modernizing the shop. Later 2,300 volt motors were installed for all the shop drives, and
transformers were used to transform the voltage for the laboratory circuit.
Scarlet Fever.
A scarlet fever epidemic threatened the village as a few cases were reported.
Some Lambda Iota fraternity members were ill, and after the Public Health Officer determined
that they were afflicted with it, their house was quarantined. Although the College did not
close, the officers of the Junior Prom committee decided to postpone the Prom from January 22
until late April.
Spring Ducking Parties.
The time-honored custom of spring baths for freshmen emerged
again in April. Ducking parties were held for violators of the Freshmen Rules. Several
freshmen felt the stinging impact of a paddle, "scientifically applied," and experienced a plunge
into the cooling waters of the Raquette River. One young freshman, surprisingly clad in skirt
and a "cute little pink sweater," marched down Market Street to the Star Theater where he gave
a performance on the stage. He then was escorted to the river where the usual treatment was
applied. That treatment considerably improved the conduct of the underclassmen.
Baseball Season.
The baseball team made a creditable showing on their short spring season of
just one month: May 6 to June 6, losing just one of the five games played. They defeated
Rochester 9-5, SLU at Canton the first time 13-5, the second time at Canton 8-2, and in
Potsdam tying the third game at 0, when the game was called at the end of the 6th inning
because of rain. They lost to St. Michael's at Potsdam 4-0.
Interestingly enough, the expenditures for the team revealed a deficit of $674.60 at the
end of the season. The gate receipts totaled $442.40 for the five games, including the largest
one of $186 for the third SLU game. Expenditures totaled $117, and included $360 for the
coach, $324 guarantees to the teams Clarkson played, and $433 for equipment and sundry
expenses.
The annual freshman-sophomore baseball game played on the morning of May 30 was a
seven-inning affair, with the sophs winning 8-2.
Freshmen Banquet.
The freshmen "pulled off their banquet early Sunday morning, October 2,
at one of the lumber camps of the A. Sherman Lumber Co., about two miles from Hollywood
Inn on the Raquette River south of Potsdam.
Most of the sophs, and a few freshmen, were enjoying a Saturday night dance in the
gym, while the remaining freshmen were leaving town for the banquet which was held at 3:00
a.m. Cars carrying the freshmen drifted out of town one by one from 10 o'clock on. The cars
took them to within one mile of the camp, and from there they crossed the Raquette in
rowboats. A quarter mile from the shore was the camp where the banquet was served.
The sophs got wind of the happening during the evening and set out to break up the
party. By this time, however, over 30 freshmen together with their president and five
upperclassmen had gotten to the camp and were anxiously awaiting the provisions. Then the
sophs arrived at the river and sought rowboats to cross, but found none. They blocked the road
and captured and tied up two car loads of freshmen. Just then, two more cars of freshmen drove
up, saw the plight of their colleagues, and racing through the woods to escape, entered the camp
in plenty of time for the banquet.
