Repository: UIHistories Project: Book - History of the University (Powell) [PAGE 355]

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First Years of Work

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near as was possible to giving the two societies an even start, yet no two groups of young men would be likely to differ more widely in their attitude and aims than did these. From the very beginning the Philos emphasized extemporaneous speaking and parlimentary practice, making quick decision, ready command of parliamentary law, and the ability to think clearly while on the feet and to put the thoughts into correct and accurate English the main points aimed at, while the Adelphics paid most attention to written production, essays and orations, making rhetorical finish in their writings, rather than ready command of their powers in emergency, the main objective. Both groups were enthusiastic in their work and their Saturday evening meetings were often extended far into the night. The characteristics of these two groups can easily be traced in the after life of their membership. "The law under which the University was organized provided that students who were not physically disabled should drill. Consequently drill was a part of the program from the beginning. We were required to drill twice a week whenever the weather permitted and as companies of militia were not very common in those days, an extra was likely to be called for whenever prominent persons visited the University. Company escorts were also frequently called for on special occasions by both the faculty and the people of the two cities. We drilled through the entire four years. For quite a number of years, perhaps fifteen or more, the military idea was carried much further and entered much more largely into student affairs than has been the case since. The change, I think, was for the better. "The students of the early days were mostly from the farm, and were full to overflowing with physical vigor and as a consequence, while there was very little that could be called meanspirited in their fun, there was a good deal of roughness and horse-play. Sometimes this was carried so far as to be rather unpleasant to those who were not accustomed to life on a western farm, but as I said before there was very seldom any intentional meanness about it. The admission of girls to the university at the beginning of the third year had a tendency to modify this roughness to a considerable degree. The girls were mostly town bred and looked with disapproval on that peculiar type of roughness. They were few in number and highly respected by the