Flashback

Response to “I was graduated from the institution in nineteen hundred and sixty-three.”

Thanks to Roger Pearson '63, who sent us our lone response to the 1963 Senior Class Variety Show photo.

Roger -- the only person on the stage without a placard (second from right) -- says, "The scene satirizes some type of disciplinary body composed of college faculty and administrators. Each member of the deliberating body portrayed a particular faculty or administration member. They are all wearing placards with the names of the faculty. I'm pretty sure that the player in front with his hands tied is supposed to be the late Dr. Wilbur F. Pillsbury. The student in front tied to him (Paul Mitchell '63, I think) is being tried by the jury.

"At that time, Dr. Pillsbury served as dean of men and frequently had to interpret and defend College academic and disciplinary policies and decisions. In doing so, he was often put on the defensive by students and would exclaim ‘my hands are tied.' This expression quickly became associated with him -- he didn't make the rules, he just applied them."