Blast From the Past:

By CHRISTINA LATTA

Santa Clara isn't what it used to be. The campus that students are familiar with today used to be very different, both in physical appearance and general atmosphere.

Strolling by Orradre Library, students might be struck by the sudden desire to know the history of the university where they spend most of their waking hours. A quick search on the computer would turn up a book most Santa Clara students are unaware of: The History of Santa Clara College, written by our very own Gerald McKevitt, SJ. This book details the advent of Santa Clara in the 1850's, when it was primarily a small boarding school catering to the educational needs of students in grammar school through college. In those days, the Jesuits liked to get their students young in order to impress Jesuit ideals upon them before the boys had "already drunk in large draughts the poisonous cup of forbidden indulgences."

Santa Clara gradually became a full college and the only Jesuit school west of the Mississippi River. It was, of course, an all men's college throughout its early history. Henry Demmert, the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs and member of the class of 1965, experienced Santa Clara before it became co-ed.

"Santa Clara was a real guy's school," Demmert said. "Students often attended classes in flip-flops, pajama tops and t-shirts."

The lazy attire may have been partly due to the location of classes in relation to the dorm rooms. Many do not realize that the upper floors of both Kenna Hall and O'Connnor Hall used to be dormitories. Classrooms were located on the lower floors so the boys did little more than roll out of bed and descend the stairs to attend class.

The years of being a "men's only" college were the wildest days that the campus has seen. With no women to distract them, the men came up with their own entertainment. Drinking in massive amounts was a common pursuit, as there were far fewer, if any, rules regulating alcohol in the dorms.

Santa Clara truly was a bubble back then, as the entire campus was set off by walls. Students were not allowed to leave campus without special permission and an escort, which led some to desperate acts. One stormy night in 1875, a couple of students decided they had enough. The young men managed to tie up their two Jesuit prefects and escape for the night. Twenty students were expelled as a result of their prank.

The pranks of those days were once legendary, and most of the current students would be shocked to hear that boys used to have forbidden motorcycle races in the bottom of Kenna Hall.

Another prank during the pre-coed days used to occur the week before winter break. Before Santa Clara was on the quarter system, the school followed a semester schedule, where finals took place after the break. During that week, boys would go on stealth missions to local Christmas tree lots and steal trees for the dorms. They hauled them back into their rooms and shared the holiday spirit with their hall-mates.

The advent of co-eds changed Santa Clara drastically. The transformation of Santa Clara from a provincial men's college into a modern university began in the early 1960s. When it was announced that Santa Clara would become co-ed, the head priest lowered the flag to half-mast. As if that wasn't bad enough, the headline of a special morning edition of The Santa Clara screamed, "Tradition Shattered." The entire issue discussed the changing of the 110 year-old tradition. Many of the students were unhappy with the change, feeling as though the influx of women would ruin their fun and change the school entirely.

They were partially correct, the school did make some changes. The administration cracked down on the pranks and even expelled many students for wild behavior. Another tradition was shattered when school officials refused to allow traditional "welcoming" practices like the throwing of water balloons at the freshmen.

While many of the pranks were forbidden, the presence of women spawned a new tradition. A group of boys formed a highly secretive coalition entitled the "James Bond Society." Each month, a girl was chosen to be the "James Bond Woman of the Month." At the end of the year, each of the girls discovered an entire page in the yearbook devoted to her.

Another long-forgotten aspect of Santa Clara's past is what was known as "Club '61." Club '61 was a regular bar in the bottom of McLaughlin Hall. It was created by some students who were looking for a good place to drink and socialize. The club became a hip night-spot for upperclassmen and faculty alike. Students and professors often mingled there on Friday afternoons.

Perhaps one of the biggest differences in Santa ClaraÑwas school spirit. A place called "The Ship" used to stand where Mayer Theatre is currently. The entire student body used to crowd into The Ship for pep rallies, plays and events. School spirit was huge back then.Santa Clara has come a long way in its 150 year history. The school began as a provincial boarding school, and evolved into a prestigious university. Who can imagine what will happen in the years to come?