St Johns College - Yearbook (Annapolis, MD)

Page 60 text:

.7HsI0ry of 299. HE writer of this class history, ever mindful that its victories and defeats, its joys and sorrows, have so perfectly corresponded with the rise and fall of those hopes which have filled his heart through- out those years when he enjoyed a membership in the class, finds it impossible to be moderate in his praises. Oh ! pleasant is his task, and happy are his memories when he recalls the past of the Class of Ninety-nine of St. Iohn's College! And its past is itself, the essence of its soul and the foundation of its reputation. There- fore it calls its own the achievements and the victories of all whose names have appeared on the class roll since the birth of the nucleus of the class of that memor- able September day, whether in thevclass-room or in the auditorium, in the ball-room or in the dormitory, on the parade ground or on the amateur stage, on the race track or on the athletic field, with the pigskin or with the shot- gun, on the baseball diamond or on the tennis court. Those who have left the class have bequeathed to its credit and reputation the memory of their triumphs. From the thirty-eight names enrolled in the RAT-TAT of 1897, only thirteen survive--a number considered by Ninety-nine as peculiarly lucky, in spite of all super- stition. It is not difficult to account for those missing. Some have considered themselves saturated with knowl- edge, others have become the lights of other colleges 5 same have found the double time of the parade ground too fast for their natures, and straggled so far behind that it became impossible to find their way back through the maze of demerits 3 others found that the banquets spread by the lords of the feasts of the semi-annual pass- overs too hard to digest unless they used a sauce com- posed principally of Midnight Oil, and refusing to use this sauce they resolved to feast no more. But these are sorrows which befall all classes. Heaven has been merciful and has summoned none to cross the Abyss of Mystery. As the historian's acquaintance with the class begins with the Sophomore year, he must rely upon tradition for the class' history during its Freshman year g so in all probability the class was composed of the rawest of raw material, but as is the case always, the rawer the material the greater the freedom of the polisher, the greater the chances of the discovery of genius. Yes, let us suppose that the material was every bit as raw as that which has been picked up from along the canal and from the back- woods, and has been converted into a product best fitted of all others to fill the Presidential chair. The tastes of the members of this class and the differ- ent kinds of genius which they represent are wonderful for their variety. This condition of affairs greatly adds to the interesting features of the class. Like everything

Page 59 text:

fosilions BOHANAN. MAYO- Poet, RAT-TAT. Editor-in-Chief of The Collegian for 1898-99. BRADY. Captain of the baseball team of '98, Quarter-back of the College football team of '97. Athletic editor of RAT-TAT. Athletic editor of The Collegian for 1898-99. CONN. Class Treasurer for '95-96, '96-97, '97-98. Secretary Athletic Association for '97-98. First tenor in Glee Club, '96-97, '97-98. COLLISON. Centre of the '97 football team. Miscellaneous editor of The Collegian, '98-99. MELVI DOUGLAS. Class Vice-President for ,97-98. Captain football team for '98. Treasurer of Athletic Association, '97-98. Second tenor in Glee Club in '96-97, '97-98. Humorous editor of RAT-TAT. Corresponding Secretary of the Young Men's Christian Association, '97-98. Literary editor of The Collegian, '98-99. EVANS. Recording Secretary of the Young Men's Christian Asso- ciation, '97-98. ' Member of the class relay team, '97. , Alumni editor of RAT-TAT. . 9 Alumni editor of The Collegian, '98-QQ. LYONS Class Secretary, '95-96, '96-97, '97-98. Associate editor of RAT-TAT. Town and Campus editor of The Collegian, '98-99. 70. of .Wfembers of 299. Editor-in-Chief of RAT-TAT. Associate editor of The Collegian, '98-99. Ex-President of the class. N. Alumni editor of RAT-TAT. Literary editor The Collegian, '98-99. MULLAN. Poet, RAT-TAT. Inter-collegiate editor of The Collegian, '98-QQ. NICHOLS. - Humorous editor RAT-TAT. Exchange editor of The Collegian, '98-99. SINCLAIR. Miscellaneous editor of RAT-TAT. Member of '97 relay team. Member of '97 football team. Athletic editor of The Collegian, '98-99. STRAHORN. Class President, '95-96, '96-97, '97-98. Vice-President Athletic Association, '97-98. Treasurer of Glee Club, '97-98. Member of College relay team of '96 and '97. Captain of class relay team of '97. Captain of College relay team of '98. Member of the Dramatic Club, 'Q7. Second tenor in the Glee Club, '96-97, '97-98. Musical Director of Young Men's Christian Association 7-98. Manager of Glee Club, '97-98. Assistant Manager of the football team of '97, Assistant Manager of Glee Club, '96-97. Business Manager of RAT-TAT, '97-98. Business manager of The Collegian, '98-99. Manager football team of '98.

Page 61 text:

else, a class containing too much of a sameness naturally makes one weary. To the Class of Ninety-nine belongs a fine lot of ath- letes. In its Sophomore year, three of its men battled for gore and glory on the College football team, and four were members of the College baseball nine. On the famous track team the third man and the first substitute were Ninety-nine men. In the Junior year five of the College eleven had Ninety-nine stamped on their hearts under the muddy football jacket. Members of the class whose history is recorded here have always found great favor in the eyes of the fair. The under classes have won- dered greatly at this. For their benefit the historian betrays the countersign - N inety-nine! During the Sophomore year, some of the members of this class, taking their cue from Bret Harte, established next door to the famous Buzzard's Roost, with its cele- brated line of proprietors, that joint known as Poker Flat. Poker Flat soon became an object of awe and ter- ror to the innocent Freshman. But as this is running into the irregularities of some of the members of the class, the historian will pass on. As a rule, the canny men of Ninety-nine have gotten along famously well with the honored Faculty g at least such has been the case since the historian became a member of the class 3 perhaps there is a reason, for this was just after the passing away of that member of the Faculty much spoken of in the traditions of the last five years. To his successor the fellows have also given wings, but they are the magical pinions of a gentle, kindly spirit, an Ariel who has often summoned from obscurity the beautiful, the rare, creations of the imag- ination which live in the world of literature, making the class-room of Ninety-nine like the enchanted isle Q and the class, like Prospero's company, ever loth to lose the bright visions of ideality. The following account of an incident of the class' his- tory, which took place on the famous annual May Night Festivities, 6 la toilette de nuit, the Mardi Gras of St. Iohn's College, is furnished by the president of the class, who presided and participated : About 10.30 P. M. of that memorable day, the Sophomores, pesky wretches that they were, challenged N inety-nine for a fight and a cane rush. The members of Ninety-nine, not being of a timid nature, gladly accept- ed the challenge, much to the vexation of the Ninety- eight men. Our best men chosen and the time-keepers selected, the word Go I was given. Both Ninety-eight and Ninety-nine had some of the best football players of the season, and these went in, determined to either do or die, and as none of Ninety-nine were quite prepared to meet St. Peter at the gate, they redoubled their energies and showed the Wise Fools that they were not as green as they were green looking. Now, Ninety-eight says that it had not her best men present, which is, I think, to any reasonable man, sufficient proof that all the brains of the College are not in Ninety-nine UD because by keeping