Monmouth College - Ravelings Yearbook (Monmouth, IL)

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a bushel of earth. Far, far better to follow our glorious example and ' engrave your history upon the hearts of men. In the color rush at Christmas we did all, and more than all, that was required jf us (by the Faculty.) One of the members of that august- body confided to a friend that her hand grew so weary scratching down A ' s for the Freshmen that she sometimes had to throw in a B or two in order to relieve her cramped muscles. It may seem strange to the unini- tiated that we should allow such a clear case of injustice to go unre- buked, but we are mild and genial in disposition as well as fierce in battle, and inclined to be merciful to our professors, realizing that although the- spirit is willing the flesh is oft-times weak. So much for our standing in the class room, for by this time we must have convinced you that while- we excel in athletics, ' we are capable of some mental gymnastics as well. The chief social event of the college year was our banquet on the 22nd ' of Feb. It was such a brilliant success in every particular that all at- tempts of former years pale into insignificence beside it. The Sophs knowing full well that they were unable to cope with our valiant boys, wisely called to their aid the entire student body. (We are surprised that they did not get the Faculty to help them.) At the appointed hour ' 02 ' and her Hessians besieged our banquet hall en masse. They hurled themselves upon our castle walls like the futile waves which, beat out the- rocks of Gibraltar, and we defied them, aye, we sallied forth upon our battlements and laughed them to scorn. At ' last they turned and fled,, taking their dead and wounded with them while ive went on our way re- joicing, with not one lambkin missing from the flock. It is unnecessary to prophesy for our future, actions speak louder than words, and we promise that you shall hear from us ever and anon. And so, with all our proud banners flying, honored alike by friend and foe, we bid you cm rei-oir but not good-bye.

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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

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zj repdoTT . ID any one mention the Preps? Oh, yes, it was not a mere mention, Have not our brave deeds been on the tongues, Of all the vipper classmen? Do not the dig-nified Seniors remove their mortar-boards in recogni- tion, and the all-important Juniors as they travel along, first give us a. vacant stare then remembering who we are rapidly doff their caps? Do- not the Blowhards or Sophomores upon seeing us grab, their little faded blue caps and hold them in a firm grasp till we pass by? And what, of the verdant Freshman? Oh, they not only bare their heads but on bended knees they beg and beseech us that we give themsome of our boys, and when we refuse, what becomes of them? well, they won ' t play. And why is all this ado made over a Prep you ask? Why? Who were the- champions of the college class football teams? Preps. Our deeds have only been partly shown in base-ball, as yet we have- only silenced the Sophomores but have we not a grand outlook? In or- ganizing ' the college team did they not take our Jimmy for catcher and who is first-base man? But we are not only champions in atheletics. Ask for our class- room record and you will find, that we push things vigorously and if called for could go to infinity to find the dam;ter of anything you might ask for, or find the cute root of any quantity. It has been said that it is a little hard to get credentials for some of th,e Preps, but let me emphasize that it is all a mistake, for is it our fault that the Faculty in their hurry make our A ' s resemble D ' s?. Then in college society do not we shine among- the stars. Were Ui t we well represented in the Mandolin and Glee Clubs? ' Have we not the- greatest artist the colleg ' e att ' ords? Have we got any girls? Well I guess, got a hundred more or less, but their modesty bids me refrain from telling of their many virtues, but- when we all appear together as the class of 1904 on every side it will be said: Deos hoininesque testamur ' that never class was like this class..