Valparaiso High School - Valenian Yearbook (Valparaiso, IN)

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HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL 1904. 23 the voices, worn by prolonged yelling, rasp like the filing of a saw by the time they reach for the last time the closing lines of the chorus: “She’s the pride of Indiana, Hail to old I. U.” F. A. REECE. The efforts of the editors of the Annual to improve that publication deserve the approval of all who have the interests of the school at heart. In past years but little attention has been given to this paper, which should be one means of in- dicating the growth of the school, and I am sure most of the graduates would be glad to be of some assistance in accom- plishing that purpose. In some respects a college course is not unlike a whole span of life. It has its beginning with the thrill which new life brings, its intermediary period during which many things can be accomplished, and its end in graduation. The life in a large university resembles the life in any community. The new-comer subjects himself to its customs, enters some field of work, strives for success and is given credit for what he accomplishes. But the analogy fails in this striking par- ticular, that in college the interests and aims of all are near- ly identical. At no other time in one’s life does he associate with so many people of his own age, sentiments and purposes. It is to this community of interest and condition that the strength of college friendships can be attributed. Nor is it surprising that a large body of young people so situated should be frequently overcome with enthusiasm, which many people do not approve, yet it is doubtful if more generosity toward fault and eagerness to reward merit can be found any where. The University of Michigan catalogue presents courses which it would require over one hundred years to complete at the maximum number of hours’ work. How futile must be the attempt to obtain a comprehensive education in four years is apparent. In this limited time the student merely touches the high places, but if his time is well spent he acquires the college man’s chief asset— an enlarged capacity for future work. Very sincerely, FRED CRUMPACKER. A man’s life and growth are marked by periods. From the cradle up to the time he gets too old to be interesting there are periods that stand out in his memory like green patches in a barren field. Perhaps the days when he was “a barefoot boy” “down to the old swimmin’ hole” are dearer and more fraught with cherished memories than any other, but the one bright patch that grew after he was no longer a youth is that watered with the joys of his college days. It is useless to harp on the pleasures on the athletic field, the fraternity, class competitions, college politics, etc., we see them all minimized in our high school days. It is useless to renumerate the advantages of college training in connection with the various trades one may as- sume in life or to repeat the advantages of brain discipline even in digging out the translation in the well worn old vol- ume of Anabasis, but if I could leave this one point I would think my article had fulfilled its mission; namely, a college life throws one in contact with a well bred, well mannered class of people whose aims are high, whose purpose is true, whose determination is sure. A daily contact with such people will surely influence him in their direction. I say then, should he utterly fail in his studies, take no interest whatever in athletic or social life, if he only associates with his fellows he has not wasted his time. He will begin to realize that it is good to live and be an in- dividual, that he is a bundle of possibilities to which ambition furnishes the tools with which determination unites the bundle. No man can by day dreaming make himself a Craescus, a Napoleon or a Webster, yet if the man be ambitious and such be his theme it is good for him to indulge in such a pastime. College life imparts rightful day dreams and college training imparts the means of seeing them come true, and as the bigger the cage the happier the bird so the larger circle a man may have lived in, in this little pent-up world of ours, the happier the man when he comes to die and looks back on a life lived for living sake, the memory of which is an easy pillow for his death-bed and a lasting gift to his posterity. Young man, unless the most adverse circumstances ' pre- vent you, go to college. PROF. KNOX A. BOUT.

