Patrick M. Murphy
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CENTENNIAL HISTORIES SERIES Patrick M. Murphy L/ "^ tim^f tU.i>^||t^jj,jg»;^^B»^-j.8^gj^Jaa>j,wiPJ^^ li OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY Centennial Histories Series Committee W. David Baird Murl Rogers LeRoy H. Fischer J. L. Sanderson B. Curtis Hamm Warren Shull Harry Heath Milton Usry Beulah Hirschlein Odell Walker Vernon Parcher Eric I. Williams Robert B. Kannm, Director Carolyn Hanneman, Editor Carol Hiner, Associate Editor CENTENNIA1 1890 0990 A History of Oklahoma State University Student Life and Services by Patrick M. Murphy, Ed.D. 4]) lD0tJ?, ^^^^^ .-^ ^^^^ - OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY / Stillwater Published by Oklahoma State University Centennial Histories Series, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078 Copyright © 1988 by Board of Regents for Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges. All rights reserved. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Murphy, Patrick M. A history of Oklahoma State University student life and services. (Centennial histories series) Bibliography: p. Includes index. 1. Oklahoma State University—Students—History. 2. Oklahoma State University—History. I. Title. II. Series. LD4297.M87 1988 378.766'34 88-25283 ISBN 0-914956-34-5 Contents Foreword vii Preface ix 1 Foundations from Other Times and Places 3 ^ 2 Students in the Evening of the Nineteenth Century 21 3 Kindness Wins More With Students Than Severity 57 ^ 4 Services and Deans for the Students 91 ^ 5 A Pragmatic Adolescence 133 6 Ten Years in Pursuit of Unlimited Perfectibility 175 ^ 7 Student Services Befitting a University 219 Q^^ 8 Those Agitating, Aggravating Students 275 pi Leave a Legacy \ 9 Years of Consolidation and Hard Work 309 , 10 Events Too Recent to Be History 357 c 11 Future Images and Dreams 401 <3^^ Appendix 415 Bibliography 429 Index 439 Foreword Education is a people enterprise. It is the purpose of education to help people to he and to become the best each is capable of being and becoming! Regrettably, some colleges and universities have lost sight of **the centrality of students" in education, as they have sought to build larger and more comprehensive campuses and as they have concentrated on becoming greater research facilities. Since Oklahoma State University's earliest days (first known as Okla homa A. and M. College) students have been, to a considerable degree, ''objects of affection" of the faculty and staff. Although manifested to a greater degree during some time periods than during others, the fact is that Oklahoma State University has appropriately become known as a caring institution. Contrary to the quip that ''campuses would be great places if it weren't for the students," the fact is that it's the presence of students which justifies the presence of faculty and staff and which makes campuses the exciting places of learning which they are! In planning for A History of Oklahoma State University Student Life and Services, it was believed that the author should be someone who not only loves young people but also understands them. Dr. Patrick Mur phy, director of University Counseling Services, was selected to write the book—a choice which has proved to be a very good one. Dr. Mur phy does indeed love students; and, he understands them. One of the most poignant and charming revelations from his thorough and inten sive study of college students through the century is the unchanging hasic nature of young people. Despite living in quite different worlds, Oklahoma A. and M. students of the 1890s were essentially the same as Oklahoma State University students of the 1980s. Their hopes, dreams, and aspirations; their optimism and their resilience; their self- assurance; their desire to be "on their own"; their positive response to caring faculty and staff; their basic likeable nature—all these have been manifested by the students of Oklahoma A. and M. College and Okla homa State University over the past 100 years. The Centennial Histories Committee is grateful to Dr. Murphy for his insightful presentation. The committee is grateful to others who have shared in the production of this volume. Special appreciation is expressed to former OSU Vice President Richard Poole who gave crea tive leadership as the original coordinator of OSU's overall centennial observance, and who conceived the idea of a Centennial Histories Pro ject. He and former President L. L. Boger have been most generous and supportive, as is new President John R. Campbell. Dr. Ralph Hamilton, director of Public Information Services; Gerald Eby, head of University Publications Services; Edward Pharr, manager of University Printing Services; Heather Lloyd, reference librarian; and their respective staffs have assisted generously. Working closely with authors of the project have been the Centen nial Histories Project editors; and, deep appreciation is expressed to each of them. Judy Buchholz served ably as editor early in the project. From August