Old Laws at the University
Thc‘re were many restrictions pkiccri upon
I ho behavior of students a couple of gener¬
ations ago. and. strange to say. most of
these laws have never been revoked.
ANCIENT laws and regulations
which once governed students
/
\at the University of North
Carolina provide an interesting
contrast with the celebrated liber¬
alism which now prevails on the
campus.
Many of the old acts and ordi¬
nances. now dust-coated and time-
stained in the basement of the li¬
brary building, have never been
revoked.
Typical of the laws is one which
holds that any student found on
the campus after 9 o'clock at night
will be subject to punishment. This
was obviously designed by the ad¬
ministration to discourage the pop¬
ular pastime known as "sparking."
Another act declares that there
shall be no shouting, whistling,
dancing or any boisterous noise
permitted in the passages, rooms,
or from the windows of dorms.
This today would mean that a
student on the first floor who called
a second-story resident to the tele¬
phone would be liable to punish¬
ment and possible fine.
Passed in 1857
These old regulations, adopted
by the legislature and the Univer¬
sity board of trustees, were passed
in 1857 and have not been repub¬
lished since the University re-
Sencd in 1875 following the Civil
ar.
From November 1 to February
15. students must attend prayers
at 6 : 45 a.m. and at sunrise on other
days. So says an act of the legis¬
lature. But just how one might
enforce the law is not explained.
Other regulations provide that:
Students may not come to class
early because students may not be
at the door of recitation room or
within it. loitering about the doors
or passages of the building before
the bell rings.
Students shall not recline or
lounge on classroom benches or be
employed in eating or reading dur¬
ing class period except at a time
when the instructor shall direct.
No person shall set up. keep, or
maintain at Chapel Hill or within
five miles thereof any public bil¬
liard or game table of any kind at
THE STATE June 5. 1948
К;/
II. C. CRANFORD
which games of chance may be
played. i This ordinance is still im¬
posed and the city fathers point
with pride to the fact that Chapel
Hill has never had a pool hall. I
The Carolina and Pickwick thea¬
tres and the Playmakers. under
law. could not give public perform¬
ances without written permission
of the President of the University
at least several days before the
event.
This act further states that no
person, without permission in writ¬
ing obtained from the president of
the University, shall exhibit in
Chapel Hill or within five miles of
it any theatricals, sleight-of-hand,
equestrian performances, tight¬
rope. dramatic recitations, natural
or artificial curiosities, or any con¬
cert. serenade, or performance in
music, singing or dancing.
Designed to de-emphasize the
political aspect of student elections
was a law which prohibits any
TRIOLOGY
To (jo through life in robust
health, is not enough, mg
friend.
Even though you carry on.
with your comrades to the
end:
There'll still be something
lacking, in the years tchen
you grow old.
Unless you win the attributes,
that aye should have and
hold.
Good friends, good health,
achievements, w h e n they
write your final score,
Will make a grand triology.
that should lire forever
more.
In the archives of the happy,
who always follow through.
And march in step, triumph¬
antly. hand in hand with
you.
W W. Storm.
candidate for a campus otlice pass¬
ing out cigars or buying soft drinks
to gain votes. "No person within
two miles of Chapel Hill shall give
or furnish any electioneering treat
or entertainment." the law de¬
clares.
Student poultry endeavor was
frowned upon. An act states that
no student would be allowed to
keep fowls in his room
No Guns Allowed
Also discouraged was the carry¬
ing of arms. No student, says an
act. may carry swords, dirks, or
guns to class without permission
of the president of the university,
i The purpose of this law is some¬
what hazy but it is thought that
it was drawn up to protect mem¬
bers of the faculty.)
Professors of the bygone era
were supposed to examine the
rooms of the college at least once
a week to see that cleanliness and
neatness was being observed
If a member of the faculty
should ask a student to open his
room door and the student should
fail to do so. the professor might
batter down the door and send the
student a bill for the damages.
The president of the University
was required to receive all students
in |>erson. The act stipulates that
the president should "receive each
student at his office as soon as the
student arrives on the campus."
and also sign a certificate admit¬
ting the student to classes. The
certificate was to be presented at
any time on the request of the pro¬
fessor.
But the act that would probably
raise the biggest protest today
would be the one outlawing all
"bull sessions." The act says that
an instructor shall break up any
such gathering on the campus and
that those participating shall be
punished.
Needless to say the old laws,
with the exception of the one re¬
lating to billiard parlors, are not
now enforced. Indeed, it is difficult
to imagine that they could ever
have been actually enforced, as
most sound absurd in this modern
day.
But the law was the law.
39
