG213). –ed.

This Week in NMH History 2008-09 #4

125 Years Ago

Last year at this time we noted the groundbreaking for Cottage Row, the oldest brick buildings on the Northfield Mount Hermon School campus. This week we note their completion.

from HAND-BOOK OF THE NORTHFIELD SEMINARY AND THE MT. HERMON SCHOOL, Chicago, Fleming H. Revell, 1889, pp. 152.

 
 The brick cottages were formally opened September 26, with a dinner of the trustees and friends at the Manchester House. The middle cottage was designated as a kitchen, and the meals were thereafter carried to each of the other houses, until the erection of the Dining Hall. The total first cost of the five cottages was $33, 350.12. This was mostly paid for in $5000.00 gifts made by different persons.

The Dining Hall mentioned above is now known as Grandin Auditorium. -- ed.

This Week in NMH History #3

1 Year Ago

 

History is happening all the time. Regular readers of this column know that it looks back at our history in 5-year increments, but at least once a year it notes an event from one year ago that marks a change or a major happening on campus. Two weeks ago the new art center opened, and we'll remember that next year. What else will happen this year that will be worth remembering in a year's turning? (Suggestions to the editor are always welcome.)

from The Bridge, vol. XXXVIII, no. 1; October 3,  2007; p. 1.

Key Card System Up and Running

On Sunday, September 16 the School activated its new electronic access system. The doors to every dorm are now locked at all times in an attempt to keep strangers out of the school's buildings. Students can open these new locks with a computer chip on the back of their student ID card. Girls have been granted full access to all girls' dorms and boys to all boys' dorms.

This Week in NMH History 2008-2009 #02

75 Years Ago

Whether you are experiencing your first weeks at this school or you have been here for thirty years or more you know that we have a new and improved schedule this fall. Three quarters of a century ago on this campus similar changes were afoot. Until the fall of 1933 classes were not held on Mondays so that students wouldn't be obliged to do homework on the Christian Sabbath -- classes were held Tuesday through Saturday.

from The Hermonite, vol. XLVII, no. 1; September 18,  1933; p. 1.

New Schedule of Class Appointments Revolutionizes Old Recitation System

Class Length Increased Under New System

MONDAY NO LONGER FREE

An entirely new system of classes will be instituted this year. Although the first few days of this change will perhaps seem a little strange to the older students it is sure to win the favor of the entire student body in a short time.
Every Monday there will be a required study period for every student in the school. This period will last from 8 A.M. to 9:30 A.M. and will be held in the recitation halls under supervision of various instructors. The purpose of this is for the student to study one particular subject during this time and under the direction of the teacher who has the course in the classroom. In the event of a student’s desiring to study two subjects in this one and one-half hour period he may change in the middle of the period and go to study in the classroom of the teacher who is regularly the instructor for the other course. Regular classes will continue from 10:00 o’clock on.
On other days, four periods will be held every morning from eight until twelve o’clock. There will be no classes in the afternoon between the lunch period and four o’clock and two classes will be held daily from four o’clock until six with the exception of Wednesday and Saturday.
Unlike last year, Monday will not be a free day. In its place every student will be free from classes on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons after two-thirty. In most cases students will not have the only class that runs from one-thirty to two-thirty on these afternoons.
The required chapel service will be held daily as in the past except on Mondays when there will be no service at all.

Raise your hand if you’d prefer to switch to this schedule – ed.

Peter H. Weis, '78
Archivist

This Week in NMH History 2007-2008 #25

120 Years Ago

We’ve already welcomed the Year of the Rat, but in 1888 New Year’s came later when compared with the Julian calendar. Henry Rankin noted the event at Mount Hermon that year in his history.

from HAND-BOOK OF THE NORTHFIELD SEMINARY AND THE MT. HERMON SCHOOL, Chicago, Fleming H. Revell, 1889, p. 172.

