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

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, gfp ' 76. In accordance with the regular course of yearly change, the class of ' 76 linds itself enrolled at the head of the College lists. One after another of the classes preceding it have completed their four years journey through the different branches of science, and have departed with their sheep- skins to plow their way to fortune or fame, and ' 76 has been left in the responsible position of Sen- iors, the leaders and mentors of the College. In any question of importance or interest, all eyes are directed towards ' 76 for advice and guidance, and they find us not unprepared. We have only to consider the immeasurable influence that a Senior class may exert up- on the College, to remember that our efforts will be seconded by the other classes, no matter in what direc- tion they may be turned ; to resolve, that whatever in- fluence we may exert may be for the benefit and im- provement of our institution. Already, under our di- rection and management, many of the old fashioned col- lege customs have vanished ; hazing and cane rushing are for us things of the past, and in their place has sprung up a worthy class rivalry in manly sports, that for so many years have been here either entirely unknown, or only very tamely carried on. On every pleasant evening men may be seen, stripped to the waist, running around the mile square, and in every spare hour, during the day, base-ball and other athletic exercises are pursued. In all these various games many members of our class

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THE INDEX. soldiers, — veterans in all the details of war. To be able to marshal, equip, arm and set in motion an army of drilled men at a moment ' s notice, — this constitutes the reliable independence of a country. Our military or- ganization has always been a great feature of the college, and it bids fair to become doubly so under the present instructor. As regards practice, we knoAv of none so demoralizing as to deserve censure. College students are usually de- nominated wild ; perhaps there are some of us who come under the general epithet. But we know that wild gen- erally means wide-awake, and the more of such men we get here, the better. The athletic games were a success. A comparison of our records, with those of other colleges, will show that we are far from being behind in field sports. The thanks of the college are due the Committee for their judicious selection of prizes and complete arrangements. We hope to see a continued interest in these games, believing that there are real benefits resulting from them. We have a word to say to the succeeding class : Do not fail to publish the Index ; there are some in every class who will be indifferent or opposed to the publica- tion. This is the only exponent there is in college to rep- resent the students, which ought to be a sufficient reason for its continuance.

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6 THE INDEX. take a prominent part ; more than one half of the Wilder Base Ball Nine consists of ' 76 men, and one or two of us can put the heavy stone or swing the heavy ham- mer further than any one in College. ' 76 will graduate twenty-four men, the largest gradu- ating class from M. A. C. since ' 72. We have been pe- culiarly fortunate in retaining our members ; since our Sophomore year, we have lost ' but two men, and their places have been filled with new comers. Since our en- trance into College we have had continually a higher average in scholarship than any cotemporary class, and our members are all singularly equal in rank, the differ- ence between the highest and the lowest in grade being comparatively slight. We hope that, by our perfect recitations, our few cuts and bolts, and by our strict attention to lec- tures, we have demonstrated to our Faculty that our purpose in coming to College is being carried out, and that we have co-operated with them to the best of our ability in their efforts in our behalf. Fellow students, we would say, in conclusion, that through all our course, we have endeavored to do the best for you and for ourselves, and when the time comes for us to leave this institution, which has considerately cared for us for four long years, we sincerely hope that we may retain a bright spot in the memory of all with whom we have been associated. U.