University of Rhode Island - Renaissance / Grist Yearbook (Kingston, RI)

Page 13 text:

CIk t ript iug to the present, but the usual duty of an Annual also, — a true and complete account of the happenings of the year at the little college on Kingston Hill. We hope our readers will find in it au equal to the fourteen fine volumes proceeding. Artists being rather infrequent in a technical school, the past Grist Boards have found it difficult to obtain sketches for the book, often finding it necessary to impose upon the few people talented in that direction in the community. This year, there- fore, we have dropped out every design possible, substituting in their place half-tones, thus not only depicting the subject better, but avoiding any undue imposition. The greatest change, however, has been in the physical aspect of the book. — size, shape, binding, etc. We anticipate much criticism on the change in size. Here is our explanation. Try to put the last Grists in an ordinary closed book case. You will find it absolute ' }- impossible; they are too long. We have adopted a size which we believe will be both more convenient and less liable to break at the binding. The personals written on the members of the Junior Class have assumed a decided uniformity in the last few volumes, so we have shortened them, putting two to a page, and introduced a summary of the positions held in the various college activities, which show along just what lines they have been active. Neither have the activities themselves escaped. The monotonous yearly account of the purposes and progress of the many organizations have been omitted, the simple statistics alone being utilized. Now a few words to the classes who are to publish the coming Grists. After a college Incomes a hundred or so years old. the early h. ' slory ieceives great attention, the minutest details of the early life 1 ei-iir found of intense interest, for it is generally well- nigh imj essible to unearth more than a few mouth to mouth 8

Page 12 text:

£hc £ ri8t EDITORIAL E class of Nineteen Hundred and Twelve has always held as its motto the word “Initiative.” All that we have attempted during our three years of college life here, we have tried to do originally, and we hope, well. Therefore, it was but natural that when it be- came our duty to publish the Grist, we should ponder for an original treatment of this also. We believe that we have suc- ceeded. This is the twentieth year of our incorporation as a college, and this book the fifteenth volume of the Grist, published by the students. What, therefore, we thought, would be more appropri- ate than to make our volume a historical number? Hence we set about its preparation with this in view, utilizing the last quarter of the book for this purpose, in a brief “His- tory of Rhode Island State College,” which we hope will be ap- preciated both by the alumni who made the events recorded, and by the present undergraduates, who may find in it additional reasons for applying themselves with all diligence to adding to the honorable record of our beloved Alma Mater. Page two is a tribute to the publishers of the previous volumes of the annual. The last few Grist Boards have recognized the fact that the general get-up of the book was no longer in keeping with the evolution of the college, but have hesitated to depart from the ac- customed style. The Nineteen Twelve spirit rebeled here, sc we have cut lose from all customs and launched ourselves boldly into a wholesale revision, which, altho involving much extra labor, we hope has been worth the effort. Our purpose has been not only to give a history of Rhode Island State College from its charter- 7

Page 14 text:

CtK riet traditions. We have tried to avoid such a contingency in regard to Rhode Island, by publishing this volume; and in order to keep the history continuous, we respectfully suggest that every five years a historical number of the Grist be published, the next. Volume Twenty, by the class of Nineteen Hundred and Seventeen. These future historical numbers should give a complete account of the previous live years’ progress, and thus tin Milling of the Grist” will result in a collected as well as a fragmentary account of the college life. We hope that our efforts in making the Grist a more useful, potent factor in Rhode Island State life will meet your approval. We acknowledge the crudeness of our product. We have worked in the dark with nothing to guide us but our ideals. We have had nothing to compare with except the willo ' the wisp of our fancies. The coming classes will find vast grounds for improve- ment. We leave the future of the book in their hands with all confidence. Hope is perpetual; may Rhode Island State College be as its motto, and ever stand for all that is good and true, be it great or small. 9