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Archiver > BRETHREN > 1997-11 > 0879022190


From: Alice D. Walker< >
Subject: Re: McPherson College/S Z Sharp
Date: Sat, 8 Nov 1997 15:49:50 -0500


Thanks so much to Jan and Dwight for their responses to my query about
Solomon Zook Sharp. Over the years I have acquired quite a bit of
"official" info about Solomon from the Brethren Encyclopedia; the Portrait
and Biographical Album of Ogle Co., IL; John Sharp's Family History; and
writings of S.Z. Sharp, but I was looking for some good "stories", and that
is what you have provided. Thanks to the BRETHREN listserv and all its
participants for filling in the spirit of the times.

>My grandparents were both students at McPherson back in the early days.
> Both were in the class of 1903. Granddaddy's five sisters were in the
>class of 1890-1896, and Grandma's brothers and sisters also went to school
>there about the same time. We're loaded with old photographs (glass
>negatives, yet!) that we're trying to work with the Kansas Historical Society
>on working into a display. And my other grandmother also went to school
>there, to get her teaching certificate. All of which is probably not much
>help to you.
>
>However, I grew up hearing stories about Mac from my grandparents, my dad and
>my uncles, mostly about pranks. One of my favorites from Granddaddy: the
>original Fahnestock Hall served as dormitory for both girls and boys, each
>having their own wing. My grandfather was part of a group of earnest and
>serious-minded young men who rolled a bar-bell down the hall, knocking open
>the double doors into the girls' dorm area. They were rewarded by seeing the
>girls in their nighties come squealing out into the hall. (A precursor, I
>suppose, of "dorm raids." )
>
>The college wasn't actually IN town then, but was out in the country.
> Students who wanted to go into town had to get permission from the college
>president.
>
>When Grandma Champion was in school there, female students had a class in
>what was called "Grace," which supposedly taught graceful movement. However,
>someone noticed that the "graceful movements" bore a striking resemblance to
>waltz steps, and the teacher was dismissed. (Folk games, i.e., square
>dancing, were permitted when I was a student in the late 50's, but actual
>"ballroom" dancing wasn't allowed on campus till 1959 or 1960.)
>
>I believe S Z Sharp was also instrumental in the beginnings of my husband's
>hometown, Fruita, Colorado. (Alas, I've loaned my copy of the history of the
>Colorado COB's out to a friend.) And I believe he also has a paragraph or
>two of his own in Craik's History of the Kansas churches.
>
>The last time I was in the college bookstore I believe they had an
>inexpensive paperback book available that was primarily photographs of
>McPherson College in its very early days. I think it cost about $7.00, and I
>got a copy of it for my dad, who recognized several of his aunts and uncles
>as students in old photos. I don't recall what they had in the way of
>pictures of faculty; doubtless they were included.
>
>I'm not sure what kind of memorabilia you're looking for--there's lots of
>stuff around.
>Good luck. Jan T

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