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22 HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL 1904. FROM THE COLLEGES. Bloomington, Ina., Apr., 1904. Editor High School Annual: And, through the Annual, to all who have the success of the V. H. S. at heart, I am glad to comply with your re- quest for a description of the university and its work, al- though if I should undertake to do the suoject justice I fear I should overtax the capacity of the Annual and crowd out even those very entertaining and necessary articles, the advertisements. Indiana University is located on the Monon railroad at Bloomington, a very old town with many characteristics of the South. In the next year however, we are to have a rail- road directly to Indianapolis, and even now the students walk out to see the workmen do the grading, very much as the normal students walk out to the cemetery at Valparaiso. The university is regarded as the State University in other parts of the state more than in the northern part. It is the goal toward which most high school students who have not already reached their limit are looking at the time of their graduation. And no matter what the line to be followed is, the university offers its aid without tuition, in languages, history, mathematics, science, law, and medicine. The campus is fifty-five acres in extent, covered for the most part with the natural timber. There are five large buildings, and ground is now being broken for the largest one of all. Besides these, there are two gymnasiums, a power plant, a heating plant, and a pretty Tittle stone ob- servatory. The chemistry department occupies two and one-half floors in Wylie Hall, and has twelve separate laboratories, besides store rooms, scale rooms and a room for the office library. I just figured up and found that it would take four years, doing this work alone, to finish all the work offered in the chemistry department. This includes theoretical and practical work of every sort, the equipment is ample for all they undertake, and eight professors and assistants are at hand to help the student in every way. The department of physics is equally well equipped and has the advantage of a new building. The work is divided between two departments, physics and the department of mechanics and astronomy. Here also the work offered would take the student’s entire time for four years if he so desired. Of course this is not expected, the idea being to allow each one to select as nearly as possible what he wishes. Many go out from these departments to fill positions in other colleges. The special pride of the head of the physics department is his first-year work, and he is certainly not excelled anywhere in the quality of the work and the method of presentation. To quote the head of the chemistry department, who is per- haps a little jealous: “That physics lecture room is a regular palace.” The chemistry lecture room, which has been through one very bad fire, is not at all palatial: but when they had some pictures taken recently for the St. Louis exposition, it was some satisfaction to the chemistry professor to find that the photographer had, as he said, “made the chemistry room look like a palace and the physics room like 30 cents.” The plans for our own laboratories in the new building are not yet completed , but it is the desire to profit by the ex- perience of others as much as possible, and to do the work in such a way that, no matter where the student goes afterward, that work will not need to be done again. To do this, the best laboratory equipment obtainable with the funds at our command is to be supplied. If possible, I want to have a physical laboratory in the basement and a chemical labor- atory in the upper part of the building, in addition to a reg- ular recitation room. But about athletics, well that is Indiana’s pride. Her teams always have to be beaten first by some little college, and then they start out and win from nearly everything that they tackle. The regular gymnasium work, football, base ball, in-door and out-door track meets, all are entered upon with an enthusiasm that is absolutely irresistible. On state occasions the band is usually present, and at each good stroke the strains of the Indiana song swell out and are caught up by the entire student body. It is little one cares if

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24 tIIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL 1904. MY PHILOSOPHY: v I aint, ner don’t p’tend to be, Much posted on philosofy; But there is times, when all alone, I work out idees of my own. And of these same there is a few I’d like to jest refer to you — Pervidin’ that you don’t object To listen clos ’t and rickollect. I alius argy that a man Who does about the best he can Is plenty good enugh to suit This lower mundane institute — No matter ef his daily walk Is subject fer his neghbor ' s talk, And critic-minds of ev’ry whim Jest all git up and go fer him ! It’s natchurl enugh, I guess, When some gits more and some gits less, Fer them-uns on the slimmest side To claim it aint a fare divide; And I’ve knowed some to lay and wait, And git up soon, and set up late, To ketch some feller they could hate Fer goin’ at a faster gait. My doctern is to lay aside Contensions, and be satisfied: Jest do your best, and praise er blame That toilers that, counts jest the same. I’ve alius noticed great success Is mixed with troubles, more er less, And it’s the man who does the best That gits more kicks than all the rest. — James Whitcomb Riley. Chapter I: “What is your name, little boy?” asked the teacher. “Johnny Lemon,” answered the boy. And it went on record on the roll. Chapter II: “What is your name?” the high school teacher inquired. “John Dennis Lemon,” replied the boy. Which was duly enrolled. Chapter III: “Your name, sir?” said the college dig- nitary. “J. Dennison Lemon,” responded the young man who was about to enroll himself as a student. Inscribed in ac- cordance therewith. Chapter IV: “ May I ask your name?” queried the soci- ety editor of The Daily Bread. “Jean D’Ennice Le Mon,” replied the swell personage in the opera box. And it was duly jotted down. The signs is bad when folks commence A findin’ fault with Providence, And balkin’ ’cause the earth don’t shake At ev’ry prancin’ step they take. No man is great tel he can see How less than little he would be Ef stripped to self, and stark and bare He hung his sign out anywhare. “These college boys beat me,” said St. Peter, as he locked the gate for the night. “What’s the matter now?’’ queried the man who was be- ing fitted with a pair of wings. “Why, I let in a batch a while ago and they no sooner got in than they began to pitch quoits with their halos.”