St Johns College - Yearbook (Annapolis, MD)

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marched forth and hung him to a tree, and later burned his carcass until nothing remained but ashes. Thus was our first victim ushered into lands unknown. Many have since followed him, but of them another time. By the time we were Juniors we had, indeed, become remarkable. Aside from numerous victories which we won over the other classes, and like insignificant hap- penings, we had achieved the enviable reputation of being the finest body of students which had ever graced the College buildings. A few of our men -- who, if any- thing, showed more application than the rest of -us, although one may well inquire how such a thing were possible-actually achieved such honors, and by the power of their massive brains so completely eclipsed any marks made hitherto that the Faculty tex ofiicio since our arrivalj found it necessary to entirely revolutionize the system of grading and adopt a new and more exacting one, better suited to our abilities. Not content with these innovations, although they were, I have to admit, discouraging to the so-called students of the three quasi classes which with ourselves composed the student body, we decided that the curriculum offered us was not calcu- lated to assuage our thirst for knowledge, and, ever true to our motto, Nunquafm Retror.s'um, we issued our orders that the standard of the whole course of work should be raised, and it was owing to our efforts that the College reached its present degree . of excellence, although, as in everything proposed which required extra labor for its completion, we were bitterly opposed by those around us, who have ever shown themselves averse to improvements of any kind whatsoever, prefer- ring, as they do, to plod along in the muddy ruts of sloth to traveling securely on the highway of good work. Thus, with ever-increasing strides, we continued through our college life, but we were destined to disap- pointments and sorrows. It is with a class as with an individual 5 the life of the one is a multiplied life of the other, and no one can expect to go through the world always' successful and always happy. It was so with us g we had so far led a pleasant, smooth existence, as free from cares as might have been expected 3 but in the last month of our junior year we suffered a loss, lamented as it was great, which cast a deep shadow of sorrow over the rest of our college life. Death took from our midst one of our number - one who was dear to all, and whose loss we shall never cease to regret. It was the first blow we had receivedg and we shall always remember the season of its happening as one of the saddest periods in our lives. In the Fall of 1897 we came together for the last year of our college life. We were Seniors, and each one of us fully realized the dignified position he held, and we all, by our fine bearing and deportment, won the esteem of those with whom we came in contact. Our Senior year was uneventful 5 we had done our work, and felt that we justly deserved the recompense of enjoying for one year at least the fruits of our labor. We had ever striven for the right and best, and one great satisfaction had ever buoyed us up in moments of trial-we knew that we had planned, labored and 'accomplished wholly and 60 .

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'll- Senior Glass 55'story. VERYBODY knows the Class of Ninety-eight, and it seems useless to write our history on paper, so deeply is it carved on all and everything around us. When great deeds or daring schemes of the past four and degenerate age, the very walls seem to echo Ninety- years are talked about by students of the present puny eight in answer to the whispered queries as to who they were - those men who dared to brave the ruling powers and undaunted, to rise and act regardless of the direful threats of certain fledgelings of the awful Board. Those days, alas l are gone 5 now the bending knee and favor-courting phrase are oftener seen or heard than the bold, defiant looks and scornful taunts to measure strength and let the victor rule. In justice, however, to ourselves, and in the hope that in some future day another class of men shall find the story of our coming and going one worthy of emulation, rather than with a view to vaunt about themselves, I shall endeavor to tell of our deeds while at St. J'ohn's, although I feel myself incompetent to find a language suited to my subject. We came here first as others do--that is to say, we entered the Freshman class. We did so because it was in accordance with the rules, and at that time we did not know ourselves, or that in the future we should live and act by self-made laws. Up to the date of our advent it had been the custom-and a good one, too, in most 'X- cases -to make the youngest class bow down to those above' them 5 in our case, the fallacy of the underlying principle of the time-honored rule was made most apparent 5 or, in other words, our betters ceased to be. Nothing of moment, beyond the occasional vindication of our rights, occurred during the first year of our sojourn here. We had to feel our strength 3 but when the name of Sophomore succeeded to that of Freshman our real character became apparent, and our spirit, until then dormant as a smoldering flame, burst forth into a blaze, unquenchable and all-consuming. Our first act of a remarkable character was one which won for us the glory and renown which has ever since hung around our name. There was a creature belonging to no particular race mentioned in natural histories - in fact, his nature has ever been disputed by scientists of every branch of science - who was a black spot on our fair horizon. I might say here that, after a careful study of his habits most of us came to the conclusion that he belonged, in part at least, to the feathered tribe, mingled with a simian strain 3 but whether bird or beast it mat- ters not, his very being was a continual source of annoy- ance to us. We decided that he would have to go 5 so one dark night when all the world was clothed in sleepy quiet we succeeded in capturing this monster and in binding him neck and wing. Then in gay procession we

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Ein Qlbemoriam. gi J. sflzeodore olznson, OF THE CLASS OF NINETY-EIGHT, St. jolznis College, Rnnapolis, .Wd BORN, 1876. DIED, JUNE IZTH, 1897. .furtts atqnz ftuzlis: 6x