Dormitory Life http://blog.case.edu/dormlife/ University Archives invites alumni and residence life staff to share memories of Dorm Life. en-us Thu, 31 Jul 2008 10:28:06 EST Thu, 31 Jul 2008 10:28:06 EST helen.conger@case.edu helen.conger@case.edu http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Movable Type v3.121 Clarke Tower http://blog.case.edu/dormlife/2008/07/31/clarke_tower Many students and alumni might be surprised that one of our dormitories won a national award. In 1968, Clarke Tower... http://blog.case.edu/dormlife/2008/07/31/clarke_tower Home, Sweet Home Thu, 31 Jul 2008 10:28:06 EST Many students and alumni might be surprised that one of our dormitories won a national award. In 1968, Clarke Tower won a Project Design Merit Award from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Clarke Tower, named for John Hessin Clarke, an alumnus and former U. S. Supreme Court Justice, was originally a men's dorm, providing housing for 320. Completed in 1967, it was Western Reserve University's first high-rise residence hall.

See: http://www.case.edu/its/archives/dormitorylife/northside.htm for a photo of Clarke and the other north-side dormitories.

]]> Mather Dorms http://blog.case.edu/dormlife/2008/07/15/mather_dorms One of the largely forgotten oddities of CWRU's dormitory history is that the residences for the College for Women (later... http://blog.case.edu/dormlife/2008/07/15/mather_dorms Traditions Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:27:33 EST One of the largely forgotten oddities of CWRU's dormitory history is that the residences for the College for Women (later Flora Stone Mather College) were not operated by the college, or even the university, for the first 40 years. The Advisory Council had the sole responsibility for operating the dorms until 1929. Through the 1940s, the AC shared that responsibility with the university's accounting and purchasing offices. The Advisory Council was a remarkable group of women whose service to Mather College extended beyond its residential life. Some additional details are at Mather Groups

Jill Tatem
University Archives

]]> Communication Technology http://blog.case.edu/dormlife/2005/10/28/communication_technology Wiser and more eloquent folk than I have commented on the increasingly rapid pace of changes in communication technology. Within... http://blog.case.edu/dormlife/2005/10/28/communication_technology Technology Fri, 28 Oct 2005 13:07:48 EST Wiser and more eloquent folk than I have commented on the increasingly rapid pace of changes in communication technology. Within the context of dormitory life, I find the gap between three dates interesting. Guilford House acquired its first telephone in 1894. Approximately 90 years later the dormitories were wired for CWRUnet, the campus network. Less than 20 years after that, wireless communication is the choice of approximately 80% of incoming students. It maybe a cliché, but it makes me wonder what kind of new communication pattern will prevail in student residences in 10 years.
Jill Tatem
University Archives

]]> More Rules to Live By http://blog.case.edu/dormlife/2005/10/26/more_rules_to_live_by I thought listing some of the "sillier" rules regarding living in dormitories might be fun. We have already listed some... http://blog.case.edu/dormlife/2005/10/26/more_rules_to_live_by Rules Wed, 26 Oct 2005 12:51:56 EST I thought listing some of the "sillier" rules regarding living in dormitories might be fun. We have already listed some of these rules on our Dorm Life exhibit, but I thought it would be worth mentioning a few more.

Searching through the 1950s Case Institute of Technology rules and regulations for dormitories, these might give you a chuckle:

Laundry and Lavatories:

A laundry room equipped with coinamoatic washing machines and dryer, as well as with ironing boards and irons, is provided in the basement of each dormitory. The washbowls in the lavatories may not be used for laundry. The laundry room and the lavatories must be left clean after use.

Maid Service:

Maid service is maintained according to a schedule determined by the Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds. In general, maids change bed linens and thoroughly clean the rooms once a week. In addition, they visit each room daily to empty the wastebasket and ashtrays and to do such minor cleaning as time will allow.