February 21, on the evening of this day, which was the Chinese new year’s anniversary, the nine Chinese students gave a dinner to the faculty. It was a pleasant and unique occasion.

Note that the zodiac is a twelve year cycle so that the day in question also ushered in the Year of the Rat. To get some idea of the school in these days, there were 16 teachers and 247 students when classes began the previous fall.  –ed.

Peter H. Weis, '78
Archivist

This Week in NMH History 2007-2008 #24

115 Years Ago

This week we note the close of one era (Washington’s Birthday concerts) and the opening of another (Washington’s Birthday oratorical contests). Intramural and interscholastic debates were a staple of winter activity into the 1960s. Today they are year-round fare.

from The Hermonite, vol. VI, no.11, p. 94; March 11, 1893. 

No student now questions the fact that the abolishment of the entertainment on Washington’s birthday, which has been formerly given each Senior Middle class, [today’s Juniors –ed.] was a wise movement on the part of the faculty. The amount of time, energy and money, which was necessarily expended in arranging and giving the concert, certainly did not warrant the continuation of the custom, when some other equally interesting, yet less taxing entertainment could be substituted for it.

The success and interest taken in the contest between the two literary societies would lead us to think that hereafter the twenty second will be given to the annual contest or debate between the two societies. At least we will hope so.

A remark which was made by one whose authority is not questioned, goes to show the class of oratory the evening produced, "it would do honor to any college."

Peter H. Weis, '78

Archivist

This Week in NMH History 2007-2008 #24

115 Years Ago

This week we note the close of one era (Washington’s Birthday concerts) and the opening of another (Washington’s Birthday oratorical contests). Intramural and interscholastic debates were a staple of winter activity into the 1960s. Today they are year-round fare.

from The Hermonite, vol. VI, no.11, p. 94; March 11, 1893. 

***

No student now questions the fact that the abolishment of the entertainment on Washington’s birthday, which has been formerly given each Senior Middle class, [today’s Juniors –ed.] was a wise movement on the part of the faculty. The amount of time, energy and money, which was necessarily expended in arranging and giving the concert, certainly did not warrant the continuation of the custom, when some other equally interesting, yet less taxing entertainment could be substituted for it.

The success and interest taken in the contest between the two literary societies would lead us to think that hereafter the twenty second will be given to the annual contest or debate between the two societies. At least we will hope so.

A remark which was made by one whose authority is not questioned, goes to show the class of oratory the evening produced, "it would do honor to any college."

Peter H. Weis, '78

Archivist

This Week in NMH History 2007-2008 #16

15 Years Ago

    From their founding through the early 1930s, smoking was prohibited at both the Northfield Seminary and the Mount Hermon School. Students pledged to refrain from the habit even during vacations, and a single offense resulted in dismissal. As smoking became more widespread and socially acceptable, the rules regarding smoking were gradually relaxed. First, the penalty was reduced from expulsion to suspension, the young poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti being one of the earliest to benefit from the rule change. Later, Mount Hermon seniors were allowed to smoke in a lounge – popularly called “The Blue Cloud” – in what is now the music building. The strictures at Northfield remained tougher, with no smoking allowed on campus. Through the 1960s girls traveling to and from school were only permitted to smoke on trains and buses which were traveling north of Brattleboro or south of Greenfield. At the merger of the schools in the fall of 1971 smoking was extended to allow any student with written parental permission to smoke within specially designated areas on campus. By the early 1990s, with the risks of smoking and the dangers second-hand smoke well-documented, and with prohibitions against obtaining tobacco by those under 18 now law, campus smoking again became verboten.

This Week in NMH History 2007-2008 #14

110 Years Ago
from The Hermonite, vol. XI, no. 6, p. 87; December 4, 1897.

HEAR YE! HEAR YE!

