The Class of '31: A Brief Look into the Past

When the Class of 1931 entered Harvard for its freshman year, times were going well for the College and the country. The hip flask was the byword of the day, Babe Ruth was just about to hit his 60th home run, and the gentleman 'C' was easier than ever to get. Four years later, things were different. There were apple carts on Fifth Avenue, obnoxious structures known as "houses" for upperclassmen to live in, and the Democrats had begun to show designs on the White House. But few could imagine--or cared about--such things in the future.

Eight hundred freshmen field dutifully into Mem Hall in late September of 1927 and the fortunate ones then moved their raccoon coats and Morris chairs to newly renovated Hollis, McKinlock, and Matthews Halls. "McKinlock Hall," the University trumpted, "now caters to '31's palate. We have replaced its musty tone with many delicacies." The delicacies were never enumerated and freshman palates still preferred the eternal Square hash-houses.

Fall, as always, meant football, and Arthur E. French '29, controller of "1931 executive cares," led the Crimson to a 21-3 victory over anemic Vermont. '31, however, rebelled as 197 freshmen went out for crew to the consternation of all alumni. But a Yardling eleven, led by a budding Ben H. Ticknor as captain, slowly ground into shape, and William T. Gilligan and Ben S. Ogden both scored once to give '31 a 13-0 win over Exeter Academy.

The varsity faded as it ran into tougher competition and Purdue and Dartmouth both took the Crimson's measure. A victory over Holy Cross was dampened by a CRIMSON editorial which accused the Band of playing "Dirty Music" between the halves. While this accusation might seem somewhat vague, the fact was that the band was charged for not playing the Holy Cross song. The musical ensemble staunchly proclaimed that it had and that the CRIMSON editors were deaf. Nothing was proven and the band played on. The yardlings rolled on behind Ticknor's field goal to defeat Dartmouth 9 to 6 and Sam L. Batchelder's three touchdowns to mop up the J.V.'s, 26 to 0. A young freshman named Clarence Douglas Dillion advanced to his first post as he was elected Freshman Football Manager.

Earl Carroll's Vanities lured many of '31 away from Widener, the feature attraction being Dorothy Knapp, "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World." William "Pussyfoot" Johnson, former Prohibition leader, stoutly defended the College and exclaimed "Harvard men are not a bunch of inebriates!" Canada Dry, which advertised itself as containing "no red pepper and being an excellent mixing drink" found excellent accompaniment in the uninebriated Yard.

The varsity gathered its forces for the Yale game, rolling over Indiana and Brown, while the freshmen, led by Ticknor, Gilligan, and Batchelder, remained undefeated. But all was in vain for Crimson Coach Horween's forces. The next Monday, the Crimson ran this stirring head: "Mighty Blue Juggernaut Tears Through Crimson Defense For Smashing 14-0 Victory." '31 salvaged some of the day by edging out the Bulldogs, 6 to 0, on Batchelder's touchdown to remain undefeated and to give some hope for the future.

Elsewhere on the Yard sporting scene '31 proved itself to be better than average. The polo team was provided with numerous aspirants, and by the end of the fall Captain Elbridge T. Gerry and his horsemen had ridden roughshod over all comers.

But '31 had not wasted all its time on the athletic field and at the speakeasies. One hundred and thirteen freshmen made the Dean's List, much to the amazement and consternation of '31 itself. Some consolation came in the form of an appalling survey by Wadsworth House: "There is a marked increase in the nicotine consumption of this year's freshman class--ten per cent more than last year smoke." Wadsworth House immediately announced a campaign to treat "emotionally disturbed" undergraduates.

As 1928 dawned, Mallinckrodt Laboratory and New Lecture Hall were approaching completion. An anonymous gift of $100,000 from an "alumnus aquaticus" for a swimming pool started the administration thinking about an I.A.B. Maurice Ravel conducted at Sanders, Professor Charles T. Copeland, Boylston Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory, retired, and the Hasty Pudding ambitiously formulated plans for a nation-wide tour of its latest opus: "Not Now--Later."

