Tulane University - Jambalaya Yearbook (New Orleans, LA)

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Senior Class History 3. We think, therefore we are; and being, we must make ourselves felt in this institution called Tulane. Thus this Class of ' 97 deeply soliloquized after it had been assembled in the halls of the college four years ago. And then, having thought, it proceeded to act, and acted in such a manner, that within a few weeks, it had the Juniors bluffed, the Seniors scared, and theFaculty on a string. Everywhere was its power acknowledged, except among the Sopho- mores, a queer set that had a reputation of studying nothing else but Osteology, in which they were considered very learned, and were said to have discovered some important principles in its application to human needs. These fellows took it into their heads that the}- were the rightful rulers, and, one evening, removed bjr force a chrysanthemum from the lapel of one of our members, and posted a notice requesting the Class of ' 97 to discontinue the use of such ornaments at once. This was an excellent opportunity, and could not be missed ; so we deter- mined to show these scientists that the Class of ' 97 could not be insulted with impunity. In fine we determined to thrash them, and for that purpose took up positions in the hall, next morning. A crowd of Juniors and Seniors gathered to .see the fight, but before it began, they withdrew to safet) ' — some upon the stairs, and others into the library, where they placed themselves under the care of Miss Bell. It was a stubbornly fought battle, but we held our own. Seven times did they charge again.st our lines, and eleven times we drove them back, and finally they fled. Once more our right to rule was established, and .soon we grew friendly with our whilom enemy, and they invited us into their laboratory in the deserted medical building, where thej ' had initiated a few Juniors aiid Seniors into their mysteries. Some of us went with them, but one elderly Freshman, whom some of us call Papa, and others, Ike, gravely shook his head, saying, I fear their craftv looks. And those of us who went learned the wisdom of his words.

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Senior Class Coi,ORS — Light blue and dark blue. Yeli, — Boom-a-lacka ! Boom-a-lacka! Boom, Boom, Bah ! Ninety-seven, Ninety-seven ! Rah ! Rah ! ! Rah ! ! ! W. H. Hayward, . Nicholas Bauer, . M. L. Matthews, . Walter Lemann, . Officers . President. Vice President. Secretary. Permanent Secretary.

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We want it understood tliat ' 97 is not proud, and does not believe in blowing its own horn. But it maybe well to mention that news of this Battle of Chrysan- themums spread beyond the college walls, and with it the reputation of the class. Nay, it reached the capital of the United States, and created such an impression that President Cleveland appointed our leader to West Point in order that his talents might be put to the best use — in serving his country. During our Freshman year the class was represented in all movements of the college. One of our number captured the Declamation Medal, and one of this glorious class was elected Captain of the Football Team. These two examples show the all aroundness of the Ninety-.sevens. With this reputation behind us we moved into the new quarters of Tulane. And because we remained quiet for a while, it was thought that the old spirit of the class was dead. Now it happened that, about the middle of the term, some certain persons adopted our class colors. And whereas it was said that some other certain fellows went to that place and removed our colors by changing them to a more suitable hue ; and, whereas the Faculty decided to give some certain ones of us a holiday in consequence, a great fear came over the rest of the college that, in their absence, things would go to rack and ruin ; and a mass-meeting was held, and the Faculty was asked not to give these men a holiday. And this, after some preliminaries, they did, to the great satisfaction of all concerned. With such a reputation the class might well have rested on its laurels during its Junior and Senior years. But it did not. For in every walk of college life its members forged ahead, bringing honor to the light and dark blue. They held their rightful positions as leaders in the literary societies, in college jour- nalism, in college organizations, in societ} ' , in athletics, and in everything that pertained to the advancement of Tulane. Then, too, the class was varied and had many wonderful beings in it, from the antiques, who, as rumor said, are married, down to the ' ' kids, who would not forget that they had left the nursery ; from the man who could remember the thirteenth, or an} ' other, word from the last in any recitation of the day, to the fellow who always said, Have j ' ou studied your lesson? I have n ' t looked at mine. Some classes, upon leaving college, plant a tree on the campus that they may be remembered; but ' 97 has left in Tulane monuments more lasting than wood. Among them maj-be mentioned, the jCa Zy College Spirit, the first college daily published in the South, and the Gulf States Inter-collegiate Oratorical Association. And not only did ' 97 organize the Association, but a ' 97 man came off victorious in its first contest, defeating crack orators from other colleges, winning honor for Tulane, renown for himself, and glor} ' for his class. Well may we sa} ' , as ever) ' class that graduates says : Tulane has lost her finest class, what will the poor college do without us?