A cheery gift

Look at this beauty which just arrived this morning! This bumper sticker is a gift of Charles O. Hardy [W1955] and it was delivered by Jane Hardy, his daughter. You may recognize Jane’s name as the newly tenured Assistant Professor of Spanish in the Modern Languages department. Jane and her husband Peter Mikek, [Associate Professor of Economics] are both on the faculty. It was awfully nice of Jane to bring this to the Archives. I love the pure red cheeriness of this sticker and, of course, that cheerful fellow Wally Wabash as created by Don Cole [W1952].

Here is a little more about this great cartoonist which was pulled together for a display a few years ago.

Don Cole (W1952)

Wabash has a long tradition of famous cartoonists. Perhaps most dear to students of a certain age is Don Cole. Graduated magna cum laude, a Phi Beta Kappa and with a first in comprehensives, Cole was a scholar with a wicked pencil. His Caveman covers of the early 50’s are a real peek into college humor of that time. He gave us that irrepressible WALLY WABASH. Created in 1948 for the Caveman, Wally was a hearty fellow, surviving even the deep sixing of that publication. Since that time, Wally has been a busy fellow. Money from the sale of Wally notebooks sent the Glee Club on their European tour of 1967. At one point he was on each piece of letterhead at the college and traveled the world on official Wabash flight bags.

Here are a series of Wallys that Don created for the 1956 yearbook. They really show student life in all its richness.

The terror of all new freshmen, back in the day when blowing the words to “Dear Old Wabash” might earn you a stylish new “W” haircut.

Wally in a class out in front of Center Hall. Is that legendary Professor of Classics Jack Charles behind the pipe?

Wally at the round table of the Scarlet Inn is making his point!

Wally in Chapel listening intently to the words of wisdom, mandatory attendance meant that not all students were as engaged as this good man.

Club Man Wally was a real joiner. We have a couple of these charms in the Archives. Worn on the belt, each club had a different charm or key.

There are several more Wallys, but Commencement Wally represented the highest achievement and the goal of all students past and present. With his lambskin in hand Wally is ready to face the outside world just as his creator did.

Next time I will share more of Cole’s brilliant cartooning after Wabash. In the meantime, you might be interested in this former post with a witty take on student life:

http://blog.wabash.edu/dearoldwabash/2011/02/03/student-life-in-1950/