Junior Weekend — Oregon fs Age-old Tradition to Celebrate 47th Anniversary r flie Oregon campus at the turn of the century ... an athletic field, Villard, Deady were the nucleus. Note the size of the now giant fir trees in the center. By BILL RALSTON Junior weekend, Oregon's oldest and most colorful tradition, has seen several steps in its develop ment into the spectacle that it is today. It was in 1890 that the spark of the present festival was set off. Junior day was the original ide^, a holiday set aside for the juniors to be climaxed by an oratorical exhibition by all members of the class at an evening assembly. Dur ing he time this event prevailed, the sUeirpts by the underclassmen isnd seniors to keep the junior pent Ant from its respective perch on top the flagpole that was lo cated north of Villard hall resulted in many literally bloody civil wars. Dr. Strong, president of the Uni versity at this time remarked as he addressed the board of regents at the end of one of the hectic days, "So this is junior day! At least I have been told that it is. The smoke of battle having cleared away I take the occasion to con gratulate the regents that the buildings on the campus are still standing.” No Sissies Yes, the knicker-clad, woolly haired eollegiates of those days were no sissies; far from it. On one of these days of old, two faithful junior boys were hoisted in a dry goods box half way up the pole to guard invading seniors and underclassmen from captur , ing and taking down their flag. The aggressors had a different idea about the method used by the juniors in keeping possession of the pole, yes indeed. A fire hose with a steady and overpowering stream of water is sued forth from a window in Vil lard hall above the sentinel jun iors. It proved an incentive for the defenders to lower away and be taken captives by the jealous seniors. The melee that continued these customary rushes was a sight for sore eyes and probably the cause for a great many more. Great fun. Such “gallant" attacks as these, with all the black eyes, torn clothes, and bloodshed necessitat ed the faculties changing the event to the more civilized caption of Campus day or University day. Work Parties Held The pictures above show the na ture of the newly calendared pro gram and it became a prominent feature of the college year. Rising early in the morning all students would don their old clothes and assemble prepared to work. Girls would play Lheir part by serving lunch to the “crew." At the end of the day new walks had been built, old fences torn down, the athletic field and campus thorough ly cleaned and at one of these events the boys even constructed bleachers and grandstands as pic tured here. * First Oregon Candid Camera Junior day . . . the boys worked on campus buildings. Dean Janies I Gilbert is somewhere in the above picture. 'Play Game for All It Is Worth, 'Says Rebec “Play the game with all the spirit that's in you.” Students who intend to qualify for honors reading with their jun ior certificates are cited this max im from the sports page by Dr. George Rebec, dean of the grad uate division, who urges them to follow the example set by the members of any championship team—“play the game for all it's worth.” “How long.” asked Dr. Rebec, f “would it take Oregon to get a champion football or basketball fgfgjSfSHSJSISfSMfiJSIS/SISJSlSJEEJEEEEfO HEY! GUYS! Here's your chance P3 (1 You Pipe Smokers Regular $1.00 Grabow Pipe (as nationally advertised) and a package of Heine's Blend Tobacco. ALL FOR. 98c MAGAZINE EXCHANGE Across from Kngcne Hospital 1103 Willamette m I 1 I I e team, if all the players went out for the team just for the credit? How long would it take if they went out to play the game because ; they wanted to ?” Faculty Interviewed It is much the same situation] with students who read for honors j after they have secured their jun ior certificates, believes the dean. I Students must be really interested in their field of special work if they are able to make a success of it. Most members of the faculty, in- | eluding Eric W. Allen, dean of the 1 .school of journalism, Dr. Ray Bow- ! cn, head of the department of Ro- ! mance languages and president of | the honors council, and Dr. Rebec.1 who were interviewed, believe that ! one who reads for honors so de velops his own judgment that peo ple who meet him have confidence ! in his ability to work independent ly and to show initiative in all problems that he has beeu assigned to attack. 5J.75 GFA Required Application for honors reading usually has two requirements. The first is that the student have a grade point average of 2.75 and the second, that he have some spec ial inlere.