Morning journal and courier., 1892-01-21
History of the Promenade.

Yesterdays Yale News says: The
junior promenade, which occurs tonight,
has grown to be the one great social
event of the college year. As a purely
social affair it far surpasses the gayeties
in June. The festivities are not confined,
however, to the Prom. itself, but the Glee
club concert and the class germans have
gradually increased in size, and are now
hardly behind the main event in i'm
portance. The junior promenade concert,
as it is to-day, takes its origin in the ball
preceding the presentation of the wooden
spoon, which was founded by the class of
1848. This was in the nature of bur-
lesque on the junior exhibition, which had
it's origin in Cambridge university, Eng
land, in custom of naming the last
man on the appointment list the
wooden Spoon" The Lit appointed
junior to call a meeting of the cochleau-
reates (non-appointment men) to elect q
committee of nine "Coohs." to have charge
of the wooden spoon. Gradually the cleo
ton of the "spoon" man became the
choosing of the most popular man in the
class, and it was regarded as great honor
even to be elected on the committee. The
spoon exhibition took place during presen-
tation week. 1t became one of the attrac-
lions of the week, and was one of
the most brilliant events of the college
year. On the evening preceding it
| was customary to hold ball which
was under the supervision Of the spoon
committee. In October, 1870, owing to
the disorderly nature of the proceedings
| %1a <a%; fa11 info 1ispovor7to
and at the request of the faculty the junior
class of that year voted to abolish it, and
determined to devote their entire energy
| to- the junior promenade. This was first
held in 1851. Until 1881, just 80 years, it
was held in Music hal, now Bunnell's grand
opera house. It TOOK place on the evening
preceding the junior exhibition, and from
the proceeds came the funds to pay the
band which played next day at the
junior exhibition. Up to 1870 it was
never very successful, there seldom being
more than fifty couples on the floor, and
in 1859 the college press urgently advised
it's adjustment. At the time the wooden
spoon was given up the date of the prom
enade was changed to the middle of Feb
ruary, go as to anticipate the Lenten sea
son and also to break up the monotony OIL
the winter term. A committee of nine
were elected from the class at large, instead
of being restricted to non-appointmen
men. The number of dances has varied IL
different years, beginning with twenty
three and being reduced this year to eight
cen. But the Introduction of music in tn,
intermissions has furnished opportunities
for about twice that number Of dances
In 1871 was introduced the filing out tn,
orders beforehand, this being at frs
strongly opposed by the papers. In 1877
| refreshments were served for the first time
and the Cleo club gave it's first concert OF
the evening preceding. The next year tn
Prom. was followed on Wednesday even
ing by the senior and junior germans, ant
in 1852 the sophomores held their frs
class german on Monday evening. In 1888
the place of holding the Prom. was changes
from Music hall to Carll's opera house NOV
the Hyperion, but 1887 that was aban
| boned for the armory.--