Alfred University is one of the most renowned schools for ceramics in the country, but that isn’t its only attractive program offered to those enrolled. One of the greatest features of AU is its wide, varied array of academic concentrations to select from. If you’re fascinated by the process of aging, you could major in Gerontology. If you’re a horse with dreams of becoming a CEO, why not Equine Business Studies? No niche is too niche! Even then, if none of the existing majors suit your fancy, you can go on the path of an Individually Structured Major. The possibilities at AU are limited only by the extent of your desires!

Alfred University’s identity as an institution revolves around being “outside of the ordinary”, but when does quality quirkiness become questionable/quizzical/just plain quackers? In the offer of so many different majors, there had to have been at least a few that elicited thoughts like; “Is this real?”, “Why did they allow this?”, “What kind of horse wants to become a CEO?”, et cetera. Thus began my deep dive into unusual undergraduate degrees offered throughout AU history. 

After weeks of my fruitless investigation of degrees in imp husbandry, Bob Dylan, and neolithic nutrition, an alumna of AU took notice of my inquiry and offered me the greatest scoop I’ve ever had. Enter Polly Chrome – an Alfred Graduate of ‘73 with a BFA in Pot. The Alfred-exclusive major in Pot was introduced in 1965 and was no longer available as a concentration within only 4 years, in the spring semester of ‘69. This major was offered to all students enrolled at AU who were interested in pursuing a degree in The Pot, one singular ceramic pot located in the Special Collection in Herrick Library (which, at the time, was the only library on campus). It had five major-exclusive course requirements– Pot I, Pot II, Pot III, Pot IV, and The Fundamentals of Pot Whispering. Low student interest, a drop in funding, mass psychogenic illness, missing students, and an unfortunate case of very minor property damage resulted in this major no longer being offered. Ms. Polly Chrome, who now lives completely alone on the coastal shores of nowhere important, shared insight with me on what it was like to get a degree in Pot. 

Did you apply to Alfred with this major in mind?

Ceramics has been my whole life, so I’d always known I was going to go that route. I was born in a kiln and raised on a clay bank. I grew up on the brink of pottery – sorry, poverty – and I remember my parents struggling to afford me new clothes whenever they’d chipped. My favorite outfit was this really neat pair of overalls, except instead of denim it was clay, and I guess instead of pants it was more like a skirt maybe? Well, it was kind of a round, ceramic container without a top or bottom. But it had the straps overalls have. Except they weren’t bound by buckles or anything, they were just two pieces of rope that hung over my shoulders. 

Anyways, it was my favorite outfit and it just kept chipping every time I bumped into something, which was often, because I remember doorways kind of being an issue and coming home from kickball pretty roughed up. My parents didn’t have the money to get me something new to wear, so they’d always say, “Polly! Go to the bank and slip yourself back together!” And even in those days I knew that creating something new or piecing things together again, the beauty of chips and imperfections, that was going to be my life. 

What led you to choosing to major in Pot?

I wouldn’t say that I chose Pot so much as Pot chose me. A lot of factors came together and led me to that path. The summer before my freshman year, men walked on the moon. The vastness of it all freaked me out so much that I decided that I’d ground myself. I just needed to figure out how to narrow down my speciality from the whole world of ceramics into something I could hold in my hands. Something a little more contained… like containers or something. It was pretty intuitive when I found out about it.

What kind of career prospects are there for someone who might major in Pot?

It was never really about that. The head of the program, Dr. Matt E. Realsigh-Ents, advised us students at the time to keep ourselves focused on what was important – the Pots and the present. 

What kind of person does Pot attract?

Well, I wouldn’t say any of us were particularly religious or anything, but there was certainly something spiritual about majoring in Pot. I mean, it became a part of you. Dr. Realsigh-Ents never discouraged us from spending as much time with The Pot as possible. Some of us would sleep in the Special Collections room. The Herrick staff didn’t like that, but kicking us out was fruitless because we’d always find a way back in. I remember one student surreptitiously curling up inside of The Pot so Herrick closers couldn’t find her – she went missing not long after, poor duck. I think it was unrelated, though. Anyways, maybe slippery’s a good word?

What was your favorite and least favorite course and why? 

Intro to Pot was probably the most difficult, as it was really daunting getting into the way of life that came with studying The Pot. Fundamentals of Pot Whispering remains to this day the best academic and spiritual experience I have ever gone through. It was a 400 level class, held in silence, in which we were graded upon listening to what The Pot was trying to tell us. Exams were graded upon evaluation of a student’s whisper comprehension. Dr. Realsigh-Ents was really impressed with my ability and even said I could succeed him as Listener. Per Dr. Realsigh-Ents, The Pot selected individual Listeners to speak to directly. He was a Listener, and that’s how he became head of the program. He was a gem. 

Was there ever any controversy surrounding your major?

The aforementioned Herrick incidents certainly caused a bit of tension between us and library staff, but we never received more than a slap on the wrist. Though when The Beatles broke up, a lot of us got really paranoid about the possibility of other things breaking, God forbid. So practically every student with the major was piled up together with our professor to keep watch for at least a week or two. If I remember correctly, he’d even made it into a daily assignment. Crackcount, he called it; different students would check for cracks intermittently throughout the day. 

Sure, there were rumors that were thrown around during the program. Things like cult-like behavior and psychogenic illness and missing persons reports, all just catty trifles that never gained much traction. We had a really good relationship with the psychology majors, though. They were always friendly and even audited some of our classes. They’d come around expressing an interest in The Pot and they’d get us rambling for hours – they were so invested, they’d even take notes! It was sweet to have that kind of community.

How have your feelings changed about the program since you’ve graduated?

Well, post-grad, The Pot did in fact shatter. I spent the bulk of my life mourning, and to this day I’ve never found a love that could compare to what I had for Pot. 

How have you taken this experience with you post-graduation?

Sometimes, to this day, I can still hear The Pot. It’s not always audible, but it’s usually my name. Just the other day, here, I have it written down – I was told to slip myself back together. Isn’t that remarkable? And The Pot doesn’t just live on through me, but it has a legacy on campus at Alfred U. My graduating class had the last students who majored in Pot, and we left Alfred with Harder Hall. 

Pot Students constructed Harder Hall?

Not personally, but it finished construction in ‘73, just as we’d left. There was a balance on campus that needed to be maintained, and I can only think of Harder Hall as a force that may have restored it. Unless, of course, the campus has been frozen at an imbalance for decades since. That would probably be bad. 

Thank you for your time.

Author’s Note:

Upon finishing the interview, it occurred to me that the enigma that was Polly Chrome had only left me seeking more answers. When I made an attempt to follow up with her prior to publishing, a wellness check found that she had passed away due to complications of Pot withdrawal. This article is in dedication to Polly Chrome, 1951-2024.