Classes were cut short and faculty and students at Oshkosh Normal were sent on an early, enforced vacation on December 15, 1904 when one student, James Jarvis, was found to be infected with smallpox. He was quarantined in a home on George Street, along with several other exposed students and the owners of the home. It was hypothesized that he had contracted the disease at a dance over Thanksgiving break.

Community fear of smallpox is reflected in the newspaper articles covering the story. At one point, it was thought that two students who had been quarantined with Jarvis had escaped their isolation. The Northwestern account of the incident, titled "Girls Flee the House," quoted a health officer as stating that the students had "folded their tents and silently stolen away." Included was one man's account of a sighting of two girls purchasing disinfectant at a local drugstore. At mention of the scare, the girls "exchanged rather frightened looks and hurried out of the store." The story goes on to read, "[t]he penalty for breaking quarantine is severe, and if serious results follow from this latest development, it is expected that the provisions of the law will be enforced literally." The girls were found, still in the house, the next day. They denied ever having broken quarantine, possibly having hidden themselves from the health officer when he came to call.

Fortunately, Jarvis recovered and a larger outbreak did not occur. But while the holidays came early for most Normalites, Jarvis and the other residents of the house where he boarded found themselves quarantined for Christmas. Still, for his part in canceling school early, Jarvis was considered a hero among his classmates.