University of Massachusetts Amherst - Index Yearbook (Amherst, MA)

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For the fourth and last time is ' 73 represented in The Index. The former communications from our class have been characterized bj their wit, and their pleasing allusion to the jokes and cheerful events of the past year. But as we are now situated in the evening of our college life, with the future, filled with the many stern reidi- ties so near at hand, our thoughts are naturally drawn into deeper and more serious channels. Perhaps the one question vvrhich comes home to each one of us with more earnestness than any other, is. Have the three years which we have spent here been rightly and profitably improved, and ai ' e we sufficiently compensated for the time and money which we have here expended ? It is indeed true that many, perhaps all of us, have wasted many precious moments and allowed many opportunities to go unimproved. We have also pursued many studies here, which in after life may be of no prac- tical importance to any of us. But on looking back over the three years which have passed away since first we entered these College halls as verdant Freshmen, we feel that our progress has been in many respects satisfactory. We have found here many new ideas, have stored away a vast amount of useful information, aud have passed through a course of mental training and discipline, which we hope will hereafter place us in positions of trust and honor among our fellow citizens. Yes, we are satisfied, and we shall go forth from here feeling that our time has not been altogether wasted, and

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TheIndex. 5 about them, revert their thoughts to the reminiscences of college life, without feeling a most passionate desire to see once more seated around a festive board at Fitch ' s the class of ' 74, and listen to their jokes and puns which were ivont to set the table in a roar ? Not one ! No ! Many and pleasant will be the reflections cast upon our college hfe, and upon those with whom we wandered upon the banks of the yet unexplored river of Knowledge, hand-in-hand, with Hope for our Anchor, and Faith for our Guide. Strike, but heae ! has always been our motto, and may it ever be. May we ever be ready and willing to do, but at the same time listen to the counsel of others more experienced and older than our- selves, and retain our rank in that sphere of independence becom- ing every man and every station. In closing, we (the editors) whose lot it has been to have the managing and editing of The I DEx, hope that our work will meet with the approval of all, be the harbinger of many noble, pleasant thoughts and acts, as well as the source of much merriment. If any offense is taken it will be considered as due to the peculiar dis- position of the personages, and not to be attributed to ourselves, as no offense is intended.

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7 W TheIndex. hoping tliat we may turn the information and knowledge, which we have here stored away, to vakiable account. But this, as has been before stated, is the last communication from ' 73 to The Index, and to all of us it is a sad thought. It is true that we have long been looking forward to graduation day as the final consummation of our happiness. We have been eager to quit the sometimes dull monotony of college life, and to go forth and try our fortunes with others in the great world around us. But as the time draws near, and as we begin to perform, one by one, this and that duty for the last time, these feehugs give way to those of sad- ness and reflection. The cords of affection which have so long bound us together, seem to tighten at the thought of separation, and love for our Alma Mater increases as the parting draws near. It is hard to think that the time is so near at nand when the old class will break up, probably never to meet again an unbroken circle, and also that our life as students, in many respects so pleasant, will so soon end. In closing, we are happy to say that we are not at all ashamed of the record which we leave behind us. We have ever held the re- spect and esteem of all the classes with whom we have been con- nected- In athletic sports we leave an unspotted record. Our class nine has never suffered a defeat. In the rowing regattas at Ingleside and Springfield the muscle of ' 73 has been freely and profitably expended. We have two qualities which we feel safe in advising our successors to imitate ; they are, the unity, and class- pride which have ever characterized ' 73. Yes, we love our old col- lege home and are loth to leave it, but as in the natural course of events partings and separations must come, we put on a cheerful face and bid the readers of The Index a long farewell. W.