Hiram College - Spider Web Yearbook (Hiram, OH)

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thought. It recognized the ability of those who were en¬ gaged in the preparation of previous volumes, and then thought of the maxim: “ Unless we do decidedly better this year than last, we are not doing as well.” Then oft- times the trying question arose, “ What shall we publish and what shall we leave unpublished?” But the dark clouds of anxiety were made transparent by the silvery clouds of consolation. The failures and suc¬ cesses of our predecessors are the rounds which they have placed beyond the height they were permitted to mount. On these we are expected and hope to mount higher than they. We do by no means say this to depreciate the noble efforts of our predecessors, but to show how their abund¬ ant successes have increased our responsibility. Furthermore, while we have been undergoing this anxiety in the preparation of this book, the public has been equally anxious to know what it will contain. Some will be disappointed, because they do not find the mention therein of themselves or others, as they expected. Others again will be surprised beyond expression to find certain things that they least expected. And now as we send this little volume on its journey, we shall expect condemnation as well as commendation. Yet we ask you at all times to bear in mind that it is the result of our best and most earnest effort. H

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T is customary among authors, c; when publishing a book to introduce it with a few pref¬ atory remarks, explaining why they have deemed it wise to add another book to the long list already before the public. As the class of ’96 sends out the fifth volume of “The Spider Web,” it offers no apology, save this: For four successive years in the past each Junior class has published an Annual. The students and friends of Hiram have shown their appreciation and desire for it each year. The Annual has now become a necessary part of each college year. Just as the college year would be incomplete without commencement, so would it be incomplete without the Junior Annual. While this volume has been in course of preparation, the management has spent many a moment in anxious 13

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I HE Junior Annual, along with college foot-ball and the 1 oratorical contest, is a product of college patriotism. The patriotic spirit is omnipresent in the American college. Here it finds its kindliest nursery. The spark of patriotism inherent in the human soul, is caught up by the cyclonic activity of college life and fanned into a flame that consumes the student with zeal for the various associations of which he is a part. By it he is bound to his athletic club, his class, his society and his college with indissoluble ties. It transforms what otherwise would be the irksome duties of the class room into occasions of delight and gives to all his social relationships a charm that is inspiring. It creates friendships that can never die; its power transcends commencement day and long after the student has left his Alma Mater it will stir his soul with deep emotions at the remembrance of college days. The history of our country also shows that when occa¬ sion demands, the patriotism of the college student is cap¬ able of heroic deeds in the senate chamber and on the bat¬ tlefield. It is entirely fitting that the publication of the “ Spider Web” should fall to the Junior Class. The patriotism of the Freshman class is not sufficiently developed for such a task; that of the Sophomores is too partisan; while the patriotism of the Seniors is too dignified to permit them to engage in a description of the jokes and merry scenes of the college year. The Juniors have reached that stage in the course where the intense class spirit of the Sopho¬ mores has become just sufficiently modified by the broad 15