Memories of Golden and Diamond Grads Range from Weather to Tragedy

Golden and Diamond Graduates of the College of Liberal Arts at Washington State University met on the Pullman campus April 21 and 22 to relive memories of their college days. Golden Graduates are those who graduated from Washington State University (then Washington State College or WSC) in 1954; Diamond Grads received their diplomas in 1944.

"Golden and Diamond Grads have a wonderful energizing effect on this campus when they return," said Barbara Couture, dean of the College of Liberal Arts. "It is an event we look forward to all year," Couture said. “They leave us a firsthand sense of WSU’s history."

"It’s apparent in corresponding with the Golden and Diamond Grads these past couple of years that history created differences in the memories of their time on campus,” said Kay Glaser, development coordinator for the College of Liberal Arts. "Alumni who were students in the early '40s generally share memories of war,” said Glaser. “Our letters to the alumni have a sentence which begins, ‘I remember when…’ and the individuals complete the thought. Many in the Diamond group mention the war,” said Glaser.

Elwood Shemwell is a case in point. "I remember when a touch football game at Phi Sigma Kappa house was interrupted with a radio report of the attack on Pearl Harbor," Shemwell wrote on his Diamond Grad response form. Shemwell spent 30 years of active duty as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army, including service in France and Germany in World War II.

"I remember when I was on the Cougar special train returning after the football game with Texas A&M at the Stadium Bowl in Tacoma," said John Carver in his letter to the reunion organizers. "Early December 7 someone came through the train announcing the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor."

Many other memories are shared at the Golden and Diamond Grad reunions. Jennie Thomas (now Jennie Harold) remembers taking a place in WSC history. "I remember a very exciting event that took place 1943–44 when I was elected the first woman president of the student body with the very capable help of friends in the Independent Party," she said.

Joan Littell (now Strafford) also remembers an historical event at WSC. "I remember," said Strafford, "my first snowfall in 1952—after living all my life in southern California. I had to run out in it even though I was told I wouldn’t be so excited in April when it was still snowing!"

Virginia Kostenbader (now Wagner) has a weather related memory too. "It was very cold when we returned to school in January, way below zero for a couple of weeks. There were strict dress codes. We girls didn’t wear slacks to class. Dean Holmes took pity on us and let us wear ski pants with stirrups for warmth. How times have changed!" Wagner says. Patricia Krause (now McGlashan) also remembers not being allowed to wear slacks unless there was a snowstorm. "Or shorts," she said, “unless we carried a tennis racket. But most of all," said McGlashan, "I remember the great instructors!"

"I remember when the students all arrived on campus via the train…nobody had cars," said Ruth Hillier (now Ruth Tylczak).

Milt Schwenk has a distinctly competitive memory. "I remember," he says, “when we beat the Huskies 2 of 3 times while I was playing, in 1951 and 1953."

David Lowery’s memory brings history full circle for this group and reminds us that a sense of humor is timeless. "I remember when I was in college," Lowery said, “the Golden Grads who visited from the classes of 1901–1904 were ‘really old’ folks. I‘m sure glad that has changed."

More than 150 Golden and Diamond Graduates university-wide registered for reunion events, including college luncheons Wednesday and a reception at the Lewis Alumni Centre Wednesday night. A bus tour of the campus and a veteran’s memorial presentation took place Thursday.