Millersville University - Touchstone Yearbook (Millersville, PA)

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Class History. WILLIS W. HACKMAN, S THE new century was heralded in amidst the clamorous din of myriad trumpet blasts, and the hoarse, thundering plaudits of countless multitudes, while the world paused in ecstatic awe among the turmoil of gigantic enterprises and the curbing of Titanic forces, a new standard dedicated to the interests of education and higher thought suddenly burst out upon the startled world from out the chaos of the race's making. And ’round its daring motto stood gathered a valiant little hero band, pioneers of higher education. Little did the world dream of the vast possibilities, the limitless potentialities, the endless resources of that Spartan band—a band within whose ranks breathe such sterling characters and noble souls as Herbert Spencer, the massive-brained; Grover Cleveland, the unquenchable; Sheaffer and Horace Mann, the untiring champions of noble ideals and higher standards of education. To its inspiring folds flocked the great, the noble, the divine Augustus of “the golden crest, still outbreaking the sacred odors of Lebanon’s cedars. Need more be said? Well could the shades of Czesar, Cicero and Virgil groan aloud in fear and envy, and gnash their teeth at sight of us, and the ghosts of Jonson, Shakespeare, and all the proudest ranks of Queen Elizabeth’s intellectual giants, with one last agonizing wail turn over and die the ignoble deaths of broken-hearted, man-forsaken spirits. Soon massive-browed professors were seen to pace about with pensive, downcast eyes and care-furrowed brows; strange rumors floated about upon the tide of common report; a powerful organization, that gave promise of vast intellectual achievements, and destined to strain severely the mighty intellects of our faculty. Month after month rolled by, each more pregnant of the future than the last. It is needless to relate in detail our first meeting with the State Hoard. I shall but

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CLASS POEM. 13 All things base, ignoble, spurning. Hearts afire with noble yearning, Using life, and thereby earning More of life. xv. Let us banish care and sighing, Take the years before us lying, Use each fleet-winged moment flying, Pluck life’s roses ere their dying, Hear God’s voice in nature crying, Fully live. XVI. Welcome, life! Thou art the dearer As we see thy meaning clearer, Live to man and God the nearer, Seeing in all nature clearer God’s love, than in crystal mirror We see self. XVII. Swing then, flowers, censers holy, Ring your bells, ring fast, ring slowly; Bring your garlands rich and lowly; Who for right do battle solely, Conquering self in conflict, wholly Conquer all. XVIII. And the Father, never sleeping, O’er His own His love-watch keeping, Even when the stars are peeping From the heavens and earth seems sleeping Has us in His holy keeping Evermore. Jessie E. Schindle, Ex-’03.

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CLASS HISTORY. 15 quote a rather obscure passage from the diary of Caesar: “They came, we saw, we conquered!” and naughtv-three had been ushered into the presence of an admiring world. When again the swallows homeward flew, when the purple grapes hung in glistening clusters, the nodding corn whispered prophecies of golden plenty to one another, and Earth once more robed herself in gorgeous vestments of gold and crimson to go forth and meet her hoarv-headed lord, Time, found us again across the threshold of Minerva’s temple, deeply drinking from the ever-flowing fountain of learning. But, stay, what marvelous galaxy is this our amazed eyes confront? Do we dream, or is indeed this dazzling high school band that dazes us by its marvelous beauty, its daring wit, and boundless intellectual energy, a destined part of us? The gods, out of the fullness of their illimitable generosity, add this one more blessing to our already countless advantages. We welcome them with open arms; at least some of the sterner sex may have done so. Together with this new acquisition we gathered under our protecting wing the class of “naughty-two.” They had not yet attained to those higher spheres of advanced learning; they still laboriously toiled about the foot-hills; and we, catching now and then a glimpse of them through the cloud, were moved to pity by their painful struggles and extended down to them the hand of friendly encouragement, hoping to inspire and uplift them. Heaven knows what a dire, well-nigh futile struggle we had. Our consciences, however, thanks to our ardent exertions, are at rest; we did all possible to be done for them; but, alas! they would not! It was not in them. About this time Laurence, Grover and Horace discarded knickerbockers and took on the insignia of manhood. Right here I might take the opportunity to discuss the infinite amusement afforded us by the weird, peculiar antics of that body of human beings now popularly known as the class of “nineteen-four. Knowing the callow inexperience of these simple-hearted children, and knowing further their utter inability to cope with any semblance whatever of equality with our tried veterans, for their own benefit and instruction we let them enjoy themselves, playing their innocent little game of “naughty-three” unmolested. How joyously they skipped and played about the campus, letting