Sweet Briar College - Briar Patch Yearbook (Sweet Briar, VA)

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To the Thirty-Six YOU students who saw the lights of Sweel Briar blaze for the ii the evening of September 27, L906; you who have gone way; you who have known the hardships which besel the l» great things; to you, thirty-six, belongs the name of pioneers. F perseverance, your energy, and your love, you have begun the plan i we are now building and upon which future generations will contini None I ' ni vim may know whal it means for thirty-six i irls, in in the ways of college life, to be gathered together in new buildings because of their very newness, with an unfamiliar faculty to begi their own careers but that of a greal college as well — for ours will college some day. Vmi hail mi traditions, no organizations, no laws — nothing upon build. Yet, ere a month had passed, ymi had assembled together to yourselves into the Student Government Association, ami to draw up purtant document— our Constitution. Thanks to you, thirty-six, the uf Sweel Briar have always had the privilege id ' governing themselves lint your work was not ended with this organization, for others needed. Accordingly, the Athletic Association, the Dramatic ( ' In Young Women ' s Christian Association were organized by you. .Mai hour did ymi spend pondering over petitions, laws, and by-laws, ai warm discussion took place in those small mass-meetings that year. lint, dear sindeiiis, though your lot was a hard one, though diligently, yours was nut a life void of all pleasure. Can ymi forgel which your Choir and Glee Club received from all who came to Sw Can you overlook the fact that mi May Day ymi crowned your queen ; around the May-pole to the little song, Gaily now we twine the 3 Can you forget the dances of that year? Yes, dear students, th consider these pleasures typical of the true finishing school, we th them, we thank ymi that we can combine in our college life academic the social pleasures, which the so-called finhhiiuj schools enjoy. Now, you of the thirty-six, who are no longer with us, may w of the changes which have taken place? For changes have occurred— in fact, that the Sweel Briar of L910 would seem a different place to itn.il : to build, perienced appalling not only )t a o-reat which to organize that were soon and the 1 many a HI toiled the pi eet B Mi ►le? ' Lgh nk vmi for e tell vi

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HB %Wi ) e Le1 us tell yon how these changes cam; ' about. The first change, which the old students noticed when they returned to College in the fall of 1907, was an attractive orange and green Noah ' s ark station instead of the little -lied which had served to shelter them from the rain the year before. There st I. too, another omnibus bright and shiny with the words Sweet Briar I ' nllrti, fully six inches tall. This second ' bus was needed, for instead of the little hand of thirty-six, Sweet Briar now boasted of ninety students. The year of 1907-08, however, is not characterized by the formation of new organizations, in fact, no one movement of the students stands out preeminently. We cannot, however, consider this a period in which no growth took place, for the organizations which were begun during the preceding year increased steadily in strength. Old constitutions were amended, and new life animated the Athletic Association and Dramatic ' Ink The Student Govern- ment Association, too. with the increase in numbers, was forced to pass new rules and inflict new penalties. During this year the faculty undertook a plan which ha- since added much to our life here. This plan was the fitting up of Dr. William ' s office as a tea house in order to earn money for the establishment of a northern scholar- ship. In the afternoons when classes are over the students find their way to this wayside inn. where they laugh and talk as they enjoy the good things there. Thus, though tin- year was not one of marked growth it was not by any means one of stagnation. The third year, on the oilier hand, was a year of the beginnings id ' things. In the first place a lame new dormitory. Randolph Hall, was added to accom- modate our one hundred and eleven students. These students seem to have within them the true college spirit, for very - ilasses were organized and (das- teams formed. The interclass games were indeed exciting ones, particu- larly the hl-t one when tile College team wa- defeated by the Specials on Monday, April 5th. u this date our tir-t Field 1 lay exercise- look place, after which a handsome silver cup was presented by the faculty to the Athletic Association, and the name of the champion of the day engraved upon this trophy. Later in the spring, also, an exciting tennis tournament showed us that the Athletic Association had indeed become a living organization. Hut these were not the only athletic achievements, for three clubs, the Tennis Club, the Boating Club, and the Coif Club were formed under the supervision of the oeneral association.