Norwich University - War Whoop Yearbook (Northfield, VT)

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And those first classes in college! NVhat an advance from the ac- customed methods of prep. school teaching! But this soon all wore off and it was not long before we were putting snow on the thermometer bulb in order to get dismissed without recitation. At last the gun was issued and the uniform came, and we were real fullfledged soldiers. An interesting thing it is to note the large number of friends that a freshman expects to see on the trains after his uniform arrives. And there were band concerts on those cool autumn evenings, and entertainments at which the young ladies of town were present. Now of course a fresh- man, just in uniform is not much for ladies, but there were some among our numbers who would walk overt' if they had the chance. And so the first year went, with its drills, its studies, dances, camp and commencement, and without its gauntlet. Summer came and went and fall brought us back broken in numbers, some to wear stripes and start the climb to the exalted rank of senior oflicers. I shall step very lightly as I pass those days of Calculus, Analyt. Mechanics and their second cousins. May they forever rest peacefully after the murder- ous attacks we made upon them. But thoughts of summer school are pleasant to all. NVe surveyed about everything in sight, and had time to throw apples and recount the adventures of Paul beside, and with all the hardships of rainy days of hike, the marches are another source of fond memories. When We started the last year we numbered 23, but as we approach the end we find but sixteen who are likely to survive the struggle and be with us after the last kick in june, It is interesting to note the general ad- vance and development of our members since that first retreat. Some have matured wonderfully, and have grown from the careless boy to the think- ing young man. Dignity and authority are born in different Ways, vary- ing with the personal opinions and ideas of the individual. If there was any appreciable amount of self-confidence in those first days, what words shall I use to tell you of the general spirit now ? It is not a little odd that when we have the least strength to combat the world, we have the highest confidence in our abilities. Very few individuals in the world possess that happy consciousness of their own prowess, which belongs to the newly graduated collegian. His mathematics, he has no doubt, will solve for him every complexity of life's questions, and his logic will as certainly untie all gordian knots, whether in politics or ethics. He has no idea of defeat: he proposes to take the world by storm. But we would not be true college men if the above did not apply to us, and are not high hopes and ambitions more worthy ofa young man than vague doubts of future success? So lct ns all join once more in the good old song of Aughtie seven . Mara sunisic, Meta distic. Caravan an du hawg Hey leelo Hey li luln, Hey lntsie sum yah. jonx H. Kll'I.XRS. 23

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ACLASS or um7 L. H. DAVIS, president H. C. PRATT, Vice-President I, H, MEARS, Treasurer P. V. SHERMAN, Secretary. Honorary Member, PAUL DUSHAW COLORS:-BLUE AND OLD GOLD. CLASSIHSTORY p A strange story is this in some ways, and altho 'tis true that it affects the lives and tells of the deeds and thoughts of but an insigniiicant num- ber of individuals, when we consider the world at large, and although it has but the smallest place in the history of the world's work, how dear is it to those of us, in the Book of Life of whom are a few pages on which it appears forever imprinted, and how cherished by those of us who cast in our lots together for four years, and have passed from youth to the dawn of manhood together-that time in life when the thoughts teem with dreams of ambition-that period in which we are weaned from home iniiuences and home protection, far too thoroughly in some instances I fear. 'Twas near the close of September some four short years ago, that time oi all the year so glorious in Vermont, when the sharp nights turn the old hills we love so well into great rolling banks of orange-brown and golden splendor. There were iifty-seven of us, hopeful, confident college Men. What a mass of self-confidence and self assurance, What pride at being away from home-truly men of the world with never so high ambi- tions and anticipations of future greatness. For several months we had looked forward to that day, to the day we should fall into ranks and be soldiers, with stripes and buttons that would set the whole world mad with envy. Endless dreams we had had, of all the military pomp and parade that our poor minds could conceive. And on that fair September day we were sent down town, where We stood very erect 'on a little stool while our measures were taken and then nearly collapsed when told that those precious garments would probably be along in a couple of weeks or so. Next morning we fell in, not in uni- form but in civilian clothes, to begin about a week, not of parade but of chasing around the top of the hill under a corporal. We wished we never had come at allg but during spare time there were trunks to be elevated to third passage, transoms to be shinned and several such recreations pro- vided to keep us from getting homesick. The sophomores were an aggregation of no small experience in life and fully appreciated our worth and abilities, spending some time with us in friendly gatherings. We were soon made members in good stand- ing of several most ancient and honorable secret societies. I recall sev- eral instances when their regard for our comforts even led them to under- take trips of a Saturday in search of various small animals to make our beds more comfortable. , 22

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