Davidson College - Quips and Cranks Yearbook (Davidson, NC)

Page 23 text:

by the use of an improved yell. At first loud and bold the challenge rang out in the college hall. We were cheeky and we knew it. But as the ring of spectators thickened round us, one by one a dash for liberty was made and soon the class of ' 99 was widely scattered. Such a night needs no description. Here and there an unlucky fellow was picked up, an ebony color applied, and the victim sent on his way rejoicing. One picture rises painfully before us. It is a room on the first floor. On the mantel a lamp is burning, beside it stands a Soph. In the centre of the room, standing upon a table, one poor Fresh is vainly trying to recall the metre of Mary and her Lamb, while his room-mate begins to raise his voice in the immortal words of Brutus ; but there is a noise at the open door, a number of heads appear outside it, a signal is given, dark- ness, — and you may infer the rest. The Freshman need not bathe, such operations are superfluous and unnecessary. Those days passed slowly, but others came in which life seemed to go all too fast. Little by little we came to know and appreciate each other. Even those whom we at first shunned began to reveal themselves in a different light. We crossed bats with the Sophs, with the town and with the college all combined, and we crossed them not in vain. At foot ball we were unfortunate, as all Freshmen are. We had not yet learned to work well together. On Field Day we were not the last of all the classes. In our studies, if not brilliant, we were, at least, willing workers, and honor does not always belong to him whom fortune favors. Each commencement may be .said to mark a station in our col- lege course, but there are mile posts scattered here and there, where some good friend, some college mate stepped off the train forever. Memory fondly turns to more than one, even in our Freshman year, that left us never to return. Their lives lie along separate paths, but the ties which have been formed still bind us. One incident will serve to show how firmly lives become welaed together. One Saturday night preceding commencement, just as the clock struck

Page 22 text:

HISTORY OF THE CLASS OF ' 99. The subject of evolution has for sometime occupied the thought and attention of mankind. But it is not the his- tory of man and his development that we wish to trace, we only ask you to follow with us, as we wind in and out along the devious path of college life, by which, a class is formed, a life is shaped, a destiny determined. Historians write of great men, of great achievements, of epoch making events. We wish to record the peaceful life of a peaceful class. In the early fall of ' 95 was gathered together, at David- son, the largest class of Freshmen that had assembled for several years. They came from all sections of our sunny southland. Some were young and gay, some of sober thought — it is needless to say that all were sober for a time. A common purpose had called them hither and fellow feel- ing soon arose in each breast. We found the campus fresh and green and the showers never lacking. The boys welcomed us as only boys know how to welcome. It seemed as if we wept in vain, for tears of sympathy fell from unexpected places when none but Fresh were nigh. Persecution unites more quickly than anything else, and soon even the greenest of the green know friend from foe. Ambition even then was swelling in the breasts of some and the desire to be quickly organ- ized took possession of us. Although closely watched we bided our time and were successful. It was decided that, after the Y. 1. C. A. reception on Monday night, following our arrival on Thursday, we should meet and organize. It is not the part of a brave man to leave home ; but that night we left the campus — future events fully justifying our cause. By the fitful light of the declining moon, under the gloomy shade of the railroad tank, a few hurried whispers, a spasmodic speech or two, an informal ballot and the class of ' 99 stepped into the arena of college life, an organized unit. Class spirit immediately arose and we decided to show to the college our unitv. This was done

Page 24 text:

eleven, we commenced our struggle with the Sophs. For a while the conflict was fierce. Force had met force. The little bush in the center of the campus is dear to man}- a boy, and the cry of ' 99 to the bush has been enough to inspire new courage in many a fainting heart. It was there that our unity was forever established. The storms of life may do fierce work, but the shape and situation of that lit- tle bush will ever fondly linger. The Sophomore year is eminently a time when Greek must meet Greek or post graduate work will have to be done. ' 99 had never failed before, it did not falter now. Starting in Freshman year with fifty-four even, we now numbered forty-two. Not all of these were old men, but soon the new members of the class felt the hand of com- mon sympathy encircle them and their lives come to run in the common channels. As rising Sophs., we had hoped to be able to teach the Fresh the ways of college life; but when the Faculty decided that Freshmen were worthy of protection and had made us sign the pledges not to haze, it is to the honor of ' 99 that her pledges were not broken. It was hard for cherished plans to be nipped in the bud, but when nipped we bowed our acquiescence. Every now and then we would show a spark of Sopho- moric life, and one dark night, with darker faces, we woke the echoes with a horrid din. Tin horns are not musical at best, much less so when purposely they have been put out of tune. AVe were reposing in our downy couches long before the rest of the college had finished their impre- cations. In athletics this year we were not very success- ful. On the diamond we bowed to 1900, on the gridiron we stood third. But these shadows are brightened by a flash of light. It is the memory of our first class banquet. Class ties grew strong that Februar} ' night, and bonds which defy the burnished steel, were then entwined around us. At commencement we parted and with some forever. 30