Bridgewater State University - Alpha Yearbook (Bridgewater, MA)

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OFFERING 2 I Trigonometry has been begun and hnished with much pleasure. For the benefit of any inquiring minds, we will state that the chief impression left by that study on the brain, is a somewhat hazy one of triangles and logarithms. By taking things according to analogy, one is likely to meet with fair success in the understanding of the subject. Still, a slight knowledge of the arithrnetical operations, such as is obtained in the Second Grade, is necessary for accurate work. S We have the privilege this term of wandering on the campus and studying the stars during the evening study hour. It is not without its dangers. For instance, a harmless cat was found on the walk one night, wriggling his paws at the moon, and sustaining a sinuous motion with his body. A slight misunder- standing as to the nature of the animal caused a swift retreat to the shelter of the halls. A few were desirous of making further investigations but were over- ruled by the caution of the rest, and the imystery has never been solved. On another occasion the sight of our party with its gaze bent on the firmament was too much for some passing boys, and they applied the usual appropriate slang. Since the success of Julius Caesar, Hamlet and his supporters have been safely made way with, and we shall soon concoct ai witch's broth for Macbeth. The class, as a whole, is not yet recovered from its toil as gravediggers in which its personality was completely merged. We have hopes that the close relation- ship with ghosts which we enjoyed in Hamlet will stand us in good stead with Macbeth. Lately a new occupation has been opened to us. It is that of developing the microscopeikeye. This does not mean the diminishing in size of that organ, but the power to gaze upon the bacilli tuberculosis, when found, with one eye and keep the other optic in an expansive, though unseeing state. Now our horizon is changing. September, with its new thoughts and cares, seems very near. Perhaps sometimes there comes a slight distrust of self as the understanding of our future responsibility broadens. Still, there is danger in too much self-confidence, as in too little. And when we stand before our pupils may we remember first of all, that we are dealing with little lives which are to become the great ones of this world.

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20 OFFERING tivity of children, as in the case of Geometry. Still, do you suppose the frank- ness and imagination of a little child could have produced anything more delight- ful than the following statement? Potato sprouts started in a closed box are white because such is the color of the generating vegetable. This is not exactly verbatim. Weasdof-not believe in..learning.by rote, as it is a habit per- nicious in the extreme, and since the ideas did not seem to have a logical ar- rangement, there was no other way of remembering it. Some time each day was also spent in the instruction of the real bona jide article. We not only led them in the path of knowledge, but also covered their books, straightened their spinal columns, and were able to recognize them on the street. Our experiences in this first real taste of our work were thoroughly enjoyable. No cases of over or under severity have been reported and we believe that our specialty is discipline. The verdict of the class is that teaching is preferable to being taught. Moreover, it has been decided in class conclave, that all the government in our future schools is to be carried on by the eye,- or hand. The attention of the class for a part of the term was taken up by the pres- entation of tragedy. We have found Shakespeare very well adapted to our histrionic genius, and consider it really very handsome of him to have written those plays, of which we selected Julius Cwsar. The Commentaries of the greateRoman had received much attention during our classical course, so that we felt quite well acquainted with him. Probably his death scene was the clzqfdkrzzrfre of our presentation. It is possible that Caesar made rather un- necessary noise in his- fall, but it was altogether the fault of his slayers, who knocked him over in their impetuosity. Some critics might not have considered it the correct thing for the corpse to giggle during an impassioned after-speech by Brutus. Yet it cannot be denied that the general effect was thereby much heightened. ' In Literature our store of general information has been much augmented. As a result, we have a great deal of pity, and possibly some fellow-feeling, for the ignoramus who cannot quote exactly the Scriptural reference to turning shields into plowshares, and also give the chapter and verse. Some intense thought was, on one occasion, given to the character of Charles Lamb. As, whether it is possible that the rulings of an all-wise Providence gave him a strong sense of humor in preparation for our class. For that day his shade beheld the title of one of his dearest brain children emblazoned on the blackboard as the Essays of a Liar. Since then, we believe in the advantages of correct pro- nunciation and spelling. The period of transition to our second and last term was a dark one, simply because it consistedof only one night. We have-not yet decided to call it the Renaissance. A good deal of our time now is being devoted to talking, not at all interesting to the uninitiated, for our conversation can scarcely be called a feast of reason and flow of soul. Individual character is freely discussed, the invitations for the graduation, and the uncertainty of human desires.

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22 OFFERING I Seniors. SUsAN G. BAKEMAN, . Pzfeszdevzz' X xp . A ' tv, MARGARET T. KANE, Vz'ce-Pffeszdml - ' ,Y 7 . E' li ' J f f gxg ' :7, ',x F-Zzfyl: -77 ,4 . -A - A A .Ji-'ilk S filiki VELDIA W. MORRIS, . Sgwfgmffy . 1 l ' 1 4 ink gg? MA 5 G 1 is ff fix RACE AMON, . Tffmszzffwf .l ,,, p QR p I W .li Q? il' A A' r' - V X,-UV 414- . . Nga,-,J JENNIE A. ORENDORFF, Hzsfozfzafz , p , Q . . 4 H YOU DEARV, How glad I am to see you! ffl am Don t you think it s Good to be back again? Such 'B were some of the exclamations to be heard about the buildin s . ,W X , 5 7' ,If ' 51, ,cc ' ' ' ' ' U 'r mil 98 C ' I . l- ' - - A -sf'-lil . . . . R A and grounds of this renowned institution the thirteenth of Tv- .f ' X 'Qg'f 1g4 September of last year, when the class of nineteen hundred returned to complete its labors, so well begun before. How natural the places we had come to know and love appeared-natural, yet somewhat different, for were we not Seniors and did not that fact give us an added dignity, touching the familiar scenes with a new light ? After three or four days had passed- and the novelty of the return worn off, we were plunged again into work, and the different subjects opened new vistas to our minds. In Geology, every phenomenon for which no apparent cause existed was due to Hpercolating waters. To the person passing by the school building there appeared in the windows of the Assembly hall and Geography room, sheets of white paper which seemed a little mysterious, to say the least. Could the observer have seen behind each of those sheets he would have found a stu- dent whose flushed face was screwed into an expression bordering on agony, whose neck was craned to the farthest possible limit, and who, when questioned concerning his purpose in assuming such a position, would answer laconically, with a wave of his pencil, doing maps. t , In Rhetoric we struggled bravely to escape the quiet I'll have to stop you there, which sounded so simple, yet carried so much weight. Many of-nest probably remember the smooth and oft'-repeated remark, Well, has the dipper clinked for ths last time ? as we sat waiting for the last members of our class. Although we had come to a realization of our brilliancy as a class, we were surprised in History. Une young woman, with a fitting sense of injury, in- formed us that it was Martin Luther who was absent from the Convention of I787,H and appeared disgusted with that gentleman for thus neglecting his po-