Pets:

The housing of dogs, cats, birds, snakes and all other sorts of pets is prohibited, with one exception: goldfish are tolerated, but not encouraged. Case reserves the right to evict them, also.

Sports:

Games of catch, touch football and the like are not allowed in front of either dormitory. Such activities pose a great hazard to windows, passing autos, stray pedestrians and lawns. Use another open space or an empty parking lot for your activity. You might work off your excess energy at the gymnasium.

Window Sills:

Articles should not be placed on the window sills, nor should lighted cigarettes or any refuse be thrown from the window.

Tom Steman
University Archives

]]> A subject dear to the hearts of many college students http://blog.case.edu/dormlife/2005/10/20/a_subject_dear_to_the_hearts_of_many_college_students This image appears on the Rules to Live By page of the scrapbook. It is from the 1979 yearbook,... http://blog.case.edu/dormlife/2005/10/20/a_subject_dear_to_the_hearts_of_many_college_students Rules Thu, 20 Oct 2005 10:42:45 EST 00962D1A.jpg

This image appears on the Rules to Live By page of the scrapbook. It is from the 1979 yearbook, accompanied by the title "Hard Liquor in Dorms Denounced" and quotations from administrators stating that they did not realize hard liquor could be found in the dorms.

I know there are people out there whose best dorm life stories may involve the consumption of just the slightest amount of an alcoholic beverage. Or 2. Well, we're not here to get anybody in trouble, so if you have such a story, please don't hold back! As you can see from the Rules to Live By page, it's no secret that dormitory rules occasionally get broken.

Heather Henderson
University Archives

]]> Housing http://blog.case.edu/dormlife/2005/10/18/housing In the mid-1980s, when I worked in Western Reserve College (does anyone remember Western Reserve College?), I made one of... http://blog.case.edu/dormlife/2005/10/18/housing Home, Sweet Home Traditions Tue, 18 Oct 2005 13:36:37 EST In the mid-1980s, when I worked in Western Reserve College (does anyone remember Western Reserve College?), I made one of my work-study students take me to the north-side dorms and other hang-outs for the students (like The Spot in Leutner) and I had another student take me to the south-side dorms, so I could see what the housing was like here. At that time, even though there had been integrated housing on campus for a long time (integrated meaning Case and Reserve students could live together in the same dorm), it was still mostly Case students in the south-side dorms and mostly Western Reserve students in the north-side dorms. How did you feel about that? Did you feel the College distinctiveness should carry over to housing?

Helen Conger
University Archives

]]> Miscellaneous Pardee Hall Memories from 1957 http://blog.case.edu/dormlife/2005/10/14/miscellaneous_pardee_hall_memories_from_1957 Tim W. Elder sent these recollections to the Archives to share: My roommate lost a portable typewriter on his desk.... http://blog.case.edu/dormlife/2005/10/14/miscellaneous_pardee_hall_memories_from_1957 Home, Sweet Home Fri, 14 Oct 2005 14:56:27 EST Tim W. Elder sent these recollections to the Archives to share:

My roommate lost a portable typewriter on his desk. His younger brother became a famous football player.

The automobile turned upside down (downside up??) in Glennen's parking place. Some took advantage by salvaging a few parts.

Throwing Frisbees in the corridor. They skip well off the hard floor and walls, and also the fluorescent tubes.

Someone on the second floor complaining that a stereo on the first floor was too loud--after it bounced off a Reserve building.

Guys in ROTC uniforms, sure looked like policemen at night, directing Euclid traffic up the Case driveway. Semis, particularly, had a tough time getting turned around.

Exploring buildings under construction.

The blossoms around Wade Park pond were beautiful one spring--trouble is I forget which year.

The Rolls-Royce club starting a tour from our parking lot--sure disturbed studying for finals for me!

Someone on the second floor rolling barbells on the floor--sure made a racket in the room below.

