old methods of final examination

It’s that time of the semester when students focus on intense study and face their final examinations.  Professors (and/or TAs) will then spend hours grading the exams and recording final grades.  In the early years of the Institute, final examinations were not evaluated by professors, but by a board of examiners.  The Board of Examiners was composed of several “literary, scientific and practical men” not associated with the Institute.  The examiners were appointed by Stephen Van Rensselaer himself for several years and then by the Board of Trustees.  A public examination of students was held at the close of each session and the results were published in the trustee minutes and a local newspaper.

“It is intended in all cases, and especially when students are candidates for degrees, that the examination shall be extended and critical, and include experiments and illustrations of the subjects, communicated in the form of brief lectures.” [Catalog, 1847]

If you want to judge the rigor of the exam for yourself, click here and scroll down to Appendix II to see an example of the 1836 exam published in the History of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute by Palmer C. Ricketts.

A standard grading system did not exist for many years and the terms used in the evaluation reports changed frequently.  The very first graduates were either “recommended” or “not recommended” without further comment.  In 1828, students were rated in each subject as below medium, medium, good or very good.  Medium was defined by one of the examiners as “compared with students in general who have passed through a similar course of exercises.”  I think we would refer to this as average.  The ratings got a little funky in 1829: not tolerable, barely tolerable, mediocrity, above mediocrity, excellent.  Mediocrity and tolerable were not defined, but I’m guessing mom and dad were not proud of those grades!  The terms below medium, medium and super or above medium were used for several years until 1835 when they got really creative and added a couple of extra-fine ratings: 2nd sub-medium, sub-medium, medium, super medium, 2nd super medium. A numerical scale of 1 (below medium), 2 (medium) or 3 (above medium) was eventually implemented.

The appointed Board of Examiners was invited to sit with the Faculty of Instruction as a co-ordinate Board of Examination in 1854.  This was a transition year after the first class had completed the new three year curriculum.  In 1855, the examinations were held before an “Academic Board” made up of the full faculty.

“The Examinations shall be conducted in a manner to secure a searching scrutiny and impartial judgment of each Student’s knowledge of the subjects studied by him during the session, full records of which shall be kept in a form adapted to permanent preservation.” [Catalog, 1855]

As an archivist, I really appreciate their concern for “permanent preservation.”  We have scholastic records that date back to 1857!

The examinations remained public through 1909, but were “partly written and partly oral,” and took place over a period of eight days.  It is not clear whether the “public” nature of the exam continued to be an evaluation before an Academic Board.  It does appear that from 1910 forward, the examinations were supervised and evaluated by the professor of each class.

Daily records were kept by professors for each class utilizing a 0-4 grading scale.  Incredibly, the daily grades were often calculated to the hundredths of a point!  Students were graded on conduct and effort as well as their recitations and exams.  Professors were required to send weekly grade reports to the Director for his review.

Students received a grade report with either p for passed or d for deficient marked next to each course.  A 3 (75%) was a passing grade.  In subsequent years, marks for n – not examined, nse – not sufficiently examined, and pc – passed conditionally, were added.  This type of report card was in use until about 1930.  If a student was deficient in a course, he had the opportunity to be re-examined during the next term.  He had to pass all the courses in his division to move on to the next level.  All students began at Division C and progressed to Division B, then Division A.  When the course was extended to four years in 1861, they began at Division D.

Old methods or current methods, final examinations have always brought the semester to a close with a week of stress!  Any thoughts about finals in the past?  Leave a comment!

among RPI’s greatest leaders

This weekend the Rensselaer community will celebrate the 10th anniversary of Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson’s tenure as president as well as commemorate the first decade of the Rensselaer Plan and completion of the Renaissance at Rensselaer capital campaign.  Dr. Jackson’s accomplishments are readily apparent and widely publicized.  If you have any affiliation with Rensselaer, you know that she is acclaimed as an effective leader.

