Amherst College - Olio Yearbook (Amherst, MA)

Page 11 text:

THE AMHERST COLLICGIE OLIO. 9 the convivial or sporting clubs, and wp the rivalry between the different eating clubs. Under fab we would class the lifelike representation of a hand- some hunting dog placed conspicuously over the names of - I the Nimrod Club. The suggestive cut of the Not One Hggiixlgy. Word More Club QFig. 25 comes under this same category. The rivalry between the eating clubs fsee b abovej gave rise to countless cartoons, all more or less puerile. Figs. 3 and 4 reproduce one of these, which represents with humorous exaggeration a familiar phase in the student's strug- gle for existencefi EEL f T' '-'M Z ' A s'i '5 9 5 - Us 's - gt - t 1 W j xdmiigi fvf.-Tinihu' A E 2 1 . . F ' I K ' ' F vii?- tt , lQh?lxf.4 g f' if ' a sks ' t- 1 is-.-,. . 52: 5? , Y, 0K V 'R ' NWN- lv ':1k.,,,,..b . - 2 ' SWW-ri 'M 'M W - N. as i n FTSJT-ET ff xl Fi----t A ii ZTQX...---1-Xe! ' I---i-e-wr Fm. 5. -V ' ' In striking analogy to this gradual development of illustrations, we note the evolutionof the grinds and witticisms for which the Ouo is now so widely celebrated. We detect the germs of . , , , , , pVZffZElJ7lI.Y. these in the mock organizations and humorous statistics of the earlier numbers. These were soon supplemented by elaborate illustrated jokes on Origin gf il' We intend no malicious reference to Cooley's lloarding Table.

Page 10 text:

8 Tllli AMHERST COLLEGE OLIO. the Musesfk We deeply regret the impossibility of reproducing this illustration for it exhibits a finish rarely attained by the engraver's art at that early period. The year t86I, memorable for the intestine struggle between the States, was also noteworthy for the publication 7v , , A l'Lm 'V 'Z ofthe first OLIO in pamphlet form. The f-ASWEW haflzlxozzza d I tl , O , I b fix ,J , ff , 5 - t pamjhml' ccat e its 1 1.10 inauguratet may e KN f. termed not maptly the Renaissance of ' f the Ouo. The dark ages of mediocrity were over and e VIE? , the bright era of modern excellence was dawning. The A if Eg numbers immediately succeeding ex- g X -- . . . . . . 44'IlllllP' Mt hibit, however, no immediate improve- ff fix MII, tif' , lt'e1111z.r.ra11rL', t . tl .X d. W tt 1 b t I tcp 6' M if A ,rl 31' A 1861-'SW men in ie ica ing ma ei, u tie ,fc-.Ls -BAK -s -4 pamphlet form insured to the publica- X iiiiml 2-T tion a distinctive position in the college world. W ar bubzueclz 4' 0Illfd71.l' amz' Sucre! S0c1'cl1'u.r. In 1863, when the war between North and South raged fiercest, two rival Oi.Ios fought for supremacy at Amherst, one being published by the Secret Societies and the other bythe Oudens. 1' The two issues were substantially alike, and form one of the curiosities of literature. Q e Q K The d awinffs artistic and grotesque with which the modern OLIO is so r D , i lavishly enriched, seem to have grown up from tal the vanity of the members of W We wish to thank Mr. IC. Lincoln XVood for this poetic suggestion. T This word which has now dt-generated into a slang term was then in well authorized use. Its derivation is obvious.

Page 12 text:

IO '1'lIE AMI-IERST COl.I.liGl'I OLIO. the exaggerated childishness of Freshmen. We may mention in this connec- tion the rude cartoon representing Athletic Day fFig. 5j. i This spirit of fun presents perhaps too boisterous a phase in a notorious cartoon in the '76 01.10 which represents the Faculty as a convivial club. The humor of this illustration is perhaps not readily appreciated to- l1'q1ef!1'ou.r on Ike A70l0I'I'0ll.Y Carlow: in '76 01.10. day, when smoking and drinking, together with card-playing and dancing, have been rescued from the debasing influences of the tavern and saloon and have become social accomplish- ments. But in those remote days the Amherst Faculty looked upon these harmless recreations as unpardonable sins, and hence this cartoon must have scandalized the worthy professors and caused unholy mirth among the undergraduatessl' But our description of the origin and development of the illustrations and witticisms 7Wu zllorlurn Era, 187 1. popularity, but history. has caused us to digress sadly from the strict chronological sequence. Let us therefore retrace our steps and consider critically the Modern Era, beginning with the '71 OL1o. This date can be easily remembered 1 as the year of the introduc- tion of Class Histories. These soon attained remarkable we find on careful examination that they contain little accurate However, the so-called histories led to a decided advance in the artistic beauty of the publication. The four ages of Youth,Q Freshman, Sophomore, I zgflueucc Q' C lass flzB'1orz'e.r on A rtzlrfic lfllpzzlsc. in the '84 01.10 Junior, and Senior, are typified by original drawings. The most suggestive of these are perhaps the Sophomore and Fresh- man in the '83 OLIO QFigs. 6 and 77. These will certainly compare favorably with the best of the cartoons in the Lou- n'aul'11111'h. The series of illustrations to the class histories is also well conceived. The college course is represented as a race-track around which ride in various degrees of apprehension or elation 4' For a more satisfactory treatment of the same subject see 'go 01.10. 1' 'l'llCl'C is a tradition that the 01,10 Board were expelled from College on account of this cartoon, but we cannot give it credence. I 'l'lianks a1'e due Prof. Morse for this characteristic phrase. 5 We intend no parody on SllI'lliCS1JC2ll'C,S Seven Ages of Man.