Dedicated on June 25, 1890, Tustin Gymnasium (right foreground) continued to serve as a gymnasium for men. In 1903, the Trustees approved the installation of a boiler "for hot water for shower baths" at a cost of $160.00. In 1912, there remained an unpaid balance of $1,500.00 on the cost of the gymnasium. The athletic field of the University was located next to the gym at the bottom of "College Hill", upon which Old Main was located (to the far right in the photograph). Football, baseball and lacrosse games were played there. At the University Avenue entrance to the athletic field, where Loomis Street begins, were located the two red stone pillars given by the Class of 1905 and the flagpole, embedded in its red stone base, which had been erected in 1912.

Exercise for Male College Students

In 1915, regular exercise was still required of students during the Winter Term and the Directors of the Gymnasium still “….examine[d] every student, taking and recording in a book his physical measurements, and prescribe[d] such exercise as [was] required for his physical development.” The funding and management of intercollegiate athletics were becoming an issue in colleges and universities as a result of the growing public interest in sports. There had been a growing interest in athletics at Bucknell in the two decades since 1895.

The Athletic Association and the Question of a Compulsory Fee

In 1900, students had presented a petition to the Trustees "....asking that $5.00 be added to the annual charge of each student said sum to be turned over to the Athletic Association of the University." This petition was declined. In January 1911, the Pittsburgh Bucknell Club requested the Trustees to include "....a compulsory athletic fee of not less than $5.00" in the tuition of University students, and the Trustees appointed a Committee on Athletics to consider the request. At the same time, President Harris recommended that a Controller of Athletics, to be named by the faculty, be appointed, which was approved. At the semi-annual meeting of the Trustees in June of the same year, the Committee on Athletics reported in favor of the compulsory charge being included in the tuition charge, "....it being understood that this charge would entitle all students to attendance upon athletic games." This recommendation was referred to the Trustee Finance Committee with power to act. At the same meeting President Harris offered a plan to manage athletics that was supported by the faculty, which was approved.

In January 1912, the Finance Committee rejected "....compelling every male student to pay $5.00 to help defray the expenses of competing intercollegiate teams and in return to give each student a season ticket." The committee stated that students should purchase tickets on a voluntary basis and that university money should be spent "....for the care of the gymnasium for the physical culture of the students and for athletics participated in by all students." Intercollegiate athletics should be supported by the voluntary purchase of tickets by students, gate receipts and contributions. In 1914, Professor B.W. Griffith, controller of Athletics, reported athletic earnings of $3,330.09 of which $1,094.15 came from season ticket sales and $1.5.00 from contributions.

"for hot water..." BT '82-'20 p. 196 (6/23/1903)

"...examine[d] every student..." CAT '14-'15, p. 91

"...asking that $5.00..." BT '82-'20, p. 180 (7/19/1900)

"...a compulsory athletic fee..." ib., p. 266 (1/12/1911)

"...it being understood..." ib., p. 269 (6/20/1911)

"...compelling every male..." and the other quotation in this paragraph, ib., p. 275 (1/11/1912)

The major source for the information on this page is the Minutes of the Board of Trustees of Bucknell University, 1882-1920 (BT '82-'20). Additional sources are the Bucknell University Bulletin (Fourteenth Series, January 1915, No. 4) Catalogue 1914-1915 (CAT '14-'15) and the Bucknell Uinversity Bulletin (Fifteenth Series, January1916, No. 4) Catalog 1915-1916 (CAT '15-'16).