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

Page 15 text:

' 77. The earth has swung around again into its former posi- tion ; thus having our premises established, we will pro- ceed with our • communication. Our class numbers seventeen, a loss of one from our number of last year. We are sorry to have him leave us ; his presence is missed. We wish him success in whatever path he may tread. There also seeiiis to be some danger of a loss of two others, owing to their as- pirations. One half of our college course is completed. We have entered the petted Junior year, the prominent feature of which is ease. Alas ! Believe it not, ye young aspir- ants for Junior prerogatives. It is but a fable, a thing of the past, and exists only in song or as a myth. We spend the flying moments thumbing the leaves of an Adler, or pouring over the formulae of Deschanel. We ' ve compassed the farm and tested grapes, the lat- ter going under the head of practical horticulture. These, witli some minor things, such as beating ' 76 at base-ball, occupy our time. Time, with relentless hand, has deprived us of ' 75. We rejoice at their advancement, but mourn our loss. They were our true class friends and did much to initiate us in college w ays ; they seemed to be a set of men bound to succeed in life. We have high hopes of their future. As we advance in our course, do we, as college stu- dents, fill the quota of manners that is expected of us ?

Page 14 text:

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.

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THE INDEX. Perhaps we are not yet altogether undeserving of the wild-cat reputation which students used to have. The Junior class is, perhaps, as bad in this respect as any other ; now, classmates and collegeniates, can ' t we obtain a higher perfection in this respect, and overcome some of this thoughtlessness and carelessness ? Among other things that have transpired, in the past year, is the very acceptable change in military instruct- ors. We feel now as if we had a military teacher who understands us and takes an interest in his and our work. Militaiy matters begin to have a pleasure and to have an object. Early in the term the Sophs, came like birds of prey, who scent their flesh from afar. The amount of burnt cork they destroyed was astounding. The old clothes they wore were peculiar. They were bent on doing glori- ous things to Freshmen, but their designs, like other bad, barbarous ones, amounted to but little ; they doubtless had good reasons for this attack ; their assembled wis- dom must have been great, for, when we consider that one Sophomore is wiser in his own conceit, than seven Juniors, who can render a reason, it is not strange that they should follow unkind and ungentlemanly college customs. Is it not about time some of these poor thread- bare customs were done away, and a step taken above these things to something more worthy of our time and better calculated for our powers ? Who, classmates, would have thought, two years ago, that this time would be here so soon. We can look back to some of the pleasant times and enjoyments that we have passed, to the little that we have learned compared with what there is to learn in this vast field of knowl- edge we see spread out before us. It behooves us to make a better use of our time, that we may get a full benefit of our two remaining years. Let us do what we can, as students and athletes, to maintain our spirit of class independence, and remember the requirements of our motto. S.