I recently found out that the Denison library archives has digital copies of every Denisonian issue since 1875. Naturally, I spent way too much time looking through them. I decided to put together a compilation of Denison’s racist, sexist, interesting, and just plain weird history. Obviously, since the archives have every issue since 1875, this is an indefinite compilation.
“Expenses” 1875
Let’s start off with one of the oldest issues I could find. Here we can see the cost of attendance for 1875. $10.50 for a semester of tuition and $3.00 for housing. It’s hard to imagine that you could afford a year of college for what is today the price of a decent meal. To put it into perspective, since 1875 Denison has experienced roughly a 214,185 percent increase in the cost of attendance.
“Cigarette Smoking Proves Dangerous” 1935
Don’t be fooled by the title, it’s 1935, people don’t know why cigarettes are dangerous yet. Instead, this is an article that claims cigarettes are dangerous because of an unextinguished cigarette butt that caused a fire in the Sigma Alpha Epsilon house.
“FBI Men Find Utter” 1942
Remember the time a Denison professor was arrested by the FBI for alleged charges of treason and sabotage to valuable war material? I bet Denison students in 1942 remember this. This headline intrigued me because I imagined the FBI finding udders, as in cow udders. Apparently Dr. Utter was, for a long time, the head of the Wingless Angels. It is also believed that “he stole the large role of black tape that has been missing so long from the office of W. J. Livingston.”
“Action Reviewed in Fairless Controversy” 1948
While the headline of this article has little excitement it’s actually quite an odd story. Apparently, Dave Fairless, the Social Chairman of DCGA, wrote a controversial letter exposing the inconsistencies of the Dean of Women’s office and the Calendar Committee. In the same letter Fairless announces his resignation as Social Chairman. When brought to senate, the group voted AGAINST his resignation. Senate voted NOT TO ACKNOWLEDGE his resignation, so Fairless remained the Social Chairman.
“Change Influences Village Overnights” 1955
Did you know women at Denison used to have curfews? “In order to maintain the privilege of Granville overnights, women students must now return to Granville by 2:30 am and sign in at the approved home by this time.
“Look, I’m not a dogcatcher. My son lives in Curtis West.” 1961
I…. don’t know what to say about this one. It must be some kind of absurd inside joke that enough people understood for it to be in the paper. Please, if you know what this means, let me know.
“Doane kills dorm kegs” 1982
This is an article that highlights the school’s new policies after Ohio raised the legal drinking age, making it illegal for most freshmen and sophomores to drink. The most eyebrow raising part of this article is the opening sentence, “Denison, your image as a party school may soon be a thing of the past.”
“Kappa Sig’s Midnight Session Results In Capture of Burglar” 1948
I actually enjoyed the dramatic descriptions at the beginning of this article (especially since I lived in the Kappa Sig house my first year.) However, unfortunately, the article got really racist, really fast. It’s ridiculous that this was acceptable, even in 1948.
“Students Consider Crucial Subject Of Supervised Dances At Denison” 1962
“I approve of properly chaperoned All-Denison dances.” “I am sure it will make for a more wholesome, congenial atmosphere at Denison.” I often see Denison compared to a high school, but at least we don’t have “supervised dances.”
“Girls Date for Fun According to Poll” 1946
WHAT?! Girls date…. For fun?!?! This is BREAKING NEWS.
Seriously. What other answer were you expecting from college aged girls? Especially when an alternate option is “looking towards marriage.”
“Activities” 1950
Okay, this one isn’t from the Denisonian. It’s from the yearbook, which also has digital copies available for viewing.
This one is complicated. While Denison doesn’t necessarily condone the image, that is hard to tell. I also wouldn’t put it past a white kid at a private school in 1950 to be racist. I mean after all, it is the first page in the “Activities” section. The description also lacks negative details and even says the Wingless Angels “purpose is to right the wrongs of Denison.” Paired with that image can certainly send mixed signals. Denison, however, does provide a reward for the capture of a Wingless Angel. “One semester of A’s to anyone providing information.”
