University of California Berkeley - Blue and Gold Yearbook (Berkeley, CA)

Page 10 text:

University of California. A remarkable devotion to music pervades all Berkeley. The groves and hills are forever echoing to the dulcet tones of Seniors, Juniors, Sophs and Freshies, each of whom imagines he pos- sesses a God-given knowledge of time and tune. This belief naturally exhibits itself in glee clubs, a number of which are being fostered, much to the dismay of the natives. Musical taste, however, shows more particularly in the instrumental line. The tin horn is the instrument usually chosen, varied occasion- ally, however, with the jewsharp and mouth harmonica. The great advantage of the first-mentioned is that any body can play it. To be sure, it is all in one key and all in one note, and that, too, none of the sweetest; but a little imagination over- comes such trifling obstacles, and no clarionet of a hundred can compare to the tin-hornist with his own masterpiece. A brass band has been started during the last year, and, we hear, has been getting on strongly. The members practice in- dustriously two afternoons per week. On those days the Uni- versity wears a calm and peaceful look. The walks are deserted and the halls contain no students. At the first blast each stu- dent carefully deposits a wad of cotton in each ear and mourn- fully decamps. At the second, the cattle in the adjacent pas- tures straighten their tails in desperation and rush madly over the hills, under the impression that the millenium has come, or that the Devil is visiting some of his friends among the Faculty. The principal directions in which muscle is exercised are base-ball and foot-ball. As yet we cannot boast a gymnasium, but these manly field-sports afford plentiful exercise to all who wish to join in them. It is greatly to be regretted that there is no sheet of water available for boating purposes; but as we can not expect everything to suit us, we can not grumble at this one defect in our College site when so many beauties in return are offered.

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SALUTATORY. r LL things must have a beginning. It is owing to this tolerably evident fact that the first number of THE BLUE AND GOLD presents itself, not as a work of com- manding excellence, or of great beauty in detail and finish, but merely for the purpose of giving other colleges and the world at large some information respecting more particularly the students, their various organizations, etc., and in this way inaugurating a custom prevalent in most of the Eastern colleges a custom, too, of undoubted usefulness and benefit. This work will no doubt be excelled by its successors ; for as the University grows in years, it must correspondingly grow in materials for a work of this sort. The present existing Societies will not be able to include all the applicants for membership, and new ones vill be formed. As the number of students increases, emulation in athletic sports will increase, and thus the catalogues of succeeding years will have a rich store of subject matter to draw from. Nay, the editors of the future will perhaps peruse with interest the pages of this first number, and loftily wonder what a small affair the College must have been in those times. But it is the present that concerns us, and not the future. The University now contains two well-organized secret society chapters, one of the Zeta Psi and the other of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity. Also, two literary societies, the Durant Rhe- torical and the Neolaean. These two jointly publish the College monthly paper, the BERKELEYAN. Both Societies are in a flour- ishing condition and are open to members of all the classes.

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The Blue and Gold. Foot- ball usually occupies about the first half of the College year. Then the enthusiasm having partly evaporated and the base-ball season having started in, all the nines fall to practicing, and games come thick and fast. Each class has its own particular nine, and the best players of these nines form the University Nine, which has thus far gained every match it has played. Among the University nines, that of ' 74 has taken the lead, though it was beaten last year by that of ' 75 in a series of close games. This year, three poorly-con- tested games were played, of which ' 74 won two. The game of foot-ball has been played in rather a disorgan- ized manner, and since our removal to Berkeley has been rather neglected. In these contests, however, ' 75 has taken the lead, its twenty having-kicked the other twenties till vic- tory perched on its banners (said banners being usually the rag- ged end of an under garment streaking out behind). With the new Freshman class, however, we shall expect the game in all its glory. Once again will the crowds go tearing madly over the fields after the elastic sphere. Once again will the air ring with the shouts of the victors and the groans of the shin-broken, toothless players. Once again will the jiminy and gosh darn it of the Fresh mingle with the naughtier words of the Soph. College days are, indeed, happy days, whose pleasant memo- ries last through life, whose ups and downs are toned down by time into an unbroken remembrance of happiness. In after years, harassed by the cares which life brings, surrounded by perplexities we tire of overcoming, what sum would be deemed too great for the happy relaxation and freedom from care so oft enjoyed in the good old days when we were in College !