But '31 turned a jaundiced eye to all this. Hockey was in the air and the freshman six ploughed through its opposition, led by Batchelder and Philip H. Watts. After a mediocre start, the varsity pulled itself together and eked out an overtime victory over Yale, 2 to 1. The Yardlings were not so fortunate, as they were beaten by Yale, 2 to 1, for their only defeat of the season.

The University sadly admitted that it had been forced to raise the tuition to $400. Appleton Hall, the University also announced, would be razed, and in its place would rise Memorial Church. '31 was more interested in the fate of its squash team, which climaxed a successful season by liquidating Yale 4-1, behind its captain, Ogden Phipps.

Batchelder became '31's first president after a hotly contested election, and Phillips Finlay and Dillon were elected to Vice-President and Secretary, respectively. Finlay also found success in other fields of endeavor as he was named freshman golf captain. In the 1928 U.S. Amateur, Finlay advanced as far as the semi-finals, where he was finally put out by Bobby Jones.

Spring arrived on the Charles.

Varsity baseball started well and managed to defeat a strong Michigan team, despite the efforts of the big Wolverine first baseman, Benny Oosterban. Captain Ed McGrath and his freshman nine also started well. Ed Samborski fanned fourteen as the Yardlings blanked And-over 4 to 0. The season ended just as successfully, and the freshmen squeezed out an 8-7 victory over Yale to remain undefeated. Track and crew had mediocre seasons, but both showed prospects for the coming years.

As the year came to a close, one last bit of glory appeared for the College. In an "intercollegiate intelligence tournament" Harvard beat Yale by a large margin. The highest scorer for either side was a Harvard senior named Nathan M. Pusey.

The year ended, and the Class of '31 now considered itself worldly-wise enough to make the big jump out of the lower echelons. It had been good, it reflected, but it would, doubtless, be better.

The Class returned after a summer that saw the Stock Market continue to rise, the Yankees annihilate all opposition, and the refreshing encouragement that a Republican would remain in the White House. Back at Harvard, the Band now claimed that it possessed "the largest playable drum in the world." Times were so good that no one listened when Owen Lattimore claimed that the Soviet Party would become dominant in China within the next few years.

With the advent of the football season, '31 found itself in a position to support the team in a concrete way. A whole host of sophomores from the previous year's undefeated freshman team made the squad, led by a new passing combination, Gilligan and Batchelder. In its first two games, the varsity romped over Springfield and North Carolina. Hopes were high down at Soldiers Field. Then Army, led by its All-American halfback Cris Cagle, brought the varsity down to earth, with a 15-0 victory. The Crimson, led by sophomore halfback, Arthur W. Huguley, bounced back to trample Dartmouth 30 to 0.

The season rolled on as the football team beat Lehigh, 39 to 0. Hoover won and racoon coats went up to a "preposterous" $600. Then on Friday, Nov. 9, Edward S. Harkness '97 gave three million dollars to the college, which President Lowell said would be used to build two new houses for upperclassmen. The reason--"to develop the unique culture of the individual." The college waited and wondered. The football season was a success as Dave Guarnaccia '29 and French led the Crimson to a 17-0 victory over Yale.

The indoor track season saw a varsity hero develop in David Cobb '31, who won the 1000-yard and the mile run to help the Crimson defeat Dartmouth and Cornell. Hockey was not so successful as the Crimson went down to defeat before Yale twice, while winning only once against the Blue. '31's brightest light on this team was Garrison, who alternated between first and second line center.

The College's first swimming coach, Harold S. Ulen, came to Harvard as the I.A.B. began to formulate and the Corporation voted $200,000 for a new Faculty Club. The baseball team beat the Quantico Marines. 9 to 7, as Gilligan led the Crimson with a single, a double, and a home run. Before the Yale game, Gilligan was the leading Varsity batter with a .388 average followed by McGrath and Ticknor with .343 and .306 averages, respectively. Yale put somewhat of a damper on the season as they beat the Crimson, 6 to 4.

As June, 1929 appeared, most of '31 agreed that it had been better and that there was no reason that it should not improve. But the reason was waiting just around the corner.

(The final two College years of '31 will be covered tomorrow.)The subway kiosk in Harvard Square has always been an eyesore. But the Cambridge administration did try to do something about it while '31 was in college, erecting what was considered a modern structure--for the time.