]]> Lessons in Laundry http://blog.case.edu/dormlife/2005/10/14/lessons_in_laundry One day in 1970, one of my suite mates was headed to the laundry room in the basement of Michelson... http://blog.case.edu/dormlife/2005/10/14/lessons_in_laundry Rules Fri, 14 Oct 2005 10:59:44 EST One day in 1970, one of my suite mates was headed to the laundry room in the basement of Michelson House, and asked if I had anything I would like washed, as he had just a few items. I gave him all my white jockey briefs, as I was running low. An hour later he returned them in a brilliant shade of pink. It seems he had washed them with something red. He found this enormously amusing, and laughed for a full hour. I was less enthused. It took months before repeated washes faded my drawers to something closer to their original state. I learned a lesson about laundry, and also about roommates!

]]> The Dinner Dress Code http://blog.case.edu/dormlife/2005/10/14/the_dinner_dress_code I arrived on the Case campus in the fall of 1969. In the orientations materials I had received from the... http://blog.case.edu/dormlife/2005/10/14/the_dinner_dress_code Rules Fri, 14 Oct 2005 10:45:28 EST I arrived on the Case campus in the fall of 1969. In the orientations materials I had received from the school, they told us that jackets and ties were required at dinner. As I did not have a jacket at that time, my older cousin took me shopping, and bought me two sport coats.

On our first day on campus, there was discussion about this in the suite before we went to dinner, but we all dressed as advised. By day two, however, many had stopped wearing the formal clothes, and within a few days it was anything goes. My guess is that the rules had stopped being enforced a year or two before, but no one revised the orientation materials: an expensive omission for those of us who didn't know any better.

I was also advised to sew my name into all my clothing. My mother had labels made up with my name on them, and dutifully sewed them onto each garment, as well as my towels. Although all the clothing is long gone, I still have some of the towels that I bought to bring to school (which I use as rags), and when I see that name tag, I think back on my first few days as a freshman.

]]> The Crematorium http://blog.case.edu/dormlife/2005/10/12/the_crematorium It was the winter of 1970 when Bruce, one of my Michelson House suite-mates brought home a pet land crab.... http://blog.case.edu/dormlife/2005/10/12/the_crematorium Work and play Wed, 12 Oct 2005 20:24:59 EST It was the winter of 1970 when Bruce, one of my Michelson House suite-mates brought home a pet land crab. He fed it bits of food salvaged from the Commons, and it provided a bit of comic diversion while it resided in our living room. When the crab finally passed away, Bruce thought his companion deserved a send-off fitting for a Viking. He put the crab in a coffee can filled with kerosene, took it out to the ledge behind the dorm, bordering the parking lot, and set it ablaze.

None of us expected the inferno that ensued, shooting a plume of flame 12 feet high into the murky Cleveland night sky. From the safety of our suite, we watched as the furnace fumed for over an hour, and was eventually consumed, along with the remains of Bruce's crab.

We were graced by the fact that this ill-conceived prank did not result in any damage or injury, not to mention arrest or expulsion. But that flame burned an indelible image on the collective cortexes of those who saw it, as a lasting testament to the folly of youth.

]]> Life During Wartime http://blog.case.edu/dormlife/2005/10/12/life_during_wartime With the conflict in Iraq raging on for two years now, I thought spotlighting the University's participation in past wars... http://blog.case.edu/dormlife/2005/10/12/life_during_wartime Home, Sweet Home Wed, 12 Oct 2005 11:52:58 EST With the conflict in Iraq raging on for two years now, I thought spotlighting the University's participation in past wars was worthwhile. World War I, which was fought from 1914 to 1918, was no exception. The United States entered World War I in April 1917. Higher education institutions like Western Reserve University and Case School of Applied Science were not untouched by the conflict in Europe. As shown on our dorm life scrapbook, in the fall of 1918, WRU quickly constructed two barracks, which housed 300 men, and a mess hall for the Students' Army Training Corps (SATC). Classes were delayed due to the influenza epidemic that hit the city in October 1918 - instruction resumed on November 11, 1918, the day World War I ended. Demobilization of WRU's SATC unit was completed a month later. Thus, as quickly as the SATC and its barracks and mess hall appeared that fall, the buildings were knocked down and the SATC disbanded, ending WRU's short period of participation in World War I.

