Erskine College - Arrow Yearbook (Due West, SC)

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A----'----'- ,., ' .. :.': -frg, .0 ...,..,.f 'v- - --'- '- -.fzzfgilftai , -' 1 -'rr '::-.-1:1 rf' I , ,A,. -gf 1. .. -W - . fl, U Mid-., if A,.A,A,.A :gf-rf Y 25. ff- 2352 if W' , - E 31 . 3211 -1 ffl '- -f ., ,f,- ffm, an - - HISTORY or CLASS or ao. Journey with me on the fiowery wings of fancy, back to the l6th of September. 1916. Picture to yourself, in the fullness of a sunset splendor, a half hundred fresh- men, with inquisitive glances and a none too sure step, descending from the Due West-Donalds Limited. This was the supreme moment in many of our lives. We had been dreaming for many years of coming to Erskine, and upon this arrival these dreams were turned into a living and growing reality. We were escorted with great ceremony to the dormitory and there received our first lessons in college life. An inventory taken that first nicht, by a burley sophomore. showed that our boundaries extended from the Old Dominion, on the north, to the fertile valleys of Arkansas, on the west. We learned very soon to bow in humble submission to the paddle-wielding Sophomores, the sporting Juniors. and the dignified Seniors. But our athletic rec- ord shows that we were to be heard from in the future. We furnished the football and baseball teams with three men each, and a member of our class represented Erskine at the state tennis tournament. Thus our career, as lowly freshman, ended. In due season we returned to old Erskine, not fearing this time, but being feared. However, our ranks were seriously depleted during the summer, Thomp- son, Stewart, Boyd, Gettys, and several others answered the call of their country, and followed the Stars and Stripes on foreign soil. We continued our good record dur- ing this year, both in the class-room and on the athletic field. But, just before Com- mencement, the lure of the Fresh', became too strong, and, as a result, most of our class left Erskine never to return. In the fall of i918 only five returned to carry forward thebanner of the class that once numbered fifty. Our athletes had left us, but we entered into all the college activities as best we could, and June found us leaving Erskine again with one more rung in the college ladder to climb. We came back with the next harvest moon to find that four more names would be added to our roll-Bigham, Grier and Stevenson, who were with us during our Freshman and Sophomore years, returned to Erskine to get the cherished diploma, Kennedy, who was with the class of '19 through his Junior year, followed the Yanks in France for a while, and then returned to complete his Senior year with us. In athletics we are not entirely missing. The Varsity Football Team made use of two of our members. In tennis we predominate, as Grier and Baird will likely represent us at the state tournament this year. We have now come to the parting of the ways. Our pilgrimage in Erskine is almost finished and, as we go out into life, may the high ideals for which she stands ever lead us on as a holy pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night into situations unforeseen by finite wisdom, and duties unex- pected by the unprophetic heart of selfishness. R O N X.

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--f:.4,'5: 4,5 H Y mm' ...ik ' I- gg, fit Vw: 2.551 1'r'-:nh - f' N K V - V V ,VY. .,.........,..,.... fa.. .,., aa.: fi f , ,i,. .,.. ,, , - What train will you leave on in the morning?,' I leave on the first one, he saidg. . that is, the first one that has box cars. As I watched him disappear I knew it was best that I did not let him know my identity. I felt that the world was indeed a sad place. Hearing the sounds of music I pushed on. It was a hymn that the Salvation Army was singing that night, so I pressed close to the crowd. As the sounds of the music died away the leader's voice arose, telling of the strait and narrow path from which so many had slipped. Then another of the band stepped forward, and an- nounced that Brother Hood would sing. Soon the streets were filled with the strains of an old Psalm. I knew then that it was .I. L. Hood. It was nearly midnight, so I put up my cart and walked on slowly. I thought perhaps that Hill had decided to leave on a night train and so I am- bled down by the freight yards. A freight stood there, attempting to get started. A man in overalls was frantically instructing the engineer to start, by waving a lantern. I went nearer the fiagman and started up a conversa- tion. 6'Stranger, I said, what seems to be the troublen? '4The trouble, he said, 'fis that the engineer is no good. He couldnlt get a barrel started down hill. He couldn't back a baby carriage. He couldn't stop a two-year-old. Furthermore, he couldn't run the Due West train. Something in the way he wiggled his ears up and down as he talken told me that this man was J. A. Kennedy. I walked up the track to where the engine stood panting. In the cab I saw the engineer. Apparently he had given up hope of starting the train. One long limb dangled gracefully from the window. The other rested on the throt- tle. Between puffs on a corn cob pipe he seemed to be explaining the situa- tion to the fireman. The engine won't run, he said. '4The fireman back there is mad because no one will play checkers with him. Whenever we have forty miles to run in thirty minutes, he gets lost in the coal box or is out picking blackberricsf' Because of his delicate complexion, I knew the engineer was W. B. Scoggins. Back towards the city I walked, thinking, thinking, thinking. It was near- ly morning and I was hungry. I noticed a sign as I passed, EAT THEM WHILE THEY ARE HOT, so stepped inside. There were a few tables in the restaurant and a 'window in the rear to give orders to the cook. The pro- prietor seemed to be the only one in at this time. May I have a cup of co- fee? I asked. I will do what I can, he replied. Majestically he stepped to the window and called the order. Quickly he turned and dashed into the kitchen. A glimpse through the window convinced me that he was acting also