St. Lawrence University: Sesquicentennial

Sesquicentennial - Fun Facts of Past Weeks

The University is 90 minutes from the embassies of virtually every nation in the world (in the Canadian capital, Ottawa) and two hours from the world’s second largest French-speaking city, Montreal.

St. Lawrence’s art collection numbers over 7,000 pieces and includes works by Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall and Frederic Remington, who was born and is buried in Canton.

St. Lawrence’s University’s Outing Club was the first organized group known to have placed members on all 46 “high peaks”—those recognized as being 4,000 feet in elevation or higher—of the Adirondack Mountains simultaneously. The feat was first accomplished in 1982.

St. Lawrence’s Program in Kenya was the first residential U.S. collegiate program in that nation and is still just one of a few programs recognized by the Kenyan government. Students from colleges all over the United States apply for participation.

In 1869, Tree Holiday (now Moving-Up Day) was initiated by President Richard Fisk, who decreed a spring day off from classes to allow students and faculty to transplant trees for the nearby woods to the virtually barren campus. Many of the trees still stand in the Herring-Cole Grove. In the 20th century the day evolved into an occasion for the recognition of student achievement and a symbolic “moving-up” of students to chapel pews vacated by students a year ahead of them.

Joseph Romoda ’33, chair of the education department and later dean of the college and vice president, was recognized by and President Truman as an important resource on issues about children and youth.

Harry Reiff, professor of government and history for 38 years beginning in 1928, an expert on international law, was one of the shapers of the United Nations and a creator of the Model U.N. program.

Olympia Brown, Theological School Class of 1863, was the first woman to be ordained a minister in America. She was one of a handful of pioneer women’s suffragists who lived long enough to vote for President of the United States, in 1920.

St. Lawrence’s sixth president, John Clarence Lee, was the son of the second president, John Stebbins Lee.

For a few years after World War II, St. Lawrence offered extension courses in Watertown, NY.

Mme. Marie Curie came to campus in 1929 to dedicate Hepburn Hall of Chemistry.

The Young Plan for European reparations after World War I was developed by, and named for, Owen D. Young, Class of 1894.

For many years, St. Lawrence’s official name was The St. Lawrence University.

Until 1899, the College of Letters and Science and the Theological School had separate administrations; thus, that is the year in which St. Lawrence truly became a university.

Jeffery W. Campbell ’33, the first African-American to graduate from St. Lawrence, became a well-known activist for peace, labor and race relations.

The sculpture in front of Hepburn Hall was made by David Gelfman, Class of 1989, from millstones rescued by an alumna from an abandoned farm near Canton.

In 1938, Isadore Demsky (born Issur Danielovitch) was elected student government president at St. Lawrence. In 1939 he graduated and later changed his name to Kirk Douglas.

The composer of the University’s Alma Mater, J. Kimball Gannon ’24, was also the composer of I’ll Be Home for Christmas, one of the most popular holiday songs ever written.

Although Appleton Arena is thought of as “the hockey rink,” the first game played there, on Jan. 6, 1951, was a basketball game against the University of Toronto, which St. Lawrence won, 66-58.

Colleges from all over the country have looked to our First-Year Program as a model; Ernest Boyer, when he was president of the Carnegie Foundation for excellence in Teaching, called it “one of the most well-defined and creative in the country.”

The Avenue of the Elms is a wide, grassy, half-mile-long walkway lined with trees that extends about a half-mile from Hulett-Jencks Hall through the golf course to Route 68 near Appleton Riding Arena, was originally intended to be the main entrance to campus.

There are 26 stained glass windows on campus: one in Herring Cole, four in Richardson Hall and 21 in Gunnison Chapel. In addition to the various liberal arts disciplines, they honor individuals ranging from King Arthur to Mahatma Gandhi to Dag Hammerskjold.

Gunnison Memorial Chapel was built in 1926 on the site of the first gymnasium, which burned under mysterious circumstances just before the chapel was begun; the stained glass windows were added in the 1970s and portray the liberal arts and the history of St. Lawrence.

There are a variety of unusual trees on campus. The American chestnut tree north of Herring-Cole is the oldest of a handful of this rare species in New York State, and reputedly the largest.

Herring-Cole Hall, the library from 1870 until Owen D. Young Library opened in 1959, was built of sandstone native to St. Lawrence County.

Richardson Hall was the first building on campus. Construction began in 1856; as College Hall (it was renamed in 1906, it housed the entire University, including the Theological School, for several years. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Irving Bacheller, Class of 1882, donated the chapel bells (not a full carillon) heard ringing every weekday during the academic year at 5 p.m. He also wrote the first best-selling novel of the 20th century, Eben Holden, which is set in Canton and vicinity.

ODYsseus, the library’s electronic card catalog, is an acronym for Owen D. Young (library), Serve Scholars, and Educate Undergraduate Students.

The St. Lawrence motto is Fides et Veritas, which can translated from the Latin as either loyalty and integrity or, more literally, faith and truth. The St. Lawrence official seal features the motto, which is said to translate to faith and truth.

The Thelomathesian Society, the current student government organization, began in 1863 as a debating club. The name comes from the Greek for love of knowledge and desire to learn.

In 1933, major league baseball’s New York Giants played St. Lawrence on what is now Weeks Field, winning 12-4 - not bad, since the Giants were to win the World Series that year. Why did they come to Canton? One of their star pitchers was Harold “Prince Hal” Schumacher ’33, and the team came for his graduation.

WCAD, established in 1922, was one of the earliest broadcasting radio stations in the country, and one of the first college radio station. The station continues today as KSLU.