Incidentially, CSAS housed their SATC unit at the Elysium, which was located at Stokes and Euclid Avenue.

Tom Steman
University Archives

]]> Elephant Steps http://blog.case.edu/dormlife/2005/10/10/elephant_steps One alumna wrote to say that while she enjoyed the Dorm Life online scrapbook, we missed one of the... http://blog.case.edu/dormlife/2005/10/10/elephant_steps Home, Sweet Home Mon, 10 Oct 2005 11:53:50 EST 01154D1.jpg
One alumna wrote to say that while she enjoyed the Dorm Life online scrapbook, we missed one of the big things about living on Carlton Road on the south side of campus: the Elephant Steps. Originally there were 2 sets of steps - one set which went between the 2 sets of fraternity dorms on Murray Hill Rd. and Carlton Rd.; the other set went between the 2 sets of dorms: Michelson, Kusch, Glaser and Alumni, Tippit, Howe, Staley. In 1985 the Steps between the fraternity housing were removed and the other set were renovated complete with a canopy. Tell us about the Elephant Steps! Here's a photo of them under construction.

Helen Conger
University Archives

]]> New Dorms http://blog.case.edu/dormlife/2005/10/05/new_dorms When Case Institute of Technology opened its first dorms in the 50s, they were considered pretty state of the art.... http://blog.case.edu/dormlife/2005/10/05/new_dorms Home, Sweet Home Technology Wed, 05 Oct 2005 09:51:56 EST When Case Institute of Technology opened its first dorms in the 50s, they were considered pretty state of the art. The first and last quotations on the Case Dorms page of the scrapbook are interesting when compared with the description of the Village at 115 on the Housing and Residence Life site.

We have noticed that talk of the new facility and all its amenities really inspires people who have lived in dorms in the past to compare the places they've lived to this new dorm, and to remember stories about their dorm life.

Heather Arnold Henderson
University Archives

]]> Faculty-Student Housing http://blog.case.edu/dormlife/2005/09/30/facultystudent_housing We have found intriguing references to the fact that Case Institute faculty took into their homes approximately 30 students in... http://blog.case.edu/dormlife/2005/09/30/facultystudent_housing Home, Sweet Home Fri, 30 Sep 2005 13:15:01 EST We have found intriguing references to the fact that Case Institute faculty took into their homes approximately 30 students in the fall of 1956 because Pardee was not completed by the start of the fall semester Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to identify who the faculty or students were. I realize this is almost 50 years ago, but it would be fun to hear those reminiscences.
Jill Tatem
University Archives

]]> Dorm life Images http://blog.case.edu/dormlife/2005/09/26/dorm_life_images I love this image, which appears in our Dormlife Scrapbook, both because of the Mod Squad kind of feel... http://blog.case.edu/dormlife/2005/09/26/dorm_life_images How to use the Dormlife Blog Room Decor Mon, 26 Sep 2005 09:26:42 EST 01000D1A.jpg

I love this image, which appears in our Dormlife Scrapbook, both because of the Mod Squad kind of feel and because of the liberal use of posters to line the walls. The occupant of the room really made a statement about the scope of his or her interests. The other day I walked by the poster sale going on outside of Thwing, and noticed the array of movies, music, and art that were represented. I guess this urge to personalize has not diminished.

It is possible to post pictures to this blog. We would love to see any pictures of dormlife you would like to share. When you are creating an entry, simply click on Upload File in the left menu. Then click on the Choose File button. You can then browse the files on your computer to find the photograph you want to post with your entry. After you have selected the photograph, click the Upload button. You can then add a related story or caption for the photo.

Heather Henderson
University Archives

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