The Founding and Early Years of Lion's Paw (1908 - 1946)
Long before Lion's Paw came formally into existence, the ideals for which it stands had lived unformed in the minds and lives of many persons.
In the closing years of President Atherton's administration, Penn State was beginning to assume a larger role in the life of the Commonwealth. At the same time of his death in 1906, there were nearly 1000 students living and studying in a physical plant of some 15 major buildings on campus.
President Atherton had almost personally educated the family of faculty and students in the purposes and ideals of the Land Grant Institution, and it was President Atherton who approached certain leaders of the freshman class when misunderstandings had arisen in the student body. He charged them individually to seek out an amicable settlement and to relieve the tension. On still another occasion, he suggested that the same leaders gather together other right thinking students and that they, on their own responsibility establish a way of living together and growing together as part of the family of students, faculty and administration.
The seeds of the organization sown by President Atherton actually took form a few years later during the administration of President Edwin Erle Sparks. In the Spring of 1907 several sophomores of the class of 1909 met to discuss the idea of organizing a group of students dedicated to the welfare of Penn State. Meeting at first in their own rooms, this group consisted of "Jimmy" Acheson, John Barnes, "Bud" Furst, "Potsy" Postlewaite, Frank Simon and most probably, "Dick" Pennock. During the following Fall, the names of "Norris Fleming, "Bill" Fuhs, Leo Skemp and Walton Sudduth were added to the original group. Little information about those early meetings remains except the recollections of the group itself.
The first book of minutes carries a brief prefatory statement that tells us the organization in its present form dates from Winter of 1908, even though it had been in existence for some time before. The minutes proper being with the meeting of March 21, 1908 which took place in the Armory, in those days used partly as a dormitory. This meeting and those which followed rapidly thereafter took up the important business of formal organization. Extensive discussions were held on such matters as formulating the Constitution for the Society, on selecting an appropriate name, devising a crest, establishing important traditions that are still practiced today.
In the following year, the founding group, who were now seniors, resumed their meetings, changing the location to Pennock's room on East College Avenue. Final details of the organization were finalized, including the name, the constitution, the crest, and the establishment of an alumni organization. By the time this founding body was ready to graduate, they had unanimously elected its successors of the Class of 1910. Immediately upon their initiation of the society, there is ample evidence in their minutes, that the Class of 1910 quickly began their service to the University by discussing problems and by working as leaven in the student body, as well as an informal link between the students, faculty, and administration.
In this manner, then, the Lion's Paw Senior Society began its career of service and of recognition of student leaders. As we try to relive those times, there appears very little of the spectacular. The discussions in the formal meetings centered around the solving of perennial problems like thieving, jeering at athletic events, athletic fees, hazing and the like. There were also the most peasant matters, like publicizing the work of the University, establishing customs and class colors, putting life into the student council, and the like. Finally, there were proposals of broader significance like the efforts to get better transportation facilities, a hospital fund, a sewage plant, and so on.
Suffice it to say that Lion's Paw, from its first days, had a clear insight into the important role it could play in the life of the University. The wisdom of the founding group and that of the early classes can be best measured by the familiar note with which the chronicle of those days strikes the classes down the present day. All physical advances and the ever chancing faces of the actors do not obscure the reality of the vision of service and the form established long ago for its realization by a group of dedicated young student leaders.
-- Robert E. Tschan LP'33
In the closing years of President Atherton's administration, Penn State was beginning to assume a larger role in the life of the Commonwealth. At the same time of his death in 1906, there were nearly 1000 students living and studying in a physical plant of some 15 major buildings on campus.
President Atherton had almost personally educated the family of faculty and students in the purposes and ideals of the Land Grant Institution, and it was President Atherton who approached certain leaders of the freshman class when misunderstandings had arisen in the student body. He charged them individually to seek out an amicable settlement and to relieve the tension. On still another occasion, he suggested that the same leaders gather together other right thinking students and that they, on their own responsibility establish a way of living together and growing together as part of the family of students, faculty and administration.