I generally avoid superlative attributions.  It’s too subjective – the greatest and the best cannot be boiled down to one individual.  That’s why we often say one of the best or among the greatest.  Though it can be interesting to apply these attributions in a historical context, it’s helpful to keep in mind that often “the times make the man.”  When there is some historical perspective on Dr. Jackson’s tenure, I wonder if she will be considered among the greatest Rensselaer presidents.  Who else is in that league?  Two past presidents immediately come to my mind – Palmer C. Ricketts and Livingston W. Houston.  Both men were alumni of RPI and spent over sixty years of their lives at the Institute.  Now that’s dedication!  A couple of weeks ago Carl Westerdahl and I gave a presentation at a Friends of Folsom luncheon titled Leadership Legends: Rensselaer’s Leaders of the Past. We highlighted the significant accomplishments of seven leaders.  Ricketts and Houston were among them.  I won’t reproduce all of that content here, but I’ll briefly list the accomplishments of these two men below.

Palmer C. Ricketts

• president for 33 years (Director for 10 yrs previous to that)
• 10 academic buildings added to the campus
• 29 dormitory units added making RPI a residential campus
• $1 million gift from M. Olivia Sage in 1906 – this would equal over $54 million in 2008 dollars (using the value of consumer bundle)
• endowment grew from $238,000 to $6.3 million
• endowed professorships in chemistry
• instituted degree programs in electrical, mechanical, chemical, metallurgical, aeronautical, and industrial engineering, as well as architecture and graduate programs
• enrollment increased from 200 to 1900
• faculty increased from 15 to 129 and included internationally known professors

Livingston W. Houston

• president for 14 years (trustee for over 40 yrs)
• enlarged the campus from 93 acres to 220 acres
• acquired 10 buildings including the Field House
• acquired 437 temporary housing units
• Freshmen dormitories and Commons dining hall constructed to accommodate 900 students
• enrollment increased 150% in five years
• faculty doubled in size during Houston’s tenure
• appointed the first Dean of Faculty and Dean of Students
• endowment increased from $10 million to $26 million (there was no capital campaign and no major gifts)
• Rensselaer at Hartford was opened to provide graduate education for working professionals
• Research Division, Co-Op Program and Affiliated College Program were established
• reorganization of the Institute into Schools of Engineering, Science, Architecture, Management and Humanities & Social Sciences
• Lacrosse and Hockey teams won national championships

Our standard restriction period for the records of administrators is 50 years.  This means that the records are closed to the public and only available to the office that created them during that time period.  I think this number translates well to historical perspective too.  Looking back on decisions, events, accomplishments, etc. 50 years after they occurred gives us enough time to put them in context.  Wouldn’t it be cool if this blog post is still around in 2060 when an archivist opens the Jackson Papers?!

photomontage of a campus quad

The area referred to lately as “Science Quad North” (the location of the three tiered platform sometimes referred to as the “wedding cake,” walkways to the library, VCC, Amos Eaton, etc.) is currently being re-landscaped.  If you haven’t been on campus lately, the “wedding cake” is gone. I thought it would be interesting to show the evolution of this area of campus through a quick photomontage.  I’ll let the pictures do the talking!

Mystery Image #19

This is a photo of an athletic team, but I’m not sure which one or when it was taken (1960s?).  I think it may be the tennis team, because I’ve seen the coach in other pictures.  Do you know?  Can you identify the coach or any of the team members?

flu pandemic retrospect

It is not surprising to find that flu pandemics have impacted the RPI community in the past.  In 1918, the Spanish flu hit campus at a most inopportune time.  It was October and 650 students conscripted into the Student Army Training Corp were about to move into temporary barracks on campus.  The flu ripped through the SATC and by the end of October, six men had died of pneumonia.  Nearly 200,000 people in the U.S. died of flu complications during that month.  A quarantine of the troops at RPI was lifted in November as the number of cases declined.  The soldiers were then able to move into barracks set up in the 87 Gym, Student Clubhouse and the new dormitories.  The flu epidemic was followed by an outbreak of diphtheria and at least thirty-five cases were reported.  A total of fourteen students died as a result of these diseases.  Students were quickly immunized with diphtheria antitoxin if they tested negative to immunity. 