The case of Commonwealth vs. Alice M. Brereton, for the larceny of a piece of cake from the store room of East Hall, came up before Judge C.I. Scofield in the winter session of the Northfield Seminary Superior Court, at Marquand Court House, Tuesday afternoon, November 30. The Commonwealth was represented by District Attorney Eliza S. Halsey, and the defendant by Lawyer Eldridge. The witnesses were sworn in by Clerk Elizabeth Aitken and the prisoner was brought in by Sheriff Julia Rieser.

This Week in NMH History

25 Years Ago

from The Bridge, vol. XIV, no. 5, p. 1; November 3, 1982.

Transition Year Begun: Ms. Shoemaker Appointed Head

Northfield Mount Hermon School was recently awarded a three-year grant from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation to conduct a “transition year program” at the school. English Department member, Pamela Shoemaker, has been appointed to coordinate the program.

The program, which will be called “The Dodge Transition Year Program,” has according to Ms. Shoemaker, the goal of “helping capable minority students bridge the gap between an inadequate secondary school education and college work.”

This Week in NMH History 2007-2008 #06

85 Years Ago

While the four-year seniors of the class of 2008, are the only students here who have experienced the daily joys of Northfield, they are not the only ones who keep alive the Northfield spirit today. Here’s how one Northfield student defined that feeling eighty-five year ago. Leaving aside the gendered language to be expected at the Northfield Seminary, may all of us do our part to follow the advice herein, to help keep said spirit alive for the next eighty-five years.

from The Northfield Star, vol. VII, no. 1, pp. 6-7; October , 1922. 

A Spirit Gift

Northfield’s greatest gift cannot be defined, not even by a logical definition. It is freer than the air, yet to those who possess it, it is priceless. Every girl may have it if, of her own free will, she desires it, and by honest, purposeful effort strives to obtain it. This gift is not the Northfield "N," but is generally known by the name of The Northfield Spirit.

Think back to the days when you were a new girl, shy, homesick, and everything seemed so strange. Everywhere you went girls smiled at you and called out a merry greeting. Old girls showed you where you were to take your examinations, where you were to go to have your schedules made out, and helped you solve the puzzles which stared you in the face during those first days. Did you ever stop to think why they were so thoughtful, helping you with the little things which meant so much to you? There is only one answer to this question and that answer is the Northfield Spirit.

Go down on the athletic field when there is a challenge game being played and get acquainted with this same Spirit. Even if no one else is there, you may be sure of Her presence on the field watching the game. She creates the atmosphere of good sportsmanship and it is because of Her that the players can smile at defeat.

That fine spirit of sincere, thoughtful endeavor shown in the classroom, that spirit of constant helpfulness in the halls, that spirit of self-forgetfulness toward one’s friends, the Spirit herself, is waiting to bestow. Do you not want for your very own all these splendid things which make Northfield worthwhile? Just take them, for they are your heritage. They are all embodied in the words Northfield Spirit, and when Northfield has given you that she has given you her best.

(Last) Week in NMH History 2007-2008 #05

80 Years Ago

Due to an oversight, last week's "This Week in NMH History" went unpublished. So with apologies, here is last week installment, this week's to follow shortly. It may seem oxymoronic to speak of a new tradition, and at the very least it is a risky enterprise. This week shows you why with a description of a "new tradition" which never became an old one.

from The Hermonite, vol. XLI, no. 3, p. 1-2; October 1, 1927. 

Senior Class Starts New Tradition

Coil of Rope is to Signify "Pull Together"

At Chapel service on September 27, the senior class inaugurated a new tradition by handing a coil of rope to the junior class.

Perhaps there is no school in the country whose traditions have become a part of its makeup as Mount Hermon. The existent traditions have come to us through the efforts of student and Founder of this institution. We live here as man with man; we get to know each other, but the time we really know and understand each other is the time when traditions are recalled or handed down to us.

