University of Western Ontario - Occidentalia Yearbook (London, Ontario Canada)

Page 28 text:

Class History-Arts, '31 ESTERN as we know her, the Western of handsome bridge, stately buildings and glorious site was two or three years of age when, in the autumn of 1927, she was invaded by a swarm of ambitious youngsters, revelling in their new sobriquet Frosh bestowed contemptuously on them by the ubiquitous Sophs and thrilling under the seemingly anachronous dignity of Arts '31. They were a promising lot, with emphasis on the promising, those Frosh,-once the animosities aroused by initiation episodes had subsided, friend and foe joined in acclaim- ing them The Best Yet. Much was expected of their virility and versatility in the long years leading to 1931. Much-perhaps more of those expectations have been realized now that they have bridged the too-short gap between Frosh lnitiation and Graduation. But we are digressing ..... The first coherent memory of Arts '31 after the first ecstasies coincident with registra- tion week-end, with its Freshman banquet, first party in the now familiar Convocation Hall and all the rest, is naturally initiation. And this initiation was of the kind you don't forget! lt began with peremptory orders from the Sophs to replenish our headgear wardrobe at our own expense with coy little purple and white pill-boxes as a mark of our humble state. These were accompanied with a list of humiliating restrictions regarding clothes and general conduct. Arts '31 were rightly indignant and reacted with gusto. After days of guerilla warfare with the Sophs, filled with many glorious episodes of successful Frosh insurrections versus the impositions of the Soph regime, our dignity and optimism was badly jarred as a result of the last of the notorious tar and feather initiations. A dawn attack by the wily Sophs completely defeated our united-we-stand policy. By twos and by threes we joined our brethren like so many trussed chickens in the torture chamber of the Old Barn, where it is added with regret our outward appear- ance was very ingloriously transformed. Such was our introduction to Western! Initiation days past, we fast became an integral, and in time, respected part of the Alma Mater. . n One honour '31 at least lays claim to: hers was the distinction of being the last year to survive the old type of initiation and the honour of establishing the Hag rush, tug-of- war precedents, when the Freshman stage over, it was her pleasure to initiate the new Frosh into the ways of college life. The class started its career with the right foot by choosing as their first President, Ed. Horton. Ed was a popular President and deservedly so. His leadership did much to cultivate and develop the Hesprit de corps of the class. Members of the class lost little time in finding places for their respective talents in the school. Our members made First Teams, took part in dramatics, debating and the like and netted for the year two inter-year Athletic Championships-one in lVlen's Track, the other in Girl's Basketball. And so the Freshman stage ended. The sophomore year saw our ranks slightly depleted but the accession of new mem- bers iilled many of the gaps. This year's president was Bill Trestain. Bill was a con- scientious, energetic president. The sophomore year saw the class settling down in spots to a more serious quest after the elusive lamp of knowledge enlivened by participation in activities of all kinds and the staging of a brilliant Soph Shuffle.

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OUR years ago we both came to this university, now you are going out. Good-bye, and good luck. If you have become as fond of the place in these four years as I have, you will be very sorry indeed to leave it. Perhaps, however, you are thinking of next June as a glorious setting-forth rather than as a regretful leave-taking. That is as it should be. In your baggage will be a chaste and dignified roll of parchment, representing, presumably, four years of study and self-discipline, a quantity of miscellaneous facts painfully acquired. Some of these facts may be of use to you later ong whether they are or not does not matter greatly. VVhat does matter is the attitude and temper of mind which their garnering ought to have produced. I hope you have not believed all you were told by your professors. Mr. Shaw, in his preface to The Apple Cari, says: VVe should never accept anything reverently until we have asked it a great many very searching questions. If you want this advice in more compact form, I suggest an even more venerable authority: Prove all thingsg hold fast that which is goodf' You will soon be beginning to prove-the proof of the pudding is in the eating- some of the things you have been taught here. May you find much to which you can hold fast. Out you go, and joy be with your Wayfaringl W. S. MILNE 6' ?

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With our junior year came the breathing spell between the frivolous freshman and sedate senior stages. Freshman days were long past and with the realization came a surge of real dignity. Graduation had not begun to loom on the horizon and jar our consciousness with wonderings as to what the world might hold in store for us. Athletics, debating, dramatics and student organizations in all their varied and wonderful forms began to claim us more and more. Our president in this blissful period was George Munro. With his capable and enthusiastic hand at the helm Arts '31 capped a splendid year with the holding of a smart Graduation Dance. Thus the last lap was begun. Graduation was no longer the Freshman mirage but the imminent Senior reality. As this goes to press it is no longer years but days that remain for the class of '31. Looking back over the four-year vista we realize only too poignantly that life has been good at Western. In all modesty we claim that the Mustangs of '31 have not been found wanting. Yet, we realize Cthough it may hurt our vanity? that our loss will not be irreparable. Those that follow us will fill the place we leave and do it just as well. But we are taking, in our number, some that cannot be replaced, because they are individuals who may be copied but never duplicated. In every held of college life we can bring forward a worthy name. Athletics? Why, there is Jessie VValker, Mary Davidson, Doris Paddon, Mary Connolly, Mary Robertson, Lillian Uren, Ed. Horton, Gord. Ford, Armand Manness, Dalt. Dean, Ernie Barbour, Ralph Heard. Madaline Roddick and John Morris are our writers. Ross Willis and joe Ryan hold the purse strings with peerless hands. Though we do not emphasize dramatics, debating clubs, committees, do not think we have not our Illuminati. Then there are those other people, you know, Mike and Ruth, the Cald- ers, Crackie McCracken, and Gord Purdie that you see around. This final year discovers Cam, Isabel and Gord on the bridge and our good ship of state bounding from rock to rock seems to be water-tight still. This is called constructive leadership. Yet in spite of all, we do not lay claim to incomparability as a year. Others will carry on where we leave off. Too soon we'll dance the last My Buddy, go through the Graduation Exercises in a sort of beautiful haze, then we go down-to what? Long habit will make us turn at the bridge for a parting look at the river, the pines, the lawns and the beloved silhouette high on the hill, the School! The school whose clubs we joined, whose classes we took, whose games we played, whose life we lived. Beyond pledging our loyalty to her we just cannot say much more than that now we feel how thoroughly worth while it all has been. QSM