DePauw University - Mirage Yearbook (Greencastle, IN)

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The antagonism Of 97 for l96 grew stronger as the days rolled by. On W ashingtonis Birthday class spirit knew no bounds. On coming from Melmrry I-Iallf J7 attacked us from the rear, but were repulsed with frightful carnage and fearful loss. Dr. John pointed to the exit. Those that remainhd, who were able, retreated to the Columbian boulder. Darkness alone ended the struggle, and under the cover 01 night l97 attacked eightI'Sophmorcs on East Seminary street, but the Freebies were soon put to flight, and the bill of $17.50 for breakage to windows, am, still haunts them. The conflicting forces again met on the eve of the Freshman social. The Sophomores captured the Freshmen who did not wish to attend, blacked their feces, tied their hands and feet and gently laid them at the entrance of the social scene, despite the frantic cry it Help, Unde, help! 71 T11 thiS our rivals more than met their lVaterloo. They begged and implored for peace. They sought consolation from Faculty aged President. Seine offered a money consideration to be delivered from their peace-breeking charge. Others fled from constable end evaded sheriff. Many were on the point of returning to their homes, but finally we turned our tender ears to their pitiful weils, and throwing aside all rules and customs of military science and tactics, we permitted them to come into the University fold, lifted the erring ones to their feet, t' extended to them the right hand of fellowship and bade them sin 110 more? Again we met them in the oratorieal iield, end one of our numbers was selected to represent the University in the State Prohibition Oratoricul con test. As Juniors, we have not only maintained our proud and superior position in society, but we have eclipsed all adversaries in athletics. XVe furnished thereaptein and a majority of the men for the foot-ball team. l97ls banner again went down in disgrace, end they fairl y bit the dust when they m e1; our mighty eleven. Of those who achieved the victory for us in the Inter-eollegiate Debate, two were Juniors and the third was chosen because of his marked ability which was developed during his long and intimate afiilietion with us. We were no less successful in the eraterieal, for one 01 our number was given first place while two others received delegateships. At present, we have members from every state in the Union, and one has crossed the hriny deep ii to join us. W ith such capabilities, with such a glorious and prosperous past, with such a magnificent present, what limitless possibilities in the future! W hen the sun sinks in the golden horizon Of the west on our graduation day, it will have looked upon the greatest class that ever has or ever will receive the mystic sheepekin. In a few years we will be found leaders in the affairs of active life as we have been in college life. Then will be eternally crystallized the unanimous verdict of popular sentiment: There never was such a class before, As the present class of Ju-ni-orf, 28

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Eizforg of file Cfass of t96. 2 The history of 796 is the history of a series of struggles and a long succession of victories, complete and glorious. Biology teaches that the lower forms of life are followed by the higher, that ilowerless plants precede the flowering plantx and that the low organisms gradually developed into the higher, and that there has been a gradual development in structure and function until life reaches its culmination in man. Such a development has been noticed among the classes of De Pauw. The generalized structure has disappeared and a diii'erentiation has taken place, and there is now and has been for Five years a class of superior capabilities. The new epoch began in 1889 when 96' entered Prep. But 96 has not had as far to develop as her rivals to reach perfection. She was great to begin with. Our Junior and Middle preparatory years were spent in quiet study and careful preparation for the great contests that were to follow. In our Senior preparatory year we won quite a reputation, taking the preparatory oratorical contest and defeating all comers in ittlllCthS. Here our triumphant march began, and the University gazed with awe on our success. About this time, 97 became jealous of our power and determined that something must be done or we would absorb the entire University. It was then, tradition says, thatt Ariovistusll at the head of a band of outlaws attempted to burn us in effigy on East Campus at high noon. Just as the lire was about to be kindled, a ,96 man approached anc Lt Ariovistus tl and his hosts ttvanished like mist before the rising sun? A few days later we began our literary career by the publication of what 797 called a tt Boguslleour lirst Mirage. On our graduation day, encominin after encomium was passed upon us by students, professors, and trustees, and with the good-will of all we passed from the Halls of Prepdom. , Custom alone compelled us to be Freshmen. We were such only in place, not in reality. We never had that long, gre 3n, sickly, lazy look that characterized 95 and 97 when they were Freshmen, and which characterizes them still. During our Freshman year ,ve were not idle. tt The heights of Freshmen reached and kept Were not attained in broad daylight; But they, while other elassmen slept, lVeI'e toiling upward in the night. The events of our Sophmore year have been innnortalized. Victory succeeding victory urged ns onward. Among the first of our many valiant deeds was the routing of l97 and the capture of our flag on December 20, 1893. Notwithstanding our rivalls attempts to interfere, we enjoyed the only class sleigheride of the season, We endeavored to make it pleasant for certain members of the Freshman class, but we have often been informed that it was not 50. Attack after attack was made upon us, but we withstood all, successfully drove back the enemy and went merrily on as the class song and cheer, mingled with the music of sleigh-bells, rang out on the still night air. 27

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0 CLASS OF '96. ,9 061' 5 o h . 'J Vy'aikgr.