University of Maine - Prism Yearbook (Orono, ME)

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SENIOR HISTORY. i IT was during the first days of September in the fall of ’95, when the members of the class of ’99 gathered for the first time on the campus of what was then the Maine State College. Doubt- less we met with the usual brotherly reception from the Sopho- mores. At the end of the first week we were invited by them to engage in a friendly game of base ball. They, who had hereto- fore been accustomed to easy victory, were soon convinced that they had met their equals. It was a hot contest, and was won by sheer luck by the upper class. Later in the fall, we were led in martial array to the northernmost parts of the potato fields of Maine. Here the class which has since produced such able military men took its first practical lessons in the art of war. While in this remote corner of our country, some of our members visited foreign soil. Not only was this the first opportunity to display our military ability, but also to cut ice in more ways than one. For the remainder of the term, there was little excitement except the foot ball game which resulted in the Sopho- mores failing to score. The only event which saddened our career for the term was the death of one of our members, Harry L. Holmes of Augusta. The short winter vacation passed quickly and nearly all of our members returned to enjoy the pleasant college associations which they had formed the previous term. Spring wore away into summer, and before we had scarcely realized the fact we had taken our examina- tions and were Sophomores. If there is ever a time when a college boy feels his eagerness to return to college, it is after he has passed through one year and is 24

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SENIOR CLASS, '99 President, Oliver O. Stover. First Vice President, J. Wilson Brown. Second Vice President, William A. Murray. Secretary, Rufus H. Carlton. Treasurer, Charles E. Blackwell. Executive Committee, Reginald L. Fernald, Herman H. Oswald, Cyrenius W. Crockett, J. Wilson Brown, Alson E. Boynton. Class Colors: — Tight Pine and Crimson. Class Yell:—Coax! Coax ! Co boomer lacker bah ! Crackerjack ! Crackerjack ! Sis boom rah ! Ach a bin ! Ach a bin ! Ping ! Pang ! Pine ! U. of AT ! U. of AT ! '99 ! 2:3

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about to return to make himself felt as a factor in the institution. But some were destined to be disappointed, for several of our members, among whom were some of the best men. failed to return. We had upon our hands a great responsibility, — the training of a very large class of the greenest men that ever walked the campus. It was soon that we had them in total submission. During this term a very unusual event occurred. The class was invited by a few of its most hospitable members to tlie adjoining forest to participate in a harvest supper which consisted of a whole roasted pig. At a late hour we returned leaving only part of the bones. Time sped on and we were soon Juniors. Another foot ball game occurred between 1)S and us. which gave them no more satisfaction than the game played in our Freshman year. The two things in which the Junior takes the greatest pride, the “Junior Prom.” and the pub- lishing of The Prism, were successfully carried out. An innovation was made by gratuitously giving the “Prom.” to our friends instead of charging them admission as formerly. Its unusual success was doubt- less due to this new feature, which commends itself to future classes. During the spring term, success rested upon our orators who competed with ’98 in debate. It seemed too bad to administer such a crushing blow when her college career was so near its close, but such was her fate. When the dark clouds of war settled upon our country, five of our members left their college associations, and responded to the call for volunteers. Of these, but four returned, Chas. C. Scott of Dexter having died from sickness contracted in the fever stricken camp of Chickamauga. None who enlisted from the University of Maine pos- sessed a better physique than he, and so his sudden death was an un- expected blow to his relatives and to his many friends. But such are the fortunes of war, and we shall ever honor him who sacrificed his life for the cause of human liberty. We commenced our last college year with but one-half of our origi- nal membership. Weeks and months passed seemingly more rapidly than ever, and before we realized it, our last term’s work was entered upon. We are now grave and reverend seniors feeling the responsibili- ties which will soon rest upon us as we taste the stern realities of life.