Columbia University - Columbian Yearbook (New York, NY)

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1 1930 CLASS OFFICERS ,edward joyce President joseph hagen elbert twaddell Vice-Presid ent Secretary COMMITTEES Dinner Committee thomas cahill, Chairman francis gaffney john johnson thomas brown robert lynch Pipe Committee edward baruch, Chairman frederick thorne V Finance Committee william blaisdell john brennan samuel menefee phillip connolly 51811 william blaisdell Treasurer raymond hanley donald peyser lewis wiggins lionel nobert bernard axelrod

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class of 1930

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History of the Class of 1930 the excited and expectant Freshmen the first few days at Columbia were days of receptions, both pleasant and otherwise. After the staid and ultra-respectable reception tendered the Class of l930 by professors of the University, the unsuspecting yearlings ' u'5l'Olm became, with traditional suddenness, the guests of the Sophomores. The greenness of the new men disappeared beneath a liberal application of shoe polish, and the painted savages then performed primitive war dances to the solemn chanting of We Want .Milk . Other shameless cavemen indulged in petting parties with Alma Mater, while sprightly bare-foot goblins danced on the edge of the fountain basins. After these incongruities the uncouth appearance of the new men disappeared in the basins of the Campus lavatories, and a sober and determined class appeared. Smarting under their humiliation, they met their foe on the Held of battle in the class rush to emerge the proud, albeit shoeless victors. While the College was wrangling over the abolition of Frosh rules, the innocent men concerned went their peaceful way unashamed of their black and green regalia which the college voted overwhelmingly to uphold. When the furore over the rules had subsided, the mystic circle of Mu Pi, known by the Freshmen as the dreaded Black Avengers, duly warned recalcitrant yearlings that infringement of the regulations would be summarily dealt with. Satisfied with the physical prowess of the Class of 1930 as demonstrated in the class rush, the Sophomores tested the yearlings' vocal ability in the annual Song Fest, A faltering rendition of the lyrics led to the copious use of black paint by their judges. . Organized Warfare between the Freshmen and their opponents was renewed once more with the traditional tug-of-war which had been postponed on account of Queen Marie's visit to the University. The battle started calmly enough with some hundred and sixty yearlings at one end of the rope, and seventy odd daring Sophomores guarding the other end. The signal was given and the second-year men began to pass, one by one, through the stream of icy water from the hose which was directed at the middle of the rope. Seeing that brawn was of no avail against such odds, the wily Sophomores tried a series of desperate cross-field rushes, in which both goal posts were razed to the ground and sundry other damage done. These rushes did not save them from defeat, however, and the Freshmen were awarded the victory. After having spent over two months at Columbia, and having become accustomed to the routine, the fraternity rushing season began for the new men. For a period of a week and a half the various houses invited first-year men to luncheons, smokers, and other affairs at which the parties concerned could size each other up. At the end of this time bids were mailed and men were pledged. By capturing four of the seven bouts the Class of l930 won the Cane Sprees, and thereby gained the right to smoke class pipes after Wash- ington's birthday. The sprees were bitterly contested, the winner not being decided until the Freshman heavyweight had wrested the cane from his oppo- nent in the nnal match. When the final ballots had been cast in the voting for class officers, the following men were elected: Edward P. Joyce, president: Joseph Hagen, vice- president, Elbert A. Twaddell, Jr., secretary, and William Blaisdell, treasurer. H1821