University of Maryland College Park - Terrapin / Reveille Yearbook (College Park, MD)

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History of the Class of 1908 O wad some power the giftie gie us, To see oursels as others see us. — Burns It is with considerable satisfaction that we transmit herewith the history of our noble selves, for in our humble opinion the future lords of M. A. C, survey- ing with unprejudiced eyes the records of the past, will observe : There was a class, take it all in all. We shall not look upon its like again. And so we think that following generations, by a careful perusal of our chronicles, will obtain much information of valtie, and either bv following our example, or else harkening to a voice from the tomb bidding them to avoid those paths which lead to destruction, will be enabled to raise the standard of excellence beyond their most sanguine expectations. But let us pause a moment to decently inter our departed mates. There were some amongst us who were deserving of a better fate than theirs; some on whose ofTending head was laid the inexorable hand of Fate, and ' neath her scorching touch their life plans withered away. To those go out our heart- felt sympathies, and over their graves we shed a tear. Yet there were some who, like the old hare in the adage, slept, alas, too long, and awoke only to find, to their bitter disappointment, that their train of opportunities had gone by. And some there were who frittered away their time, who squandered their natural endowments with a prodigal hand, who forgot that to-day is the day of reck- oning. To these we extend our condolences as in duty bound. Legion is the name of those who have left our ranks since our Freshman year, and tho the sepa- ration of the tares from the wheat has been furiously administered; the task is still incomplete. Ever since our arrival we have been a vital force in athletics, and time and again have our representatives snatched victory from what seemed sure defeat, As Freshmen, our challenge to the effect that we would play any eleven from the

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For friends must meet and friends must part, And hearts with joy must ever glow When thus they feel within them start The wells of love for friends they know. But each to his or her reward Must travel on the road of life, Unhelped, unaided, save by the sword, Which each must carry to the strife. But tho the gathering mist of age May bring with it its toils untold; Yet in this life, to me no page Will be more dear than that doth hold The memories fond of comrades true, Of friendships formed in those two years, When we were drawn as but a few Are drawn to share their joys and fears. Then may we on life ' s battlefield As comrades still go hand in hand; Each ready to uphold and shield Our college dear to all the land. To duty ' s roll-call ever hark — ■ Our very life to duty lend — Till the last reveille shall mark A wondrous day that knows no end. O. H. S., ' 08. 19

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classes above remained unanswered. As Sophomores, for the first time within the ken of man, the Juniors acceded the championship in football to us without a contest. And as Jun iors we covered ourselves with glory, and drunk with the praise of the multitude we left the gridiron. Our trackmen, too, have broken fast records at their discretion, for it is not said of us that ' ' the race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong; and to-day the baseball banners which we have fought so hard to win completely drape the reception hall. From the first we have been a precocious class. Our intellects are wonderful. In their ability to comprehend and in their power to originate our brains are without a peer. Versed in the lore of the ancients and familiar with the science of the moderns, we can discuss intelligently the most abstruse subjects. Our verdicts are final. There is no appeal. Our logic is without flaw and, indeed, fatal to many. We can convince any rational person in five minutes ' time that the flag pole on the campus is planted upside down, that our mess-hall milk is watered, and that our entire faculty are fools. We look upon the pigmv race of men above us with mingled scorn and pity. Galling as it is to our finer sensi- bilities to be compelled to sit at the feet of ignoramuses, our generous natures overmaster us, and it is with infinite patience and calm resignation that we bear with our poor, deluded professors. Vain, are we? Vanity of vanities, all is vanity, said Solomon; but Solomon is mistaken. We are not vain; for, accord- ing to a later poet, A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, Drink deep or taste not of the Pierian spring. And, like true philosophers that we are, we have studiously refrained from moist- ening our parched lips. What profiteth it if a man gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Herein lies the whole sercet of our success. Our every act, our every deed has been colored bv moral sentiment, high and lofty. Without ostentation, vet with pardonable pride at our forbearance, we flaunt our white badges to the wind. No flaming letter burns in scarlet shame upon our breast, and we defy anvone to point his finger of detection and say, This one was dishonest. Unpatriotic we mav be called, but patriotism, according to our view, is something more, some- thing higher than mere alcohol. Yet rising as we do above the sordid cares of men and viewing ourselves without the interference of the proverbial beam, we see several disfiguring specks upon our otherwise spotless character. For, alas, it is painfully true that during our stewardship We have done those things which we ought not to have done, and have left undone those things which we ought to have done.