Monmouth College - Ravelings Yearbook (Monmouth, IL)

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At this time our baseball record has not been made, but we have every- reason to believe that it will equal our football record. We have a hap- pylway of twisting the ball round the batsman ' s neck and thenoe into the catcher ' s mit, that the intellect of the other classes cannot solve. We de- pend on the baseball bat to win our games, not the brickbat. In the rivalry of classes the deeds of the class of ' 02 are many and glorious. One dark and cloudy night when the owl sat hooting and shrieking on the campus and the wind was soughing and lamenting in the- tree tops and the keen, frosty ' air penetrated to the very marrow, our class — the boys with strong and willing arms placed a boulder — not a stone, but a big and bulky boulder — upon the campus, with the fair es- cutcheon ' 02 thereon. On the following night it was determined to guard the huge mass against the iconoclastic class of ' 03, which it was thought would make an attempt to disturb it. So the Sophomores with their characteristic bravery watched the whole night through, sitting on the college steps and braving untold and namless dangers in defence of this class emblem. About 4 a. m. the Freshman class approached in a body and attempted to desecrate our sacred boulder which we had dedicated with the sweat of our brow. At that moment regardless of bruises and falls and white linen and boiled shirts we hurled ourselves upon them. The only instance in all history that approached this in heroic disregard of life and sublimity was the Charge of the Light Brigade, at Balaklava. The Freshmen did not await our onslaught, but broke and ran. We pursued, but they, knowing the ways of darkness rather than those of light, were swallowed up in the night. Gentle reader, that boulder of the class of ' 02 lies before the college to this day. In social events we are the higher crust in Monmouth College. When we are arrayed in our best raiment, with collars as high as cuffs around our necks, garnished with a white dickey, there is no sight like it in the heavens above or the earth beneath or the waters under the earth. Each Sophomore is a bright and shining light, and, glowing and sparkling like a star, moves about among lesser constellations, leaving in his wake a train of benumbed and dumfounded Freshmen, Preps and even higher classmen who are bewildered and dizzied by the radiance of his appear- ance. The Sophomore boy is only surpassed by the Sophomore g ' irl. In speaking of her I can only say in the words of the poet To see her was to love her. To love but her forever. For nature made her what she is And never made another. And now dear reader, we must draw our history to a close. We feel that because of modesty and a lack of space we have not done justice to this noble class. The spirit is willing, but the hand that moves the pen is human and weak. Should another Homer or Milton arise, we com- mend to them with all deference and humility the class of ' 02 as a fitting- theme for another immortal poem. 28

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HE Sophomore class have ipassed a very pleasant and very suc- cessful year. Excellence in the class room, the literary hall and M M the athletic field has attracted universal admiration and prais©- We are satisfied with our record in the class room. And so are the professors. For deep study, original investigation and close thinking the class of ' 02 is unrivalled. Our ■faculty look on in amaze- ment and delight at our astonishing progress in the field of letters and science. The other classes admire and revere our astonishing wealth o intellect. In the literary halls the members of this illustrious class stand out clear and prominent against the dark and gloomy backg-round of Fresh- men, Preps, etc. In the parlimentary drills who is it that entangles and snares the presiding officer with irresistible logic and piercing eloquencey Answer, Sophomore. Who but the members of ' 02 can write such de- lightful essays, deliver such tasieful and enjoyable declamations or such original and forcible orations? When the Sophomore speaks, a reverent hush prevades ' the audience, and upon each hearer the thought forces it- self that on the platform stands the future great orator, theologian or lawyer, whose present ability gives but a faint conception of future tri- umphs. The .class of ' ' 02 has the reputation o ' having begun and carried through every enterprize of note that has occurred in Monmouth College during the past year. The nig-ht of the Freshman social the most promin- ent members of that class stood on a rock on the campus, and, under the moral suasion of members of our class, gave the most damaging testi- mony against themselves. Our little blue caps bear witness to our energy and judgment. As we go to press we learn of another glorious victory of our class. The Freshmen in the dead of night silently and with the aid of Preps hung their colors on the highest rafters of the Auditorium. They then retired to their beds feeling confident that the student body would see the -orange and black at chapel next day. But at chapel no colors were seen. a little band of Spartan Sophomores having discovered and removed the colors the previous night after the departure of the Freshmen. This is admittedly the most complete and crushing defeat the Freshman class has ■ever sustained in the annals of the college. In athletics we are great. Last fall we defeated every collegiate foot- ball team that we met. The Freshman team bit the dust before us. We humbled the proud Senior team and bowed their haughty head. How are the mighty fallen. We did not meet the Juniors. This team was de- feated by the Preps and we did not feel that they were in our class. The Prep team under circumstances which were not above suspicion scored on ■us, but this lone score was on a fluke, the merest accident in the world.

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yP a careful analysis was made of the elements which compose our clsss of 1903, perhaps a trace might be found of that ver- dancy so common to all Freshmen, but as I am come to praise CEesar and not to bury him, we will turn our attention to the qualities which have made us famous and not dwell upon human frailties which only go to prove that we are not gods but men. Acting upon advice received early in our college career, we have Pitched our chariot to a star and we only stoop to conquer ! It was on a beautiful September evening that the class of 03 first came to realize that she was the object of tender (y) solicitude from the entire college in general and ' 02 in particular. Of course we could not ' help noticing the shy glances which were cast in our direction during chapel, but had interpreted them to be only a small part of the recogni- tion due us on account of our personal charms and not to any deep seated feeling which would cause them to dog our footsteps like beasts of prey on this the evening of our first Freshman social. The air was calm, the earth was calm, in fact, the very night itself was calm. The blushing- moon hid his silly face behind the shoulder of a cloud, the little stars one by one winked the other eye and went out, while the clouds of war hung low over the campus; the under classmen tossed restlessly in their ■drowsy beds waiting for they knew not what. Suddenly the stillness was broken by the tramp, tramp, tramp of marching feet. It was the gallant boys of ' 03 going after their girls, undaunted by the honors of the night, ' Their ' s not to reason why Their ' s but to do or die, ' ' while after them pursuing feet of the Sophs beat time to the Six feet of Earth. A few stragglers from our ranks fell by the wayside, but all showed up at the finish sadder and wiser men. The insight which the wily Soph- omores gave us into their mode of warfare was greatly appreciated, and an occasional black eye among our foes bears eloquent testimony to the .faCt that we have improved upon it. Ah, me 1 The night we buried their tombstone for them! If you rhave tears prepare to shed them now. That is positively the only funeral where we ever officiated as sexton while the chief mourners were at home and in bed. How pitiful it is to see a class endeavoring to perpetuate their name and fame through the medium of cold gray stone, and then, saddest of .all, to see that one lone, lorn memorial hiding its light under 29