Dickinson Firsts

    Entries drawn from the college history timeline

Sat., Nov. 14, 1885

Led by Player-Coach-Captain Willard G. Lake in their program debut, the Red Devils fall to Swarthmore at home by a score of 34-6.

Event Type: Athletic Events, Dickinson Firsts
Sat., Sep. 26, 1896

For the first time in program history the Red Devil football team had a full-time coach in Dr. Nathan P. Stauffer. Unfortunately for Stauffer, his era did not start off pleasantly as Dickinson fell to the Carlisle Indian School at home by a wide-margin, 28-6.

Event Type: Athletic Events, Dickinson Firsts
Thu., Nov. 1, 1906

After a compelling argument in the Dickinsonian published on October 31, 1906, in favor of created a drama club on campus, a meeting was called for the next day. It was held by Mrs. Lucretia McAnney of the College Faculty and, because of the huge turnout, she was able to order the...

Event Type: Dickinson Firsts, Student Social Life
Wed., Dec. 9, 1914

Robert Emmet MacAlarney (class of  1893) becomes city editor of New York Tribune

Event Type: Dickinson Firsts
Fri., Apr, 6, 1917

Training of students began on campus. Students of the senior class started to prepare for officers examinations under the watchful eye of Lt. Rippey T. Shearer (Class of 1914) and Hays McLaughlin of Company G, the local National Guard unit.

Event Type: Dickinson Firsts, Protest and Conflict, U.S. and World Events
Thu., Oct, 4, 1917

Mandatory military drill begins for students at the start of the 1917-18 school year. Counting as a gym credit, students must drill with instructor, Mr. Robert W. Irving, at least twice a week.

Event Type: Dickinson Firsts, U.S. and World Events
Sat., Jan. 14, 1928

Professor Leon C. Prince became the first Carlisle man to have his speech at the American Legion banquet broadcasted from the WMBS Harrisburg station.

Event Type: Dickinson Firsts, Lectures and Symposia
Mon., Sep. 15, 1930

The faculty and College YMCA led what they claimed to be Dickinson's first-ever Freshman Week program beginning Monday, September 15th, one week before the start of term.  Over the course of the week, students learned the Dewey decimal system, were given physical and psychological examinations,...

Event Type: Dickinson Firsts, Student Social Life
Thu., May 7, 1931

A radio set recently built by students J. Howard Blair, Edward Minnich, and Charles Fagan was on exhibition in the physics lab.  Licensed as station W3YC, it was Dickinson's first transmitting radio.

Event Type: Dickinson Firsts
Tue., May 19, 1931

The German Club’s first annual dinner at the Cold Springs Inn featured German music, dancing, and a banquet. Special guest Dr. Wilbur K. Thomas, secretary of the Carl Schurz Memorial Foundation, spoke about this foundation and its goal of facilitating a better understanding between Germans and...

Event Type: Dickinson Firsts
Thu., Jan. 14, 1932

An International Relations Club held its first meeting on January 14, 1932.  The purpose of the club was to study world politics, the League of Nations, and other problems of international scope.  The Carnegie Foundation helped create the club.

Event Type: Dickinson Firsts, Student Social Life, U.S. and World Events
Wed., Feb. 24, 1932

An Inter-Religious Harmony Seminar was held on the Dickinson campus on February 24, 1932.  Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish representatives discussed their differences in a round-table discussion.  According to The Dickinsonian, Dickinson was the first Pennsylvania college to hold such...

Event Type: Dickinson Firsts, Lectures and Symposia
Tue., May 17, 1932

Alpha Sigma Gamma, an honorary journalistic fraternity, was formally created at a meeting held on May 17th.  The new fraternity, which planned to remain a solely Dickinson institution, aimed to further the interests of the three campus publications (The Dickinsonian, the Microcosm...

Event Type: Dickinson Firsts, Publications
Sun., May 13, 1934

For the first time in Dickinson's history, the campus celebrated Mother's Day. Between 350 and 400 students and their parents participated in the celebrations. Rev. W. Emory Hartman delivered a special Mother's day sermon titled, "A Mother's Gift to her Children" in Allison Memorial Church....

Event Type: Dickinson Firsts
Tue., Oct. 15, 1940

A flight training course sponsored by the Civil Aeronautics Authority began operation on Tuesday, October 15, 1940.  Twenty student applicants were accepted into the course, including two female students.

Event Type: Dickinson Firsts
Wed., Oct. 22, 1941

On October 22, 1941, it was announced that the men's glee club and women's choral society would combine into one all-college choir for the year under the direction of Mrs. L. M. Kraper, director of the Allison Methodist Church choir.  The decision to unite was made after several discussions...

Event Type: Dickinson Firsts
Sun., Dec. 14, 1941

Carlisle and the College underwent an air raid drill on December 18, 1941.  The College fire protection service sent members to protect campus buildings.

Event Type: Community Events, Dickinson Firsts
Fri., Sep. 15, 1950

Dickinson reached its largest freshman class in 1950. The freshman class of 1954 had a record number of 260 students. Among the 260 students in the freshman class, were 71 women. In addition to the record number of students coming at the freshman level, 18 new students were admitted above the...

Event Type: Dickinson Firsts
Fri., Sep. 15, 1950

An alumnus along with his sister gifted a carillon to Dickinson College in memory of their parents. Dr. Daniel F Graham, class of 1916, and his sister gifted the carillon to the College. The carillon was placed in a tower of the Student Activities Building. It was a part of the college’s Ten-...

Event Type: Dickinson Firsts
Thu., Nov. 13, 1958

The Student Senate Elections Committee used voting machines, which were on loan from the Borough of Carlisle, for the first time in the class elections held in South College on November 13. The Dickinsonian reported that Elections Committee chair Carolyn Gourley (Class of 1959)...

Event Type: Dickinson Firsts, Student Social Life
Wed., Oct. 14, 1959

President Gilbert Malcolm, who had served in World War I as a private in the US Army, became the first individual appointed as honorary Cadet Colonel in Dickinson College's Corps of Cadets (Reserve Officer's Training Crops) during a ceremony on Biddle Field. Major General William P. Ennis, the...

Event Type: Dickinson Firsts
Sep. 1961

Judith Rogers (Class of 1965) and her roommate Maureen Newton (Class of 1965) moved into Metzger Hall in the Fall of 1961. 

Event Type: Dickinson Firsts, Policy Changes
Sun., Nov. 18, 1962

Dickinson's first radio station, WDCV started broadcasting on Nov. 18. 1962 at 8pm. The radio began by playing on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights from 8-12. Student staff members who worked on WDCV were Howie Spencer, Bill Mengel, Linn Meyers, and Jim Sharf.

Event Type: Dickinson Firsts
Tue., Oct. 7, 1969

The Department of Music presented the first Noonday Concert of 1969, featuring works-in-progress by  students and performances by faculty. The student compositions featured in this program were "Song" by Juliann Davidson and "Counterpoint for Voices" composed by Davidson, Jim Drake, and Stephen...

Event Type: Dickinson Firsts, Performances, Films, and Exhibits
Sat., Nov. 8, 1969

The first athletes were inducted into the Red Devils Hall of fame at the 1969 Homecoming football came.

Event Type: Dickinson Firsts

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