Scandals, Scalawags, and (Un)Savory Stories from MSU

Transcription

1 Scandals, Scalawags, and (Un)Savory Stories from MSU

2 University Archives Official repository for the historical archives of Michigan State University. Established by mandate of the Board of Trustees in ,000 cubic feet of records. Subjects: administration, athletics, campus buildings and grounds, student groups and activities, student memorabilia, faculty papers and research.

3 Historical Collections 700+ collections related to Michigan and the Great Lakes region. Topics include: Michigan in Civil War Agricultural and Dairy Lumber Industry Life in rural Michigan Greater Lansing Family Papers (R.E. Olds) 4-H in Michigan Automobile Industry Environmentalism W.K. Kellogg Sanatorium Warren Featherbone Co. Historic photographs

4 Using Archival Material Collections are unique and one-of-kind All materials are reading room use only No circulation Pencils and laptops allowed no pens Collection-level inventories Reference archivists always available Request material, archivist brings to you Some materials require gloves to handle

5 Online Resources

6 THE SAMUEL JOHNSON AFFAIR

7 Students Mandatory Labor Requirement

8 Samuel Johnson

9 Johnson at MAC Replaced a very popular professor Prof. Ingersoll

10 Resentment about Manual Labor

11 Open Rebellion

12 Conflict with E.J. MacEwan

13 Johnson goes on Offensive Beard Brigade: Beal, Kedzie (white beards center front); Cook (back row 2 nd from left); Johnson (behind Kedzie); MacEwan (to right of Kedzie)

14 Aftermath Three professors fired/resigned Lost a host of friends who concluded that the institution was repudiating its agricultural past in order to become a school of science and engineering State Senate in 1891 slashed $7000 from the college s appropriation

15 Sources History of the Michigan Agricultural College and Biographical Sketches of Trustees and Professors by W. J. Beal Michigan Farmer (farmers opinions) Available online through the library catalog MSU Photograph collection

16 Sources, cont. Perry Holden papers one student s perspective Madison Kuhn papers campus historian newspaper clippings

17 CLASS STRIKE OF 1902

18 Class Rivalry: Freshmen v Sophomores

19 It s all fun and games until...

20 President Snyder forbids the games

21 Students will be Students

22 Strike Day 1: Other Students Rally

23 Strike Day 2: Students Stand Firm

24 Strike Day 2: Word Gets Out

25 Strike Day 3: Trying to Maintain Order

26 Strike Day 4: The End in Sight?

27 And in the end... The State Board of Agriculture upheld all suspensions nothing changed Chester Brewer revises the rules of class rivalry, so they do continue

28 Sources Madison Kuhn papers campus historian newspaper clippings Jonathon Snyder papers MAC president notes about class activities Faculty minutes notes about faculty decision to review suspensions

29 Sources, cont. MSU Broadside collection - class rivalry posters MSU Photograph collection

30 1909 PINKERTON INVESTIGATION

31 RULES AND REGULATIONS

32 Quiet Study Hours

33 No Spirits or Intoxicating Liquors

34 Permission to Leave Campus

35 No Tobacco or Narcotics

36 No Obscene Language

37 No Card Playing

38 Gentlemanly Behavior

39 Student Life Out of Control!!

40 College s solution: Hire a Pinkerton agent

41 Wells Hall (2 nd one)

42 Spencer s findings

43 Spencer s findings, cont.

44 Spencer s findings, cont.

45 Results of investigation Eleven students expelled from school Cost of investigation: $284.39

46 Sources Jonathon Snyder papers Spencer s daily reports Madison Kuhn papers temperance movement, cartoons MSU Photograph collection

47 HAZING AND PRANKS

48 Publications The Bubble

49 Publications The Green Onion

50 Publications The Eczema

51 Pranks in the Dorms

52 Stacking Rooms

53 Pranks at J-Hop

54 Hazing

55 Swartz Creek Band

56 Bolshevik Days

57 Sources MSU Photograph Collection MSU Serials Collection

58 FOREST AKERS

59 Akers as a child

60 Arrived MAC 1905

61 Akers as Athlete

62 Akers as Prankster

63 Akers Asked to Leave MAC

64 Akers to make it on his own

65 Dodge and the Board of Trustees

66 Akers Gives Back to MSU

67 Sources Forest Akers papers Jonathon Snyder papers Yearbooks

68 The End Thank you!