Throwback Thursday: May Court

Today we're exploring another extinct Seton Hill tradition: the May Court and the May Day celebrations, generally. Once upon a time, May Day was the biggest "student event" of the Seton Hill year and was officially devoted to the celebration of the Virgin Mary.

These two photos are from May Day 1925. We see the "May Court" with the heralds trumpeting their arrival. You can see that a couple of the girls behind the trumpeters are carrying elaborate baskets, while others have bouquets or armloads of blossoms. In the second photo, we get to see a May Pole; while May Day celebrations have died off in the United States over the decades, many of us probably got to participate in one of these as children. 

King and Queen of May: Grace Boslett, '33, and Barbara Yahner, 32

This shot is dated 1932, and here we get to see a few curious trends emerging. First, the "King and Queen of May" are now wearing renaissance costumes instead of the (mostly) contemporary clothing of seven years earlier. Second, yes, the King is named Barbara. 

The May Court was chosen in a similar fashion to modern-day Homecoming courts-- by vote-- and the May King was a separate voting category from May Queen. So Barbara and any runners-up for May King were nominated for the May King role. 

Mary Gertrude Jones, May Day 1934

You may recognize the location of this 1934 photo. Part of the May Day festivities were a parade to the front lawn (in front of what is now the Administration building). In the background behind the dancer, you can see girls sitting around on the grass, while the court is seated upon a raised dais. 

This 1936 May Court features a mixture of 30's and Renaissance clothing. Here, again, we have a female May King, and here, again, the King is taller than the Queen. The rest of the court, other than the heralds, are wearing dresses. 

This unnamed student was May Queen in 1937.

And here we have a student crowning Mary with flowers in the Grotto in 1947. 

May Day celebrations at Seton Hill, as in much of the rest of the country, began to fade out shortly after World War II. May 1st is also known as International Workers' Day, which was widely observed in communist countries, making it more problematic for many Americans during the Cold War. 

For more information about the history of May Day, you can find more on History.com.

Throwback Thursday: Lantern Chain

Today for Throwback Thursday, we're exploring another old SHC tradition. Once upon a time, the College had a "big sisters" and "little sisters" mentoring program, similar to many sororities today. Junior girls would be paired with first-year students to help them adjust to college life.

Though these photos in the old Sullivan Gym may look like a creepy cult's religious ritual, they are actually from what was called the Lantern Chain ceremony. The Senior "big sisters" would pass the lanterns to their Sophomore "little sisters." This symbolized that the little sisters were assuming the role of big sisterhood and would be becoming the mentors the following year.

This set of photos originally appeared in the 1954 Chevron publication. Thanks, as always, to Bill Black in the SHU Archives for the pictures and the stories!

Throwback Thursday: Peace Tree

Twenty-nine years ago today... (caption transcribed below image)

A dove tree, symbolizing peace, was planted outside Reeves Library by Sister Noel on November 9, to mark the first anniversary of the Holocaust Institute and to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of Kristallnacht, a night of Nazi terror in 1938 that foreshadowed Hitler's Final Solution. Looking on (l to r) are Sister Mary Ann Winters, Major Superior, Sisters of Charity, Seton Hill College President JoAnne Boyle, and Rhonda Morgan, president of the Seton Hill Student Government Association. 

Throwback Thursday: Practice babies

We had an inquiry a few weeks ago about a former "practice baby" in the Home Economics program. While high school students today often get to spend a weekend taking care of an "infant simulator" that cries and demands attention, Seton Hill students of the past had the opportunity to care for real children.

Babies from an orphanage would be "lent" to the college for a period of time to be taken care of in the "practice house" (present-day crime scene house) by several college students under the supervision of the faculty.

The babies would then return to the orphanage and would go on to be adopted in the usual way.

While this practice would likely be considered detrimental today due to the large number of caregivers, "scientifically-cared for" babies were apparently in some demand by adoptive families. 

Throwback Thursday: Art in Canevin

We almost forgot this week's TBT! We don't always put them here on the blog, so make sure you're following us on Facebook or Twitter to get the weekly posts.

Here's a shot labeled "Art 1950's-60's-Canevin Basement Hall."

Remember, now, no smoking in the studios. That's what "the smoker" is for. 

