Boston College - Sub Turri Yearbook (Boston, MA)

Page 32 text:

When the faU had passed slowly into winter and quizzes had passed into mid-year examinations, sober faces sought textbooks as the only defense against intellectual casualty. However they proved to be a Winchell set of exams — over in a flash — and thoughts were turned to our second Under- the-Tower dance. Lou Sacco kept the time and the class kept the receipts. On May 7, 1937, the Staffer was surrounded by a multitude of city guards, and questions from the curious who had gathered there brought this reply, Don ' t you know? B.C. Sophs are promenading to Hudson-Delange ' s music to-night! What a crowd and what a dance! With the eager anticipation of a healthy summer ' s tan and the scrupu- lous scanning of the help-wanted ads, we wrote farewell to the classics and arrived at the half-way mark of our college career. Sunior The shrill clarion call of philosophy welcomed us back. With one eye on the social calendar and the other on logic, we endeavored to retain a socia- bility of notes whilst grimly preparing for the onslaught of Kant and his cohorts. In October the bells of the Tower called us forth to dance under so inspiring a structure to the Hallowe ' en tunes of Don Fabien ' s orchestra. The same month revealed the brethren ' s heads buried deep in minor logic bluebooks, with the strains of Maryland, My Maryland beckoning them to the south. Immediately following this trip, a travel worn honors sec- tion adjourned to the committee room of the library to render an oral encore in the form of a minor logic specimen. Diamond Jubilee W eek celebrated the founding of our alma mater, featured by many festivities and crowned by the Dramatic Society ' s produc- tion, The Music Makers, an achievement of untold labor and never-to-be- forgotten fame. Following this presentation came the lightly tripping Greek chorines who were destined for fame admixed with notoriety in direct con- trast to the original tripsters of Antigone ' s days. Well fortified by Mass and Communion on Sunday, the lads blew the lid off for a week of unforeseen joys; Monday saw the Assembly Hall clouded with smoke, cut only by the cheerful words from Bill Cunningham, Jimmy Foxx, Tom Thorpe and others; Tuesday rolled into view with a wealth of fun at the Kenmore gardens — as we skated (or slid) over the floor to the favorite swing tunes of the day. Although we were still only partially re- covered from such dazzling speed, splinters and bruises, Wednesday found us standing in the Blue Room wielding a demi-tasse of orange pekoe and a delightful teaser of cake. Still in the groove from this tea dance, the Tim- ilty School was graced that same evening by a series of one act plays followed by dancing. Thursday was set aside by tradition to prepare for the greatest prom in the history of the College. Our happiness was short-lived, however, for the gloom spreaders an- nounced the advent of that philosophical interview formally called the orals. [28]

Page 31 text:

On Friday, December 20, 1935, the new class began to make history by sponsoring the first under the Tower social with music furnished by the Burke Brothers ' Grey Towers orchestra. Parallel to this was the inception of intra-mural football and baseball — an innovation for the indulgence of practically anyone who cared to defend the escutcheon of the class. Even surpassing the usual financial worries of college life, the dread mid- years arrived in January and effected many strange phenom.ena. Cofl ' ee sales rose to new heights. S.R.O. signs hung outside the library and chapel; and beards were allowed to flourish until they approximated the braiding stage. As a soothing aftermath to this intellectual baptism, a sports night and smoker was held in the Senior Assembly Hall. Movies, speakers, reporters and numerous other attractions helped to leave a lasting impression on the eager audience. When that seemingly endless stretch from Christmas to Easter had been covered with the addition of a few gray hairs, we began a series of eventful expansion. In April, our Communion breakfast was held off the campus for the first time in the College ' s history — at the Hotel Continental, Cam- bridge. On May 8th at the Louis XIV ballroom at the Hotel Somerset, the class rallied to the contest in terpischorean art which very nearly rivaled the light fantastic as portrayed two years later by the mad chorines in Father Bonn ' s version of Antigone. With monetary hesitation for the inbibation of the atmosphere so gladly expended at the dance, the class inaugurated a Mother ' s Day program for the maternal inspection of the buildings, which were lodging the external expression of their every hope. With the passage of time we progressed in collegiate wisdom; soon we observed the futility of many things in life, such as the impossibility of the end justifying the means, the termination of the Billy Frazier-Jonesy feud, a house date with an Emmanuel girl, prompt service in the librarj etc. opi)omore With only a happy memory of the previous year, the men rallied to the call of education in September to find that newer and more difficult con- quests were j et to be made. The same four leaders were supported for re- election and with a nearly perfect reunion, the famed class of ' 39 began its second scholastic year. Smiling faces were saddened suddenly when Father Leo J. Gilleran, S.J., died. His smile often replaced darkness with the brightest light, even for those with whom he was not formally acquainted. He left an empty place in our midst and an indestructible character in our memories and our hearts. Early fall brought forth loud cheers both for a successfid football team and the visit of Cardinal Pacelli, who became an Ail-American in the eyes of loyal rooters by declaring a two-day holiday. This reason terminated with the annual banquet held at the Continental where Fathers Gallagher, Max- well, Judge Swift and Brother Gilbert contended in offering congratulations for past deeds and advice for future needs.

Page 33 text:

Postum and aspirins supplanted the lunchroom milk shake and a dentist ' s drill appeared mild compared to this extraction of knowledge. Vacation offered a cure for the many upside down stomachs following this intellectual forage which marked the third milestone in the history of ' 39. Senior With unrelenting gusto, Mother Natvn-e rushed in the Scholastic year amid howling gales, uprooted trees, and the campus strewn with every kind of foreign debris. Dispersing her whimpering breezes throughout the Tower Building, she succeeded in reducing the rotunda ' s former white way to such a state of abysmal darkness that guides were sought to open the trail to the various offices. The Heights and Stylus opened a verbal feud over the innovation of a pictorial cover on the latter in which our renowned feline Clipper figured in an extremely prominent role. The social season was set on a high plane when Lou Sacco encored the Class Song on the eve of the Holy Cross football game. Distinctive approba- tion of the toast relegated it to the already famous repertoire of B.C. songs. Then followed a bombardment of campus activities. The Cross and Crown Honor Society tapered off the remainder of ' 38, first with a concert and tea for maternal appreciation and then an informal strut amidst a mardi- gras of decorations and popular swing tunes by Johnny Hart. Under the guise of foreign ambassadors with their maroon-and-gold sashes, the Senior Class promenaded to the music of Ruby Newman at the Copley Plaza when the Philomatheia Club sponsored the Senior Ball. Every lovely debutante attempted an American version of the English Lambeth Walk amidst the elbow-rubbing of the socially elite. Father ' s Day embossed Patriot ' s Day with a little interest on an intellectual investment. Following a baseball game, Dad enjoyed a banquet and an evening ' s entertainment by the class members. Then as quickly as Mother Fame smiled on the goldfish swallowers with a bit of paper publicity so quickly did we find ourselves in Senior Week. Our retreat opened the festivities — our last as under-graduates. Class day, resurrected the jokesters for their speeches and quips of biographical remin- iscences, whence we sojourned to the Tower Building once more while the lads and lasses graced their pedestrian appendages to a bit of music. Enhanced by the conferring of an honorary degree upon Eamon de Valera, Commencement Day saw the reception of degrees and the cessation of all undergraduate activities. But now that the end has come and we look back over our deeds ; some- how our souls are wrapped around everything here at B.C., as we proudly sing Alma Mater. [29]