Radcliffe College - Yearbook (Cambridge, MA)

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Class History 5 G The great new world of dramatics had no terrors for us, and we plunged boldly into it with our two plays, Mr. Bob and the Dowager. lfVhen finally a 1909 name was announced on the Idler cast, we triedto look as if it were a mere matter of course, but we couldn't help feeling just a little superior.. ' Joy was not always ours, however, and we sighed bitter sighs when 1908 took the championship in gymnastics. But the clouds had silver linings, for our class leader, Mary Carty, not only led us, but led all college as well, and-add an-other wreath of glory to 1909-she has continued to lead each year. Once again we have made history. Then for a time the world did not loo-k so bright. Our Seniors left us all too soon and we came back the following year without IQO6 and with-ah! the misery of it--with IQIO to be petted and exclaimed over by their fond, adoring Seniors. VVe were very much out in the cold, we felt, but we were philosophers even then, young as we were, and we permitted the new babies to be just as important as wenknew we never had been. It was then we learned to know each other more fully and truly to appreciate how much we meant to each other. Class spirit and class unity took deep root that year-t-oo deep to be destroyed by any strife the future might bring. A Under the cheery influence of our class president, Alice Abbott, our spirits revived, and once again we appeared before the foot- lights in A Geological Affair, an original comedy, by Louise and Alice Hannon, and in our fourth and last class ply, A Double Deception. And then we broke another precedentl' The green never wins anything, you know, had been the mournful prophecy our Seniors had given when they bestowed on usf their class color. But were we downhearted? Never l Our undaunted brothers across the way had taught us that sometimes the ever-beaten could really co-nquer. So we scorned the gloomy legacy of defeats for the green, and with bold determination won the meet, and inscribed upon the championship cup the glorio-us numerals 11909. Junior year Hew by almost before we realized it had come, and hardly had we ceased exclaiming at the unusual aspect o-f IQO8 in caps and gowns when they bade us good-by, and we were ready to assume the venerable garments. ' Yet in that brief space of time exciting things happened. We watched anxiously the tender beginnings of student, go-vernment and wondered if it would flourish more than a year. We were very 18

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Class History P ee History of 1909 VERY class has its history, hut the class of IQOQ has the unusual honor of heing the maker of history. XYe have not hurst upon a tlazzletl world with our exploits and our achievements, we have clone our work quietlyg and now that our career as untlergratluates is coming to an end, we feel justified in casting asicle the mantle of modesty which we have ever worn and revealing to you the glories of our life that, hearing them, you may think antl marvel. Perhaps we were, like all other l reshmen, when first we met and smiletl upon each other in the fall tif 1905. Our Seniors toltl us they likecl us, and our hearts thrilletl at the praise. They were very imposing, our Seniors, antl we looketl upon them with wontler. lrlave Freshmen ehamletl since those tlavs, or can it he that we as Seniors have failetl to acquire those awe-inspiring qualities? Agassiz Ilouse weleomecl tts. the Class of tooo. tlte first liresh- men to enjoy life within its tloors, antl we fountl it harfl to realize that classes hatl livetl antl laughetl liefore it hatl existetl. antl ltatl even given plays in the tnltl liay llouse autlitorium. lt was cluring that very first year that we lit-gan lu make history, for we hroke all preeetlents antl elteeretl our varsity lrasket- hall team with its first lireslnnan gnartf. Klaeltelle Atlatns. Oh! then we were very proutl little l reslnnen :tml felt that the future heltl great honors for tooo. .Xml we feef it part of our own glory to-tlay. that our little lfreshmen have toll--wetl that illustrious exam- ple so well. D livents erowtletl fast upon one :tnot'ter, lint we mttst e--utess that it was woful ignorance antl not high sareasnt that promptetl llgtritm Stgtffortl ln suggest. its she paused. in the miilst ot' iltt' whirl of activities. that some clay, when we hail plenty ul time. it w--nhl he real nice to take a long walk antl go to see ll'.i,vi::'z:.g!.tr: Iilm, XXI' were feastetl :intl fetetl liy all ilte upper t'l2'1sst's. until we liegan to woutler if there ever hatl lween an-'ther class like our-. I7

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Class History P Q positive that the new lihrary, which came to us that year. was quite the most ideal place for study, only the tahles were a little too high. weconcluded, for excessive grinding. So we resolutely gave up all desires for a large supply of future magnas and decided to leave it to very tall people like Evelyn Spring to uphold our reputation for intellectual achievement, since she of course would experience none of the discomforts under which we sufifered. With the coming of Senior year we were ready for the new responsibilities which awaited us. During the summer we had tried to gather all the hints possihle concerning the proper training of children, so that we might make no mistake when little lQl.2 came under our fostering care, On every side we were called upon to prove ourselves. and it is not mere hoasting when we say that we have not heen found wanting. The ldler Cluh looks hack upon a year crowned with success under a president. crowned in our thoughts for her gentle dignity and cordiality, whom IQOQ takes pride in calling her per- manent secretary. XVhen the sorrow of having plays of our very own to manage was greater than the joy. it was to the kind patience of our dramatic committee chairman that we have appealed to pull us out of the slough of despond into which dress rehearsals had so deeply plunged us. Even though the lfmmanuel Cluh has had a Frost for its leading spirit. it has grown' and expanded under her cheerful optimism and never-failing enthusiasm. The Student tiovernmeut Association has shown that it has passed heyond the stage ot' experi- ment, thanks to its clear-headed president. and as for the magaxine. it has spoken for itself hoth in college and out, and through its editor prepares for a still more glorious future. Our Christian Association president has t:mght us not only hy precept. hut also hy example. the heauty ul the doctrine. l.ove thy fellow-man. ln fact, it is remarkahle how well some of us have learned-even without waiting for l'hil. 4 to reveal lu us- the true definition of l,n:'e. ln every path of life. tooo has made its way successfully, prohahly heeause through its marshal and class-day chairmen it has possessed the genius of management while at work. and heeause at all times it has hasked under the sweet sunniness of its tiwn hrilliant little president. So in the midst ot' manifold cares and perplexities the year has llown on. in spite of all our lamentations and our vain attempts to make it go a little slower. XYith the spring time came an--ther mcg qlmmpionsliip for 1000. hut greater than that--greater than 19