Southwestern Louisiana Institute - Lacadien Yearbook (Lafayette, LA)

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Academic Senior History NOTHING can be more gratifying than a quiet reminiscence of a pleas- ant and profitable past. The Class of 1913 has now reached the point where it may turn a retrospective eye and view the events of the past four years ; years which have been of vital interest and im- portance to us all, years of toil and disaster, yet not without the reward and the joys of 1 work well done, and of fond hopes realized. Within the first few days after school opened, crowds of candidates had matriculated, presented their certificates or stood entrance examinations, and had been admitted into the Freshman Class. They were a singular lot, repre- senting every type of boy and girl. On the faces of all beamed a look of in- telligence, heightened by the look of expectancy and inquiry, characteristic of every new student. From the moment we stepped on the campus, slowly and surely the Southwestern Spirit began to surge into our beings with an irresistible force. Our first days were of torture and suspense on account of exams. Those who never before had made a speech suddenly became fluent orators under the magic influence of stern voices from Seniors and Faculty. Some of our parents would have been paralyzed with astonishment could they have seen us stepping around so rapidly and lively. Thus our college life began. That fall Southwestern had one of the greatest football teams in her history, losing but few games. We backed them up in spirit, and spurred them on to victory. We did well in basket- ball and baseball, too. Commencement, with its gaieties and impressive ceremonies, ended our period of Freshmanhood. With gladsome hearts we all went home for the summer months. As September again approached we felt the call stirring within us and many responded. A few had failed to return but there were others to take their places. Now we were Sophomores, each, in his own opinion, a verita- ble lord of the universe, who straightway evinced a disposition to assume the guardianship of his inexperienced successors. For all our gambols and pranks out of school, we were strictly decorous in school. We attended roll calls with astonishing punctiliousness. Military discipline was enforced strictly this year. On Saturday mornings, many of the boys, inwardly quaking, but outwardly bold, would wait to hear their names abused — meaning tours. Athletics were stronger than ever, and many of us made the Varsity teams in girls ' basket-ball, boys ' basket-ball, football, baseball, and track.

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MOTTO: Carpe Diem COLORS: Light Blue and Dark Blue FLOWER: Red Rose Senior Class Poem When in life ' s after years we ' 13 are far apart; Still we ' ll be bound together by the old-time heart to heart And golden chains of flowers, of Black-Eyed seasons dear, And other tender memories of our fleeting Senior Year. We thought we found our school life a field a-bloom with flowers, And vainly fancied, as people will, that the goal of all our powers Lay in the crossing. But not so; for we ' ve discovered late A field beyond; the goal when reached, we saw was but a gate. Through this gate we soon shall pass into green Pastures New, But to you, Alma Mater, our hope is to remain most true; And when out on life ' s moor our paths are widening far, May the lesson, learned from you, be for each a guiding star. E. P. M.

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Another happy vacation was spent; then the flippant Sophomore returned as a dignified Junior. As usual, football was the chief topic of interest at the opening of school. This year Mr. Mac again developed a fine team. About seven of the men were Juniors. Baseball practice again was taken up with the usual vigor. Some of the Varsity players were from our class and again the Juniors showed their superiority. Finals were now approaching and mid- night oil became the slogan. When the examinations were finally finished, we all anxiously awaited the chapel period that would give us our ill-fate or good luck. Most of us were ready for a week of gaiety and enjoyment. Thus our Junior year ended. Now we are grave Seniors, proud of our high standing that we so hard worked for. We now smile at our Freshmanhood terrors, blush at our Sopho- moric freshness and audacity, congratulate ourselves on passing our Junior uncertainities, and set our faces toward the first goal of our ambition — a di- ploma. Twenty strong, we constitute one of the best Senior classes in the history of Southwestern. Our career as a class has been a checkered one. In athletics our achieve- ments have ranged from class championships on up. The vitality of the class is wonderful. Some of its members have been known to recover from a dreadful illness in a single morning, and become baseball cheer leaders by afternoon. We have attained pre-eminence in many ways. Our liars are the most ingenuous, our crooks the most versatile, our orators the most millifluent, and our scholars the most intellectual. Throughout four long years we have clung together. Soon we will pass from these old school portals to face the stern realities of life. History is concerned with only the present and the past ; the future we must leave to the prophet. But — let us all remember, that our future careers are to be de- termined largely by our character, which has had a firm start toward the RIGHT in the four years spent at our Alma Mater. EPPIE MOSS.