Throwback Thursday: Adult Degree Programs

Our social media presence is pretty quiet in the summer, and campus life certainly has a more relaxed pace during June and July. But that doesn't mean that our beautiful Hill is deserted! The graduate and evening/weekend classes take place all year around.

This 1968 billboard advertised the "Evening Degree Programs," later the "Adult Degree Programs" or "Accelerated Degree Programs."

Throwback Thursday: Eurythmics

We've reviewed the history of plenty of athletic pursuits in various Throwback Thursday features: archery, baseball, basketball, bowling, equestrian sports, martial arts, and outdoor winter activities. We even looked at the evolution of the Seton Hill mascot.

Today we will introduce many of you to a lesser-known form of exercise called eurythmics/eurhythmics. If you think of "Eurythmics" at all, you may think of the '80s music duo best known for "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)."

Though it's a physical activity, eurythmics was actually developed as a form of musical education in about 1905 (Encyclopedia Britannica). Its creator, Émile Jaques-Dalcroze, didn't think of eurythmics as dance, but it did go on to influence that field.

If the Britannica article and the date on this photo, entitled "eurythmics 1910's outdoors," are to be believed, Seton Hill must have been a trailblazing eurythmics program.

This photo in the old Sullivan Gym is dated 1930 and shows quite a crowd looking on!

To watch video clips of modern Eurythmics being used in the fields of music and dance, you can search YouTube for "dalcroze." 

Throwback Thursday: Lowe Hall

You may have noticed that Lowe Hall is undergoing renovations.

It seems like a fitting time to look back at the history-- and unusual naming!-- of the building. (As usual, transcribed text appears under the clipping images.)

"Looking Back to the Building of Lowe Hall"

It began with a ceremony! But then, Seton Hill, from initiation to commencement, begins and ends ends [sic.] everything ceremoniously. Well "Breaking the Soil" was the first step toward the erection of the new building. It was an impressive rite, typifying progress, hinting of the past great achievements and suggesting future victories.

Then the Steam Shovel arrived. How it dug into the mass of earth, and stone, tearing away the hillside. For days we watched it, at first, fascinated, then fearful, lest the tennis court disappear in a landslide. Then the materials began to arrive. Trucks and wagons, daily traversed the road with their weights of brick and sand and pipes and stone. What noise and hammering and tearing and the building was wel [sic.] underway-

Thus the summer months flew by and the girls were once more back on the Hilltop. The building was yet unfinished. 

More pipes, more brick, more supplies. One morning, looking out of the windows, we beheld a car load of bath tubs, which, on account of the rain, were filled with water. You can talk as you please about schools with private roms [sic.] and baths but could you find a number of them so conveniently place [sic.] as under your very window!

Report said, "By Easter, the rooms will be ready." But they weren't. The hammering went on, the noise went on, the constructing went on. We loved it. Everything was so excited and disturbed and extraordinary that our school year was quite an exception to the regular routine. 

September came into its own again and with it the new building! Seton Hill had settled down to quiet and peace. Outside of sometimes hearing a little noise and knocking in Lowe Hall, the construction at the present day is modern, cosy and complete.

F. Little, '24.

Most people who have a passing familiarity with the the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill are aware that Lowe Hall was named for Mother Aloysia Lowe, but most are probably not aware of how it got the name. We have the small but intrepid Class of 1920 to thank for that:

Lowe Hall, so named in honor of Mother Aloysia, was the first of the college residence halls. Ground was blessed and broken for it March 25, 1919, at a ceremony presided over by Father Sullivan, and participated in by the faculty and students. The hall contains more than seventy single rooms. The dining room, attached to Lowe Hall, a fine example of Lombard Gothic architecture, has a seating capacity of five hundred. It was first used by the former pupils of Seton Hill Schools at the annual alumnae banquet, June 17, 1920. In it the Sisters assembled July 19, 1920, to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of their foundation in the Pittsburgh Diocese. A tablet over the fireplace in the dining room, in Old English lettering, pays tribute to Mother Aloysia:

Remember, Good Friends,

Aloysia Lowe

Who as first Mother of her companion

Sisters of Charity in this place

Labored with them in all Meekness,

and with patient striving: who founded

this School of Christian Learning

which still betokens the Worthiness of

her ensemble to her kindred in Faith

& in Honor of whose deeds this

Building is now called

Lowe Hall

In the year 1920 upon the Fiftieth

Anniversary of her First Beginning the

Pennsylvania Mission in the year 1870

--May she and her companions Rest in

Peace & may they Pray for Us.

