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

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colleges and institutions for the various classes of cranks tsometimes called specialistsj that they might give themselves exclusively to the culture of their several arts: schools for wits, schools for fops, schools for all after their several kind. And perhaps had he lived in these latter days, he might have been tempted to include schools for football and baseball men. But however fleet and swift of foot our men may be, we are no school here for the swift darts of ridicule and scorn to be hurled at us by the disapprov- ing pen of a public's disgust. As one has said, we are not yet become a school where a hall-back is regarded as more valuable than a sound head. It is our boast-and may it ever be-that we here exalt character and manhood above mere physical speed and endurance. What we would say, then, is that here at Hampden-Sidney we recognize and insist upon the proper relation of the several parts in our educational scheme to the one organic whole. The physical man is to be held in subjection to the mental, the moral. To the students we would say, Do not forget to subordinate your athletic interests to your other and higher interests and seek to gather from your athletic exercises strength and energy for all the various duties of your college life. Let there be a proper co- ordination, articulation. Bring from every sphere of your college activity something re- freshing, something helpful for every other sphere in which you may come to be occu- piedf' The best man on the athletic field ought to be the best man in the classroom: and in the same way the man who does faithful and efficient work as a student surely may be expected to bring a better head, clearer conscience, and a stronger heart to the assist- ance of his lungs and his heels. It will be seen, then, that athletics at Hampden-Sidney is designed to be not so much an end in itself as a means always to a better end. Accordingly the students are encouraged, year by year, to address themselves to this part of their college life with a becoming degree of interest and earnestness, and they in turn are quick to feel that they owe it both to the College, to their fellows, and to themselves to develop on the athletic field and in the gymnasium all the best things of which a manly form is capable. With such objects in view and with such a spirit engendered we need stay no longer to vindi- cate the cause of athletics in this ancient seat of learning, and it only remains to add that as we hope to conserve all the other interests of the College that have been en- trusted to our keeping, we shall likewise continue to foster and develop sane, wholesome, uplifting athletics at Hampden-Sidney. 25

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lighted watches of the night? If by 'iboysi' Hampden-Sidney boys are meant, one might sooner expect the trees to leave their places in the forest, the rivers to turn back'- ward in their flow, or the headlong cataract to stand still in its course than to hear. that they had failed their comrades in the hour of defeat. No tribute more beautiful, no devotion more pure will be found in the annals of college history than that paid by the Hampden-Sidney student body of V909 to the home-coming team on such an oc- casion. 'lihe news had been received on the Hill and the players could only imagine the joyous greeting that would have been theirs had the victory been won. But as they rounded the bend at Kingsville late in the night, what was their surprise when yonder- on the campus was the welcoming light of a glorious blaze? Could it be true? Yes, the students had actually done it as though to prove that no defeat could chill the ardor of their interest or lessen the zeal of their devotion. On another occasion, when the returning team stepped off the train at Farmville well past the hour of midnight, what was there left for words when they found themselves surrounded by their loyal fellows, patted and caressed with all the eagerness and fondness that might have been called forth by some notable victory. Yes, the students had come all the way from the College, armed with their horns and drums and fifes, and in their determination to do homage to those who had fought their battle, they even ran the gauntlet of an irate local constab- ulary, which threatened to demolish their tuneful instruments and march them to a different tune to face the music before an offended magisterial dignity. The writer feeds no idle sentiment, betrays no unmanly secret when he here records that on one of these occasions there were those among the veterans of the battle-field who were moved to tears by such expressions of devotion and loyalty. Surely such a nobility and refinement of leeling were worth the purchase at any price! Of course we believe in the right sort of athletics at Hampden-Sidney, and in say- ing this the writer means to speak both advisedly and deliberately: he holds no brief for any side-line enthusiasts, nor do the purse-strings of liberal, if interested, financiers con- nect with his private office. All that is meant here is what has already been said be- fore, that there is a place for sound athletics in any sound educational system. ln his comprehensive educational programme that great man and educator, John Milton, allows, nay, prescribes a necessary, a proper place for athletics-the exercise, culture, and de- velopment of the body along with that of the mind and the heart. Young men come to Hampden-Sidney for a thorough education and it is the high privilege and responsibility of those in charge to see to it that, as far as possible, these young men grow up into the fullness of the stature of perfect manhood, physically, mentally, and morally. ll must not be understood, however, that we are running a college here simply for athletics or that athletics here is the power that runs the College. Students of the present session who have trod with the writer the high-ways of literature will remember how the satirist Swift, with his keen and poignant pen, chose to prick and excoriate certain of the fads and follies of his day run mad, and how forsooth he would have established special 24

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Ehitnriul-Elin ilialvihnarnpv if Q .fs5.L-gm.-gags T is not without some anxiety that we await the appearance of this- the Nineteenth Volume of the KALEIDOSCOPE,-not that we feel CDV Q that we have failed to do our part, or that this issue is of any less high 4955553 standard than which has hitherto been maintained. We are, on the A contrary, pardonably proud of our production. However it is not E for us to say that this is the best KALEIDOSCOPE that has ever been Q. 1:5531 .1 printed, no matter how much we may believe it so. Such a decision, just as the final judgment upon any literary production, can be rendered only by its read- ers. It is to the Students, Alumni and friends of Hampden-Sidney College, then, that we must look for confirmation of our belief, and to them we appeal. Probably the first thing that will be noticed is the reduction in the reading matter. This course was not decided upon in any off-hand manner, but only after careful delib- eration. We do not wish to imply that there remain no more of the noble deeds of Hampden-Sidney's sons to be chronicled, for such is not the case. If we had so desired we could have filled all the book up with history. On the other hand it will be seen that there are a greater number of pictures, snap shots and various representative groups. As we cannot have everything it seemed best to us to enlarge the pictorial part of the KALEIDOSCOPE at the expense of some of the reading matter. Whether such a course was wise we do not know: only time can tell, and as we remarked, we look to our readers for the verdict. We wish to acknowledge our indebtedness to Dr. A. Morrison and Dr. A. W. McWhorter for much of the historical part of the KALEIDOSCOPEQ and to Mr. F. M. Fitts for his help in the artist's work. The Staff owes a great deal to these faithfurl friends who have so often helped to make the Annual a success. 26