St Johns College - Yearbook (Annapolis, MD)

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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

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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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entirely by ourselves, we had throughout been unaided by those around us 5 no help was ever offered us, and none was ever asked, and even in the face of violent opposition we had struggled onward, and in the end have reached our goal. And now that the time has come when we must say the parting word, and go forth into the world each alone and without the ever-ready help of the other, it is as if a mighty wall of darkness and uncertainty were looming up before us. The past, the many happy hours of mutual hopes and fears, seems like the memory of a pleasant dream, fading ever faster from our view, while the future, unknown and formidable, hastens with rapid strides to x gather us into its envious folds and whirl us onward into the respective currents of our coming life. In years to come, when tired of battling with the hardships with which we shall have to contend, the memory of our com- panionship will ever be a soothing source of comfort, and will spur us on to greater efforts, until, as I hope and believe, we shall reach positions in the world worthy to be held by men of Ninety-eight, and when old age has dimmed our eyes and bent our frames with years, may we look back with pleasure upon the four years spent together and feel that we left our Ahwa M ater each better for the others' company. 'NJ 5-fr. 1' VF 'K 331' - '3'y w QL ly gg-51l,ajz5y'gsi,t sa Vu, .F Ill T W JA .- 7 mils' 4 V ' ' 1.-iw, 4-if I' tx ' kr xqfrsj Iyilzxivj H - ? RMig1l5',r .' AT'lhIlrfT itll I I 'L 0' I 4 ,lx xr drgtligli ,gs AF- ' i p. I . gl xi. il MQGD, E 1, J , I , .,. , mx V.nMIg..'I5J-,eff ' M .X . I ,.. fi ' 5 fm 4.4, -qi A p . J-Tar' :K .I W 'V' 'VN' ' i ' C- 'ilwlzrfn ax ' ' 63