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

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c S we resume our college duties we are forcibly reminded of the passage, swiftly rolls the tide of time. It is our Junior year. The so-called year of ease, which, however, opens with a term requiring more labor than any through which we have yet passed. Always irregular in numbers, we have, within the past year, gained two. The present term brings with it one of our old classmates, who, for the past twelve months, has been engaged in practical agriculture. We welcome, also, a for- mer member of the class of ' 75, whose desire for Dutch and Physics is so strong, that, after an absence of four years, he has returned to complete his college course. It is with the deepest sorrow that we are obliged to record the loss ot three of our members, one of whom an all-wise Providence has seen fit to remove from among us, giving us another illustra- tion of the uncertainty and frailty of this life. As we look back upon the first half of our course, we feel compelled to remonstrate against an evil that has become so prevalent as to rarely cause remark. We refer to the practice of getting through the college course in three years, which, in our own class, has spread to such an extent that fully one- fourth of our number have undertaken its accomplishment. It will be seen by a moment ' s reflection, that there is a radical defect somewhere, and we earnestly desire the Faculty to take the matter into consideration, not only on account of the utter impossibility of the student gaining as complete an ed- ucation, but also because of the very demoralizing effect upon the class and, in fact, the whole college.

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12 THE INDEX, the well-earned praise of our fellows, make us feel our laurels to be no unmeaning baubles, but fit testimonials to the genius, truthfulness, industry and worth of ' 78. It is not without deep sadness that we realize how brief is the remnant of our college days The thought that we, who have dwelt together so long in unity, bound by the ties of friendship, of common interest and of mutual respect, — that we, who have passed together through all the vicissitudes of the three years past, experiencing all the joys and the sorrows, the successes and the failures which they brought with them, and have come out strengthened and better prepared for the future, — should now so soon be parted, strikes deep into our hearts, and tempers with sorrow the pleasures we now enjoy. Compared with the number that started with us as Freshmen we are few; yet the spirit of the class has never weakened, but has become purer and more elevated, and, illuminated by the radiance of the monuments we have reared, our path seems bright before us. Yet, across the way, float at intervals the clouds of doubt and mystery. Classmates! straining the eye to look beyond those clouds, what is the bright vision that meets our sight.? A noble pine-tree rears its head to heaven. Beneath its shade, a band of gray-haired men, assembling from all sides, meet and clasp one another ' s hands in joyous greeting. Can you not read its meaning.? ' Tis a cheering prophecy; may it be fully consummated . ' The readers of the Index have doubtless noticed that, con- trary to the usual custom, no motto, no elevated principle of life, heads the roll of our class. Have we then no noble aim?, no lofty desires, no great ideal to imitate.? Look once more. What is there above our names that stands alone, shining by its own unaided light.? The simple symbol, ' 78. That is our motto, our guidon, our all in all. For that we stand. We have worked for it in the past; we will do the same in the future. Its glory is our glory, its disgrace is our disgrace. For it and Alma Mater let us devote our best energies, and our reward will come with our success. c.

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14 THE INDEX. It afforded us much pleasure upon our return, to find that the final effort of our Sophomore year was still visible upon the hillside; and we are confident that however much the cares of life may in the future press upon us, ' 79 will always cling in affectionate remembrance to her old Alma Mater. But two short years remain ere we step into the arena of active life. Let us make the most of them. We will do what we do, and do what we do well.