Overview of Themes and Plans Art Gallery Fun Facts Planning Committee Schedule of Events Then and Now Timeline This Month in SLU History
Return to Sesquicentennial	Sesquicentennial - Fun Facts of Past Weeks The University is 90 minutes from the embassies of virtually every nation in the world (in the Canadian capital, Ottawa) and two hours from the world’s second largest French-speaking city, Montreal. St. Lawrence’s art collection numbers over 7,000 pieces and includes works by Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall and Frederic Remington, who was born and is buried in Canton. St. Lawrence’s University’s Outing Club was the first organized group known to have placed members on all 46 “high peaks”—those recognized as being 4,000 feet in elevation or higher—of the Adirondack Mountains simultaneously. The feat was first accomplished in 1982. St. Lawrence’s Program in Kenya was the first residential U.S. collegiate program in that nation and is still just one of a few programs recognized by the Kenyan government. Students from colleges all over the United States apply for participation. In 1869, Tree Holiday (now Moving-Up Day) was initiated by President Richard Fisk, who decreed a spring day off from classes to allow students and faculty to transplant trees for the nearby woods to the virtually barren campus. Many of the trees still stand in the Herring-Cole Grove. In the 20th century the day evolved into an occasion for the recognition of student achievement and a symbolic “moving-up” of students to chapel pews vacated by students a year ahead of them. Joseph Romoda ’33, chair of the education department and later dean of the college and vice president, was recognized by and President Truman as an important resource on issues about children and youth. Harry Reiff, professor of government and history for 38 years beginning in 1928, an expert on international law, was one of the shapers of the United Nations and a creator of the Model U.N. program. Olympia Brown, Theological School Class of 1863, was the first woman to be ordained a minister in America. She was one of a handful of pioneer women’s suffragists who lived long enough to vote for President of the United States, in 1920. St. Lawrence’s sixth president, John Clarence Lee, was the son of the second president, John Stebbins Lee. For a few years after World War II, St. Lawrence offered extension courses in Watertown, NY. Mme. Marie Curie came to campus in 1929 to dedicate Hepburn Hall of Chemistry. The Young Plan for European reparations after World War I was developed by, and named for, Owen D. Young, Class of 1894. For many years, St. Lawrence’s official name was The St. Lawrence University. Until 1899, the College of Letters and Science and the Theological School had separate administrations; thus, that is the year in which St. Lawrence truly became a university. Jeffery W. Campbell ’33, the first African-American to graduate from St. Lawrence, became a well-known activist for peace, labor and race relations. The sculpture in front of Hepburn Hall was made by David Gelfman, Class of 1989, from millstones rescued by an alumna from an abandoned farm near Canton. In 1938, Isadore Demsky (born Issur Danielovitch) was elected student government president at St. Lawrence. In 1939 he graduated and later changed his name to Kirk Douglas. The composer of the University’s Alma Mater, J. Kimball Gannon ’24, was also the composer of I’ll Be Home for Christmas, one of the most popular holiday songs ever written. Although Appleton Arena is thought of as “the hockey rink,” the first game played there, on Jan. 6, 1951, was a basketball game against the University of Toronto, which St. Lawrence won, 66-58. Colleges from all over the country have looked to our First-Year Program as a model; Ernest Boyer, when he was president of the Carnegie Foundation for excellence in Teaching, called it “one of the most well-defined and creative in the country.” The Avenue of the Elms is a wide, grassy, half-mile-long walkway lined with trees that extends about a half-mile from Hulett-Jencks Hall through the golf course to Route 68 near Appleton Riding Arena, was originally intended to be the main entrance to campus. There are 26 stained glass windows on campus: one in Herring Cole, four in Richardson Hall and 21 in Gunnison Chapel. In addition to the various liberal arts disciplines, they honor individuals ranging from King Arthur to Mahatma Gandhi to Dag Hammerskjold. Gunnison Memorial Chapel was built in 1926 on the site of the first gymnasium, which burned under mysterious circumstances just before the chapel was begun; the stained glass windows were added in the 1970s and portray the liberal arts and the history of St. Lawrence. There are a variety of unusual trees on campus. The American chestnut tree north of Herring-Cole is the oldest of a handful of this rare species in New York State, and reputedly the largest. Herring-Cole Hall, the library from 1870 until Owen D. Young Library opened in 1959, was built of sandstone native to St. Lawrence County. Richardson Hall was the first building on campus. Construction began in 1856; as College Hall (it was renamed in 1906, it housed the entire University, including the Theological School, for several years. It is on the National Register of Historic Places. Irving Bacheller, Class of 1882, donated the chapel bells (not a full carillon) heard ringing every weekday during the academic year at 5 p.m. He also wrote the first best-selling novel of the 20th century, Eben Holden, which is set in Canton and vicinity. ODYsseus, the library’s electronic card catalog, is an acronym for Owen D. Young (library), Serve Scholars, and Educate Undergraduate Students. The St. Lawrence motto is Fides et Veritas, which can translated from the Latin as either loyalty and integrity or, more literally, faith and truth. The St. Lawrence official seal features the motto, which is said to translate to faith and truth. The Thelomathesian Society, the current student government organization, began in 1863 as a debating club. The name comes from the Greek for love of knowledge and desire to learn. In 1933, major league baseball’s New York Giants played St. Lawrence on what is now Weeks Field, winning 12-4 - not bad, since the Giants were to win the World Series that year. Why did they come to Canton? One of their star pitchers was Harold “Prince Hal” Schumacher ’33, and the team came for his graduation. WCAD, established in 1922, was one of the earliest broadcasting radio stations in the country, and one of the first college radio station. The station continues today as KSLU.
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