Clemson University - Taps Yearbook (Clemson, SC)

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410 THE CLEMSON COLLEGE CHRONICLE. and here again I am re-numbered, being the 2nd man in the rear rank of the 6th four. My laundry is also numbered 526, and my gun is num- bered 563,638. I am shown into the Library, where are quite a number of books, and I take one or two in my hands and start for the door, thinking that I would take them to my room and read them. But my escort grabs me by the shoulder and conducts me to a table where a fellow is writing numbers in a big book. Here, Furman, give this rat a page in the ledger. All right, he replies, and turning over to the back of the book, says, Your page is 913, what is your name? ' ' I give him my cognomen, and turn to walk out, when I am again called back, and I stand before the big book again. Give me the number of your books, so that I can keep a record of the books you get out, requested the Libra- rian. I sighed a weary sigh, and turned to the front cover of the books. Number 1687 and number 1891, I called out. All right; remember the date you took them out, and bring them back in 10 days or you will be fined 2c. for every day you are late. I smiled sadly and walked out from the door. Let me see, now. My page is 913, the books are to be returned in 10 days, or 2C. each day they are kept. O. K. Now for a summary. I live in number 18. I recite on 3d floor of college. I am 5th man on roll of 4th section, Sub. Fresh A. In the company I am 2d in 4th six, No., — 6th four. My laundry is number 526, my gun is 563,638. Library page 913 ! Whew ! I hope my brain will hold out !

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THE CLEMSON COLLEGE CHRONICLE. 409 complacency and never grumble. I know that this will not last forever. But there is one thing which I wish to raise my feeble voice against and let the authorities know what I think about it. One thing, which unlike hazing, does not cease with rat-dom, but continues on and on through a college life, and causes the student to become wrinkled and sad with the exertion necessary to perform this arduous task. The affliction I refer to in such feeling terms is the custom of numbering each cadet as if he were a convict or some such disreputable character. Why, I am the most be-numbered person in this land of sweet liberty, and I rise to a question of privilege and inquire is this sort of thing in keeping with the constitutional right of seeking life, liberty and happiness. Bear with me a few moments and I will detail a few of the numerous number of numbers I have to tax my brain to remember. Upon my arrival, and after paying my entrance fee, I am shown into the President ' s office and insert my name in the matriculation book. Here I receive my first number, for opposite my name are the figures 978. From here I am shown into the command- ant ' s office, and am assigned to Company C. Then I am conducted to the barracks and my captain assigns me to Room 18. So far I can remember these facts. Now, I am given a place in Section, and I am told that I am in the 4th Section Sub-Fresh A, and my name is 5th on the roll. All right! So far, so good. I dis- cover that my recitation rooms are on the 3rd floor of college building. After drilling in the rat squad for a few weeks (and all this is done by numbers) I am put in my compan

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THE CLEMSON COLLEGE CHRONICLE. 411 I soon become interested in my books. I go to the drawing room for free hand drawing and am given some more numbers. The place to keep my board is on shelf D, and the drawer to keep my paper and pencil is number 107. When I commence mechanical drawing my drawer of instruments is 23 — and the T square is number 372. The next place is the wood-shop. Here I find some more numbers staring me in the face. The tool box is numbered 7. The drawer in which I keep my wood- work is numbered 31, and the combination to open it is 3-15-26, The pattern I am now working on is num- ber 19. When I enter the Forge shop, I am still more be- numbered. My tool box in the Forge is number 7. I will enter the Chemical Laboratory soon, and here my keys will have numbers ; my desk will have another number, and my experiment yet another number. My box at the post-office is number 26, and the let- ters I get cannot be numbered, they are so numerous. My brain is almost worn away, yet numbers still stare at me everywhere I turn — when I get corporal I will be known as 5th corporal or possibly 6th corporal. During foot-ball season, the foot-ball signals are numbers in- numerable, and I will have this list to add to my mental store of numbers. Yet I still live, and feel sure that by the time I graduate my memory will be so gymnastical I will be a living representation of Wentworth ' s Num- bers Applied. Such is college life at Clemson. The department of mathematics is very complete here. W. L. MOISE.