Ohio College of Dental Surgery - Alethian Yearbook (Cincinnati, OH)

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to the best of my ability carry into execution this plan, at the instigation of our noble Editorsin-Chief. So ac- cording to custom, and I do not wish to change it ifor which an excuse must be furnished by my iucompetencyj, the historian must deal strictly with facts relative to past events, leaving the future in care of the prophet. Still, my dear friends, we were not always Seniors. but find if we go back by the traces of recollection that we were changed by a peculiar college metamorphosis from that dictatorial twosyear-old stage commonly known as juniors. Gazing still farther we observe the next lower order of animal existence. which some one in a fit of passion and musing under the influence of a brain- depressing drug, called a Freshman. It is becoming that the Annual of so worthy a class should contain its history from the beginning, so I invite you to notice the process of evolution by which Fresh- men chaos was transformed into Senior cosmos. Moving along our low intellectual plane, it could be easily ob- served that we were not in harmony with our surround- ings, enjoying the proud distinction of being the only class who could ever be detected from their background -for it was green. It was once remarked by one of the professors that any one of the preceding class who chanced to recline upon a bench during a lecture would immediately lose his identity. lThe class often appeared small during a quill As a class realizing that in our junior and Senior years more dignity must be assumed, we decided to get all the fun we could out of this year. Scarcely had we become deep-rooted in this Fresh. soil, when we observed two Faculty-abiding students, who seemed to agree with the Faculty ill their lectures on the necessity of exercise. Being very enthusiastic advocates of the teaching, they went into it with sleeves rolled up and spared neither ladles 11or features to make it an attractive event. Pu- gilistic aspirants need not imitate the examples of the past- masters: they need not refer to the palmy days of Sullivan: they need not call our attention to the brilliant feats of Corbett, when we have such noble exemplars of the manly art of self-defense as Noble and Smith QR. DJ, whose dormant powers are inexhaustible, and who, by their set-to, shine forth with a radiant brilliancy that even eclipses the great work of our present invincible Jeffries. Dempseys and Jacksons would be reduced to pigmies when arrayed against our mighty representatives. Even Terry McGovern would seek a back seat and blush with envy to witness their science. When this is sounded even McCoy's record will be dropped from the pugilistic curriculum. I fear our own VVard's accomplishments will be overlooked. Should they decide to ornament the roped arena, we will weep for the sporting editors, be- cause of their inability to do justice to these stars of Pugdom. Here it was that the class first appeared in their striking garb of peace, and through their efforts both were saved from an untimely grave, at least a few frag- ments were preserved for the examination of a curious posterity. However, a very agreeable arrangement was furnished, they receiving an invitation to the Faculty meeting, where, after signing a truce, they enjoyed each other's strong embrace. But do not imagine that these were the only fiaming lights that illuminated our progress during that year. Many brilliant thoughts were conceiVed.C?l It was a

