#TBT in the Archives 2/12/15

Ship students socializing, 1909

Join Archives & Special Collections as we take some time to turn back the clock and remember Ship's past on Throwback Thursdays! #tbt

In light of this upcoming Valentine's Day, we thought it would be interesting to look back at the social lives of young men and women on Shippensburg's campus (then the Cumberland Valley State Normal School) in the early 1900s. The origins of Valentine's Day go back to ancient Rome, but by the nineteenth century the first valentine greeting cards were produced by Esther Howland who became known as the "mother of the valentine." By 1913, Hallmark began mass producing cards, and as they say....the rest is history.

Shippensburg students in the early 1900s were no strangers to love, but rules about socializing with the opposite sex were very strict on campus in those days. Students had to retire to their dormitories by 10pm and male and female students were not allowed to "hold prolonged conversations with one another" unless in connection with school duties or with permission of a faculty member or administrator. However, these rules didn't stop the lovestruck! Many young men were written up for meeting with female students after dark. On February 21, 1919, two male students were written up for meeting with two girls outside the gymnasium. These same couples also met in the music studios and excused themselves from church to take a walk together. The boys' fathers were notified of their rule-breaking behavior, and as a result the male students were essentially grounded--they had to remain on campus--and their social privileges were revoked. These consequences reflect both the values of the school and society during this time period.

Want to learn more about Ship's history? No need to wait for the next Throwback Thursday! Visit Archives & Special Collections during our open research hours, or contact us via e-mail: specialcollections@ship.edu or phone: 717-477-1516.