Bridgewater State University - Alpha Yearbook (Bridgewater, MA)

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HISTGRY. - -N-Y--kick-S Q.-kk-SDN! I J' I I-J I d-d- . aeefefzfzfzezezfffzvfzsfsaeieisifeisieefee I-IE four-years' class of IQOO, Section A by name, entered this illustrious institution with a membership of eighteen, and the highest hopes in the world. It may be said that even before we entered we had a reputation to sustain, for the last Section A, to whose name and fame we fell heir, was of a most superior character. Thus at the very outset great expectations of us were entertained. It is said that this very expectation of good is an active spur to honest effort. Whether or not this is true in our case we would best leave outsiders to judge and time to prove. Through our first year we existed. This really is all that can usually be said of anyone's first year in a new place. We were all strangers to each other, it took some time to learn even the names. No special feeling of class unity was developed that year. In school it is probable that we worked harder than at any time since. The new and undiscovered is always an incentive to effort rather than the tried and known. There is not the deadly sameness to it which saps one's energies. In the field of Music our natural brilliancy was somewhat obscured by the presence of a second and larger class, but this was not the case in Chemistry where we distinguished ourselves, especially in the line of explosions and the like, though with a lack of fatality truly remarkable. In Mathematics we rather excelled, being considered in many respects the star class of the year, for at the end we rested on our laurels instead of being obliged to go through the ordeal of a final test. This one first year was the ever-to-be-remembered one of the reign of the scarlet fever. We furnished from our class three candidates for the hospital, rather more, we thought, than our rightful quota. At the end of this year we found ourselves well acquainted, both with each other and the ways of the school, and looked forward with considerable pleasure to a reunion in September. Our next year was one of very pleasant work involving little worry and anxiety. In fact its delightful character much exceeded our expectations, for we had not realized what a sense of independence the knowledge of a previous year at the same sort of workwould give us, or how much we could enjoy small C022- Zffeiewzps. We all remember that in our pursuit of a knowledge of draughts in 4225

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SECTIUNR A. 1900. Turn over a new leaf. W EET - I i 1 , ' x ARTHUR LINWOOD GOULD, . . Preszkiefzf GERTRUDE WCOD DEXTER, . . . Vz'ce-Pffeszdmf SARAH ELIZABETH MCMENABIEN, Secrcfafgf and 717'6'6Z5?l7'6'7' GERTRUDE WOOD DEXTER, Hz'sf01'z'fz1z

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chimneys, mines, etc., fa draught is rather a difficult thing to catch by the wayj, one of our number, while giving a teaching exercise on the subject, illustrated by a cigar box and two lamp chimneys, inquired what was in said box, being at the same time careful to specify that it was empty. Some brilliant young person replied air, Possibly this answer was based on some previously obtained knowledge of the subject. Some of us took great flights in the line of Literature and even reached the realms of poetry. Though in that last high flight, I think we must have melted ourgwings of wax by flying too near the sun, as did Daedalus of ancient times, for then most of us suffered a grievous fall, and since, none of us have dared to soar so high. But these lofty things were prevented from taking us off the earth entirely by the admixture of a great quantity of varied practical knowledge, as for in- stance, whencash is debtor, what is the disease termed appendicitis, and what is the difference between a toadstool and a mushroom. On the whole we man- aged to imbibe a fair amount of knowledge, and to gain much varied experience. Thus endeth the second year. The third year of our sojourn began in rather a melancholy way with the secession of several members of our class to the three years' course, so that now nine are all that are left of our noble bandf' This seemed very strange at first, but when we realized that the old order was actually changed, we became more reconciled till, at this time, we scarce remember that there ever were more of us than at present. This year we organized as a class and chose class offi- cers. With not more than the usual amount of discussion we chose a class pin, and are at present awaiting its arrival with considerable impatience. We trust that our present year's course in Mathematics compares favorably with that of our first year. During this course we were frequently impressed with the fact that everything was perfectly simple, especially the Binomial Theorem. The representation of the classic flower-pot and the artistic beer- bottle has occupied a good deal of our time, and we hope that our efforts in this direction have not been entirely fruitless. Very lately we are beginning to feel that our childhood is returning, for we spend long hours making round 0's and crooked S's on the blackboard. As the time goes on, however, I think we realize more and more the high profession for which we are preparing, and the possibilities of doing a great good or a still greater harm. Upon our failure or success rests not only our own hopes and ambitions, but also in some degree those of the institution which pre- pares us for our work. Those of the four years' class ought to be a special credit to the school because of their far greater opportunities for improvement. Let us hope that Section A of IQOO may, in the future, reflect still greater lustre upon her already renowned Alma Mater. C235