Knox College - Gale Yearbook (Galesburg, IL)

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The usual experience of the new student is that he is prone to be a little too careless about details, or in the professor's words, He does not grindihis grist fine enoughf, Such a fault can be overcome by careful reading between the lines and by allowing one's self to get shot thru and thru with the stufff' Now, some people probably think that a history professor should be the acme of conventional conservatism. VVell, friends, your idea may be all right, but the history professor at Knox College is not that type. He does not wear a rusty long coat, neither can you find any cob-webs in his brain. Just step into his class room when a good roadis calnpaign is on in full blast, and your superstitious conceptions of professorial dignity fly to the winds. Professor Conger is one of the busiest men in Galesburg. His time is divided between his family, his home, his class and the lecture course. Odd moments are taken up with judging contests, going on trips to conventions, and in striking up acquaintances among interest- ing people. He gets tl1e friendship of the student early in the fall by giving him a good job at peddling bills for the lecture course. It is not such a hard matter to sell tickets after his tempting description of the course. Professor Conger can paint a lecturer in such glowing terms that an eager student will go without a meal to buy a ticket for the course. Those who ought to know say that the professor could pick up a tramp out of the gutter, brush him off, and after five min- utes' talk have a crowd the size of an election rally out to hear that tramp give a lecture on Italian Art. It takes the average student just a short time to learn that these stirring ucallingsi' in class are for his own good after all. It often happens that the stiffer the medicine, the quicker the curef, If the enraged Sophomore doubts the sincerity of the professor, let him go around after class for a little talk about his g1'ades or about woman suffrage or any other topic. Then where there are no Mothers who need the waking up too, the professor chats quietly and earnestly with the bewildered pupil and his gray eyes twinkle with a peculiar kind of interested humor. First impressions are not always lasting ones. Listen to your surprised Sophomore say to the inquiring Fresh- man, get all of Conger you can, lad.

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John Leonard Conger, I A Sf1l1fl'lIf,S A 1llll't'CfIlfiUllj cv I ECI+1N'l' arrivals from high schools or from the desks of Ci gf authority in country school houses generally affect a I , LJ most superior air at the mention of History. Such a GF' 4 . , . . . , , - ,, 'xi f A topic calls forth vivid pictures ol Columbus sailing the ocean blue in exactly fourteen ninety-two and the fall of Rome. Advise a prospective Sophomore to take more History and he will look at you with all the enmity of a two year old towards a black medicine bottle. But deferentially point out to him among the choice lists of subjects the topic History required course for Sophomores and he becomes eloquent with indignation at the tyranny of unreasoning faculties. But he is led like a lamb to the slaughter and takes his place in the southwest second story corner of Old Main with a sigh of resignation. Having hastily reviewed his metrical song of dates and names he is rapturously confident of an immediate favorable impression with the professor. lVithout the least warning, a clear tone and the flash of a gray eye demand that he give the dynamic elements which con- tributed to the break up of the Roman lfllllpllf, the policies of' Charle- magne, how to raise hogs and the kings and queens of England and all their relatives since the time of Cnut. Our jaunty Sophomore is somewhat abashed. Is it any wonder that he suggests the pathetic stick floating in a murky whirlpool of ancient refuse? The state of his mind is exactly pictured by the eloquent blackboard diagram which has been in progress of erection since the opening of the hour. His attempts at recognition have been as disappointing as a half finished sneeze. John Leonard Conger has changed more false notions of history than one would believe ever existed. His impressive forefinger and his keen tongue have pointed out more flaws in a confident student's recitation than said student ever thought could be exposed in the rea- soning of a socialist. The plodding pilgrim along the deserted byways of antiquity has been thrown into the blackest depths of anguish and remorse by the professor's biting reprimand, and again he has occas- ionally soared the heavenly heights at a word of' encouragement.

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Glnntvntn BOOK I 'PRADITION BOOK II IEXPEDITION BOOK III ERUDITION BOOK IV CONDITION BOOK V A1mI'1'1ON