-t in which he desires to study. There are two classifica tions, the first of which is general Up Goes the Grandstand Junior day about 1900 . . . the grandstand gets a roof. This day held the eye of the stu dents and substituted for the jun ior day until 1908 when again the aggressive juniors took over the day for themselves. Here the ac tual development began for the present annual weekend festivities. Skinner’s “O” Built Building of the “O” high on the side of Skinner’s butte was the first undertaking of the juniors after reclaiming their holiday. The “days of old” were rapidly being replaced. Students and fac ulty alike became weary of the long, boring orations that had been the exhibition day of the past. The fete of. building walks, fences and the like had become an overbear ing task on the students who wished for a more gala event with which to honor their class. An urge to start something new was felt. After this progress swept over the campus new ideas were rapid ly added to the program that final ly became junior weekend. It was at this time that the junior prom was added to the increasing list of social events. In 1915 the canoe fete, that part of the present pro gram which has really made the festivities famous, was originated. Closely following this attraction the frosh-soph tug of war sugges tion was.added to the tradition of junior day annals. It had now be come an event of the campus cal endar that was looked forward to by students and parents alike. An other use had been found for the “historic” mill race. Green Lids Burned During this progress of the jun ior day, with its unforgettable and much-dreaded speeches, to the weekend festivities we have now, with its water spectacle and' fun frolic, other traditions had been formed. The burning of the green lids began in 1910 and has just re cently dwindled out. In 1909 Ore gon witnessed its first athletic events. And in 1914 it became the duty of the freshmen to apply a new coat of yellow to the “O" an nually. In January, 1935, the traditions committee submitted a list of tra ditions which they believed should be enforced and esteemed by the students. Three years later, in 1938, reminiscences of only two out of the eight suggestions handed by the committee are seen to pre vail; freshmen and sophomores not being permitted to wear cord pants and no “pigging” at athletic con tests. From the embryonic stage of junior exhibition day to the pres ent entertainment fest that is feat ured annually, this tradition seems to stand almost singly as the most relished of “Old Oregon” surviving traditions. lonors, and the second, honors with thesis. Both kinds of honors now require a Vhesis, although formerly general honors did not. In addition, gen-! eral honors now requires work in at least two different departments. It is expected that the student take from 3 to 12 hours in courses, en titled “Heading and Conference.” If he is taking honors with thesis, le will be granted from 3 to 9 hours of credit for his honors thesis. The importance of an honors; program in a university curricu- j lum was emphasized by Dr. Rebec when he stated it is a ncccsssity I if an institution is to become a real university. “The honors program brings about self-initiative with high standards of achievement. There can be no genuine intellectual life until this system is widely used," commented Dr. Rebec. “The University meets the stu- ■ dents half way in honors l eading,” said Dean Allen, “and wc members of the faculty regard it as a supc rior kind of education. It must follow the interest of the student, satisfy special needs, and pull to gether all the tangled ends of his education." • University Recommends Students “The system works well in prac tice. Students get their training in independent thinking and, in training their judgments, they de velop and come to correct conclu- ; sions when they have conflicting evidence before them. The result is that the student becomes confi dent of Uis own judgment after having thoroughly tested it,” said Dr. Bowen. “Those persons who have read for honors have persisted in then efforts and that is evidence that they are the best students in the University, in that they have proved their worth and ability. They have a strong recommenda tion of the University which it is willing to bach,” continued Dr. Bowen. Application for candidacy for honors should be made not later than the first term of the junior year. Information may be received from the registrar’s office in John son. Douglass Writes on Libe for Magazine Included among a list of four new libraries in the United States, is the library of the University of Oregon, as it is described in an ar ticle for the "Library Journal” by M. H. Douglass, librarian. Mr, Douglass’ article gives a de scription of the library and some of the plans of the building. Sev eral letters inquiring abbut the li brary have been received by Mr. Douglass since the publication of the article. FOUNDATION TO HEAR The Wesley foundation will hear the University men’s debate team in a symposium on “How can wt have industrial peace?” Sunda> night. The team will be made up of: Dani