USND at Hoople
Encyclopedia
The University of Southern North Dakota at Hoople is the fictional university that is the home institution of "Professor" Peter Schickele
, who is renowned as the greatest expert on the life and works of the (similarly renowned) fictional composer P.D.Q. Bach and who serves as a professor in the Extension Division of the Musicolology and Musical Pathology departments. It is to Hoople, North Dakota
, that Professor Schickele returns from his research journeys.
The university is part of Schickele's highly elaborated fictional tableau, but is probably not exactly a practical joke
since the humor is rather broad and unlikely to be taken seriously by a careful observer.
The name of the institution is fictional at another level: Hoople, although a real town, is actually located in northeastern North Dakota, not southern North Dakota. Moreover, it is equally probable that Schickele took the name from that of Major Amos B. Hoople, a fictional windbag and stuffed shirt in the 1920s and 1930's comic strip Our Boarding House
and the 1940s radio show Major Hoople, which was spun off from it.
Pictures of various parts of the campus have been included in liner notes to P.D.Q. Bach albums. They are all photographs of the same barn in a barren landscape. Each photo is taken from a different angle and identified as a separate building on the campus.
Professor Schickele has mentioned the institution in the spoken introductions on many albums of P. D. Q. Bach's music. It figures most prominently on the P. D. Q. Bach On The Air
album, which is a recording of a segment of the output of the university's radio
station, WOOF (generally pronounced "W-double O-F"). (There actually are genuine radio stations named WOOF
and WOOF-FM
, in Dothan, Alabama
; it should be noted that any genuine radio station in North Dakota would bear a call sign beginning with K, except for those grandfathered in such as WDAY in Fargo.) During the production, a wall of the soundproofed studio is blown out by exploding equipment and the professor is drowned out by the cacophony made by startled farm animals formerly on the other side of the now non-existent wall.
Other than Professor Schickele, the only other known faculty member is Professor Sven "Chainsaw" Swenson, the leader of a particularly militant chapter of the American Association of University Professors
; this chapter of the A.A.U.P. has thwarted several attempts by the U. of S. N. D. at H. to revoke Prof. Schickele's tenure.
Peter Schickele
Johann Peter Schickele is an American composer, musical educator, and parodist. He is best known for his comedy music albums featuring his music that he presents as music written by the fictional composer P. D. Q...
, who is renowned as the greatest expert on the life and works of the (similarly renowned) fictional composer P.D.Q. Bach and who serves as a professor in the Extension Division of the Musicolology and Musical Pathology departments. It is to Hoople, North Dakota
Hoople, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 292 people, 133 households, and 79 families residing in the city. The population density was 817.0 people per square mile . There were 148 housing units at an average density of 414.1 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 97.60% White, 0.68% Native...
, that Professor Schickele returns from his research journeys.
The university is part of Schickele's highly elaborated fictional tableau, but is probably not exactly a practical joke
Practical joke
A practical joke is a mischievous trick played on someone, typically causing the victim to experience embarrassment, indignity, or discomfort. Practical jokes differ from confidence tricks in that the victim finds out, or is let in on the joke, rather than being fooled into handing over money or...
since the humor is rather broad and unlikely to be taken seriously by a careful observer.
The name of the institution is fictional at another level: Hoople, although a real town, is actually located in northeastern North Dakota, not southern North Dakota. Moreover, it is equally probable that Schickele took the name from that of Major Amos B. Hoople, a fictional windbag and stuffed shirt in the 1920s and 1930's comic strip Our Boarding House
Our Boarding House
Our Boarding House was a long-running, American gag-panel comic strip created by Gene Ahern in 1921 and syndicated by Newspaper Enterprise Association. Set in a boarding house run by the sensible Mrs...
and the 1940s radio show Major Hoople, which was spun off from it.
Pictures of various parts of the campus have been included in liner notes to P.D.Q. Bach albums. They are all photographs of the same barn in a barren landscape. Each photo is taken from a different angle and identified as a separate building on the campus.
Professor Schickele has mentioned the institution in the spoken introductions on many albums of P. D. Q. Bach's music. It figures most prominently on the P. D. Q. Bach On The Air
Report from Hoople: P. D. Q. Bach on the Air
Report from Hoople: P. D. Q. Bach on the Air was released on Vanguard Records in 1967. It is set up as a radio broadcast of the music of P. D. Q...
album, which is a recording of a segment of the output of the university's radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
station, WOOF (generally pronounced "W-double O-F"). (There actually are genuine radio stations named WOOF
WOOF (AM)
WOOF is a radio station licensed to serve Dothan, Alabama, USA. The station is owned by WOOF, Inc.WOOF broadcasts a gospel music format on Sundays and sports talk the rest of the week. The station features some syndicated programming from Paul Finebaum and Sporting News Radio. In late January...
and WOOF-FM
WOOF-FM
WOOF-FM is a radio station licensed to serve Dothan, Alabama, USA. The station, established in September 1964, is owned by WOOF, Inc. WOOF-FM is a sister station of WOOF 560....
, in Dothan, Alabama
Dothan, Alabama
Dothan is a city located in the southeastern corner of the US state of Alabama, situated approximately west of the Georgia state line and north of Florida. It is the seat of Houston County, with portions extending into nearby Dale County and Henry County...
; it should be noted that any genuine radio station in North Dakota would bear a call sign beginning with K, except for those grandfathered in such as WDAY in Fargo.) During the production, a wall of the soundproofed studio is blown out by exploding equipment and the professor is drowned out by the cacophony made by startled farm animals formerly on the other side of the now non-existent wall.
Other than Professor Schickele, the only other known faculty member is Professor Sven "Chainsaw" Swenson, the leader of a particularly militant chapter of the American Association of University Professors
American Association of University Professors
The American Association of University Professors is an organization of professors and other academics in the United States. AAUP membership is about 47,000, with over 500 local campus chapters and 39 state organizations...
; this chapter of the A.A.U.P. has thwarted several attempts by the U. of S. N. D. at H. to revoke Prof. Schickele's tenure.