Philadelphia Dental College - Class Book Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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The Juniors fought well-but-well, I remember the time when our friend from Greece, Nicholas Demetrius Nicholaides, was in the thick of it. And it was doubtful as to whether he would come out a man or a piece of sausage. lrlut Greece has lost her prestige and Nick always is late at Prof. Guilford's lectures for fear of being passed up. This passing up seemed to be a favorite game-with those of a kind of laughing-gas temperament. And for the benefit of those x who have not witnessed . H1 '- '72, z t' .:.Uf2'F- - . il,--gffc the amusing spectacle I will describe it. First f ' ba? X- vou gently take a man 4 ' v 1 ' .f '- ' ' ' . fx,-fi iw N, A W ' flax by his coat collar, or ' Y I 'I ' , I . . J! y 4 1.5 4 ff anything else that comes Z j handy, and pass him to --' ' 4 . fe, , . J Xft' f the fellows in the seat 'J I ' above you, and so con- - ' l, 1lf ': mill tinue till he either drops A ' or you let him fall. Nicholaides-Up!Up! Up! The boys used to do this before Prof. lloenning's lecture, for he is a very fluent talker, and he always went off into one of his oratorical flights about it. For instance, one night the Doctor, on entering the arena, was greeted with a sight somewhat ludicrous. All the tables and chairs had been passed from the arena and hung on the gas-jets around the top of the room. He started thus : Gentle- men, it has been the pleasure of this Chair to request the students to conduct themselves in a courteous and gentlemanly manner. We do not propose to submit to such desecration of the sanctity of this arena. And furthermore intend to initiate a positive means of stopping it. We didn't scare. Passing up is still a custom, notwithstand- ing the fact that Prof. Guilford says it scratches the benches in the new building. Thus, peacefully, the dental student tooth- ward plods his weary wayg and when he discovers that examina- tion time is near at hand, he gets down to study. After entering the chamber of horrors, and quaking and shaking, and answering 196

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Skinner. Chester was flush and decided to take a cab. I-Ie soon found one and comfortably seated himself in it. To tl1e Windsor Hotel! The cab had hardly started until it stopped. Chester popped out his head to see what the trouble was, and instead of trouble saw the sign Windsor Hotel. ln disgust he got out and settled with the driver, muttering to himself that the next time he wanted to cross ll-road Street he'd walk. But, Chester was Hush. There were other Chestersg but when Dr. Dorr col- lected S105 per capita, not to say anything of incideutals, the iiushncss disappeared. Soon after the term opened the boys got together and put their men up for class officers. George Marshall was elected temporary chairman of the meeting, and of course kept perfect order. The sound of a thousand cannon 'f filled the room, and when the dust settled jack Torrance was sorted out of the ballots as President, Will McClarin, Vice-President: Thos. llyrne, Secretary, and Mrs. Fitz Stubbs, 1100 Stubert, was made Treasurer. Thus we glided serenely through the Freshman year, singing to Marklcy, the demonstrator, the tune, Here- Here, 150 Strong, at Roll-Call, to an accompaniment of about as many horn mallets. The faculty took pity on Markley, who was a Senior, and graduated him the next April, giving the job to Jack Torrance. But jack got thin, too. Ah! It's hard work trying to show a Freshman how to file a tooth down. Two things a Freshman is in honor bound to do, are to hustle out any juniors who may be intrusive enough to desecrate their premises, and secondly, to advertise themselves. As to the latter, there wasnlt an available bit of wall or blackboard space that didn't have '98 in bold figures shining out. And many were the tussles in the arena, just before lecture in which the figures ,97 and 'I '98 would alternately take their places on the blackboard, guarded by some brawny classman, till he was overcome, that is, the ,97 mang and the victors, needless to say who they were, guarded their standard. As to our rushes with the Juniors through that narrow doorway, why it was a veritable reproduction of the scenes at the Pass of Thermopolae, when the Greeks held back the heathen hordes. The figure suits well. 195

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all he knows, he sallies forth and says, It was a cinch. Thus the Freshman becomes a Junior. It all goes with the Darwinian Theory of Evolution. The college year is over. Announcement night comes. The joyous graduates meet on the campus and tear their old hats, specially saved for the purpose, to shreds. The next year Seniors and juniors who are not going to stay for the Spring course, pack up and clear out for their homes in short order. The summer months soon fly past, and the boys begin to think of Hasks and vulcanizers and what-not in connection with the Philadelphia Dental College. The Class of '98 returned as juniors in October, 1896. The first event of the year was the class election. Of the many names that went into the hat, Geo. Marshall's came out as Presidentg Will VVhite, Vice-President, Rich. Arends, Secretary, and Mrs. Kidder, Treasurer. She was very appropriately named. She offered to put the boxing gloves on with me, because I told her I thought her accounts should be audited Cprovided I wouldn't hurtj. This junior year is the hardest of all. VVe had more than we could do-or rather did. But we got there, etc., etc. Dr. Greenbaum taught us how to resuscitate the dead and put the living to sleep. Oh! if all the theories of the dental profession were put into practice, the undertakers would have to go to Klondyke to make a living. During this year many things hap- pened that cannot be enumerated here: but one that must not be forgotten was a rush. It seems that dental students make better impressions in rushes than in plaster of paris. This particular rush took place between the Philadelphia Dcntals and the Chi Chi's. That's an abbreviation for Medico Chirurgical students. The doorway of the old lecture building was the spot of interest. and the right of supremacy was warmly contested. Some took their coats offg some had them torn off, and one fellow was left in an almost f1111'1'.s' 1lUfIl7'Hf'l'III1.S' condition. The classes afterward took up a collection and bought him a suit of clothes, pair of socks, collar, tie and hat. and presented him with a balance of five cents to begin life anew. And yet some folks say it don't pay to rush. just look at the women around a bargain table! H T97