We have at present two outstanding traditions, which embody a great deal – the spade and the one-tine fork. The spade, presented by the class of 1890, [Actually it was first presented by the class of 1889. – ed.], symbolizes digging; the one-tine fork symbolizes doing the impossible – eating soup with a fork. At this time the class of 1928 wishes to institute a new tradition symbolizing the idea of pulling. No organization can attain the greatest success unless there are men who are willing to pull. This tradition is embodied in a rope which was used in the recent rope pull, and which is 56 inches long, an inch for every man who pulled for the class. The class of ’28 hopes that this rope will be received in the spirit in which it is given. We ask that the rope be presented at West Hall to the winner of the rope pull the night of the contest. If by chance the seniors should win, the rope should be presented to the sophomore class, but, of course, if the juniors win the rope belongs to them for the year, and so on. Each class as it wins the rope should place its class colors on either end of the rope. We hope that each year the spirit of Mount Hermon will increase and become more beneficial to all concerned. It is not the "pull" we want, but we want to pull together in the spirit of Hermon. This tradition we introduce that the spirit of Mount Hermon might take its proper place in the student life on the campus.

The bit of rope donated by the class of 1928 was won by the junior class of 1929 at the rope pull that fall. A year later, the juniors won again and newspaper accounts indicate that the rope went to the class of 1930, but from that moment the tradition disappears from view. –ed.

This Week in NMH History 2007-2008 #04

100 Years Ago

The Canning Factory, later, Rikert House

This week we note the 100th birthday of not one, but two campus buildings.

From The Mount Hermon Alumni Quarterly, vol. VI, no. 1, p. 2; September 1907.

New Buildings

In schools, as in other communities, one of the clearest signs of progress is increase in number of buildings. The returning old student looks to see the changes in this line, even before he greets his friends. And this summer he is not disappointed. At the south, in the rapidly growing cluster of houses about Dwight's Home, is to be seen a nearly completed residence known as Harris Cottage, from the name of the donor. This cottage will be occupied by Mr. Richard L. Watson. At the rear of the laundry is rising the new canning factory. Special interest centers here because the work is done wholly by Hermon labor, because the material is concrete blocks made on the place, and because the building means improvement in one of Hermon's specialties, the industrial system.

Today Harris Cottage is home to the Dowdys. Mr. Dowdy can tell you more about his house than your editor can. Direct all questions to him, but when you do, be sure to wish his home a sweet centennial. As for the canning factory, it is now better known as Rikert House. After it was a canning factory, and before it became student housing just about 40 years ago, it served for many years as the headquarters of Plant and Property. It is therefore fitting that when the building began its new life as a dormitory, it was named for the longtime director of Plant and Property, Carroll Rikert, class of 1913. –ed.

Peter H. Weis, '78
Archivist

This Week in NMH History 2007-2008 #02

The Hermonite, the school newspaper, renamed The Bridge in 1969 and The Hermon Echo in 2005, has been published every year since 1888. It is perhaps the best source of information about our history particularly our first half century. Despite its name the paper served both the Northfield Seminary and the Mount Hermon School for Boys through the middle of the 1910s. More will be written on this subject but for now read about a presidential visit from its pages.

from The Hermonite, vol. XVI, no. 1; September 20, 1902; pp. 1-2.

THE PRESIDENT”S VISIT TO MOUNT HERMON

IT was an auspicious day for Hermon when for the first time in her history she was honored by a visit from the President of the United States, and Hermonites in general believe that Theodore Roosevelt has ample cause to remember the hearty welcome he received during the few minutes which he spent here.

This week in NMH history 2006-07, 45 years ago #32

From Italy to Turkey to South Africa to Turtle Island, NMH students are always experiencing the world beyond our valley. Here is how some students experienced that world more than a generation ago.

from The Hermonite, vol. LXXXV; p. 1  (May 19, 1962).

“Freedom Riders” Head South; Join Route 40 Sit-In Movement

“I am sick and tired of merely speaking out against segregation in the pulpit and in my classrooms, and now I want to do something about it myself.” With these words the Reverend James R. Kelly expressed the common feeling of the six Hermonites who are now participating in their second day of sit-in demonstrations in eating establishments located along Route 40 in Maryland.

