Connecticut College - Koine Yearbook (New London, CT)

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colors of victory, but the juniors joined the other classes in de- :xil;.;'ing the professors quite the finest a col!cgc could have. - + Before the Thanksgiving holidays various members of '2 made athletic teams, news staff, Glee Club, dramatics, in fact every organization open to all classes. The most exciting event ' for the Freshmen, however, was its selections of officers and, with 1 y - - . - ; ev n Dotty marching up in front, they felt equal to anything, eve midyears looming up beyond the Christmas vacation. In January some sensitive temperaments felt a horrible pre- 'monition when quarantine descended upon Winthrop House. But spirits bounded up again in spite of forebodings, after Presi- dent and Mrs. Marshall entertained so delightfully at a reception 'Wa'sl:iihgt'on's birthday; and after the Service League dance the Freshmen insisted life at Connecticut was a thing of joy and laughter. One Saturday evening in April the college gymnasium was packed to see the French play with several Freshmen in the cast. The success was counted by 2 1 to be in part a Freshmen triumph, and after seeing Dramatic Club plays with Freshmen stars, the class swelled with pride to the proportions of Monsieur Jourdain - himself. At a late spring meeting of the class its chief talent was again exhibited, that talent being the ability to choose the right person for presdient, and Agnes Leahy was selected for '21's Sophomore president. May-day brought a misty, dreary sky, but in spite of the lowering heavens, chapel was held between Plant and Blackstone and the Glee Club cheerfully trippity tropped to Bylow where the pigs were in the bean row. Less cheerful but perhaps more enthusiastic were the praises and farewell songs which bade Dr. Morris goodbye that afternoon at the station. The class of 1921 offered its best talent to the bazaar for .Belg:an Relief held on Mohican Roof, May seventeenth, and en- ;loslrcd th? affair heartily, But the events of the following day tl:cdt::;i:?::r?; ;ief;l:.;eshmeDn. 1921 was pioneering by starting gretted having slept tl?:a: h al;y. e o e Clafsn-la 0 sight of white-clad girlsowgith e theTEbY- b 'the .. purple and orange ties marching corated tables. The sound of and singing might have reache i I ched any part of the campus, with such noisy gladness did they start the day. 24

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pictured herself in a perfect bodice of numerals and C's. And each new girl in college gloried in Student Government. On October 13, 1917, the Freshman class was not only sad- dened by the contact with the grief of the Juniors and Sopho- mores, who so tenderly mourned the death of Dr. Sykes, but they were also impressed seriously with the realization of a great personal loss and greater heritage. Trojan Women, given by the classical department in Sep- tember, gave the new members of the college family a glimpse of the dramatic, artistic and musical talent possessed by the fac- ulty and student body. It was not a little satisfaction, moreover, that one of 21's huskiest members was chosen to be a Greek sol- dier and the class lifted its head a bit higher and thenceforth refused to be called an infant. A great wave of thrift and money-making swept the college in response to President Marshall's stirring appeal for the Stu- dents Friendship Fund. Everyone pushed her pledge as high as she dared: and shoe-blacking, shampooing and mending were cultivated arts. It was, however, a startling fact that dramatic means such as clerking downtown were much more laudable than sacrifice of movies or Pete's. The Sophomores entertained the Freshmen so royally on Octo- ber seventeenth that it quite took away the sting of the morning's defeat at hockey. A hilarious variety of amusement was offered at the party, and Freshmen will always remember the parody of Trojan Women' just as they will remember the Circus to which the Juniors took them. The formal inauguration of President Marshall took place November twenty-third. It was the source of inspiration and an enlargement of ideals and sense of responsibility. The Fresh- men were eager and humble and awed by the sight of something infinitely big. The faculty in cap and gown as they appeared at the inaugu- ration were resplendent with gold tassels here and there, and hoods and stoles of bright color against the black robes, but the faculty's appearance at the Faculty-Junior soccer game was quite a different tone. They were arrayed in sport clothes, Indian blankets and skating caps, resurrected from forgotten corners or borrowed from students or certain small and also enthusiastic sons of the faculty. The colors they boasted proved to be the 23

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Everyone was on hand for chapel in front of New London Hall to see the planting of the Freshman tree. Fervent were the hopes that the tree would grow sturdy and straight, but perhaps a bit shaky was the faith in botany books which declared a silver maple to have purplish yellow blossoms. No day in June could have been more perfect than that beau- tiful May day. In the afternoon the gymnasium was attractive in the Freshmen colors and the guests enjoyed the cabaret. The different acts were clever, irresistibly funny, or genuinely lovely. A strong affection binding all classes was very evident that after- noon and although commencement time approached, everyone was glad that separation was to be, this year, only for the summer. At midnight the Freshmen sought their sister class and two by two in the mystical, black, soundless night, side by side, 1919 and 1921 clambered down the rocks, across the field, under barbed wire and over the railroad tracks by the uncertain light of two lanterns. There on the beach in the fire-light, the Junior president was given a convoy for the 1919 Submarine. To anni- hilate hot-dogs, tc cheer, and to sing were the only means of ex- pressing surplus enthusiasm, until Dean Nye spoke a few words showing such understanding that, as the procession wound up the hill in the light of the rising moon, each girl seemed to find a greater satisfaction in exclaiming again and again the enthusiastic words, 'just the dearest sport. The end of the year approached. On Memorial Day was a celebration with field sports for sub-Freshmen. The never-to-be- forgotten crew race, picnics, summer plans of farm work or other service helped to hasten the days. Freshmen had their share of banners and pennants, and numerals and letters at the athletic banquet, and proud indeed was '21 of the champions. As they looked back through the college year, the girls of '21 were amazed at what wealth of friendship had been found, what fullness of joy, and of love for the college on the hill by the sea; what depth of experience, and dared they breathe it what a sum of knowledge, had come to them with the swiftly passing days of the freshmen year of 1921. ESTHER ALLEN, Historian. 25