Temple University School of Dentistry - Odontolog Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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Of course one of the first things to be done was to provide ourselves with Class Officers, to look after the interests, to organize, lead “Rushes,” and to raise funds to pay for broken black-boards, benches, etc., necessarily resulting from such affairs. With this object, then, a meeting was held and the following gentlemen chosen for the various positions :—for President, E. B. Newell, Vice-President, M. J. Brazill, Secretary, Miss M. L. Warren, and Treasurer, C. F. Wilbur. In our early days, such facetious remarks as “who blew out the gas,” and “ fresh,” were frequently to be heard, but the tone of scorn in which they were uttered, was destined to be very soon changed to one of marked respect. It was quite early in the term that some presumptuous J uniors dared to render themselves obnoxious in our Laboratory, and very soon the cry of “Juniors out,” resounded on all sides. In an instant all was commotion. The rest of the Junior Class very promptly answered the cries of their classmates for assistance, and for a short time the result of the fray appeared to be involved in some uncertainty, but our men, rising to the occasion, with a determination and vigor which has characterized their whole College career, made so fierce an onslaught, that very soon the intruding Juniors were forcibly ejected, carrying with them the remains of some of their more unfortunate men. From this time on, it was, that we were treated with the respect and consideration so evidently our due. Needless to say we enjoyed many privileges in our First year, such, for instance, as being permitted to occupy the more elevated seats in the back of the Lecture Room. This arrangement had many advantages : in the first place, Professor Boenning’s eager eye was much less likely to light on us, when he assiduously went through the Classes, vainly endeavoring to elicit a correct guess in answer to some knotty question in anatomy and surgery, and in the second 38

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? 57istoky has been defined as being “a systematic account of facts and 1 1 events.” Now as far as facts are concerned, it would almost appear that the one main fact in connection with the Class of ’99 might be deemed comprehensive enough to be in itself a History—the fact referred to being that the Class of ’99 has ever been, is, and always will be known as the Class. It would indeed appear almost unnecessary to use the word “ninety-nine,” in speaking of our Class, merely to say The Class, would, of course indicate, to anyone of even ordinary intelligence that only our Class could be the one alluded to. However, though this fact may be so patent and is so comprehensive, it has been thought advisable, in the interests of posterity, to supply a more detailed account of the various events which have led to the recognition of the present exalted position of the Class. Let it be known then, that it was in the month of October 1896, that the Class came into existence and as in other similar important events in the World’s history, its full significance was soon recognized. Our Faculty, with their usual clear foresight, at once appreciating the exigencies of the case immediately took steps to provide for us a more suitable building than the one then occupied on Cherry Street. Of course this was an undertaking requiring some little time for its completion, and it was not until our Second year, that our new quarters were ready for us. But this is anticipating, and the fact was only mentioned in order that there may be no misunderstanding in the future, as to why our present elaborate quarters was necessary. 37

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place, these seats being more remote from the Arena, were much more comfortable to sleep in, a fact very early recognized and appreciated. There was much to occupy our time and attention in this term. First, there was the upper story of the building to be explored, or that portion of it which was resigned to the occupancy of what are termed in Classical language “stiffs.” Here we were allowed—nay—very pressingly invited by Dr. Fritz, to spend several hours each day, and it was noticed, about this time, that some of our men were growing pale and nervous, due, it is said, to the fearful and awful nightmares, experienced by some of the more impressionable, as the result of their visit to this department. Then there was the Laboratory work to be attended to, and it is worthy of remark, that even thus early in our career, our achievements were great. A fair portion of each day was spent in “ drawing ” teeth—at a rough estimate, it may be said that a couple of thousand teeth were “drawn” in our Laboratory—a great number of them in a manner that can only be described as decidedly “ free-hand.” Nevertheless, out of this enormous number, it is undoubtedly a fact that not one was broken in the operation. This is certainly more than can be said of those extracted by the vain-glorious Senior Class, who, though they did 4