This week in NMH history 2006-07, 60 years ago #31

Two weeks ago, this space broke from the ordinary and revealed an author’s identity, this week it strays even further a-field, abrogating its responsibility to describe events, instead it celebrates a personality. But what a personality! For parts of six decades Mr. Peter Skibnoski was a campus institution. He was at once the archetypical barber and purveyor of political economy, and he cut my hair more times than I can count. For these reasons, allow me to introduce “Pete Skib.”

from The Hermonite, vol. LXX; p. 2  (May 14, 1947).

Pete, The Barber
Have you ever gone into a barber shop for a hair cut and ended up talking on communism? In all probability you never have until you came to Mount Hermon. The shop referred to is that of Mr. Peter Skibniowski, who is the barber and friend to all Hermon faculty and students; but he is better known as “Pete” to his many friends who are constantly going in and out of the little barber shop in the basement of well-known Holbrook Hall.

85 years ago

This week in NMH history 2006-07 85 years ago #30

Two years ago this space mentioned tree day for the first time. This year we re-visit the tradition which at Northfield was the occasion for the Seniors passing the school spade to the Juniors. Anyone in student congress willing to try to bring back the tradition?

from The Star, vol. 6, no. 8; p. 2 (June, 1922).

Tree Day

May Day in Northfield, 1922, or May Day in England, 1622, which was it? Father Time might have thought he was looking backward as he watched the festivities on the green on this particular May Day, for wasn’t that little Shadow-of-a-Leaf himself calling forth from sleep the flower folk and the butterfly and the robin and the bluebird? Truly those were English villagers coming at the summons of the trumpet call; and sure enough, there was Robin Hood with all his merrie men in Lincoln green. No doubt about it! It must be merrie England in the merrie month o’ May, for there were milkmaids and shepherdesses to dance around the maypole and weave it for their Queen. But all too soon the song and dance were done and the long procession wound its way off, returning to Northfield in ’22 to look for the Junior tree. After the class orations, with all due ceremony the spade was handed by ’22 to ’23 to be guarded and cherished. Then for the class will on the Seniors' own chapel steps, and the Senior songs before the Juniors hastened to lead the Seniors off for their own picnic supper in Marquand glen. How the "eats" disappeared and how the comedy presented by the faculty was enjoyed! And oh, that delightful "tired-but-happy" feeling when songs were sung and thank-yous said.

Peter H. Weis, '78

Archivist

The View From Here

This Week in NMH History  2006-07               110 years ago                                            #29

As we bid farewell to National Poetry Month, this week we reprint a column featuring some of it. For decades it was the practice of the school newspapers to publish articles without by-lines and their scribes wrote in anonymity. More recently, this practice has been abandoned, but this space has always protected the identity of writers; however, with the kind permission of the author, we reveal the writer of this week’s column: crew coach and director of college counseling, Peter Jenkins.

from The Bridge, vol. XVIII, no. 17, p. 3. (April 30, 1987)

The View From Here

                                    April is the cruelest month, breeding

                                    Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing

                                    Memory and desire, stirring

                                    Dull roots with spring rain.

                                                            - T. S. Eliot

T.S. Eliot wrote these lines in 1922, in the aftermath of World War I, “the war to end all wars.” They are the opening lines to his famous work, “The Wasteland,” an often studied and hugely footnoted work that is as depressing as are those four lines. So, April. What’s it like around here, in 1987? It certainly has its elements of cruelty. Consider these aspects of our communal living: we are tantalized with the warm days which are hints of real “spring to come,” and then we are brought rudely back to reality with cold rain and “blustery” days.

