Hampden Sydney College - Kaleidoscope Yearbook (Hampden Sydney, VA)

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The appearance of the third volume marks an epoch in the history of THE Tir-XLEIDOSCUPli. It was something new. It was free. Free from the old forms and customs and that timorous, imitative spirit that had dominated its prede- cessors. It compared favorably with year-books from the best schools in the country-and still does. The College saw what it could do and became conscious of its power. And this new confidence has shown itself as an inspiration in all the succeeding li.-XLEIDOSCOPES. The book is full of the spirit of originality that trusts not to precedent or custom. It contains well-arranged and interesting historical matter, a pleasing amount of excellent fiction, glowing with college spirit and sounding forth the undertones of college existence. Poetry, however. is still kept in the background. Mr. ul. L. Stuart, '96, and Mr. Alfred J. Morrison, '95, were the editors of this volume, and the latter has contributed some of the best fiction to other KAL121DoscoPEs. Volume sixth, while slight and modest in size, contained some well-written college fiction, and here for the first time poetry begins to take that prominent place which it now occupies in THE Ti.-XLEIDOSCOPE. Nothing portrays our lives as college boys so well as poetry, and for this reason it merits a high place in college annuals. This was recognized by the editors of THE IQALEIDOSCOPE of 1897. Here is all the verse we could wish for, and much that is excellent. This is the distinctive feature of the book. Here we have also a greater develop- ment of the historical and biographical tendencies of THE IQALEIDOSCOPE. It is now seen that THE KALEIDOSCOPE should be made of more permanent and enduring value from a historical point of view. It should contain something of permanent worth and interest: it should not be too temporary in its interest and allusions. The iniiuence of this new tendency is clearly seen in the two volumes that follow. The class histories are cut down to one page, less space is given to fraternities, clubs, and different organizations, and more pages are devoted to historical and biographical matter of perennial interest. Poetry has at last gained the prominent place it deserves. Tina Ii.-XLEIDOSCOPES are something that the College can take pride in. They are of great value as histories of the College during the period they cover, and the future historian of Hampden-Sidney will find in them rich fields of valuable material. The best poetry that has appeared in the ,llaguzinc is here preserved. From the first there has been a strong development of the historical and biographical elements, while the appreciation of the exceeding propriety of poetry for Tnia K,xLE1posco1f1c has been slow. The elements of college fiction and romance have not received due attention, much to the injury of the books, we think. It seems to me that Hampden-Sidney is an ideal school for an ideal annual- a small college with an inspiring and historic past. The legends, traditions, and true stories that are told of the place should furnish themes for the collegian to 19

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A Short History of the Kaleidoscope. AST Commencement when I looked into the seventh K.xi.rgIDoscoi-E, fresh from the presses. I felt that that artistic book owed much of its excellence to the others that came before. It owed a debt to the past. lt was the outgrowth or evolution of its predecessors. It was the product of forces and tendencies which had been operating in the foregoing annuals and which had brought grace and beauty and strength to the present volume. It began life before appearing in cold, black print to be eagerly scanned by the college boy and afterwards taken home and shown with pride to his sweetheart-a happy fate that overtakes most annuals. The first IQALEIDOSCOPE appeared at the Commencement of 1893. or there- abouts. Its life has been continuous, a new volume having been published every year. Seven volumes have appeared, and we can now review the work as a whole and discover what forces have been at work and what tendencies have been influential in producing these books. The first two volumes were small, unpretentious books of about one hundred pages, and did not compare well with their contemporaries from the other colleges. In them we see the dominant influence of that principle which is always present in the beginnings of human life and effort-imitation. Here is little originality, the slightest deal of independence in thought and method. At this time the leading colleges were sending forth year-books or annuals. which contained the college classes, clubs, and various organizations, often historical and biographical matter: and Hampden-Sidney decided to try its hand on an annual. It must, of course, be modeled after the annuals from other schools. W'e must make our book as much like theirs as possible. NVith this modus njirrandf. the editors set to work. They were inexperienced: editing annuals was entirely new tothem, and atthat time printing annuals was new work to Southern printers. As has been said, the work was imitative, too cautious, dependent. and timorous. The spirit of independence and originality of method does not assert itself. Yet the friend and alumnus of Hampden-Sidney finds in them much that is instruc- tive, interesting. and amusing. Here we have some choice historical matter: the clubs-both real and fictitious, a few poems here and there. for it will be some time before poetry gains the prominent place it deserves in THE IQALEIDOSCOPEZ a fairly good portrayal of college existence-you catch the spirit as you scan from page to page. Mr. Dandridge Spottswood, of the Class of 1893. has the honor of being the first editor-in-chief. And to his unfiagging zeal the success of the first and also of several succeeding volumes is largely due, in recognition of which the fourth volume was dedicated to him. as maker of the first IQALEIDO- SCHPE and loyal helper of its successors. I8

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weave into verse or prose. The noble history of the College, at times thrilling as a romance, should be inspiration enough for the youthful historian. The great minds that have lived and wrought there should furnish subjects for interesting and instructive biographies. The natural scenery-the woods and streams- and the memories associated with them and the stories others have told of them should give the outline for many an interesting romance. All these could End expression and preservation in THE li.xLl51DosCo1'1i, and give a delicate flavor and local color to the book. I have looked over many animals from large colleges and universities, and the great majority of them are only summaries of statistics, a long array of life- less facts and Figures. And one year-book differs from another only in the names of the members of the clubs, etc. The annual from the smaller college can give more space to fiction, poetry, histories, and biographies. These characteristics stamp the book, lend to it local coloring, and permit some shadowing forth of the delicate tints of college existence and spirit. As we look over the old li.x1.E1DosCo1'Es, we feel a warmth and glow, an eagerness to shout as of old the college yell. Here is something contagious, something personal. something individual. The living spirit behind the facts, the beating heart within the body. fb fewfe 20