Spanish Flu Exhibit

The first mention of the Spanish Flu in the Highland Echo was on the fourth page of the newspaper on October 1, 1918, in a single sentence, “Be careful of this Spanish Flu,” showing little concern for the soon to be widespread illness.

On October 8, 1918, concern had drastically increased leading to debates about whether the campus would be going into quarantine. By that time, there had been twenty students sick with the Spanish Flu, including five of the cases resulting in hospitalization.

The next day, October 9, the Student Army Training Corps (SATC) was placed under quarantine with the entire campus being quarantined by the 11^th. Church services were on pause until it was deemed safe to worship as a group. All entrances to the school were placed under guard by military personnel. Classes, however, resumed for those not yet sick.