Centennial Edition: 1920s

During the Roaring ’20s, Pitt’s Oakland campus expanded its domain both outward across the… During the Roaring ’20s, Pitt’s Oakland campus expanded its domain both outward across the Schenley Farms district and upward with the start of ambitious construction projects like the Cathedral of Learning.

The Pitt Weekly covered University expansion and much more during the decade, including big football victories and big economic defeats in the closing moments of the ’20s.

In 1924, Chancellor John Bowman gave an address to “one of the largest mass meetings in the history of the University,” regarding the plans of the proposed 52-story, 650-foot Cathedral of Learning.

Students, faculty and alumni gathered at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall to hear him speak of the building, which could hold 12,000 students and scores of classrooms, offices, libraries, shops, laboratories and recreational centers.

“The building is to be a cathedral of learning, a great central symbol, which makes the heart leap up and understand Pittsburgh,”Chancellor Bowman said at the time.

Staff reporters regularly published updates on the Cathedral’s fundraising campaign. $10 million was needed to fully fund the construction.

Alumnus, trustee member and chairman of the Allegheny County Committee Joseph C. Trees as well as Board of Trustees president George H. Clapp gave sums totaling $100,000.

Other individuals, alumni, industries, corporations and local organizations also contributed to the project.

As the Weekly reported in 1925, the Cathedral was not the only major building project discussed during the decade.

Pitt Stadium was formally dedicated at the Pitt versus Carnegie Tech game on Saturday, Oct. 24, 1925, in front of a crowd of 48,000. The new stadium could hold more than 70,000 people.

The football team met President Herbert Hoover at the end of the 1929 season. That season also saw the initiation of the bonfire and torchlight celebrations that have continued every year until today.

The Weekly brought a chance for students to participate in larger national issues at the tail-end of the ’20s.

On Monday, March 24, 1929, The Pitt Weekly distributed ballots issued by another student paper, The Harvard Crimson, to gauge University opinions of the debate surrounding ongoing alcohol prohibition and its standing with the 18th Amendment.

Along with 25 other participating universities, Pitt’s paper ran a sample ballot the week before the national vote to gauge opinions of prohibition, in order for students and faculty to prepare for the types of questions.

Students checked off yes or no to answer the first question, “Do you ever drink?”

“If you do not drink, check principal reason: legal restriction, family restriction, personal taste.”

“Do you favor: present prohibition situation, strict enforcement, modification of present laws, total repeal of liquor legislation.”

The participating universities combined to receive a turnout of more than 20,000 votes, with Pitt contributing 2,571 votes. A little more than 500 Pitt voters wanted enforcement of prohibition laws and overall only 4,517 voters from the participating institutions voted for enforcement.

The largest tallied votes wanted a type of reform to the 18th amendment, which allowed for Prohibition — 1,000 Pitt students and 11,000 students across the nation voted for this. Nearly 6,000 students urged total repeal nationwide, including 900 Panthers.

The Weekly also published the largest issue in its history with its special Ohio State edition published Nov. 1, 1929.

“Smashing all previous records for circulation, number of pages and volume of Pittsburgh advertising, the Ohio State issue of The Pitt Weekly … caused a sensation in many University circles,” according to the top story in the next week’s issue.

The 12-page record-breaker came out the day before the Panthers’ first-ever matchup with the Buckeyes and featured a number of game predictions and headshots of coaches and players.

“A total of 347 inches of local advertising was printed, beating by 141 inches the previous mark of 206 inches,” the paper reported the next week, after the Panthers won the game 18-2.

That advertising success was not a one-time thing. According to the Nov. 8 edition, the Weekly’s business staff made tremendous strides during the later years of the ’20s, launching the paper into a new decade.

“Despite the handicap of a department store combine cutting off a large volume of Pittsburgh advertising, and an unusually small volume of national advertising, the editions so far have been replete with sufficient material to place The Pitt Weekly among the largest collegiate newspapers.”

Additional headlines include:

Oct. 25, 1922: Cooperative Government Plans to be Presented

Oct. 8, 1924: “State Interference” Wins at Oxford-Pitt Debate

May 27, 1925: Pitt Summer School Classes will be held on Three Continents

May 26, 1926: CO-EDs selected for Owl Hall of Fame

Prom Pom Buzzard Magazine Issue (undated, likely a predecessor to the April Fools’ edition): Chancellor Passes Out, Dean Amos Intoxicated