St Johns University - Yearbook (Queens, NY)

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l wsfTx 'TX fi? 5T?Tf?. Qfffti' --'Q-e,,-M ti SP3 .53 .rg 5 ,.- 5 gr! 5 if I ffl-V is -'T Egll vited to bring the matter before the high tribunal. Of course, Graham was convinced, but he accepted the Professor's apology anyway. Curran was recognized as the non-pareil in all things. We had a genius with us. Nothing would keep him home from school. The Lord sent sickness only during vacation time. If it rained billy goats with their horns down- ward, Curran wouldn't miss school. In all things, Greek Translation, Latin Versification, French Argumentation, he was equally versatile. There were two things Ed was not. He was neither a gymnast nor a singer. He and Graham were birds in Gym class. VVe can see the line, each man waiting his turn to make a somersault over the horse. Prof. Louis McIntyre, Ph. D., stood ready to catch the erring ones. These were always Curran and Graham. Curran would smite the Professor in the ear with a protruding foot and Graham would jump on poor Louis' toes. Shortly after, the Professor's mustache painfully perished, like the trodden sod under the 'Turk's foot. Oh those Gym days with triple squads, and challenges of wiping floors! In one other thing were Curran and Graham equals. From the third Christian Doctrine class, they were condemned as Heretics. Profound study of the Bible was too much. Leo Finneran was the champ in Elocution class. How 'The would set the table on a roar, with his gestures. In the backwoods of Kentuckyj' and the fingers would pinch the leg. Leo's hand was never at rest. The class of '18 had a number of distinguished orators. In the annual contest, three representatives of the Freshman class competed with men from every succeeding College class. Ed Curran with a speech on Belgium, The Martyred Kingdom, won the gold medal for oratory. This was the only instance of a Freshman defeating the representatives of all the upper classes. Rob Graham came second with Militarism and John Ryan close behind with The United States and Peace. In dramatics the class had talented members. Strongheart, the college play, called for Curran as Bill Saunders. We made violent preparation for the College Olio and were guilty of perpetrating The Awkward Squad. How Mosley laughed when he made us up. The thespian genius of Liller pronounced itself in the role of Sergt. Drill, The Alsatian Kleinklaus won the plaudits of all when he assumed the character of Hans Annheuser Pilsner Wurtzenburger Hofbrau, jr. Someone said, coming events cast their shadows before. With Graham as Lieutenant Mustard Finneran as Cyrus Greene, Ryan as Percy Harold Hooper, Znd, Callahan as Michael I. O'Shaugh- neessy and Grogan as Bolter the sketch was a riot. Curran played the piano 29

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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

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'W nag: fx 6 si V S 4,-g F., ..,,, U ...W 3 . -571 W 'Ir ,1- YQ 22252. i ,M 7 .s v , Q 0 if ' K f l lu- . v - li R 'UG 2-E 54 GE!! il I ..::- -i W . - .Q-,11 ::.'.'.... -T- ,Eg- XEE. 5 -.4 A V that night. We certainly enjoy its memory. It was a stepping stone to our zenith of theatrical enterprise. The class fraternity held its annual party in the home of Arthur Callahan. Wfith revelry, mirth and song, we bade a fond adieu to the scholastic year. The year closed peacefully and honorably for the class of '18, Curran won the Hartnett medal for highest class average with Grogan second. Curran was second in highest general average in the College Department. He, Grogan and Ryan were named for highest honors, Giovinco and Liller for high honors. The culmination of our first College year came in June. llfe recall our Freshman life with cherished visions. They were the beginning of our happiest days. SOPHOMORE YEAR HE sun had set for the last time upon our joyous vacation. From a summer spent among the song birds and happy hours in the verdant fields and vine-clad rocks of some mountain resort, we were suddenly plunged into the throes of Analytic Geometry. Our re- turn was one of joy and disappointment. Six gallant men from our ranks, had abandoned the ship and with diminished forces, we must maintain the integrity of the class of 'l8. Wfith the opening day, We scanned the Sopho- more room and counted eleven students. VVm. L. Carey, requiescat, Ed Clark, Leo Finneran, Jas. McMahon, Frank Mathews, and Frank Moehringer were no longer amongst us. Eleven men buffeted the tide against invasion and struggled to press on to victory. There was luck in the odd number. Separation from some of our beloved classmates proved that out of sight, out of mind, had no place amongst us. There was indeed a psychological effect. We realized what a loss meant, and there was a deeper welding of friendship among the remaining units. In every action we spelled as our motto, Loyalty, Sociability, Friendship. Once again the routine of College life began. We were inflicted with Analytic Geometry without a moment's warning. We soared aloft into the realm of infinity. Analytic was fine for us, we always analyzed everything. Our hobby was tearing apart. We grappled with zero in season and out of season. What plotting of Parabolas, Ellipses and Hyperbolas! How 30