Washington and Lee University - Calyx Yearbook (Lexington, VA)

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will have to do better in the future. Mr. Miller, take it up where Carpenter left it. (Miller sails along successfully for a few lines, but loses his place in the Jack and comes to a dead stop.) Dr. K: Well, go on, Mr. Miller; you have been doing very well so far (loud clapping) but you are altogether too free in your rendering (laughter on all sides). Miller goes back a line to get a good start, but comes to a dead halt when he reaches the place where he stopped before. Dr. K — Goon, Mr. Miller; you are wasting time. Miller: I can ' t go on, sir. Dr. K — Then, Mr. Engle. (Engle recites successfully, and is closely followed by Deshazo and the Blue Hotel. ) Dr. K- — Mr. Shields, you may reeite. (Avast amount of confusion follows the passage of the trusty Jack from the end of the last bench until it rests securely in Mr. Shields ' hands. Shields proceeds to bat the good Doctor for a home run, bringing in two men on bases. ) Dr. K — Your Latin, Mr. Shields, is a vast improvement on your past terms ' record. You show a good knowledge of the forms (a smile spreads all over the face of the aforesaid Shields, and slyly creeps down his back. ) Dr. K — Mr. Rador, what is the period of which Salust is writing. ' (Rader hasn ' t a ghost of an idea on the subject, but ventures a guess.) Dr. K — That ' s a very good guess, Mr. Rador, only it ' s a few hundred years out of the way, that ' s all. (The noise and cheers can be heard as far as House Mountain.) The Doctor looks happy and selects his next victim with care. Mr — er — Mr — the suspense is appalling, but he finally ejaculated, Mr. Pipes. (Now, Mr. Pipes is deep in Howe and Venable ' s Chemistry, after the Perodic Law, and does not hear his name called. ) ' ' Mr. Pipes, you may go on. (He spied the book and flares up in a minute.) You have all you can do to attend to the Latin, Mr. Pipes, so I don ' t want to ever see you with any other book open in this class except your Latin text. (Pipes shuts the book, and with it his hopes for a swing at Dr. Howe in Chemistry vanish. He knows his batting average is sure to suffer, but attacks the Latin with fury, and makes the Professor ' s head swim for a few moments. ) Dr. K — That will do, Mr. Pipes; a little more attention to tense, ' er, would be well, sir. Thus the recitation goes on and the hour approaches its close. Dr. K — Mr. Handly. (Handly spars for time and attempts to gum the game as much as he can by asking numerous questions on the construction. ) He finally begins to translate and the bell cuts him off short. A rush and a free-for-all fight for hats, coats, etc., ensues. Dr. K — We will go as far as page next time. He looks around and finds the room deserted before the bell has stopped ringing. He heaves a sigh of relief, wipes the perspiration off his brow, rubs his glasses, and the recitation is over. (Exeunt Omnes. ) 25

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A Model Recitation Tiine: Any Tuesday, lo-ii A. jNI. Place: The Latin Room. Dratnatis Dr. Kerns, of the Chair of Latin. Perso7i}ue The Junior Latin Class. Dr. Kerns picks up his attendance book, and after carefully adjusting his spectacles, approaches the front of the room. The members of the class come streaming in at irregular intervals, making desperate attempts to throw hats, coats, etc. , on the nails along the side of the room provided for that purpose, but, unfortunately, placed about two feet too high. Dr. K. in a loud voice — Now, gentlemen, you will please answer to your names as I call them, and if any of you are not here, just let me know after the class and I will mark you absent. (Loud stamping greets this bright and thoughtful remark of the Professor. ) Dr. Kerns, at the top of his voice — Gentlemen, will you please come to order immediately; I shall not begin until I can have quiet in the room. Dr. K. proceeds to call the roll, and then goes over it twice to make sure that he has marked the attend- ance correctly. Dr. K — We have for our lesson the tenth chapter of Sallust ' s Cataline today, gentlemen, and before we take up the lesson, let me caution you to be careful of your cases. Through the correct reading of the passages, we come to feel the force of the Latin. What we want to do, gentlemen, is to eel the language, not translate it in a hit or miss sort of fashion. Mr. Stevenson, you may begin to read. Stevenson — I was sick last night, Doctor, so I am not prepared today. (As Stevenson is sick five nights out of six, his reply is greeted with an outburst of clap- ping and stamping). Dr. K — Gentlemen, we must have order. Mr. Carpenter, you may recite. (Mr. Carpenter sails successfully through the first line and is greeted with the usual outburst of applause. ) Mr. Shields enters the room, as usual, five minutes late, and the room resounds with a terrific din. He no sooner gets seated when Mr. Rader makes his apipearance. Five mintes is taken out while the Professor marks them present. Dr. A ' ., referring to his book — Mr. Bird, you may continue. Mr. Bird — I didn ' t get as far as that. Doctor. (As this is only the second sent- ence, the applause is tremendous. The Professor takes off his glasses and glares around; nobody injured.) Dr. K — There has not been sufficient time spent on this lesson; gentlemen, you 24

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Jfaitb From the rock on which I stand, Backward lies the pleasant land; Yet because you say it best, In your hand mine own I rest, Plunging down — Down into a black abyss, Whence I hear the serpent ' s hiss, Wildly lifting up its head From the poisoned, rotting dead. Service Rough the course and cold the wind. All have left me far behind; Mocking spirits show my soul I may never reach the goal. On I press. Dying o ' er the rocks I creep. Struggling ' gainst the icy sleep. Though the Master never know, Onward, dying, I must go. Xove Eager towards the beckoning skies. On my ladder swift you rise; On my shoulder rests the weight. Pressing downward to my fate In the slime. Spurned downward by your race. Glad I meet the slough ' s embrace; Glad, if, as the waters rise, I may see you grasp the prize. H. R. K.