Hazard--yet forward

MDCCCCXX

For the naming of Lowe Hall the credit, if not the honor, should go to the Class of 1920, Seton Hill College. the three members of this class, the first Liberal Arts graduates of the college, had expected to be the first residents of the new building. Construction operations having been delayed as a result of the war, the girls had been given a half-promise that, since they were obliged to forego the honor of residing in the hall, they should have the privilege of naming it. The privilege, for some reason, was withheld from month to month. The girls clamored for permission to announce the name in The Estonian. The May number, the last before Commencement, was ready for publication and still no permission was forthcoming from the Community authorities.

The students and most of the Sisters felt that this first distinctively college building should be named for Mother Aloysia, the originator of Seton Hill's educational activities. Many members of the Community, however, believed that Mother Aloysia's name should be reserved for a Community building.

The Duquesne Construction Company, the builders, had paid for a full-page advertisement on the back page of The Estonian, which displayed a cut of the hall with the caption, The New Residence Building  Seton Hill College, and the name of the builders in inch-high letters. With the approval of the staff adviser, the girls simply pushed the caption down, inserted the name LOWE HALL in conspicuous type, and sent the paper to the printer without more ado. They then acknowledged their temerity to the horrified Dean, who predicted all kinds of dire consequences.

Half triumphant and half apprehensive the class confided their dilemma to Father Sullivan. With his inscrutable smile he remarked, 'All right; now we'll clinch it.' He immediately set about preparing the inscription for the dining room. Soon everyone began to be delighted with the name. In a short time it became generally assumed that the name originated with the building itself. 

Here is the infamous ad itself:

And here is a snap of a Lowe dorm room in the 1920's:

As always, many thanks to Bill Black in the Seton Hill Archives for the photos, documents, and stories!

Throwback Thursday: PA program

This one's only from fifteen years ago!

Clipping from The Daily Courier, Tuesday, April 16, 2002:

Text: 

Cancer screening

The Wesley Health Center of Connellsville hosted students from physician assistants program at Seton Hill College. The student (sic) conducted free breast health screenings for patients at Wesley Health Center. The program is funded by the Komen Foundation/Race for the Cure, Pittsburgh. Students (from left) Karina Gonzalez, Ruby Garva and Wendy Smith talk with patient Burtha Hughes (left) of Point Marion, (sic) about clinical and self-breast (sic) exams. Any patients in need and at risk of breast cancer were referred to the Mammogram Voucher Program (MVP) and the Family Health Council for follow-up screening. 

Throwback Thursday: Student Teachers

How are all of our student teachers holding up? Hopefully the classroom is everything you’ve hoped and dreamed!

The education program has long been a hallmark of Seton Hill. Today we’re sharing a couple of pictures of student teachers from years past.

Seton Hill student teachers, 1930’s:

And more student teachers, these ones from the 1950s:

Heading out to change the world!

We don’t know the identities of any of these students, so, as always, if you recognize someone, please let us know. Many thanks to Bill Black in the SHU Archives for the photos.

Throwback Thursday: Ready, Aim...

It’s probably no surprise that archery has had a place at Seton Hill over the years. What may surprise you is that sometimes it was an indoor sport.

As you could probably guess from the bowling balls in the foreground, these young ladies were practicing their target skills indoors. This shot was taken in 1953 at the bowling alley in Sullivan (for more information about that, check out a previous TBT post: http://shulibrary.blogspot.com/2017/02/throwback-thursday-indoor-recreation.html).

And here are four other aspiring archers a few years later (1961) in a more typical milieu:

Lois Mattel, Gidget Mahon, Ilona Hains and Anne Clement

Thanks to Bill Black in the SHU Archives for the photos and background info!

Throwback Thursday: Equestrian Sports

Equestrian sports have a long tradition at Seton Hill, though horseback riding used to also take place on a more informal basis. Many girls came from well-to-do families, and keeping a horse for recreational riding was common.

