TBT in the Archives 10/1/15

Did you know that the Pennsylvania Turnpike officially opened on this day (October 1) in 1940? Although it only stretched from Carlisle to Irwin (near Pittsburgh) when it opened, the Turnpike experienced many expansions and improvements throughout its history. Highways like the PA Turnpike signified a shift in American culture, as automobiles soon replaced trains as the dominant form of travel. For today's Throwback Thursday post, the early history of student travel and automobile culture at Ship is examined.

Students in parking lot (circa 1970s)

Today, resident students having cars on campus is the norm, but prior to the 1948-1949 school year "boarding" students were not permitted to have cars on campus. Commuters back then were called "day students" and parked in designated lots just like today. Many students who attended Ship in the late 19th and early 20th centuries traveled by train and arrived at what was then called Normal Station, a small train station at the edge of campus. No mention of automobiles appeared in the student handbooks until the 1933-1934 school year. Students and faculty were assigned their very own parking spaces until 1948. Wouldn't that be nice?

Trains went right through campus! You can see Old Main in the distance of this early campus photo from 1899.

Students board a train bound for Washington DC at Normal Station in 1913.

As of the 1948-1949 school year, boarding students were allowed to have cars on campus, but they had to be registered with permission from the Dean of Men. Beginning in the 1952-1953 school year, female boarding students had to obtain permission from and also had to keep their keys with the Dean of Women. In student handbooks each year thereafter, the "Automobile" section was updated, revealing that the university had to keep up with an increasing number of student drivers by revising parking regulations. By comparing the two maps from the early 1950s below, you can see that parking lots were added behind Gilbert Hall and by the library in 1955 to keep up with the demand for student parking spots.

Campus map from the student handbook, 1951-1952.

Camps map from the student handbook, 1955-1956.

Beginning in 1957, Ship began to include a note in the student handbook that stated that student parking was a "privilege granted by the College" and in 1960 parking regulations and penalties began to be listed. These changes bring us to the parking situation we are now familiar with: certain lots assigned to students and faculty and regulations regarding who can park where and when.

Are you curious about a specific topic in Shippensburg University history? Let us know in the comments! Your suggestion could be featured on a future Throwback Thursday in the Archives!

Want to learn more about Ship's history? No need to wait for the next Throwback Thursday! Contact Archives & Special Collections via e-mail: specialcollections@ship.edu or phone: 717-477-1516.