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Page 2 The Michigan Daily - Thursday, September 6, 1984
he niversity through the years
By LILY ENG
If you can pronounce "Catholepistemiad of
Michigania," you have said a mouthful. This
nasty tongue twister is the original name of the
University of Michigan.
The University grew into the sprawling
multi-educational complex it is today because
of the dedication of its three unlikely founders:
a judge, a priest, and a reverend.
THE UNIVERSITY was founded in 1817, as a
compilation of ideas from Judge Augustus
Woodward, Father Gabriel Richard, and the
Reverend John Monteith. These three men
believed that educating people was the res-
ponsibility of the state. This revolutionary con-
cept was a radical one in these days-a person
was expected to pay the costs of his entire
college education back then.
Woodward, Richard and Monteith originated
the idea of the University. The state, actually
then the Territory of Michigan, would sponsor
a school modeled after the University of Fran-
ce. The French institution was supported by the
government, and was actually a series of
schools throughout France. Woodward
provided the mindboggling
"Catholepistemiad" which was, of course,
later changed to University much to the
probable relief of future generations of studen-
ts.
Although the idea of the University started
early, it had a shaky start as the actual
building of a college did not begin immediately.
LOTS OF MONEY, epidemics, political
squabbles, and other setbacks threw the
Michigan Territory off its tracks and the
University stumbled into the background.
Finally, after the United States granted
Michigan statehood in 1837, the legislators
revived the idea of a University. Ann Arbor
citizens donated 40 acres of land for the project
and the Michigan legislature awarded the
college and preparatory school to the city.
The first set of buildings to. go up were built
as homes for the professors. Semi-luxurious
and architecturally elaborate, these brick
buildings were small mansions. These huge
houses were built complete with libraries,
studies, and bedroom suites. These structures
are now long gone, except for the President's
House on South University.
THE WHITE HOUSE was actually one of
four houses with similar architecture. For each
University president in the early years, a new
house was built. Only the one now remains.
Building contractors estimated the original
cost for these houses to be in the $16,000 zone.
Quite a bargain one might say now. However,
as it turns out, the actual cost of the buildings
exceeded the estimation by $14,000.
The house was renovated at the request of
James Angell-president from 1871 to
1909-who refused to move into the home until a
flush toilet was installed.
WHILE THE University's president and
professors lived in the lap of luxury, the seven
college students and 23 preparatory students
lived in the University's Main Building. (The
Main was later renamed Mason Hall after
Governor Stevens Mason.) Students woke up
every morning at 5:00 a.m. for chapel ser-
vices-which they were strictly required to at-
tend. Since there was no running water at the
Main Building, the students pumped water
from outside. The University tore down the
building in the 1950s and rebuild the new
Mason Hall from scratch because the original
building burned to the ground in a spectacular
fire.
The students paid only $7.50 a term and they
had to follow a strict curriculum. Students
never heard of easy electives in this early ver-
sion of the University-the University stressed
the classics along with the natural sciences,
mathematics, and history, as important
disciplines.
Still filled with marshes and trees, acres of
wilderness surrounded the University's first
buildings. Few buildings existed in town except
for several boarding houses that provided
meals for the students. Swamps covered the
area where the diag is now. During bad
weather, rain frequently flooded the whole
campus.
DESPITE THE marshes and the floods, the
University grew. The years supplied more
students and new concepts for education. When
University President Henry Tappan arrived in
1852, he came with two major ideas: A
I
4
A hundred years ago, only a few unassuming buildings stood on the University's main campus.
graduate school and professors originating and
participating in academic research.
Heavily interested in research, Tappan
pushed the University into it. One of the
research crazes back in the 1800s was
astronomy. Through Tappan's urgings and
generaous contributions by many of Detroit's,
citizens, the University built the Detroit Obser-
vatory in 1854. It was fitted with a revolving
domed top and was considered one of the best
in the country. Today, the telescope still works,
but is slightly overshadowed by Hill dor-
mitories and University Hospitals. Another
Tappan change included moving the students
out of Mason Hall and into boarding houses
around town.
At this time, religion still influenced the
University community. Students still attended
early morning chapel requirements. Tappan,
himself, was not a heavily religious man and
his non-sectarian philosophies were demon-
strated in his various duties as president. More
often than not, Tappan would select a professor
by MS qualifications and not by his religion.
Because of his philosophies and his ground
breaking ideas, the Board of Regents
dismissed Tappan in 1863.
See UNIVERSITY, Page 6
49,
VIII
e5
COOR
AO
So you think it's terribh
540 E. Liberty St. 761-4539
Corner of Maynard & Liberty
I
I
By ERIC MATTSON
Every year it's the same: bitch, bit-
ch, bitch.
It doesn't matter where you turn,
there's always a student you know who
had a horrific ordeal at CRISP - the
University's computerized class
registration system.
But if students knew what it was like
in the days of yesteryear, they might
be reluctant to criticize the nine-year-
old system.
Before CRISP was implemented in
the spring of 1975, students "were
guaranteed a two or three hour wait,"
said Thomas Karunas, University
alumnus and assistant registrar.