April 15^th lies smack in the middle of the month, a day that chews on the hopes of seniors and digests the earnings of the adults in this community. Both the IRS and the Ivy League take their due on that day. Baseball season is in full swing, and the silly heads of Red Sox fans, and Cubs fans and almost any fans are still filled with visions of pennants, and titles and baseball in October. The cycle of student leadership has begun anew in April, as the old Student leaders are a part of the interview process which helps decide the new Student Leaders.

Seniors begin to really understand that NMH is becoming the past; a kind of premature nostalgia sets in. Freshmen are more sophomores than they are ninth graders Both the hockey and basketball seasons are coming to an end, with the hopes of teams like the Knicks and Bruins swiftly dashed by the realities of poor seasons and early exits from the play-offs.

April begins with April Fool’s Day, the only day that comes to mind whcihhas institutionalized pranks and bad jokes. What a way to begin! The next month, for example, begins with May Day; that institution is filled with flowers, girls in white dresses and garlands. Now that would be something to look forward to.

The religious implications are not particularly uplifting, either. Passover, as this writer understands it, celebrates the “passing over” of the angel of death, past the doors which have been marked by the [blood of] the slaughtered lamb. The Christians celebrate the death of Christ, and of course, his resurrection. Both holidays have bittersweet implications, clearly.

So what did T.S. Eliot mean, exactly, when he noted the cruelty of April? Well, the rebirth which the season symbolizes is not a totally happy event. In his mind the rebirth has all the implications of yet another life, which has as many painful learning experiences and tedium as the previous life had. In the cynic’s view, then, what is there to celebrate? More opportunities lost, more Sox games filled with stranded runners and missed cut-off men; spring rain leading to May flowers which lead to bees and hornets and stings and nests.

The Ivy League rejection letters will have their sad news every year. With ten times the number of applicants as spots, each year will lead to the sense of rejection on the part of thousands of seniors. Certainly the large number or juniors who apply for the Student Leader position recognize that they are in a “rejectable” position as well. April can be cruel.

But, hey. You know what? Some of those teams will win the pennant. Some of those Ivy longshots will get in. Some of those juniors will go on to be excellent Student Leaders. It was a beautiful day today. And April is almost over.

This week in NMH history 2006-07, 5 years ago ,#28

from The Bridge, vol. XXVI (sic); p. 1  (May 17, 2002).

Earthquake Shakes the School

On April 20th, the ground upon which the School sits trembled, and no, it was not caused by the thumping bass of rap music blaring out of London.

This week in NMH history 2006-07 ,40 years ago #27

from The Echo, vol. VII, no. 9; p. 1  (April 19, 1967).

Arts Festival Held at Hermon

The Visual Arts Festival for secondary schools was held April 15th at Mount Hermon. Thirty-five schools exhibited works in six major fields – drawings, graphics, photography, watercolor, painting, and sculpture. The all-day festival began in the morning with the hanging of the works in the gymnasium. This was followed by a lecture by Mr. Robert Breusser, of the Department of Architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Later in the day, an awards banquet was held and certificates were presented to the winning entries. Among the judges were men from the art departments of Smith, Amherst, and Dartmouth Colleges. There was also an exhibit in the library from the Rhode Island School of Design, entitled “Student Solutions to Design Problems.” The festival was again considered a success.

Peter H. Weis, '78
Archivist

This Week in NMH History 125 years ago #24

This week we turn to the best source for information on the early history of the schools, Henry Rankin’s “Handbook of the Northfield Seminary and The Mount Hermon School.”

March 29, 1882, the trustees met at the school, and adopted some rules for the conduct of the boys and officers. They signed the articles of incorporation, deciding that the institution should be known as The Mount Hermon School for Boys, the name Mount Hermon having been proposed by Mr. Camp. They also discussed plans for further building. Mr. Moody had written from England urging the immediate construction of several new cottages, which should be ready to be filled with pupils by the time of his expected return. (pp. 147-8)

Peter H. Weis, '78
Archivist Archives/Dolben Library Northfield Mount Hermon School