Fredericksburg College - Quips and Quibbles Yearbook (Fredericksburg, VA)

Page 53 text:

QUIPS AND QUIBBLES Page 45 History of the “Preps.” HE year of “ ’oi-’o2”is now drawing to a close, and there must be something to hand gai down to posterity to let our descendants -know there existed such a thing as a Pre¬ paratory Department. However this ancient and honor¬ able organization may appear in ages to come, we have before us what it has accomplished, what brave and valor¬ ous deeds it has done! A great many of our number belong to that noble body called by some of the highest members of this in¬ stitution the “blamed scrubs, ’’ who so faithfully went up against the valiant first team and made it what it was last year. Some even played so well as to be called first team men. We also show up very well on the diamond and even in the class rooms have the members of this class distinguished themselves. Last year one of our number had the honor of securing the scholarship, and also the medal for the greatest improvement in music; and from present prospects it seems as if we are going to have the same honor this year. We can boast of cutting more recitations than any other class in school, and our Latin class can truthfully say that it rides around on spotted ponies after Caesar three times a week. As we look back over the year’s work we note with pleasure the intellectual strides that certain of our ‘ ‘calico” have made. The Professor of English asked a young lady what “inheritance” meant, to which she answered “pat¬ rimony. ” ‘ ‘ What is patrimony ?” ‘ ‘ Something left by a father. ” “ What would you call it if left by your mother ?’’ “ Matrimony,” was the reply. While we are giving our “calico” so much credit, we must not neglect the progress that the boys are making. The same English professor asked one of the boys to give the ancient as well as the modern meaning of handsome, and the answer was that it formerly meant to be clever with the hands, but that it now means a carriage. Looking back from the earliest days of the College to the present time, it will be readily seen that those who have achieved the highest success began their career among the “Preps.” There they received the training which stood them in such good stead in later years. Now, gentle reader, think not that we boast. Oh, no ! we don’t know how to boast ! Historian.