During the month of October in 1957, nearly 20% of the student population was suffering from the Asiatic flu.  Many of the affected students were freshmen. The Infirmary was filled to capacity and additional beds were set up in the 15th St. Lounge (now the Playhouse) to house the sick.  The IFC Ball and the RPI-Union football game were canceled, but both events were eventually rescheduled and RPI’s hopes of defeating Union were realized.

The 1968 Hong Kong flu outbreak was not as dramatic as the others, but still significant.  Most of the cases were reported in mid-December — not a good time for a student to be sick!  According to The Polytechnic, thirty-five students were confined at the Infirmary the week prior to December 18, 1968.  Additional beds were set up in the 15th St. Lounge, but were not used.  All academic, athletic and social activities were held as scheduled.

A recent update on the current outbreak of swine flu (H1N1) reports a total of 21 64 cases on campus.  At this time, we can only guess how this event will compare with past flu pandemics and how it will be viewed from the future.

vintage reunion photos

It’s busy here on campus with Reunion & Homecoming in full swing. Here are a few old reunion photographs to mark the occasion. Enjoy!

Class banners parade to the `86 Field during the 1924 commencement. Reunion used to be held the same weekend as commencement.

Alums pose in front of the Old Gymnasium during their reunion in the 1890s.

Alums show allegiance to their home city. New York had a very active alumni chapter.

sports history quiz

Reunion & Homecoming weekend is coming up and sports will be a hot topic with all the excitement surrounding the dedication of the new East Campus Athletic Village.  With this in mind, I’ve prepared a little trivia quiz to engage you in some sports history.  I’ll post the answers on Thursday, October 1st [check the comments].  Most of them can be found in the Rensselaer History section of the Archives web site.

Feel free to post your answers in a comment — I’ll give you a virtual award if they are all correct.  Have fun! 

RPI SPORTS HISTORY QUIZ

1. Which of the following was the most popular sport at RPI before 1950?  (hint: it was the first team sport)

A. hockey

B. football

C. basketball

D. baseball

2. When did intercollegiate sports officially begin at RPI?

A. 1824

B. 1886

C. 1902

D. 1912

3. Which of the following women’s sports was NOT played in 1972?

A. soccer

B. softball

C. basketball

D. field hockey

4. Rensselaer’s first gymnasium is still standing:  TRUE OR FALSE?

5. Which sports have been played on the `86 Field?

A. football

B. baseball

C. lacrosse

D. tennis

E. all of the above

6. Which of the following venues was NOT located in the `87 Gym?

A. rifle range

B. swimming pool

C. running track

D. bowling alley

E. hockey rink

7. Multiple sports venues share this name:

A. Harkness

B. Houston

C. Robison

D. Anderson

8. Which of the following buildings was NOT originally built for athletics?

A. Alumni Sports and Recreation Center

B. 87 Gymnasium

C. Houston Field House

D. A and C

E. all of the above

9. The men’s hockey team won the NCAA championship in which two years?

A. 1953 and 1984

B. 1954 and 1985

C. 1955 and 1984

D. 1954 and 1986

10. What other RPI sport has won a national championship?

A. lacrosse

B. field hockey

C. cross country

D. football

E. tennis

Mystery Image #18

If you’re new to this blog, let me explain what the mystery images are all about.  We have a large photograph collection that contains images of RPI people, subjects and events.  When photographs arrive in the Archives from various sources, we file them into the collection.  This all works great — when the photos are identified!  If the photos are not marked in any way, then it’s up to me or other Archives staff to figure out who, what or when.  If we draw a blank, the photos go into a stack of “unidentified photos” until we get some helpful information. Comments on this blog have helped identify many of these images!

Now let’s get to the next mystery image.  Just a simple shot of a man walking down a hallway.  Do you know who he is?

at the beginning of the Hockey Line

notice the brace poles in this photo

The Hockey Line is a long standing (no pun intended) tradition at RPI.  When and why did it start?  Before 1972, student tickets rotated through sections on the North and West sides during the season so that everyone had a chance to sit in the best seats on the North side.  Brace poles, in place until 1983, obstructed the view from some sections.  In 1972, about 900 seats in sections H and K were sold on a first come, first served basis.  The remaining sections continued to rotate.  Students lined up in the Rathskellar about 12 hours in advance to purchase these tickets.  I suppose you could call this a prequel to the Hockey Line.

