too, although they had had the same experience several
times before, felt somewhat gloomy at finding themselves
back again to college labors.
The stage was driven away and the attention of the
group was soon turned to a wagon-load of trunks that had
also just arrived.
Thus on a sultry September afternoon in the year 187-
Stephen Armstrong, the youth we have just spoken of, ar
rived at The Pennsylvania Agricultural College (P. A. C.),
for that is what our worthy “State” was then called. After
two or three days of examinations and general settling of
difficulties, he found himself lodged in Room 470, a full
fledged Freshman, subject with the rest of the class to all
the honors and courteous treatment wont to be conferred
upon those in that position.
Now in order that we may understand the student life
in those far-off days, it will be well perhaps to take a look at
the condition of affairs as they then existed. First of all,
everything was carried on in the Main Building. There
were no department buildings, and but two professors’
houses ; the Ladies’ Cottage had not been dreamed of; the
site of the present Armory was a cultivated field. As is
known to many, the Main Building was divided into three
parts. The east end was entirely partitioned off, except at
the first and second floor halls, and was used as the prepar
atory department. The west end, partitioned off in like
manner, was occupied by the young ladies of the College
and several professors’ families. The central portion was
occupied by the regular College students, and in the rear
wing were the class rooms much as we find them now.
The east end of the building was called “Prepdom,” and
the west end, which could not possibly have been left with
out a name, was called “Shedom.” Another feature of the
old building which we must not neglect to mention, was
the dining room. The lower floor of the present chapel was