Mermaid

The cupola of West College, with a man standing inside next to the bell, around 1895.  The mermaid is visible on the top of the cupola.

View of a group of students in the Old West cupola and a bicycle that was attached to the mermaid. The bike was put there as a prank by freshman members of Alpha Chi Rho during the 1914-15 school year. According to a letter by Frank Masland, class of 1918 and one of the participants, the stolen bike belonged to Chaplain Springer. The operation took place in the middle of the night, and the four students made a human ladder by climbing on each others shoulders in order to reach the top of the cupola and hoist the bike up. The college had to hire steeple jacks to take the bike down, after which the boys promptly stole it again.

View of a group of students in the Old West cupola and a bicycle that was attached to the mermaid.

The bike was put there as a prank by freshman members of Alpha Chi Rho during the 1914-15 school year. According to a letter by Frank Masland, class of 1918 and one of the participants, the stolen bike belonged to Chaplain Springer. The operation took place in the middle of the night, and the four students made a human ladder by climbing on each others shoulders in order to reach the top of the cupola and hoist the bike up. The college had to hire steeple jacks to take the bike down, after which the boys promptly stolen again.

Photograph of a bicycle that was attached to the mermaid on top of Old West.

The bike was put there as a prank by freshman members of Alpha Chi Rho during the 1914-15 school year. According to a letter by Frank Masland, class of 1918 and one of the participants, the stolen bike belonged to Chaplain Springer. The operation took place in the middle of the night, and the four students made a human ladder by climbing on each others shoulders in order to reach the top of the cupola and hoist the bike up. The college had to hire steeple jacks to take the bike down, after which the boys promptly stole it again.

Photograph of students on the Old West cupola when a bicycle was attached to the mermaid. The bike was put there as a prank by freshman members of Alpha Chi Rho during the 1914-15 school year. According to a letter by Frank Masland, class of 1918 and one of the participants, the stolen bike belonged to Chaplain Springer. The operation took place in the middle of the night, and the four students made a human ladder by climbing on each others shoulders in order to reach the top of the cupola and hoist the bike up. The college had to hire steeple jacks to take the bike down, after which the boys promptly stole it again.

View of a group of students and trustee Frank Masland (class of 1918) with the Mermaid around 1950.

Standing, left to right: Richard Murray (class of 1951) ; Frank Masland (class of 1918) ; William VanZandt (class of 1951)

Kneeling, left to right: William Euler (class of 1953) ; Moorad Mooradian (class of 1951)

View as President William Edel (Class of 1915) holds the Mermaid and the Little Brown Bucket at the Homecoming football game against Gettysburg College at Biddle field in November 1950.

Students return the mermaid to President William Edel during the Homecoming football game in fall 1950.

President William W. Edel holds the Mermaid after Phi Kappa Psi brothers surrender it during Homecoming weekend in fall 1950.

A student talks to President Howard Rubendall in the Holland Union Building about returning the stolen mermaid during Homecoming weekend in November 1969.

Students return the stolen mermaid to President Rubendall at Homecoming in November 1969.

View as President Howard Rubendall (Class of 1931) holds the Mermaid around 1970.

President Howard L. Rubendall holds a replica of the mermaid, crafted in the late 1960s, on a stage on Biddle field around 1970.

A student returns the mermaid (a replica, which was crafted in the late 1960s, after the original was placed in the college archives) to President Banks at the Homecoming football game on October 4, 1975.

Nine students pose in a dorm hallway with a homemade Dickinson Mermaid.

View of the Old West cupola around 1985.