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

✯
Ben F. Hardt, dean of Victoria Junior
College from 1934 to 1940.
section of the 1935 entrance intelligence tests for
the fall semester, stated, “you went to class, and
you studied.” College life, however, was not
entirely drab. Although there were few social
events sponsored by the educational institution,
students found entertainment in the community.
Bianchi periodically played bridge at Jewell
Hudler’s home and frequently went with his
friends to Pleasure Island, an entertainment
establishment that served as a center of activity
for Victorians for several decades. 7
A crowd-pleasing feature at Pleasure Island
was performances by live bands. Students on
the weekends congregated at the entertainment
center to hear the latest tunes, to socialize, and
to take a few nips. James McCord remembered
that he and some of his friends met at Pleasure
Island, and afterwards, they would make a trip
to the local bootlegger whose business was
located east of town. The students bought a lot
of “booze” for $1.00 or $1.50. He said the bootlegger
stored his bottles in a well on his land,
and whenever a customer wanted to make a
purchase, he would draw a bucket laden with
bottles of whiskey from the well. McCord further
stated that under the rules the students
established for themselves, those who made the
trip could only take one drink before returning
to Pleasure Island. 8
Not only was the college without a dormitory,
it also did not have a cafeteria. Out-of-town
students either brought sack lunches or bought
snacks at the E. Post Grocery located across the
street from the school complex. When the intown
students could, they went home for lunch.
Eating at home could cause some problems if
the distance to travel was extensive and the individual
did not have a car. McCord was such a
person without personal transportation. He,
however, solved his dilemma by hitching rides
to and from the college. 9
During the lunch breaks and when classes
were not in session, students would sit in fellow
classmates’ automobiles and listen to the radio.
George Filley, Jr., was one of the fortunate students
who possessed a car to drive to school.
After classes were dismissed for the day, Filley’s
friends swamped his vehicle, invariably delaying
his departure from the campus. Another pastime
for students when they had free time from
classes was playing basketball in the gym. 10
A custom that was prevalent in Texas public
schools during this era was a weekly assembly,
most often referred to as chapel. In the 1935-
1936 academic year, the junior college chapel
was held each Thursday at 9:30 a.m. The programs
were varied. They included the election
of class officers, entertainment, pep rallies, guest
speakers, and selection of individuals to represent
the college at off-campus events, such as a
queen for the community fair.
Measles swept through the student body in
the 1936 spring semester. It was estimated that
some thirty students, representing about a fifth
of the enrollment, were stricken. Fortunately, no
28 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, 1925-2000