RAMble, the University Libraries' blog

Early in West Chester's history, writing poetry was regularly featured in the yearbook, which often included silly verses such as this one from the first yearbook, the 1910 Pathfinder on page 175, attributed to K.S.:

             The Mascots of '10

There were once some rodents pedantic, 
Who rendered the students quite frantic, 
When they came to the classes, 
The terrified lasses
Were sure that each mouse was gigantic. 

Cried the teacher in accents distracted, 
"Pray cease your gyrations protracted, 
Keep your eyes fixed on me, 
And then you won't see
The pranks by these torments enacted."

"They are seeking the crumbs of true learning, 
That you are continually spurning. 
If you'd work as do these, 
You be just 'the cheese'
And ever keep wisdom's lamp burning." 

The literary publications tended to cover more serious topics. The Moore Literary Society was organized shortly after the Normal School opened in 1871, and its rival the Aryan Society began in 1879. Virtually every student at West Chester was a member of one or the other literary societies. The Moore Literary Society published the Moore Literary Gazette, in which the following poem appears in volume sixteen, issue one, published on February 4, 1888 on page 1. It includes fairly typical themes: nature, death, and religion. 

              The Day Has Fled

Into the West fades the golden sun, 
   Tinting the clouds with a softer red. 
Moonlight,--
                    Starlight,--
                                      Quiet and sleep,--
   Night has come, and day has fled. 

Passing from earth like the golden sun, 
   Treading the path that angels tread, 
Kisses,--
                  Sighs,--
                                    Flowers and tears,--
Death has come and life has fled. 

Into a land where the sun ne'er sets, 
   Entered alone through the gates of the dead. 
Joy,--
                Peace,--
                                   Eternal rest,--
   Life has come, and Death has fled. 

In 1996, nutrition major Rodolfo “Rudy” Tellez spent the day handing out 3,000 bananas on West Chester University’s campus for a school project. Unknowingly, he was starting what is now one of the most beloved WCU traditions. Since then, West Chester University has been hosting “Banana Day” annually. Students gather for free bananas, banana trivia, scavenger hunts, games, and much more. Every year, 1,000 t-shirts are printed with a Banana Day design unique to that year. Students participate in activities not only to have fun, but to score one of these shirts.

April 19^th, is WCU's 21^st annual Banana Day. Don't be surprised to find yourself greeted by someone in a gorilla costume eating a banana!  Banana Day is meant to bring WCU’s community together for a day of fun-filled banana-related activities, so don’t be afraid to participate and enjoy it! 

Blog post written by Katherine Mash, Class of 2019, she is a student worker in FHG’s Special Collections Department and a Communications Major. 

In April 1971, arsonists set several fires on campus, including two in the Francis Harvey Green Library: one in the bibliography room on the first floor and one in the basement, seriously damaging a recently purchased rare book collection. Students were able to extinguish the fire in the bibliography room, but fire fighters were required to control the fire in the basement. The damage was estimated to cost between $8,000 and $11,000. That same week, three fires caused minor damage in Anderson and Recitation Halls and multiple bomb threats were delivered via the college switchboard. The bomb threats continued into 1972, eventually resulting in the arrest of one student.

References

“Bomb threats decrease to three.” Quad Angles Tuesday May 2, 1972: Pg. 5. Digital. Accessed 12 May, 2017.

“Fire destroys rare book collection.” Quad Angles Tuesday 4 May, 1971: Pg. 1. Digital. Accessed 12 May, 2017.

“Little damage caused by fires, bomb threat.” Quad Angles Tuesday 27 April, 1971: Pg. 1. Digital. Accessed 12 May, 2017. 

Francis Harvey Green was born May 19, 1861 to Sharpless and Mary Booth Green in Booth’s Corner, a small town in Bethel Township, Delaware County, PA. In 1911, he married Gertrude Heritage, a graduate of Bryn Mawr College. He attended West Chester Normal School, earning his BA in 1882. After spending time at Amherst College and Harvard University, he earned an MA from Dickinson College in 1893. He began his career in Juniata College’s English Department, and was head of the department from 1884 to 1888.

In 1888, Green joined the English Department at West Chester Normal School, and became head of the department in 1890, a position he held for the next thirty-three years. 

Green edited several books of quotations, and also wrote poetry himself; he once submitted an annual report of the Historical Society in verse. He wrote school songs for West Chester, one of which can be seen to the left. He was a popular lecturer on literature, with engagements all along the Eastern seaboard and in the Midwest, and continued to give lectures up to his death.

He was a devout Christian, and encouraged West Chester students in their Christianity, serving as president of the YMCA for many years. He was also active in local organizations, particularly the Historical Society of Chester County, of which he was president.

Green left West Chester in 1922 and became headmaster of the Pennington Seminary for Boys in Pennington, New Jersey. He was evidently a popular administrator, since in May 1941 a three-day tribute was held in Green’s honor at the Pennington School. In 1943, he retired from Pennington after 21 years of service there. He still had a reputation at West Chester, and in 1947 a building was dedicated to him: the Francis Harvey Green Library.

At the ground-breaking ceremony for a public school named after him in Bethel Township, Green wielded the shovel himself. He didn’t live to see the dedication of the Francis Harvey Green School, however, as he passed away January 31, 1951. He was interred at Siloam Cemetery, in his hometown Booth’s Corner.
 

References

Scrapbook. Francis Harvey Green Collection, Special Collection and Archives, West Chester University.

Serpentine, 1910. West Chester University.

“West Chester Normal School Hymn.” 1919. Series 2, Subseries 2, Folder 7. Francis Harvey Green Collection, Special Collection and Archives, West Chester University.