The Victoria College, 1925-2000: A Tradition of Excellence

up to a maximum of 12 years were permitted.
President Moore stated that the college goal
was to have 40 percent of the instructors holding
a master’s degree or better and 20 percent
with an earned doctor’s degree by 1966. The
college had little difficulty attaining the 40 percent,
but fell woefully short of reaching the 20
percent figure. 4
Monroe Northcutt’s track team in the spring
of 1963 enjoyed its best season since the glory
days of the national championships. The squad
won first place at the San Antonio College
Invitational, Blinn Invitational, Pirate Relays,
Harlandale Relays, and Alamo Heights tournament.
At the national track meet in Big Spring,
the Howard County tracksters proved to be
unbeatable, producing four records and tying
two. Victoria College finished third at the meet.
Phoenix, Arizona, edged the Pirates for second
place by a single point. An outstanding performance
was made by Victoria College thin
clad Roger Kirkwood. He established a record
for the mile run and won the 880 yard dash.
Victorians also captured the sprint medley
relay. Participating on the relay team were
Kirkwood, John Brandon, Timm Mikulenka,
and John Kiesling. 5
Troubled by societal changes that were often
blamed on the new music craze of rock and roll
and long hair, the administration, ever sensitive
to cultural modifications, issued a Student
Union membership card. The privilege of using
the facility was denied to any student who
engaged in a public demonstration of affection,
spoke or laughed too loudly, played domino
games before 11:14 a.m., or played card games
anytime. Also, male students were not allowed
to wear hats or caps inside the building. Faculty
members were assigned to police the Student
Union and to ask any offending student to leave.
Furthermore, shorts, culottes, pedal pushers,
blue jeans, and slacks were considered inappropriate
apparel for coeds to wear on the campus.
When an instructor brought up the dress code
at a faculty meeting, pointing out that the outlawed
attire was not as revealing as the permissible
mini skirts, he was ridiculed by the administration
for questioning the dress policy. 6
So as not to leave the impression that the college
was a drab, lusterless place, let it be noted
that there were considerable student activities
sponsored by the college that permitted students
to enjoy lively social experiences. The
types of social affairs ran the gamut from formal
dances to country/western entertainment. While
a live band played the appropriate music, students
did the twist, Cotton-Eyed Joe, waltz, or
two-step. Loud, ear-shattering music vibrated
the walls of the Student Union, often irritating
the faculty members who were required to
chaperone these social gatherings. Normally,
when a dance was in progress, instructors and
administrators sat at a distance and played
cards, dominoes, scrabble, or some other game,
leaving their chairs every so often to tell the
band to reduce the volume.
✯
Carolyn Toalson adjusts her PTK cap.
Turmoil and Consistency ✦ 109