Phillips Exeter Academy - PEAN Yearbook (Exeter, NH)

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A drawing on the first page depicted an Iixonian surrounded by obnoxious store-owners clamoring for him to pay all sorts of bills. At the bottom of the page was written 'fAt the Iind of the Termf, CAs it was in the beginning, is now, and always will be.j The first photograph in the Perm also appeared in this edition. There is nothing to be said for the '88 Perm. And as for the '89 and '90 editions, they were not published. We have been unable to learn why. After ten years of not very stimulating Pefms, four of which were never released, the 1891 edition was remarkable. Witlicmut writing it had been impossible for the Penn editors to depict anything more than the external and superficial side of lixeter life. The '91 Perm took a step to correct this situation. Class histories began with the '91 Penn. This was an innova- tion which was to become a permanent feature, although its form was to change. W'hatever the title-History, Class Memoirs, or Class lfditorial-this feature has always been one of the most interesting and certainly the most profound. The outstanding feature of the '91 Perm was the historical section. The second part of this was concerned with the town of Exeter and its relationship to the school. It is certain that the town of lixeter, without Phillips Exeter Academy, would not be what it now is, and that many of the pleasures of the P.E.A. student would not be found if the Academy were situated elsewhere. One cannot help wondering if the editors believed what they had written. This was not the reflection of a romantic, unreal situation. Difficult as it is for us to realize, there were htm ties of friendship between the school and the town. 'fThe duty of singing the Penn now devolves upon us, and it is with great ioy that we enter upon the task of writing our class history. But the smaller 1892 Perm could not measure up to its predecessor. One quotation is, however, worth noting. A typical senior was quoted as saying Qand certainly believingj No narrow limitation circumscribe his future worth, Ere the time of graduation he's prepared to run the earth. If this was not an accurate reflection, then human nature has changed beyond recognition. For a I'ci111 which nearly every other man in the school Cexcept the three editors who of course displayed the usual optimismj thought would be a complete failure, the '93 edition was pleasingly artistic and amusing. Although secret societies had been abolished, a new organization of very dubious nature sprang up. It was l.A MAFIA, its motto, Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. The editors of the '94 P01111 made one important change, the editorial copy was increased. Rah, rah, rah, and the '95 Pearl appeared with the cover design a pennant in school colors. Many students used to live in boarding house rooms such as this one. The Academy Football Team of 1882 lines up for a game. . . M, V

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The PI..-X. Walking Club, which had barely managed to appear in the inaugural Perm, succumbed to conspicuous desires of the leisure class, and folded. In keeping with the fashions of the day it was soon replaced by the Bicycle Club. lifverything in the second Perm cannot be condemned, there were two innovations which were good. On the cover was printed the Greek word TTAIAN. In contrast to this rather idealistic revival of humanism was the placement of the adver- tising section in the front of the book. This was not the culmination of an artistic desire, but an attempt to increase the advertising appeal. It must never be overlooked that, as the Perm developed, part of the tradition-more than the editors would like to recognize-concerned finance, relatively indepen- dent finance. After having been suppressed for two consecutive years by the faculty, the F6071 reappeared in 1884. Uniortunately the two-year faculty censorship had done little for the Perm. Little can be said for the '84 annual except-well, it managed to escape faculty suppression. The 1885 P5071 was an improvement. But there still seemed a lack of real enthusiasm and ambition. This lack was further emphasized by the appearance of the fifth volume in 1886, an annual which was very much like the '85 one. Friction and resentment between faculty and students were customary then. The Perm of '86 greets you-all but the faculty. lt is question- able whether such a remark is in good taste and should appear in the salutatory of any yearbook. But on the other hand such a comment was a true reflection of the school. lfxcept for this sentence and a rather amusing dedication- lt now becomes necessary to dedicate this volume, and we do dedicate it to VVe, Us, 84 Co., in due appreciation of our multiplied talents and sterling qualitiesf'-the '86 Penn was just another issue. P61111 editors have always been accused of vanity, gross exaggeration of their importance and their abilities. Whether this is fair criticism is irrelevant, what is important is the fact that P01111 editors have always been considered a rather peculiar breed of Iixonians. lt is perhaps interesting to mite that the editors them- selves do not usually dislike this classification. The dedication of the '87 Perm, To Our Best Girls, was also quite significant, although no one can say for sure of what. The first photograph crcr to appear in thc PIQAN - 'I hc E.ro11i11u board of 1887. 1884 - The first known formal picture of the PICAN board.

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The faculty in 1900 - headed by Principal llarlan Page Amen. lixternally imposing, internally it was not very good. But everything was not a step backwardsg one new addition, the POI'-l'0Il7'7'i Ca humor sectionb was superb. The one year lapse in the P01111 fit was not published in 18965 didn't seem to have inspired any great ambitions of the five editors of the '97 I'cfavr1. lformals and senior biographies added a great deal to the completeness of this Pearl. The most significant section of this annual was only one page-a biographical sketch of Harlan Page Amen, who had come back to Exeter as Principal in 1895. Could anyone have then imagined the influence of this man who was, to a great degree. responsible for transforming the Academy and setting it on the path to greatness? Of all thc f,L'i7ll.l' the '98 edition xi as perhaps the most conservative. There is a conflict in yearbook writing between a desire to be as accurate as possible and a hope to be amusing and interesting. This conflict is hard to resolve, and the editors of the '98 Perm did not succeed. XVith Hue venite pueri ut viri sitisf' a gold clock impressed upon a violent red cover, the '99 Penn made its auspicious appearance. Even with this it is dubious whether this Pean was indicative of anything more than the imminent arrival of a new century. The editors of this volume, while determining to follow the beaten path of their predecessors, have resolved not to be beaten in the path which they have followed. This one sentence from the preface to the 1900 Perm expresses the policy of almost all P61171 Boards. ln spite of the weather, the fates, and the Faculty, the seventeenth volume of the Perm bobs up serenely. And here's a smile for all who have helped us, and a grin for all who have hindered. The smile is brief and Hitting, but- watch us grin. I'ei111 Boards have always enioyed their positions, and part of their positions is the inherent, inviolable right and pleasure to grin at the rest of the school. To the rest ofthe school the editors speak a foreign language of ems, half-tones, and line-cuts. lt is significant to notice the senior editorial. Perhaps it has relevance this year. f'The class of 1901 has not been an extraordinary one in any way. 'VVe hope we have done some lasting good to the school, and we know it has done lasting good to us. There are very few experiences in life which can give us as much fl'llC satisfaction as our course at lflxeter has given, is giving, and will give. lt is no wonder that the '01 Perm is what it is, one of the best. Some of the interest and ideas of the executive board of the '01 Penn must have been transmitted to its successor ,... The P61111 of 1902 will be found much like the Pealfr of previous years, and yet we trust that it has an individu- ality of its own. Klaudy gold, daring red, and a photograph marked the cover of the '03 Peim. XYhether this was artistic or even attractive is questionable, and unfortunately this was almost all that was even distinctive Cgood or badl. The high and mature quality of the '04 Perm can easily be seen when one reads the senior editorial. . . . XVhen we came here, we little realized what