University of Southern California - El Rodeo Yearbook (Los Angeles, CA)

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On our way back to town we decide to visit the Law School. Here we are met by a crowd of busy-looking men, and when we stop a good-natured individual who seems to have more time than the others, he shakes his head and says he never heard of any traditions floating around there except work, hard work. That sounds well, but we guess he’s not the man we are looking for so we move on. After we have talked with six or eight students and have met only smiles or negative answers we decide that the first man must be right and we accept his answer. After all, work, hard work, is not a bad tradition for any school. When we arrive at the College of Dentistry and the College of Physicians and Surgeons, our results are similar to those acquired at the Law School. It matters little whom we tackle, we are met with the same puzzling gaze and a still more puzzling answer. A dental student (apparently) starts to cross the hall. In his hand is a pair of large, dangerous-appearing forceps, gripping fiercely an inch and a half molar. We almost lose our nerve, but fortunately our sense of duty overcome» our fear and we proceed to impede his progress. ”Beg pardon, sir, but could you tell us about the traditions in this college.7’ ‘ ‘Traditions—-er—ah— nawl iVe been here two years and haven’t seen any signs of any traditions yet ’ We try another tusk artist, as he files the edges off a set of falsie teeth. 1 ‘Too busy for traditions around here,” he says and continues his exercise. At the Medical College we find a group of ten or fifteen pros- pective members of the physicians’ trust vociferating with great dirigibility on some subject bearing no relation whatever to college traditions. We approach a man standing off to the side who appears to be a little more reticent that the others. Again our question is put. He meditates a minute, then shouts, 18

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University Traditions As students in the University of Southern California, whether we are registered in the College of Liberal Arts, Law or Medicine, we all belong to the one great institution and for this reason we are interested in the affairs of the other colleges. Unfortunately four of the colleges are not situated on or near the campus and we have really little opportunity for mingling with their students and sharing in their activities. Therefore, in order that the students may know the customs and traditions that are prevalent in the various colleges of the University we will spend some of our spare time in making short visits to them and in learning from their students a few things about the inner circle. We will take the longest trip first. Boarding the electric car we are taken over the river and through the east side until we reach Garvanza. Here we alight and approach the mass of ruins that four months ago was the dwelling place of our College of Fine Arts. But undiscouraged by the loss of their building and materials, the faculty and students are hard at work. We stop in the shade of a tree near a young woman who is busily sketching a portion of the landscape and ask her if she can tell us about the school. We find that she is a senior and will be glad to answer our auestions. First she tells of Professor Judson’s drawing board, the one used by him while a student in the Julian Academy in Paris. The privilege of using this board is considered a great honor and is handed down from year to year to the student winning the Gold Medal. Then we hear of the various cere- monies at commencement time, the presentation of the senior’s gift, the giving of the candy-pan, the dippers and the soup kettle into the keeping of the Junior Class during their senior year and the ceremony in which the Juniors solemnly promise to faithfully care for and guard “granny who makes the buns.” The bun goes to the student doing the best work in the life class each week. Our friend also tells us of the new ceremony to take place this year which will establish precedence for the years to come. It seems that the bones and ashes of “Rastus” who was burned in the recent fire, have been placed in a black casket and the entire college will be summoned to pay tribute to his memory. Since the young lady has been so kind as to tell us what we wanted to know we will need to go no farther in this direction. Thanking her, we rush off to catch a car. 17

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“Hey, fellows, d’you know anything about traditions around here?” Then follows a chorus of various answers: “Nothin doin;” “See the dean;” “Never saw any;” “Too busy;” “Well—yes, we have our annual smokers, if that’s what you want;” “Sure smokers.” Without waiting any longer we jot down ‘ ‘ smokers ’ ’ and escape, and as we walk towards the car line we comfort ourselves by repeating these lines: “Let the dead Past bury its dead! Act—act in the living Present.” And we wonder if the author ever heard of College Traditions. Now we come out to the Colleges of Pharmacy, Oratory, Music and Liberal Arts. Pharmacy, Oratory and Music partici- pate in the affairs of Liberal Arts to a greater extent than do the other colleges and for this reason have few traditions of their own. Music and Oratory give commencement recitals and the graduates of the oratory department are entertained each year by the faculty at the “ Kopper-Kettle. ” It is in the College of Liberal Arts that the greatest number of university customs and traditions are harbored. The som- brero, as in the majority of colleges, is sacred to the seniors. Likewise only juniors and seniors are allowed to wear cor- duroys. Any violation of this rule is very likely to afford the offender a thorough sousing in the duck-pond, and this duck- pond. being covered most of the time with a disagreeable green slime, is not the ideal place for a morning dip. It is seldom necessary to subject a student to this treatment, and as a result the disgrace is doubly severe for the unfortunate one. The Freshman Class are supposed to choose caps, and the Sopho- mores and Juniors have class hats. During the first week of school a freshman-sophomore rush takes place, in which the sophs attempt to give the entering freshmen a good drubbing, but they more often get it them- selves. Early in the fall there is a freshman-sophomore football game, and just before the close of the year the Faculty and Seniors fight out their four-years’ grievances in one grand base- ball game. Of course, there are other class games, but these are mentioned because they are of particular interest and regularly take place every year. It has come to be a custom that a big bonfire jollification shall be held just before the Occidental football game, and that Miss Wlright shall recite the “Bear Story” the Monday after the game. Also Dean Skeele and Professor Knoles are sched- uled to produce their hair-raising ghost fight at the last jolly-up before the Pomona game. The “Hodge Hall cowbells,” as they are called, have come to be looked upon as a very necessary, noisy part of all our jolly-ups and athletic contests. Many especially interesting customs hover about commence- ment time. On Class-Day the Seniors always present the school with a last token of their affection and plant their sprig of •ivy by the side of the building. They also give into the keeping of the Junior Class the old mystery bag, the contents of which are unknowm, the spade with which to plant the ivy, and the pipe of peace. The night before commencement the Phi Alpha fraternity have their annual serenade and every frat brother from Professor Knoles to the newest member is quite likely to turn out and do his share toward making the night a melod- ious one for their friends and relatives. All these various customs and traditions form a large part of our student activities, and the entering Freshman is soon taught by proclamation and hearsay to respect and love them. It is such memories as these that in later years turn the thoughts of men and women to their Alma Mater, and make them live again the old care-free days. L. C. S., ’ll.