If you've read the list of rules I posted earlier today, you will doubtless come to the conclusion that college back then was absolutely no fun. And you would be right. But for every rule and regulation, there is a reason the rule had to be made in the first place. Well, get ready for a whole bunch of reasons.
- This doesn't really cause much of a change to the rules, but it's not a terribly auspicious start. In 1833-34, UA was the subject of a congressional investigation into our bookkeeping practices, because someone had the organization skills of an orangutan. Sales of large tracts of land occurred, but no one recorded to whom the land was sold, when, for how much, or where the money went. I'll quote from the report: "If it be supposed by anyone that this report is harsh, let him go to to the books and papers, and in a twelve month" he will not be able to decipher them. Bless his heart, it took one judge two years to figure out the finances.
- Another low point for the University came in 1837. No one graduated that year because the entire senior class had been expelled. Every faculty member but one quit.
- So the next year, they decided to instate this "exculpation law," which means if you get in trouble you are brought before the faculty and asked if you're guilty. If you man up and admit it, you get a slap on the wrist. If you lie or refuse to answer, you get expelled. The students were not fans of this rule. They probably also hated the black silk gown they were required to wear in public.
- By 1839, they decided on a new uniform: dark blue frock coat, single row of gilt buttons on the front and six on the back, high white collar with a gilt star on each side, black stock (some kind of neck thing), and a black narrow brim hat. This was to be worn weekends, everywhere off campus, and special times when the public was around (like on exam days). I had a heatstroke just typing that.
- In 1840, we hit a rough patch. Actually, more like a giant speed table. Students wrote profanities on the chapel walls and ripped the big Bible into shreds. (I really wish I knew what they wrote. I'm so curious.) A few days later, the same undergrads broke down a professor's door, took everything of value into the street and destroyed it. Naturally, everybody denied it. All the residents of the dorm where this occurred were promptly suspended.
- A few nights later, a full-blown riot broke out. Seriously. There was shooting, and from what I can glean, there was a good bit of it. But the next morning, the faculty got wind of who the instigator was. He and his eight co-conspirators were expelled.
- The next year or so passed uneventfully. But in spring 1842 yet another riot broke out. More shooting and yelling, but this time they also surrounded the women's college, the Alabama Athenaeum. The next morning, several guys voluntarily confessed to harassing the girls at the school. But when they asked each student about his involvement in the shooting, two confessed and twenty-seven said they were innocent, but forty-eight refused to say anything and were sent home. Later most of them returned to confess so they could be given an honorable discharge and go to another university.
- By 1843, the stupid uniforms and silk gowns were officially abolished. Everyone had already been ignoring it for years anyway. First of all, wearing a black and navy wool uniform in the Alabama August heat is a terrible idea now, not to mention a century before air conditioning. Secondly, no one looked even remotely uniform, because when you live in a state that is essentially still wilderness, there are only so many high colors with gilt stars to be had.
- The next year passed smoothly, and saw the largest graduating class yet. But in 1845, things soured again. There was some yelling and guys flashing mirrors in girls' faces. Everyone refused to answer when questioned, and they were all sent home. Of course, many of them came forward the next day to confess and were required to sign a statement. Some signed silently, others refused and were expelled,till others signed and tacked some profanity onto the end for good measure. However, eventually all of them returned and were readmitted.
- In 1846 the twice-daily chapel was cancelled.
- In 1847-48, there were more riots and general rowdiness. I'm pretty sure you're getting the idea here. The faculty told the students to "exculpate themselves," the students said "no, screw it," they were suspended. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. Finally, after a decade of riots, they decided that maybe this rule wasn't terribly effective. It was stricken from the books and there has not been another riot at our fair University.
Now that I think about it, I can't believe they didn't shut us down 170 years ago. So keep that in mind, citizens of Tuscaloosa, next time you are irritated by our traffic, keg parties, and general rowdiness. We love our football, we're a party school, and we rig our SGA elections. But we don't start riots; and, friends, THAT is what I call progress.
Until tomorrow, Roll Tide Roll!
-Callie
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