Here are some young ladies enjoying the fresh air on horseback in the 1930s:

Thirty years later (1962), we see a few more students hanging out with some equine company.

That’s a pretty tall horse!

Good luck to the ladies of the equestrian team! Give your hooved pals a carrot and a pat for me.

Students’ names were not noted in the Archives’ files. As always, if you recognize anyone, please let us know.

Throwback Thursday: A Century of Basketball

To celebrate March Madness, today’s Throwback Thursday takes a look at the Seton Hill basketball teams over the decades.

The school’s athletic teams weren’t always known as the Griffins; here’s a shot of the 1915 Alerts:

I’m wondering how our women’s basketball team would like to take to the court in those outfits today. They look a little… warm.

By 1960, the range of motion in the uniforms seems to have improved significantly, and we can see the old Sullivan gym in use:

The ‘89 team posed in street clothes.

And by 1998, things are looking much more familiar-- though we still didn’t have McKenna yet!

Good luck to you and your brackets.

Coaches’ and players’ names were not noted in the Archives’ files; if you recognize anyone, let us know!

Throwback Thursday: Spring Training

While the Major League Baseball teams may not have reported for Spring Training just yet, our Griffin baseball team is hard at work (good luck, guys!).

Most people probably assume that Seton Hill didn’t field a male baseball team until the university became coed in 2002. Actually, baseball on the Hill goes back a bit farther than that.

In 1889, St. Mary’s School for Boys was moved from Saint Mary’s Convent in Blairsville to Seton Hill, into the old Stokes Mansion. From 1908-1914, the boys were housed in the brand-new Maura Hall.

Here’s the 1911 St. Mary’s baseball team.

Looking fierce, lads.

The St. Mary’s School for Boys was discontinued in 1927, and St. Mary Hall became home to the Home Ec program.

Thanks to Bill Black in the Archives for the photos! More information about Saint Mary’s School can be found at https://www.setonhill.edu/who-we-are/identity-traditions/our-history/.

Throwback Thursday: Indoor Recreation-- Bowling

Last week we looked at how students have enjoyed the outdoors in the winter months, but sometimes you just don’t want to venture outside. On those cold, rainy, or otherwise blah days, SHC students could head to the Sullivan bowling lanes if they felt like staying active.

This shot appeared in the Setonian and shows students bowling in 1940.

Three more girls continuing the tradition in the 1950’s.

This clipping from a 1962 Setonian shows the “duck pins” at the end of the lane and also gives us a peek at how pins used to be cleared away and reset back before there were magical electronic “arms” to do it for us!

Thanks, as always, to the Seton Hill Archives for the snaps and stories.

Throwback Thursday: Winter fun on the Hill

Seton Hill students have always taken advantage of prime opportunities to participate in winter sports. While these days you might be more likely to buy some Seven Springs vouchers and head up to the mountains, SHC students in years past kept their winter activities closer to home.

These girls went tobogganing in 1940:

The pond that used to be at the bottom of the front hill was a great spot for ice skating when the weather got and stayed cold enough (1958):

And, perhaps most fun of all, there used to be an actual rope-tow ski lift on the front hill! (This shot’s from about 1963.)

Some still preferred tobogganing, however (1963 again).

And here’s a shot from the 1985 Forward:

All in favor of bringing back the ski lift…?

Throwback Thursday: Christmas Past (on the Hill)

Happy December, and happy Throwback Thursday!

Christmas on the Hill has been a beloved Seton Hill tradition for decades, but like many SHU traditions, it’s undergone a few changes over the years. Here’s a look back at some Christmases on the Hill from years gone by, courtesy of the Archives.

Christmas on the Hill dinner, 1938 (the decorations weren’t quite as all-out as we’re used to these days)

Christmas on the Hill, 1955 (interesting Joseph going on there)

This one’s undated and the women are unnamed, but the holiday spirit shines through.

This one is also undated, and the Santa might just give me nightmares. The kids were in the “practice house” that used to be used by the home economics programs.

Here are three photos from 1992:

And, finally, we’ll leave you with an undated photo of Sister Mary Janet Ryan.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all, good luck on finals!