University of Georgia - Pandora Yearbook (Athens, GA)

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10 The Pandora But little time has been devoted to the compilation of the vagaries contained herein, on the ground that the strength of the work lies in the purity of the stone and not in the size of the setting. If, kind reader, in the perusal of these pages you find aught worthy of commendation, put it to the credit of the industrious editors, whose imaginations framed the thought; if aught deserving condemnation, attribute it to an unfortunate combination of circumstances over which we had no control. If our pens have pricked the cuticles of your consciences, remember we occupy our positions ‘ ‘ to hold the mirror up to nature.” It is neither our province to create faults where they do not exist, nor to excuse them where we find them. Not a word has been written heedlessly, nor a drop of ink wasted ; yet withal, good nature and friendly interest have controlled every movement of our pens. And now, that our arduous duties have come to a close and Volume III is about to be launched into the world on its own merits, we wish to thank cordially those who have assisted us in our work. To the merchants of Athens and elsewhere, who have encouraged us with their financial support, we extend our most earnest assurances of appreciation, and to those of the students who have helped us with subscriptions and kind words we are deeply grateful. We wish especially to thank Mr. Peyton L. Wade, of the class of 1886, for several exceedingly meritorious contributions which appear in this issue, and also to thank Mr. I. S. K. Axson, class 1889, for similar assistance. We wish also to tender our thanks to Mr. William Williams, of the Southern Express Company, for many courtesies shown the Pandora. There is one class of men who deserve even more earnest thanks than gratitude can bestow. Contributors act voluntarily, readers exercise their own discretion, but the helpless printer must, nolens volens, wade through a meaningless mess of manuscript without the privilege of ignoring that which grates on the beauties of his aestheticism, or jars the finer sensibilities of his soul. To Foreman Hill, then, and his able corps of assistants, we extend the assurances of our deepest

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presenting Volume III of the Pandora to a suffering public ye have two confessions to make. First, that this book 5 not “ intended to fill a long-felt want; second, that it snot “the result of years of study and observation.’' We have produced this volume simply because we were elected to perform that duty. That the vast machinery of the universe would have continued its mighty action, independent of the existence of this Volume III, we arc perfectly aware; that its changeless operation is undisturbed by the appearance of the book we thoroughly realize. We know of no want our little volume satisfies, unless it be a want for something clean, harmless and representative. We have endeavored to make this a representative college annual, to make its pages sparkle with the laughter of the merry student, frown with the precepts of the staid professor, and beam with a bewildering medley of the beautiful songs of all who enter into the composition of that peculiar existence known as college life. On every page may be read a chapter in the student's life, in every line a story of the student's deeds. In short, we have pinned to every page the true records of book, bench and dormitory, and between the covers of the book we have caught the breath of the breeze that plays across the campus green. More than this we have not attempted to accomplish. What little meed of merit there may be found among the pages of our annual must be accorded to the inexhaustible wealth of theme at our command. The Pandora is a disordered, ephemeral creation, springing from the confused jungle of college life; ours are but the humble hands that clothe the rude creation. In other words, to controvert Spencer's thought, our little volume represents a change from a “ definite, coherent heterogeneity to “an indefinite, incoherent homogeneity. 2

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Preface U sympathy, and the sincere hope that in their final attainment of the printers’ paradise they may find a case in which the insurmountable difficulties of Greek type shall be nameless evermore. We congratulate the University that she has given birth to another Pandora; we congratulate the Pandora that it has fallen in the hands of friends, and we congratulate ourselves that the work so gladly begun is with such infinite pleasure concluded. So here’s a glad year and successful session to our Alma Mater and her friends, and unlimited prosperity to the next Pandora.