Radcliffe College - Yearbook (Cambridge, MA)

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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

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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 5 H4 G all precedents we had established-the basketiball championship brought to us a green banner, the first in the history of Radcliffe! History repeats itself, we hopefully believe, andvwe look to 1912 to prove it. All honor to the green! Ever may it wave in victory over our Freshmen and our Freshmen's Freshmen. Yet the history of our life as a class is after all not the m.ere account of wonderful acts we have accomplished, it is rather the story of our own growth into a well-organized whole. If it is true, as that wise Greek has told us, that history is philosophy teaching byexamples, in this steady gro-wth you have both our history and our philosophy. A thoroughly united class in which each individual member has done her' best for-its maintenance and perfection this has been our work and our greatest pride. It is too splendid an achievement to perish, and so we are leaving to you to-day, one whom we hold as an embodiment of the principle of 1909, Helen Dougherty, our Freshman president. Only the fact that through her 1909 will live yet another year ato-nes for the regret we feel that she is not with us to-day in her rightful place. Our story is almost told, in a few short days we will cease to call ourselves the Senior Class of Radcliffe College and will pass on to enroll our name among its graduates. One added to-uch of fame has come to us at the ClOSC-IQO9 is to have the distinction of being the last class to graduate under Miss Irwin. Our fare+ well will be more memorable since we are to join with our dean in giving it-and under such an auspicious ending, 1909 Writes Finis to her history at Radcliffe. , t FLORENCE E. SULLIVAN. 30