The seeds of the organization sown by President Atherton actually took form a few years later during the administration of President Edwin Erle Sparks. In the Spring of 1907 several sophomores of the class of 1909 met to discuss the idea of organizing a group of students dedicated to the welfare of Penn State. Meeting at first in their own rooms, this group consisted of "Jimmy" Acheson, John Barnes, "Bud" Furst, "Potsy" Postlewaite, Frank Simon and most probably, "Dick" Pennock. During the following Fall, the names of "Norris Fleming, "Bill" Fuhs, Leo Skemp and Walton Sudduth were added to the original group. Little information about those early meetings remains except the recollections of the group itself.
The first book of minutes carries a brief prefatory statement that tells us the organization in its present form dates from Winter of 1908, even though it had been in existence for some time before. The minutes proper being with the meeting of March 21, 1908 which took place in the Armory, in those days used partly as a dormitory. This meeting and those which followed rapidly thereafter took up the important business of formal organization. Extensive discussions were held on such matters as formulating the Constitution for the Society, on selecting an appropriate name, devising a crest, establishing important traditions that are still practiced today.
In the following year, the founding group, who were now seniors, resumed their meetings, changing the location to Pennock's room on East College Avenue. Final details of the organization were finalized, including the name, the constitution, the crest, and the establishment of an alumni organization. By the time this founding body was ready to graduate, they had unanimously elected its successors of the Class of 1910. Immediately upon their initiation of the society, there is ample evidence in their minutes, that the Class of 1910 quickly began their service to the University by discussing problems and by working as leaven in the student body, as well as an informal link between the students, faculty, and administration.
In this manner, then, the Lion's Paw Senior Society began its career of service and of recognition of student leaders. As we try to relive those times, there appears very little of the spectacular. The discussions in the formal meetings centered around the solving of perennial problems like thieving, jeering at athletic events, athletic fees, hazing and the like. There were also the most peasant matters, like publicizing the work of the University, establishing customs and class colors, putting life into the student council, and the like. Finally, there were proposals of broader significance like the efforts to get better transportation facilities, a hospital fund, a sewage plant, and so on.
Suffice it to say that Lion's Paw, from its first days, had a clear insight into the important role it could play in the life of the University. The wisdom of the founding group and that of the early classes can be best measured by the familiar note with which the chronicle of those days strikes the classes down the present day. All physical advances and the ever chancing faces of the actors do not obscure the reality of the vision of service and the form established long ago for its realization by a group of dedicated young student leaders.
-- Robert E. Tschan LP'33
The Recent History of Lion's Paw (1947 - Present)
Through the years since 1946, Lion's Paw has continued to maintain and perpetuate the traditions of Penn State. As Penn State's oldest student leadership honorary dedicated to serving the University, Lion's Paw has accomplished that objective like no other group of Penn Staters.
In 1952 the University's first athletic scholarship fund was named for Levi Lamb LP'15, Penn State's first three-sport letterman who was killed in action in WWI. Levi Lamb Grant-in-aid Fund is the major recipient of contributions from members of the Nittany Lion Club and provides scholarship assistance to student athletes in all men's and women's varsity sports. Prior to 1952, fund raising to support student-athletes had been spearheaded on a volunteer basis by Benjamin C. "Casey" Jones LP'19.
In 1965 the Lion's Paw Alumni Association established the Lion's Paw Medal to honor persons for notable service to the University, especially by fostering its worthwhile traditions and/or enhancing student life.
Another milestone was reached with the initiation of women into the Lion's Paw class of 1973, when Rhonda K. Egidio, Mary Kay Plantes, and Barbara Farina Speece became members. Women quickly became prominent among the actives and alumni.
In 1993, the Lion's Paw Alumni Association became the second Alumni Interest Group officially chartered by the Penn State Alumni Association. Indeed, having already been in existence for nearly a century, it served as a model for many of the other chartered Alumni Interest Groups.
