The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-01-09
THE JUNIOR PROMENADE
A SKETCH or THE ORIGIN AND DE-
YELOPnENT or THE FUNCTION.

YELOPMENT or THE FUNCTION.
Grew Out of the Wooden Spoon Presenta-
tion-A Burlesque on the Junior Exhi-
billion of Cambridge in England-First
Prom Held in 1S51-Other Interesting
! Facts.
The Yale News yesterday contained
the following interesting sketch of the
origin of the Yale Junior promenade:
The Junior promenade, which occurs
in little less than two weeks, has
grown to be the one great social event
of the college year. AS a purely social
affair 1t far surpasses the gayeties in
June. The festivities are not confined,
however, to the Prom. itself, but the
Glee club concert and the class ger
and are hardly behind the main event
in Importance. The Junior promenade,
as it is to-day, takes it's origin in the
ball preceding the presentation of the
wooden spoon, which was founded by
| the class of 1S4S. This was in the
nature of burlesque on the junior ex-
| hibition, Which had it's origin in Cam
bridge university, England, in a Gus
/ tom of naming the last man on the
| appointment list the Wooden Spoon"
The Lit. appointed junior to call q
/ meeting of the cochleaureates mon-ap-
( pointment mem to elect committee
of nine "Cochs." to have charge of the
entertainment at the presentation of
the wooden spoon. Gradually the cleo
ton of the spoon men became the
choosing of the most popular man in
the class, and it was regarded as a
great honor even to be on the commit
tee. The spoon exhibition took place
during presentation week. Ii became
one of the attractions of the week, and
was one of the most brilliant events of
the college year
On the evening preceding it was Gus
| tomary to hold ball which was under
the supervision of the spoon commit
| tee.
In October, 1870. owing to the disor-
derby nature of the proceedings at the
presentation, 1t fell into disrepute, 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 1SS1-iust
thirty years-it was held in Music Hall,
now BunnelPs 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 success
full, there seldom being more than fifty
| couples on the floor, and in 1869 the college
press urgently advised its adjustment
AT the time the wooden spoon was
| given up the date of the promenade
was changed to the middle of February
so as, TO anticipate the Lenten season.
and also to break up the monotony OF
the winter term. A committee of nine
We're elected from the class at large
instead of being restricted to non-ap-
pointment men. The number of dances
has varied in different years, beginning
with twenty-three, and being reduced
in 1892 to eighteen, the present number
But the introduction of music In the in
termissions has furnished opportunities
for almost twice that number OF
dances.
In 1871 was introduced the filling out
of the orders beforehand, which was
strongly opposed at first by the papers
In 1879 refreshments were served for
the first time, and the Glee club gave
| its first concert on the evening pre-
ceding The next year the promenade
was followed on Wednesday evening by
the Senior and Junior germans, and In
1882 the sophomores held their first
class german on Monday evening. In
1881 the place of holding the prone
made was changed from Music Hall to
Carll's Opera house the present Hy-
perion, but in 1887 this was abandoned
for the Second Regiment armory, ir
which place it has since been held.