Ursinus College - Ruby Yearbook (Collegeville, PA)

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l)istonj of the v£lass of ()(j HE four years of a college course may be compared to four acts of a drama, composed of serious, tragic and comic events. Four times lias the curtain risen, and the fourth act will soon join the others in the glorious realms of the past. The final chapter in the history of the Class of ’99, as far as its life under the protecting and fostering care of Ursinus is concerned, must now be written. Four years ago, when the founders of this colony reached this pleasant and inviting country, in spite of the beauty of the scenery, the imposing look of the Memorial Hall, the awe-inspiring appearance of the Senior tribe, and the paternal solicitude of the chief ruler and his attendants—in spite of all these favorable influences, there was, nevertheless, a strange feeling of unrest stirring within the breast of each adventurer, a stifled yearning for the home and all that had been left behind. It seemed hard at first to bear the name of Freshmen, for some of us had really been great before we came here. Some had made Sunday-school speeches, some had been indisputable lords of rural school districts, others had stumped their district for Cleveland, and still others were graduates. Hut the world as yet did not recognize our greatness, and all alike had to be humbled. It required the greater part of the first year to work up this heterogeneous mass into something like homogeneity. I11 those early days great stress was laid 011 marks—for every Freshman had a profound consciousness that his future usefulness depended on his marks. (We have since changed our opinions slightly on that point.) Hut we must not linger—how our colony flourished in its early days,—how valiantly it met its foes,—how it curbed the impetuosity and presumption of the colonial bands that arrived in later years,—and how, after ably exemplifying Darwin's theory concerning the survival of the fittest, it settled down to the peaceful enjoyment of those privileges which descended to it (occasionally by inheritance, most often by virtue of the laws of conquest)—all these things have already been recorded by previous scribes.

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13. Gkorge Kurtz Orerholtzer. . Classical,............................Phoenixville, Pa. Entered from Academy; Zwinglian; Class President (3 : Prize, Running High Jump (2): Law. 14. Benjamin Franklin Paist, . . Classical.......................Cornwells, Pa. Entered from Academy: Schaff, President i4); First Prize Junior Oratorical Contest; Hullftin Staff 3); Presby terian: M inist ry. 15. Hiram Herr Shenk.....................Historical-Political.............Deodate, Pa. Filtered from Shipiieiisburg State Normal: Zwinglian: Editor-in-chief 99 Ruby: Editor-in-chief » « - • « i4 ; Manager Foot Ball Team 3;: Methodist: Law. 16. Jacob Monroe Stick....................Classical, ■.....................Glenville, Pa. Entered front Glenville Academy: Sch.ufT. President (4 : Orchestra t2). 3 : Manager Glee Club 4 ; '99 Ruby Staff: Ministry. 17. Charles Austin Wai.tman, . . Classical.............................McSherrystown, Pa. Entered front Academv: Zwinglian: Captain Foot Ball Team (3): Business Manager 99 Ruby: Ministry. 18. John Mei.vii.i.E Whittock, . . Historical-Political, . . . Penllyn, Pa. Entered from North Wales Academy: Scltaff: Manager Foot Ball Team (4 : 99 Ruby Staff: Prize, Pole Vault (2 : Law. 26

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We can be lenient in our judgment of the Freshman to-day localise we know what it is to be despised for our ignorance and pitied for our helplessness ; we have been Sophomores too, and felt as if Freshmen should apologize to us for their very existence; we have experienced the fanciful imaginations of a Junior—we have had a taste of it all, until now we have established our equilibrium, we have laid aside our frivolity, and with an increased amount of dignity, wisdom and hard work, have become grave and sober-minded Seniors. It is unbecoming to pride one’s self on one’s ancestry, it should first be considered whether our ancestry would be willing to pride themselves upon us, accordingly the Class of '99 realizes that however noble its past career, it must not rest satisfied with those achievements but continue to provide new material for the Historian. Our record of events was closed in March, 1898. About this time the staff was busied with the preparation of the Ri by of ’99, with what success you are familiar. Much has occurred since then which we would like to unfold to our readers, but modesty (the class characteristic) and respect for individual feeling forbids us. After the summer vacation we returned to assume our new responsibilities as Seniors,—the Faculty, after grave deliberation and not without some qualms of conscience had assigned our former place as Juniors to the timid-looking crowd who had vainly been attempting to follow in our footsteps. As no body of precious material is ever so coherent that the progress of time will effect no change, even the coherency of the Senior class has had to be disturbed. Under the ardent rays of the summer sun, two precious particles melted away and have since been flowing in other directions, but the early western winds of autumn have wafted into our midst another particle, enabling the class to remain the same in weight, though decreased in number. Although none can take the places of those who have left us, we ai'e glad to find a new place filled and welcome into our midst one who has shown herself worthy of belonging to our class. Our ways have not all been “ways of pleasantness” nor have all our paths been peace. Memory passages have haunted us many weary nights and even “gentle sleep, Nature’s soft nurse” could not “raze out the written troubles from the brain.“ Truly we were justified in saying “Macbeth does murther sleep,” but, urged by a stern voice from the class-room, crying “Thus thou must do, if thou have it, we screwed our courage to the sticking-place and emerged from the fitful fever of examination with the satisfactory reflection, “What’s done is done.” In all the various interests of the college our class has always been distinctly identified. Each year has seen it ablv represented in the football team, blending 28