St Johns University - Yearbook (Queens, NY)

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.xsfxf-X ititl gig! wrvfp nhg Q 9 Q' .-'f T '.a...i - v j I ' jjj ' T .W --is i 2EQ1fl... :7A g : Q ihiatnrg nf Thr 0112155 nf SIHIH FRESHMEN YEAR UR High School days were behind us. With an education equal in magnitude to the valor of Alexander the Great,,we were prepared for the momentous toils of College life. In that September meeting, for the fifth time, we were as happy as the morning glory when she opens her lips for the kiss of the refulgent sun. But alas, one thing there was to make us sad. lfVe were College men and we wanted it to be known. How counten- ances fell, when eyes beheld Bobby Grogan with knickerbockers. But rejoice, when winter came, Bobby needed new clothes and he donned the apparel of a man. The year opened with some losses from our ranks and some additions to them. The genii returned. Bd Curran had won the K. of C. scholarship and john Ryan the St. Iohnls. XVe had one grievance against Ryan. He was an Erasmian, and fearing that some perversion must have taken place within that youthful mind, we immediately undertook his reformation and jack was indeed a very apt scholar. The acquisition of J. Leo Finneran to the class of '18 was epoch making in our history. As pompous as undertakers, we sat through the first class. College studies. Life was just beginning. Oh, Hot Heart and Chilling Deeds. Qld Sophocles well bespoke our thoughts, when Father McGillicudy hurled those two thousand word Greek comps. How our consternation increased when we became better acquainted. VVhat with English derivatives from Greek roots, many a broken heart and tear-dimmed eye welcomed the 9 150 bell. Gur yearnings were at last appeased. The dreams of our youth were realized. Dr. Power was our English teacher. For the first few days we could only sit and gaze in admiration. Tradition had long ago filled our ears with wonderment of Dr. Power and now we had him. The war was still in its cradle when we were Freshmen, but the keen mind of the Dr. per-- ceived the capabilities of G-ermany and old Doc was nefver neutral. Neither had he any love for Russia. Doc would say while scratching his head with one finger, modern civilization is but a mere veneer. Scratch the Russian and you have the Tartar underneath. Doc was an authority on health and hygiene and gave us many a dissertation on the subject. He succeeded in making some of us wear B. V. D.'s all year round. He wore them summer and winter and never had a cold. Moral, wear B. V. D.'s when in danger of taking cold. , T g 27 i

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QCP,-X NA-5 ' niiigl Q X ti i i ff fs? y aikil-.. fg -..A When a hobble-de-hoy thinks himself a man, he wants freedom of action. We so desired and after mutually contriving a plan, we simply took a day off. We had a lovely time,for the day. When the day was over and the prodigals returned, new obstacles confronted us. We should have brought notes from our mothers. Now who would expect a college man to bring a note from mother? Well we were allowed into class but henceforth we were branded. Rob Graham was deposed from the Presidency of the class and Ed Curran was appointed President and Secretary. VVith tears and curses we submitted. There was nothing else to do. Roma locuta erat. Causa finita erat. When we finished English under Doctor Power we knew all that could be known. We could tear apart Beowulf and Cynewulf. The Venerable Bede was our next door neighbor. VVith the ease of a self-starter, we could dissect Shakespeare, Greene, Peele, Lyly, Nash, Kidd and a host of others. Algebra came at 10:40 and French at 11:30. Poor Mr. McCabe was always on the mat with the Contentious Irishman. There was but one thorn in Mr. McCabe's side and the rose at the top was red. Ryan could argue a discriminant into a gingham umbrella and back again. 'Not von void. VVhen I come in, dec cless begins. Say, what iss dis tuning around? Memora rnihi causasf' still rings in our ears. French class would be exactly the same as Virgil class. No change at all. Curran had long ago been admitted to the inner shrine. So he wrote the French from Jeanne D'Arc on the board. Like those who are musically inclined, Curran tuned a plaintive ditty. He was suspected, caught and weighed in the balance, only to be found wanting. Graham became his successor. Per- haps he knew a little ventriloquism. At any rate, Mr. Marchisio was lost to his singing. Dear reader, in that French class each student would first read the French and then the English. There was one erubescent youth in our midst, whose mouth was not moulded for French. He was deprived of the pleasure of reading that beautiful language. Poor Callahan! Mr. Marchisio told him he spoke French with a brogue. You are dee woist of dee woist. With you there is no superlative. We would often have arguments about the differ- ence between culture and refinement, but when it came to the point where Mr. M. asserted that the plural of A was Some, we could endure no longer. Graham took the stand for the class. We were College men and couldn't see that. An argument ensued. Curious passers-by were peering over one another's heads in an effort to hear the brawl. Graham was in- 28