of 1984 through February of 1988, Ann Carlson contributed greatly to the project in establishing procedures which will make possi ble the continued production of high quality volumes. On March 1, 1988, Carolyn Hanneman became editor, bringing to the position her skills and experience as an assistant editor, assuring continued excellence of volumes. On March 21, 1988, Carol Hiner, with her considerable publi cations experience, became associate editor, adding further strength to the editing process. Also, Dick Gilpin's dust jacket art adds much to the series. Appreciation is also expressed to Dr. Ronald Beer, OSU's vice presi dent for student services, who provided enthusiastic support in the writ ing of the volume. Also, sincere thanks are due Mr. Dale Ross, since the fall of 1987, the executive director of the Centennial Coordinating Office, and a strong supporter of the Centennial Histories Project. Robert B. Kamm, Director Centennial Histories Project President Emeritus Oklahoma State University December 1988 Preface For a number of months Vice President for Student Services Ronald S. Beer had been seeking nominations for an individual to author the OSU Centennial Histories volume on student services. As I sensed him to be near desperation in his search for a "recruit," either retired or cur rently employed, I decided that I had to make a decision. His anxiety and my intuition combined in October 1982 when I presented myself at his office door to "negotiate a deal." With more ambivalence and honest naivete than confidence, I cautiously offered myself as the writer he needed. From him I asked for an allowance of time (in the summer months) for the duration of the project. To my relief Dr. Beer neither laughed nor continued his search for a draftee. Our agreement was struck. On December 29, 1982, Dr. Beer wrote to Dr. Robert B. Kamm, director of the Centennial Histories Pro ject, designating me the "official" author of the student services cen tennial book. The letter was graciously embossed with "Given his exceptional skill to conceptualize what might best be contained in such a series, his outstanding writing ability, and long term avocational interest in history, I think he will do an outstanding job." Before this letter, and still today, I have always appreciated Vice President Beer's confidence in and support of me. I wish to thank him for the trust he had placed with me to complete this project, seemingly so long ago. I am thankful that Dr. Kamm chose personally to serve as my liaison to the Centennial Coordinating Committee, thereby affording me the opportunity of receiving his guidance, suggestions, and infinite experiences. Throughout this project Dr. Kamm's counsel has been wel comed and appreciated. He is a wise and unconditionally caring individual. Hopefully it is not too noticeable but the writing of Student Life and Services has taken me far afield from both my academic discipline and my professional activities as an administrator and helper of students. How little I knew at the beginning. No one had told me of the required months of solitude, the frequent misgivings caused by feeling over whelmed, the very difficult decisions about what events and people to omit, and the agonizing over accuracy, phrases, and even single words. At times I was haunted at midnight. In the beginning I was concerned about having enough information to work with. As demonstrated by the length of the manuscript I quickly found that my real problem was that I had too little space. Perhaps it is obvious that this has not been an easy task for me. To all of those students and others, whose stories deserved mentioning in this history but are not, I apologize and singularly bear the regret of the omission. To my benefit I have also learned some things along the way. I dis covered that a biased history is inevitable unless one has the opportu nity of presenting every side of an issue. I did not have this luxury. Additionally my personal experiences and observations gave a perspec tive which is reflected in the manuscript. Although I expended a great deal of energy attempting to write accurate history, I admit my prejudices and apologize if my chronicle offends or misrepresents anyone. During the course of this work I have frequently wondered how legitimate scholar-historians avoid these pitfalls. From the earliest conception of this book I have wanted the focus to be on students—their needs, out-of-class activities, and changing values and behaviors—and the university's response, which in part evolved into student services. While capturing important history was one goal, I also wanted latitude to embellish the story with examples which cover the entire range of human emotions. If the reader at times laughs, sadly remembers, or can reexperience the intimacy, happiness, or the concern of some past moment in time, then my greatest expecta tions will have been met. Many people have been wonderfully generous in the matter of shar ing their time and expertise in the completion of this project.