Karunas recalled the first time he.
registered for classes at the University
in the early '60s: "I had never seen so
many people up so early at one time,"
he said.
Before the "on line" registration
program was developed, students
assembled-mob fashion-outside the
old Waterman Gymnasium next to the
Chemistry Building. "There were very
long lines that went clear across the
Diag," Karunassaid,
Since thee was no pre-registration,
students scrambled around desks each
department had set up, searching fran-
tically for a schedule they could live
with.
But "in the early '70s, people began to
say, 'this system is terrible,' "Karunas
said.
A task force was set up to study the
problem, and a computer science class
Registration by hand
was twice as. bad
it wasn't implemented until 1975. The
terminals were originally set up in Lor-
ch Hall and when it was first used,
"they went cold turkey; there was no
backup," Karunas said.
CRISP worked adequately
during its spring debut, but in the fall of
'I had never seen so many people up so
early at one time.'
-Thomas Karunas
Assistant registar
designed the program which is -
although slightly modified - still in
use.
The system was approved in 1973, but
1975, complications developed. "That's
when they found the real bugs,"
Karunas said.
Since then, Karunas said, CRISP has
Greek system offers
a"
Uinch'
The S(
Why not get ev(
Ulrich s has it a
supplies, prints,
calculators. offi
clocks. Michiga
more. And our r
good as anyon
By PETE WILLIAMS
If you think the fraternity or sorority
life is for you as a University student,
you can expect to have plenty of
company in your pursuit of the Greek
life.
Every year, hoards of mostly fresh-
persons and sophomores flock to the bi-
annual "rush week" with the hopes of
being one of the chosen many that are
asked to join the ranks of the 41 frater-
nities end 17 sororities on campus.
SORORITY RUSH is a very formal
affair. Rushees are required to visit
every house on campus and then wait to
be asked back by members of a given
house several times before receiving "a
bid" for membership.
Fraternities take a much more
casual approach to the event. In-
terested students can visit only the
houses they are interested in, return for
as many nights as they deem
necessary, and then wait for a decision.
But competition for those spots on the
membership lists is becoming more
severe in recent years.
"I think in the '60s amd '70s, people
rebelled against the traditional frater-
nity types," Phi Gamma Delta
President Scott Almarist said. He said
that recently, however, opinions toward
the Greek system have changed and
more people are ready to take advan-
tage of what they have to offer.
Almarst said the number of
people interested in his fraternity has
increased every term for several years.
enow?
improved significantly in terms of hw
efficiently students are processed. °
The computerized system is fat
superior to the old method if
registering students for classes, bu i
exchange for the benefits of the n60W
system, the registrar's office has'*
deal with "all the snafus that go with a
computer," he said. I
For instance, many students have
witnessed the carnage a computer
breakdown leaves, behind: countless
students backed up throughout Lorch
Hall, broken families, world hungg ;
and sliced bread.
According to Karunas, there is realIl
only one way to prevent the breakdown
problem-a redundant backup system.
And the University doesn't have one f
those. "That would be prohibitively -
pensive," Karunas said. "We're real
at the mercy of the system."
But all in all, CRISP has several id-
vantages over the old system. It 1te
students know whether or not they've
been successful in registering for coi-
ses.
In addition, departments are guari-
teed class lists shortly afte
registration closes. The process f
dropping and adding a class is also
much easier, Karunas said.
diversity
Apparently the attraction is the actte
social life fraternities and sororities t-
fer members.
"It is a great way to make friends .
and a great way to meet peopl"
Almarist said.
BUT THESE are more than livajn
party halls. Organizations pride thei-
selves on community service a)yd
academic excellence.
"It offers a lot academically '
Almarist said. "There are alwas
people who have the same classes a
can help each other - and alumni w1
come back and help people who
looking for jobs. Sometimes they h~e
jobs for people." are
Fraternities and sororities are ao
involved in charity drives, benefitt
many organizations from the can qr
society to the Ronald MacDonald hoie
for families of critically ill children.
"I think it is rewarding for student, o
do things for and be involved in t3e
community and the campus," Almart
said. A
Fraternities and soroities also love
competition beyond the race for mere-
bership. The annual Greek Week isa
series of contests between pairs 'Tf
fraternities and sororioties. Events in )e
yearly extravaganza include k
stacking, speed beer chugging and 4ge
ever-popular "Jello Jump" - a mas
dive into a vat of jello for the pursuitf
a set of car keys. The car is the prize fr
effective gelatinous diving.
The image of a four-year-long Aning I
House vacation from studies is o
partially correct. But for the most pa ,
the Greek system on campus seeks
provide exactly what most people a e
looking for in their c lege careers -
academic support, fri ndship and Igos
and lots of beer.
Tke
1
Sr
ou rce.
YE{
'.
Gl1 a'"( T e5
erything in one trip?
LII-books, art
, and frames,
ce supplies, lamps.
n souvenirs, and
prices are at least as
e else's.
We guarantee it.
I
OPEN LABOR DAY Monday, Sept. 3-Noon to 5p.m.
Check out the back page of the Sports Section for the complete
schedule of our Extended Book Rush Hours.
/ ,'