Muhlenberg College - Ciarla Yearbook (Allentown, PA)

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in the person of Henry B. Richards. Various schemes for his initia- tion were proposed and we again decided to receive this valuable addi- tion in our own peculiar manner. Just here Thanksgiving came in and we thought to have some fun by introducing the national bird into the class-room of the English Department, but as it turned out the Doctor did not like “spring turkey,” or perhaps took offense at the “speaker” who was to present it, and thus were we foiled in our “fowl” attempt. The failure to introduce the Turkey question into the English Department was too much for one of our members, and at the end of the Fall term Ed. H. Kistler dropped out of the class. After much discussion it was decided to hold a banquet in honor of Mr. Richards, and accordingly it was done. On Feb. nth, ’90, the class captured the town and then proceeded to Hotel Allen, where a delightful evening was spent. The menu contained all that mortal man could wish besides olives, cheese, and chocolate e’clairs. Oscar F. Bernheim presided as toastmaster, and the various members re- sponded eloquently to the toasts proposed. But while we feasted the enemy — i. e. ’93 — was preparing a trap for us. When we returned to College we discovered that they had taken possession of the front steps with brooms, buckets of water, and twice the number of men we had. Although we charged them bravely the odds were too great, and never expecting such a shower of compliments and water as we received, the best we could do was to capture one of their men. Finally we broke their line and drove them before us when opportunely for them “ the powers that be” appeared upon the scene and prevented ’92 from fol- lowing up its victory by punishing the audacity of ’93. During the contest the walls became bright blue and a suspicious odor as of sulphur lingered round for a day or two. (It has leaked out since then that ’93 would have been instantly annihilated if one of our members had had on his fighting trousers.) Thus did we show our valor and triumph o’er the foe. There was also a contest within the class be- 21

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used on occasions of distress and also when feeling too full for utter- ance in any other way: Rah! Ray! Ruh ! Rah! Ray! Ruh ! Muhlen- berg! Ninety-two ! In time we grew bold, and when the political cam- paign of ’88 was fully opened we decided to astonish the natives by giving a Belva Lockwood parade. The affair no doubt zvould have been a success, but on account of foreign pressure of a kind not to be disregarded we decided not to make any bustle , not even to skirt the town, but to stay at home as a matter of corseif). ’92 is nothing, if not original, and as all the other classes had gone on sleigh rides some- time during the Winter, our class did not go. There was a reason for this, however, in the fact that there was no snow during the season, and as for a sleigh ride without snow — it’s no go. After all these ex- ertions we began to ‘‘bone” for our exams, and by proper x:se of all the “ aids” offered to a college student we all “ got there” and then went home to enjoy our vacation. The first taste had been enough for some, an d at our next assembly we found that Wm. M. Blackman and James K. Bowen were among the missing. During this term it was our sad duty to follow to its last resting place the body of Titus S. Troxell. He was well beloved by every one, and in him we lost one of our most esteemed members. Right at this point in our history ’92 fairly outdid herself. The custom had been to hold Livy Crema- tion in the open air, but instead of this we decided to give a perform- ance in Music Hall. We went to work with a will, and on June 25th, ’89, gave to a crowded house a performance which, it has been ac- knowledged, has not been equalled before or since, but which has been imitated by all the subsequent classes, who thus flatter us more than they possibly could by words. Thus has ’92 inaugurated one of the most delightful features of Commencement week. At the end of Freshman year our lines were further thinned by the loss of Milton K. Neiffer, Henry S. Neff, Edward H. Soleliac, and H. Douglass Spaeth. The opening of Sophomore year brought us one new man 20

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tween Adam L,. Ramer and Ed. H. Trafford for the botany prize to be awarded for the best essay and herbarium on the order “ Crneiferae.” Mr. Trafford was the successful contestant, and his work was a credit to himself and his class. Again defying all precedents instead of the mock-program chestnut, we pierced the veil of the future and issued our “Prophecy of Class ’90,” which was hailed with admiration and delight by all its readers, besides being a beautiful souvenir of Com- mencement. At the end of this year Walter C. Swartz left us to seek knowledge elsewhere. Junior year brought us a valuable addition in the person of J. Richmond Merkel, who increased our membership to fifteen, which is also our present number. We began to unfold the mysteries of Calculus now, bnt even that proved unreliable to calcu- late when we would flunk in English History or even to discover how one of our members came to think that an Epicure was “a man who wrote Epic poetry.” The next thing of interest was the banquet in honor of Mr. Merkel, which was a decided success. It was presided over by Mr. Bertolet as toastmaster. ’92 has often proved its love for its Alma Mater, but never better when it dropped its pennies into a bank and purchased a handsome map of Europe. This was presented on Jan. 26th, ’91, and adds much to the beauty of the German Room. The class wound up the year with a grand display of fireworks. In other words we had an oratorical contest in which eight of our mem- bers entered and in which all did themselves credit. After the smoke of battle had cleared off it was found that I. H. Stettler had taken the prize and H. B. Richards and Fred. Doerr had received honorable mention. September, ’91, found us all back and we soon showed the spirit that animated us by presenting the Department of Applied Sciences with a handsome color chart. To hear our “own Charley” make the presentation speech was better than a night at the circus. Our class also had a benefit, (if you have tears, prepare to shed them now,) and we secured the U. of P. Glee and Banjo Clubs, but after lis- 22