Monmouth College - Ravelings Yearbook (Monmouth, IL)

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Glas3 of 1872. IN the hurry of our Commencement, my thoug ' hts go back to deaf okl Monmouth, long enoiTgh to gather up two reminiscences. We had a bright 3 ' oung fellow who was somewhat successful in declamation, and who was so universal a favorite that many College places came to him. He was somewhat dressy, and withal a little ambitious, and a little lazy. Contest elections were coming on. and one day he said confidentially to his friend,. I tell you what, .Tones, I would like to be debater from our society. Now, j ' ou know I have a good voice, and g ' ood g-estures, and my new coat fits me, and all I lack is the ideas. You could furnish them! He was not elected, perhaps on account of that fact. I have seen a good many people of the same sort since that time, but up to that date he was the g-reat original. A class in the seventies had a member who has since been heard by g-reat multitudes of people with de- light. He talks with the fluency of a full banked stream and sometimes storms like a tornado. But he had to learn how. He went at it from the beg-inning. One Friday afternoon he went out to the woods near which Dr. Wallace then lived, and dived into the depths to find a quiet spot for the cultivation of his speech to be delivered that evening. It so chanced that the Colleg ' e poet had goae to the same place to court his muse and was quietly aiid ro- mantically csconced behind a log when he heard in startling ' tones: ' ■ Jlr. president, ladies and g-cntlemeu: I am sorry to say that I am suddenly and unexi ectedly called upon to speak on this subject, and am not very well prepared this evening. Whispering to his muse to keep still, the paet peeked out from his lair and saw the tall orator holding his manuscript on which the extempore speech was carefully wi ' itten. Thus early he was leaim- ing the tricks of his trade. But the poet could not keep his delicious secret and as soon as the offhand debate was in shape, he sneaked out and had the story all over CoUeg-e by the time his victim arose that evening, sud- denly and unexpectedly and not very well prepared. and who was doubtless somewhat amazed at the volume of applause which greeted his opening period. J.vjiES A. Grier, Allegheny, Pa.

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Qlass of 1868. F70W tl7E SociEty I all? wefe Gbosen. IN 1863, when the new College building was completed, two halls had been provided for the use of the g ' entle- man societies, those that they now occupy. The college authorities declined to assign to the societies their respective halls. Both were determined upon securing the upper hall. It was thought to be the preferable one, because it was upon the third floor, and in the lower hall were two iron posts that was supposed would detract from its aijpearance. It was dilfleuU to decide this vexed question. Each was determined. They finally decided to sell the halls at auctiou, the bidding- was to decide how much each society would pay the other for the choice of halls. Prof. Wilson was selected as the auctioneer. The Eceritean society had been weakened at the beginning of the year by many of her members going- into the army. .She instructed her committee to bid as high as thirty-five dollars. The representatives from each society met with the auctioneer in the upper hall, and the auction began. The Ijidding was spirited — ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-five dollars — tben bids began to be more careful. The limit of the Eecriteans was soon reached, and the main object with them now was to get all they could from the other society. They proceeded cautiously, until, I tliink, the amount of sixty-five dollai-s was reached, and being afraid to go higher, the Philos ware allowed to take the choice. The money was paid over in due time, and was used by the Eecriteans in furnishing their hall. Thus the ve.xed question was settled to the satisfaction of botli parties, particularly to the Eecriteans. Rev. H. F. Vai.l. ce, D. D.. Portland, Ore.

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Glass of 1886. You ask foi ' a reminiscence. Well, of all the pleasant or ludicrous thing-s it is bard to select one. How- ever, as the bald-headed men usually get it, let us take a fat man. Diiring the years of SS- ' S.? there wei-e a number of boys in Colleg ' e over whom I had little control in the way of reformation: consequently some thing ' s occurred that older people would brand as ••mischief. This jolly lot of boys had no recitation during the third hour of each day, and thus were much tog ' ether. To quiet and amuse them I often had them go into Dr. McMichael ' s recitation room, which was unused at that hour. Still, the boys would have their joke, so that fun and boyish enjoyment held high carnival. On a certain day, late in the winter term, one of the boys found a large tack, whitened with age, of the carpet family. Placing the tack, head downward, on the Doctor ' s chair, this thoughtful boy soliloquized: My, wouldn ' t it raise him! Being- somewhat absent-minded and hav- ing his attention called to something else lie neglected to remove the tack. Soon the shaking of the building indicated that the Doctor was coming. In the rush for the back seats the Professors presence was scarcely noticed. Wreathed in smiles he called the class to order, and with a coat flap in either hand sat down. The expression of face we will not attempt to describe. Surprise and chagrin on his face — just plain grins on the faces of the boys. Some one has said that large bodies move slowly and with little noise. This certainly was an e.xception. This rear at-taek was too much for the patience of even a good-natured College President. He arose quickly, though his actions could scai ' cely be called g-raoeful. The sequel was a Faculty meeting, at which it was decided that each of these boys should report to some recitation room for roll-call during ' that vacant hour. I had a very pleasant time in the Greek room, where I wasn ' t afraid of being called on to recite. J. M. AcriESON.