Emerson College - Emersonian Yearbook (Boston, MA)

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The volume of students increases. Over half a hundred joined our ranks as Freshmen. At first, these January newcomers held aloof from us and our peaceful existence, but soon the ele- ments were formed. At the Commencement exercises of the class of forty-six, we sat together, our class of forty-nine. The time slid so quickly. We were sophomores. Our first slide was hazing the freshmen. Admittedly, the best hazing job in many years. Then slide in volume. We instituted a new activity, which we hoped would become traditional at the college and give our successors a living thing, the Sophomore Tea to the faculty. The faculty had now grown from twenty-two to thirty-two members. Our numbers decreased. Weddings, job circumstances, trans- fers, and even death had reduced our numbers. At a second commencement we sat together and thought of many things — even ourselves in caps and gowns! Who are we? Where did we come from? Where are we going? What is our author’s intent and how can we more stead- fastly pursue that intent? Those were the questions which we pondered as juniors. We realize now why Mr. Connor said that Literary Analysis was the second most important step in the Evolution of Expression. We began to major in radio, speech, drama, English, social science, speech theraphy and education. We were juniors and had passed the half way mark. The juniors entertained at the Parker House and the whole college played homage to our lovely Prom Queen, Ruth Roblin. Our vitalized pictures. Rita Kramer being crowned as our charm- ing May Queen, The Junior Melodrama, One-twenty-six a spic and span lecture building instead of a scenery storehouse, The passing of Mr. Shaw and Dean Ross, which gave not disappoint- ment, but courage to those who had known and loved them, and of course the victories of our first in the history of the college, baseball and basketball teams. We paused, the ellipse. Emerson had changed for the better. True there were grumblings from some students and the old alumni but that was really the rumble of growth. We the student body had grown and the college responded and grew with us. Finals again. Another graduation and in the class were six men. In the academic procession were almost fifty faculty mem- bers. The college motto became more coherent, No evolution 15

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Graduates Senior Class Officers History of the ’4 gers Show some life, worm!” We were born anew. In motley ribbons, Freshmen F’s and our clothes inside out, we were hazed. Life had been breathed into us by the glorious and most exalted members of the class of 1948. Then we became Emersonians. We learned our schedules and with the aid of Dr. McKinley’s orientation course, things were made easier for us. We had achieved smoothness. We took in stride the Inter-Class Dance, Flour Exams, Christmas vacation and mid-years when suddenly ... 14

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without Expression.” We understood the ratio of values and saw the parts fitting together, forming the whole. Our taste was developing to a finer degree. We had dedi- cated our year book to Mrs. Ruth Southwick Maxfield. Physical improvements on the college grounds continued to please us. Finally came the wearing of caps and gowns. The humility and dignity of the traditional student’s garb. Then Commence- ment in the Old South Church. Mr. Kenney calling our names in a low, full tone. Miss Riddell and our beloved Joe” Connor in the academic procession. We felt magnaminity of atmosphere. We felt the effect of Dr. Emerson and his teachings half a century after his death. Our history is not yet complete. Our period of creation will extend far into the future. Great things will be done by us. Some may even achieve the transitory reward of fame. We will marry and have children, age, and eventually die. We will not leave a part of ourselves at Emerson, instead we will carry with us a part of Emerson as long as we live. We will be obedient to our ideals and to the ideals of the college. For of the soul the body form doth take. For soul is form and doth the body make.” 16