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ous examples of obedience to our counselors and devo- tion to books.fg?l To them we present an appearance whose grandeur is unexcelled by any class under the sun of God. The semblance of class love and devotion stands most conspicuous of all our attractions. Let us look back through the states and behold with a sad, sad feeling the failures of those seemingly great and glorious classes that have passed from our halls, the ones with Whom we have been compared, and we dis- cover that their downfall has been the result and outcome of the ignorance of the members forming their populace. Can the Junior, after observing how we profit by the Comparison, again with his siren voice of delusion, whisper in your ear, and conscientiously predict our de- clivity? No! For we have builded a fame acknowledged by every member of the Faculty, and will sink into oblivion only when time ceases to roll and where to be a member is greater than a dean. XYhen the reality of the situation dawns upon this peace-disturber, he will, I conjecture, stand aghast and shudder with horror when he contemplates how we could present such an intellect- ual exterior when within our Caputs ignorance reigned supreme. The sun of enlightenment to-day sheds its brightest rays upon the Senior Class, who three years ago were untied from their mothers' apron strings to roam upon the green pasture donated by our liberal Dean as a suit- able soil for our cultivation. Here upon this verdant spot was cast a new seed of seeming ignorance unnoticed by our elder brothers, until in IQOI she appeared above the horizon exhibiting marked symptons of Mental Dyspepsiaf' fAnother proof ofour studious habits ll A new star was thus added to the constellation of classes and by its brightness it guided the footsteps of its followers, illuminating their pathway that the stones might be removed. Our birth and growth have in every way been phenomenal. Born as it were when class discussions disturbed and shook the very foundations of the College, she seemed to take a lesson, and established a record rarely equaled and never excelled by any class in the history of the school. Not only has she carved this reputation, but she has obtained recognition from every Professor, and to-day when she unfolds the Black and Red to the breezes, it brings joy and happiness to our hearts to know that under this banner their reigns the largest and most brilliant class that ever adorned the corridors of O. C. D. S. But what is to be the prospective future of this mass of protoplasm? How is the picture so well begun to be completed by the anualists of posterity? As to present achievements we have already surpassed the expectations of the Faculty.l?J Even the visions and dreams of our fathers have been eclipsed by the luster of actual accom- plishments. One year from to-day, I beg you, dear reader, to look abroad over this country and mark our extent, from the turbulent-tossed shores of the Atlantic to the calm and placid beach of the Pacific, and from the frozen lakes on the North to the warm and balmy gulf on the South. I have paraded the talents of this class before you possibly in such a manner as to cause comment from this censorious world of fashion, because of a seeming self-confidence and conceit. But it has been wisely said that the true historian deals strictly with facts, and I will

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Freshman who said that he had experienced some of the sweets of the world gi' that he l1ad lived and loved. He was instantly surrounded by his classmates, whose endeavor was to diagnose the abnormality of such a statement and for a time his condition seemed grave in- deed. All through the night we walked the lioor with him endeavoring to prolong his life with Kentucky Bourbon and Hot Cat Sandwiches. Finding this treat- ment of 110 avail we stimulated his heart with liberal doses of strychnine. At the dawn of day it was noticed by his attendants that it was yet abnormally performing its functions, for so deeply in love was he, that his heart had shifted from its regular position to a point not far distant from the oral cavity. Every Sabbath evening- he can be found in the drawing-room of his lovcflyl Venus exhorting her to let it fall at her feet. He never was known to return from these visits until the early dawn, when he has often been seen on Madison Avenue en route from Covington, affectionately embrac- ing telegraph poles and fences. This precocious youth is dissatisfied with his Cincy abode, and according to his teachings, this new heaven, which at present he has in state of construction, will discount the present para- dise two to one. It Was also in this year that one of our number performed without pain the greatest surgical operation in the annals of history. Placing his patient upon the operating table, an attempt was made to remove a zzrwosmi tissue: as a result of the attend- ing nervousness always noticeable in the great sur- geons, the knife slipped, severing the large intestine, Here it was that his consummate dexterity was dis- played, for without the twitching of a muscle, he suc- cessfully united the parts, the patient being as peaceful as a tomb, no painful complications were ever inani- fested so far as we were able to learn. Thus he carved with a knife a reputation that associates him in the same bright galaxy with Knight and other illustrious butchers of mankind, and by the humorous speech that he deliv- ered to his assistants will send his name down to poster- ity as the greatest humorist of his class- If he never says another word' Now strictly on the dead, this all occurred in the dissecting-room. Any one desirous of obtaining this name, can do so by rewarding the his- torian. The amount of instruction that we receive the first month is also worthy of mention. Beside exhorting us how to become walking delegates of parlor etiquette, we were required to take lectures on Gray, dealt out in Allopathic doses every few days by Knight. The re- mainder of the year was devoted mainly to falling in and out of love 3 learning the shortest way to the Secretary's oliiceg side-stepping the hot shots from the Seniors, for fear a bump of egotism would be developed fand we did not desire to be deformedi, and in laying awake at nights, trying to conceive some way to reform, and get under control some few of our inexperienced members. Their nerve is something terrific. After Church they even approached innocent young girls and rudely asked to accompany them home. A fitting close to this year was furnished by the ex- aminations. But these we did not dread, our anticipation of pleasure for them was so great that we sat up all through the nights eagerly awaiting the hour to distin- guish ourselves. However, our hopes were realized, but we were deeply indebted to the pocket edition of the animal commonly known as Pony, for pulling us