OCR Text |
Show The draft threat for the Korean War old acquaintances and new ones too hours of study . . . And there was a would eventually be successful. Utah's academic success story began some one hundred and eight years ago in the parlor of a primitive pioneer home, then known as the University of Deseret. It was here that the state's university was founded to become the sprawling complex it is today, employing and teaching over twenty-three thousand people. It was in 1879 that the first degrees were conferred in recognition of academic success, and since that time some 40,847 of them have been granted. But the important story, the story we're interested in, began in 1954. The year 1954 was a good year for the entering freshman: the draft threat for the Korean War was gone, the Yanks won the World Series, and the only explosive thing happening was the atom bomb throwing sand around the Nevada desert. The daytime enrollment at the University was the lowest it had been for the past eight years, and the new faces were well received on campus. A kind of superficial peace hung over everything. The next four years saw the enrollment shoot from a previous seven thousand to over nine thousand students. Great plans for expansion came from the administrative desks as did the construction of the new buildings: Ballif Hall, Orson Spencer Hall, and the new Union. Plans were revealed for a new engineering building, and controversy concerning the "replica" came and went, being nothing more in the Administration's eyes than a source of material for the "Letters to the Editor" column in the Chrony. At the same time on the national front, Eisenhower was re-elected President, the atom bombs were still upsetting the Nevada desert, and then came a bit of real history making - Russia's Sputnik became the first man-made satellite to circle the earth. With this, American education became dominated by a new direction, which had been rumbling in the background since the Korean War. The ultimate was to become the study of engineering and the sciences. Efforts were concentrated for the United States to launch herself a satellite - which eventually she did. War and the technological means to control it somewhat governed the academic success story of 1958. Thankfully, though, it did not dictate success, for there would remain thinkers in all fields: some would become artists or philosophers, some teachers, some economists or businessmen, or others doctors. All of them, scientists or not, would attain academic success in their own right. How well the few who made it to this end know what has made it the fun and trouble it was. All of them know of the hours of study, the library, and the midnight oil. Some of them worried about the grade point, while others claimed allegiance to study as it£ own reward. The reason was not so important as the result. For some there was Greek Life and acquaintances made through it. There were activities or honoraries for those who could make and wanted them. Others became the leaders to gain or lose the respect of their peers, to assume responsibility, and to build the ego. There was a time for just plain fun too. Skiing was the big thing when the snow allowed, and bowling was always good. The Union Huddle Room took over in popularity, as the Annex Smoker got lost in the dust. The Chrony remained an object for criticism, good and bad. And the Utonian - people didn't care much about it until the end of May. Motorviews were popular when they were open. Coffee held a top spot; sex did too, but in a more subtle manner. Going to church was not uncommon, and some people even went to the symphonies. Life had become most pleasant. Registration had always been an event to be remembered, and 1954's freshmen had seen twelve of them, with more than a few having the original trials and tribulations. Each one that rolled around saw fewer of the old faces for various reasons: the United States hadn't abandoned the draft, as many could verify; and the mission field took a fair number. Love and other reasons had led to marriage, while the lack of interest took its toll. Those who had finally made the grade and saw graduation just around the corner were deserving, and probably agree that the experience was worth the trouble. For them 1958 brought the culmination of one academic success story and the beginning another, verified by the diploma. |