{"id":167960,"date":"2025-03-14T14:39:54","date_gmt":"2025-03-14T18:39:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/?p=167960"},"modified":"2025-04-28T08:25:00","modified_gmt":"2025-04-28T12:25:00","slug":"catfacts-celebrating-great-day-success-with-fun-facts-like-a-muhammad-ali-statue-for-lewiston","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/2025\/03\/14\/catfacts-celebrating-great-day-success-with-fun-facts-like-a-muhammad-ali-statue-for-lewiston\/","title":{"rendered":"CatFacts: Celebrating ‘Great Day’ success with fun facts, like a Muhammad Ali statue for Lewiston"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

During our annual stint on the Great Day to Be a Bobcat livestream yesterday, we shared a few CatFacts \u2014 fun morsels of information \u2014 with viewers, which we now share with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Catfacts\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Great Day 2025 was another great success for Bates and the Bates Fund: 2,499 donors made gifts totaling $1,247,332 \u2014 both representing increases over 2024, with a few more mailed gifts still to arrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The annual Bates giving day is named after the famous Bates cheer, “It’s a great day to be a Bobcat,” coined by the late, beloved football and lacrosse coach Web Harrison ’63<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On with the CatFacts!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

100 years ago: The beginning of chemistry research<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Under the legendary Walter Lawrance, Bates chemistry students engaged in research projects for the first time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"vintage
Professor of Chemistry Walter Lawrance works with students in this undated photograph. (Muskie Archives and Special Collections Library)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The new opportunity was offered to second-semester seniors, reported the Daily Kennebec Journal<\/em> in March 1925.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe fundamental idea underlying this policy is to enable the students to think for themselves, to develop resource and initiative, and give them confidence in their ability to handle problems in chemistry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A 2025 philosophy thesis gets lucky<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

A senior is now working toward completion of an honors thesis that suggests that \u201cauthentic self-respect must acknowledge the role of luck in our lives.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

True self-respect, including a complete understanding of the self, can\u2019t be created without acknowledging the impact of our environment, including luck. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Johnny
The saying on this T-shirt brings the notion of luck and self-respect into play. (Phyllis Graber Jensen\/Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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100 years ago: An immigrant nicknamed Zippy<\/h5>\n\n\n
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\"<\/a>
Euterpe Boukis Dukakis, Class of 1925. (Muskie Archives and Special Collections Library)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Euterpe Boukis Dukakis, Class of 1925, was the first Greek-American woman in the U.S. to go away to college. In March 1925, she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Born in Larissa, Greece, and coming to Bates from the Greek immigrant community in Haverhill, Mass., she earned the nickname \u201cZippy\u201d at Bates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Besides academic prowess, she was also a cheerleader, \u201ca leader of songs and cheers, marshaling us into Hathorn and the rallies,” said the Mirror <\/em>yearbook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her immigrant story was referenced in a recent Boston Globe<\/em> profile<\/a> of her son, Michael, a former Massachusetts governor and Democratic candidate for president in 1988.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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50 years ago: Bates’ first NCAA hosting gig <\/h5>\n\n\n\n

In March 1975, Bates announced that the college would host the following year\u2019s NCAA Skiing Championships, with Alpine events at Sunday River in Newry and Nordic events at Black Mountain in Rumford, home of the venerable Chisholm Ski Club.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was a triumph for head coach Bob Flynn, who had resurrected the dormant program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"In
In resurrecting the dormant Bates ski program, head coach Bob Flynn (right) audaciously worked toward hosting the NCAA National Collegiate Skiing Championships. (Muskie Archives and Special Collections Library)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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60 years ago: Notes to the actors<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

In Feburary 1965, the Robinson Players put on a production of Antigone<\/em>, directed by the legendary Bates theater professor, Lavinia Schaeffer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In February 1965, Lavinia Schaeffer gives notes to her costumed actors in the Robinson Players\u2019 production of Antigone. <\/em>(Muskie Archives and Special Collections Library)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

“The entire presentation was carried on in the Greek tradition, and patrons were asked to refrain from applauding, but a few did at the end of the play,\u201d reported The<\/em> Lewiston Daily Sun<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Staged several years before the construction of Schaeffer Theatre, the play was presented in the \u201cLittle Theater\u201d located in Hathorn Hall. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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75 years ago: Tips for the boys, like don’t mansplain<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

In 1950, newspapers around the country ran a column by a nationally syndicated columnist, Dr. Ralph Habas, reporting on the results of a survey conducted by a Bates psychology class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Habas, the survey sought to \u201cfind out what suggestions might be most helpful to young males who hadn\u2019t had too much experience with the fair sex.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Habas organized the findings as a series of “don’t do this” tips, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n