In August of 1993, the Lion's Paw Alumni Association and the Lion's Paw Senior Society raised over $30,000 to purchase the pair of magnificent bronze lion's paws to "guard the entrance" to the Palmer Museum of Art on the University Park campus.
Lion's Paw alumni have a tradition of being campaigning leaders and major donors in Penn State's fund-raising efforts. Edward R. Hintz, Jr. LP'59 was chair of the University's Grand Destiny campaign when it kicked off in 1999. A vice chair of the 1984-90 Campaign for Penn State and chair of the campaign for the Bryce Jordan center, Hintz and his wife, Helen Skade Hintz '60, also were the lead contributors to the new Hintz Family Alumni Center on campus. A member of the Board of Trustees since 1994, he was elected vice-chair in 1998 and as the chair in 2001.
Service to the University has remained foremost in the efforts of Lion's Paw alumni. Seventeen have served as University Trustee, six have served as president of the Alumni Association, and numerous others have been leaders on its Alumni Council, on various College and Commonwealth Campus alumni and advisory boards, and in development campaigns. Forty-four members of Lion's Paw have been among those honored by the University as Distinguished Alumni, and twenty four have been designated as Alumni Fellows.
Lion's Paw will continue to broaden its visibility and cooperation with the University and increase the involvement of alumni in the organization, as it [exceeds] 100 years of serving the University and its traditions.
-- A. William Engel LP'40
In 1952 the University's first athletic scholarship fund was named for Levi Lamb LP'15, Penn State's first three-sport letterman who was killed in action in WWI. Levi Lamb Grant-in-aid Fund is the major recipient of contributions from members of the Nittany Lion Club and provides scholarship assistance to student athletes in all men's and women's varsity sports. Prior to 1952, fund raising to support student-athletes had been spearheaded on a volunteer basis by Benjamin C. "Casey" Jones LP'19.
In 1965 the Lion's Paw Alumni Association established the Lion's Paw Medal to honor persons for notable service to the University, especially by fostering its worthwhile traditions and/or enhancing student life.
Another milestone was reached with the initiation of women into the Lion's Paw class of 1973, when Rhonda K. Egidio, Mary Kay Plantes, and Barbara Farina Speece became members. Women quickly became prominent among the actives and alumni.
In 1993, the Lion's Paw Alumni Association became the second Alumni Interest Group officially chartered by the Penn State Alumni Association. Indeed, having already been in existence for nearly a century, it served as a model for many of the other chartered Alumni Interest Groups.
In August of 1993, the Lion's Paw Alumni Association and the Lion's Paw Senior Society raised over $30,000 to purchase the pair of magnificent bronze lion's paws to "guard the entrance" to the Palmer Museum of Art on the University Park campus.
Lion's Paw alumni have a tradition of being campaigning leaders and major donors in Penn State's fund-raising efforts. Edward R. Hintz, Jr. LP'59 was chair of the University's Grand Destiny campaign when it kicked off in 1999. A vice chair of the 1984-90 Campaign for Penn State and chair of the campaign for the Bryce Jordan center, Hintz and his wife, Helen Skade Hintz '60, also were the lead contributors to the new Hintz Family Alumni Center on campus. A member of the Board of Trustees since 1994, he was elected vice-chair in 1998 and as the chair in 2001.
Service to the University has remained foremost in the efforts of Lion's Paw alumni. Seventeen have served as University Trustee, six have served as president of the Alumni Association, and numerous others have been leaders on its Alumni Council, on various College and Commonwealth Campus alumni and advisory boards, and in development campaigns. Forty-four members of Lion's Paw have been among those honored by the University as Distinguished Alumni, and twenty four have been designated as Alumni Fellows.
Lion's Paw will continue to broaden its visibility and cooperation with the University and increase the involvement of alumni in the organization, as it [exceeds] 100 years of serving the University and its traditions.
-- A. William Engel LP'40
