Barnard College - Mortarboard Yearbook (New York, NY)

Page 28 text:

In the month o June in ' 54 While white gowned parents muttered excelsis gloria! Innumerable white-gowned graduates Clutched their diplomas in high school auditoria. Into the limbo that followed June The summer passed and the autumn hastened While into Barnard, late or soon, Crept the one-time graduates, meek and chastened. Freshman Day, and Freshman teas, Junior sisters and Frosh elections Who can conjure with things like these Who can censure a Frosh s defections? Who can grow hitter at a Freshman ' s F? Who expects them to win Greek Games? ' 38 with a 2.1 Found its miseries quite complete, Found the Sophomores were hard to beat. And, when the first long year was done, Called itself some horrible names. Our Sophomore year was a thing of beauty (As a joy forever we ' re inclined to doubt it) But, impelled by a wonderful sense of duty 1 think that I ' ll tell you all about it. We gave a Soph-Fresh party (In the Fall, in Barnard Hall) Of a singularly memorable kind The skits went tripping nicely The refreshments were precisely What appetized the palate And paralyzed the mind. W ' e didn t do a stroke of work And yet we won Greek Games. As Juniors our career became Preeminently successful The Fair we helped (in fact we claim) We all were there— the whole darn class-full. We can ' t be calm About Junior Prom (Were you there?) At the Pierre In the Glare Of the bare White backs And the hair And curls And the girls All fair. Did you hear? And do you know? Did you appear In Junior Show? The plot, you remember, 24

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y CTlVn of a spec ial sort in Barnard Hall this spring — w e mean the hustle and bustle attendant on Greek Games — forced almost every member of the class of 57 to a very definite realization of how rapid can be the passage of four years of college life. For when 1Q37 was less than one year old, that illustrious class, in answer to a chal- lenge in the old Greek manner, displayed its rhythmical, musical, and athletic prowess to the world. And thereby hangs a tale. 1937 lost Greek Games in 1934. Experience proved a faithful teacher, however, and led tlie class to a substantial victory in 1933. Emerging from the emotional wear and tear of the first two years (always the hardest, my dear), 1937 embarked upon the glorious Junior year, fraught as it is with all the sweet pathos of tradition and great moments — Junior Prom and Junior Show. With the versatility for which the class is famous, the class swayed first to sweet music and soft lights at the Savoy Plaza, and then rushed thumpingly and riotously on to the Brinkerhoff stage, there to show the world just what Barnard could do if shipwrecked on an island where some men hate women and others think they are plenty useful. Later in the semester, f lortarboard made its appearance, and soon became the boudoir com- panion of every Junior and of the college at large. With cool and placid dignity the class brought its caps and gowns for the Senior year. Amy Schaeffer had been elected president. Proctors became mildly forceful, and the stately entrance to all college assemblies took on a new importance to the class of 37. The sudden realization of the almost imminent end of college life set a marked impetus to the interest in, and zeal for, the success of the Barnard Fair. Jane Craighead and her diligent staff, teeming with energy and ideas, helped to insure the reality of a new building where posterity will some day pursue its stud ies. With the advent ol the spring semester, the Senior Week plans and preparations began to crystallize under the able supervision of Adele Hagland. All over the place committees and sub-committees were meeting, fired with originality and a genuine desire to make the class of 1937 outstanding. Spring weather early in the semester emphasized the evil influence which the prerogative of unlimited cuts gives to the Senior. But Seniors thank their lucky stars for the Faculty Follies and for a mild winter. In these respects the year 1936-1957 has been unique. 23

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Was designed to show us Ourselves in such a way That we wouldn ' t know us, As Wells and Carroll Hearst and O ' Neill Expected a Barnard girl Would feel But if they were right In respect to the plot, we Suspect that Barnard ' s completely dotty. As Juniors, now the things we ' ve done Are known to everyone. But as Seniors what we ' ll do Is unknown to ine or you. Though there ' s one thing unquestioned Acknowledged and predestined. In the month of June in ' 38 While our parents sigh and we ' ll think of ' him ' , All capped and gowned we will graduate As we flourish our diploma in the Barnard gym. r f unior ci ass LSPETH DAVIES President Augusta Williams rreasurer Alice Krbecek Vice-President Audrey Snyder Secretary 25