A huge controversy ensued the following year, 1973, when several different season ticket plans were proposed and shot down in one way or another.  A proposal was finally approved by the Student Senate and E-board in late October.  The plan included an “unlimited sale of season tickets in the North Grandstand and the elimination of the rotation system.” [see Poly article, left]  This opened up 2100 season seats to students on a first come, first serve basis.  Tickets went on sale at 9 a.m. on October 29th in the Rathskellar.  Students began lining up on October 25th — waiting in line in the Rath during the day and sleeping outside the Union at night.

The line was officially moved to the outside of the Union in 1975 and a sign-up sheet was kept by the GM and PU to ensure that groups were maintaining their place in line.  The line could not technically begin until the Student Senate approved the sale date and guidelines, but that didn’t stop groups from forming the line earlier and earlier each year.  The competition to be the first in line (and thus start the line) was fierce.  An independent group attempted to start the line early one morning in 1976 and were allegedly attacked by some frat brothers who threw eggs and hosed water at them.  Eventually, rules were instituted to govern the formation of the line, registration of groups, ID requirements, temporary shelters, etc.

George Low visited the hockey line during his first semester as president in 1976 and in subsequent years he began the practice of serving breakfast to participants.

Memories? Questions? Reactions? — Leave a comment!!

college bound

Getting students to college usually involves parents with cars packed to capacity.  The cars line up in front of residence halls and multiple trips are made to haul in the accouterments that make a dorm room comfy.  The admissions process and student orientation sessions are in the past; room assignments, meal plans and registration for classes are taken care of.  After the unpacking and final farewells, first year students are launched into Navigating Rensselaer and Beyond programs — some fun stuff before the real work begins.

Flash back about 150 years and the scene was quite different.  The parents said good-bye at the front door or the stage coach stop or the train station.  The students packed a carpet bag and a trunk (or maybe two) with clothing and personal necessities.  They traveled alone and often used several modes of transportation to reach their destination.

Ambrose Powell, class of 1868, traveled from Laurens, NY.  In his diary he noted that he took the stage coach to Cooperstown and stayed over to visit friends.  He then “took the stage for Fort Plain, arrived there at 4 in the afternoon, took the [train] cars from there for Troy at 8:30, arrived in Troy at midnight.”

It took Charles Martin more than a day to travel from Wellsburg, NY to Troy in September 1854.  “I took the cars at Wellsburg at 9 a.m. on Friday…at 4:30 p.m. I took the cars for Gerham 12 miles from Canandaigua and then the stage for Geneva (9 miles) where I arrived at 9:00 p.m.  I here took the Central R.R. for Albany and rode all night sleeping and waking by turns.  I reached Albany at 3 a.m. on Saturday – my trunks went direct to Troy.” [written in a letter to Lucian Bird, Oct. 8, 1954]

When they arrived in Troy, the students had to find their own accommodations at boarding houses around the city.  Arthur Bower, class of 1871, “went and found Mr. Gager that I might get the address of Miss Malinda Gager who I thought might be pleased to assist me in getting me a boarding place, but Mr. Gager very kindly took it upon himself to aid me and found me a place at No. 17 Grand Div. St.  The room is a back room, though of good size and well enough furnished with the exception of a stove which I shall have to get, as I furnish my own fire and light.” [1867 diary]

Their first order of business at the Institute was to be examined for admission.  Candidates were examined in arithmetic, geography, English grammar, and algebra.  If they passed the entrance exams, they could register for classes.  Charles Martin remarked that “there are lots and lots of students compared to the whole number who came here who fail to enter.”  They were allowed some conditions, which in most cases had to be cleared before the end of the term.  Martin was allowed to postpone the algebra exam so that he could review the material.  Arthur Bower failed spelling – “I had passed all right on everything but spelling upon which I was conditioned as was everyone else of whom I know anything about.”  He goes on to remark that the test was unfair and consisted of 150 very difficult words.  Some students continued to retake the spelling exam into their senior year.  Engineering students who couldn’t spell — go figure!