Collins Unbound

Centennial Parade, 1987.

Centennial quilt, 1987.

Alums, students, faculty, and staff participating
in the Puget Plunge, 1988.

Karen Finney ’67 (center) with the cake replica of
Jones Hall, which she baked and frosted for the
birthday celebration.

Although last week’s celebration of UPS’s 130^th birthday was certainly exciting, it wasn’t quite as eventful as the centennial celebration in 1988, so today, we’re looking back at some of the fun activities that were part of the centennial. The celebration lasted throughout the school year and was the culmination of six long years of work; Will Gee ’42, chairman of the centennial committee, described it as “the biggest and longest-running celebration the University [had] ever seen.” (Arches, Sep. 1987, pg. 1). The centennial kicked off with a parade across campus on September 1, 1987. At each building, a new group of faculty, staff, students, and alumni representing each decade of UPS graduates joined the procession, which ended at the Fieldhouse. Some highlights of the program in the Fieldhouse included the Governor of Washington, Booth Gardner, giving the centennial address and receiving an honorary degree, and students dressed in period costume presenting a slideshow on student life throughout the decades.

Celebration of the centennial died down for a little while until homecoming, which John Alvord ’78, Director of Alumni Relations, marketed as having “something for everyone” (Arches, Sep. 1987, pg. 9). The weekend included a wine and cheese party accompanied by informal departmental gatherings to give alumni a chance to interact with faculty members, the UPSCALE auction and of course, the homecoming football game. The Centennial UPSCALE auction included a wide range of items from an original Chihuly glass work and a 1983 Pontiac Bonneville sedan; to free stays in Bogus Basin or Hawaii; to a trip to Chicago to see the set of the “The Frugal Gourmet”, hosted by Jeff Smith ’62; to 48 packs of Corn Nuts, 15 cases of Pepsi, and an hour-long bagpipe performance. The auction also featured a raffle for a Centennial quilt, made by alumni, faculty, and friends of the university. Although the classes of 1937, 1947, 1957, 1962, and 1967 celebrated their reunions at homecoming weekend, there were a number of special alumni reunions, including a Pacific Rim reunion, and 18 regional reunions throughout the year, held across the country from Hawaii to New York.

The centennial celebration wrapped up with Centennial Birthday Week in March and Peter Puget Weekend in April. The Birthday Week included such events as a “Let’s Do the Time Warp” costume dance and a run to the waterfront to participate in the Puget Plunge, and culminated in a birthday party on March 17 (the anniversary of the university’s founding) that included a cake decorating contest, and city, county, and state proclamations declaring March 17 “University of Puget Sound Day”. The official cake was shaped like Jones Hall; you can even see a frosting version of President Phibbs in one of the windows! Ultimately, Peter Puget Weekend was the “grand finale” of the celebration, and featured three days of “music, art, and academia” (Arches, Jun. 1988, pg. 17), like music performances, a chemistry magic show, and an art show displaying works from 75 alumni.

The September 1987 and June 1988 Arches, as well as the March 10, 1988 issue of The Trail were consulted in writing this post.

The Archives & Special Collections is open on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. or by appointment.

By Julia Masur

This past weekend we celebrated the 130^th anniversary of the date – March 17, 1888 – that Puget Sound was founded. At the first conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in this region, Bishop Charles Henry Fowler suggested the creation of a college within the geographical bounds of the conference. Two years later, the conference voted to establish the new college in Port Townsend, Washington, but that plan failed to materialize. In 1888, the city of Tacoma pledged $22,000 and land for the proposed college, and the Articles of Incorporation for Puget Sound University were signed on March 17, 1888. The university originally included an academy, or prep school, and a liberal arts college. The first classes were held on September 15, 1890 with 88 students enrolled. In honor of this significant anniversary, please enjoy some photographs and ephemera from Puget Sound’s earliest days!

The Archives & Special Collections is open on Monday through Thursday from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. or by appointment.

By Laura Edgar

Puget Sound University’s first building was constructed specifically for the school’s use and was occupied by the university during the 1890-1891 school year. Due to financial issues, the university moved to a new location the following year and this building was leased and later sold to Tacoma Public Schools. The building has since been torn down and is now the site of McCarver Elementary School.

This is the Oiumette Building, on the corner of Yakima Avenue and South 10th Street, where Puget Sound University held classes from 1891 – 1895. This photograph was taken much later, in 1937, after the building was converted to apartments.

Puget Sound University’s first graduating class of academy students, 1891.

Early pamphlet from Puget Sound University, describing the history of its founding, circa 1890.