West Virginia University - Monticola Yearbook (Morgantown, WV)

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Throughout Our College Year. HEN the last, lingering days of September have mellowed away on the hills, and marshaled cornfields wave their golden bannerets in the dreamy air, the West Virginia student, erstwhile released from books, packeth his gripsack and hustleth back to College. The fleeting, ejihemei-al Desciple of the Summer Quarter has fled to his native heath, and left the ground to the undisputed possession of his more fortunate co-seeker after knowledge. Prom up and down the Monon- §ahela come the devastating bands, eager and lusty for tlie rich spoils of learning. From distant McDowell and untamed Mingo, from the isolated Pan-handles, East and North, from Randolph ' s rugged mountains and Greenbrier ' s pleasant pastures, the hopeful sons of planters, miners, bank- ers, lawyers and alas for discipline, of ministers — all with widely different degrees of devotion, but avowedly a common purpose, make this Autumnal Pilgrimage to West Virginia ' s chief seat of learning. The first week of the new term after the Elective Summer Vacation, is full of rich e.xperience for the novice, and fraught with rare pleasure for the initiated. There are endless hand-shakings and greetings that over- flow with cordiality; the Senior has smiles of recollection and welcome for the Prep. For the time being, cla.ss and club distinctions are obliterated, and student meets student in good fellowship on the common level of their humanity. What a delightful mixture of romance and reality the scenes on the campus during the day and in Commencement Hall at night present. To the new-comer it seems his dream of college life is more than realized. Though the picture of his fancy was brilliant and glowing, it was still too somber-hued to do the subject justice. The campus is yet greener than was ever sung by college poet. The bordering trees are ablaze with the splendor of Autumn their verdant summer foilage has been turned into myriad pennants of purple and gold. On three sides the rounded hills rise in gi-een and fertil slopes to majestic heights. The graceful contour of their swelling ci-ests is modeled, by the softautumn haze, into gentle curves and undulating lines of classic beauty. Away to the south, Dorsey ' s Knob seems dim and far in the distance. On the west, the campus falls away to the river ' s edge in a steep declivity. Up the river and down the river the hills, sullen guardians of the water ' s course, lie in irregular profusion. The river hides itself from sight in a sweeping curve, and when a reverse curve brings it to view again farther down, as it shines in the sunlight, it seems a huge cycle dropped from the hand of some Titanic hill. As the student stands for the first time amid this wealth of scenery, it seems ta him that nature in her generous autumn mood, robed in her richest garments, 1(3

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has taken cognizance of his enti ' ance to college, and conspired with the University authorities to make the opening of his career auspicious. All day long groups of laughing, chatting students dot the campus. The Fraternity Fathers, with vigilant and anxious eyes scan the changing orowd for men wliose prepossessing mien bespeaks for them the inherence of those qualities that make the good fraternity man. And when one is marked by one of these carefully discriminating fathers, he is not a little astonished at the polite and solicitous attention bestowed upon him. The rushing season is on, and a few vveeks later the innocent Barb begins to realize the meaning of the attention he receives. Commencement Hall, each night during this wondrous convocation week, presents a scene of varied and absorbing interest. Mu.sic, wit, wisdom, folly and elocution are dealt out from the rostrum for six successive nights to all who will partake thereof. The verdant Freshman and insatiable Prep are to be found there every night. It is supposed — nay it is true that these two much berated classes of beings are dazzled, enraptured, transported by this all-overpowering display of the University ' s coUatei-al forces. About the time the new ari ' ivals begin to think they have indeed reached a realm of never ceasing earthly pleasures, wherein the dwellers have immunity from mankind ' s primal curse, the fun comes to an end. Convocation week, like all other mundane joys, can not last! By Friday, the most self-pos- sessed of Juniors, with commendable indifference, has dropped casualy into the President ' s Office and matriculated. On the following Monday, all are confronted with disillusionizing fact that they are expected to be prepared for every recitation and to have reached that state of mind in which it is possible to receive, comprehend and thoroughly digest an hour-long lecture fx-om the most learned professor. A nucleus of last year ' s foot ball players,upon whose brawn and brain de- pends the success of this year ' s team, has been back for some time. Under the generalship of these experienced leaders, a score or more of the fittest assemble on the Athletic Field every afternoon for practice. The accommo- dating scrubs with touching fidelity line up time after time to be knocked down, run over and tramped on for the sake of improving and rendering the regulars more aggressive and confident. Around the edge of the field a fringe of enthusiasts watch the work of the new team and speculate on the possibilities of a winning season. Here the blatant Sophmore is in his glory. He knows decidedly more foot ball than the coach or captain, and is willing to impart his knowledge to any one who desires to learn. He talks loudly in hearing of Freshmen and Preps of the strong points of this man or that, of the possibility of certain ones making the team, singing all the while the praises of last year ' s team and its immeasurable superiority over any that can ever be gotten together again. From the first of October until Thank.sgiving, foot-ball is the chief thing of interest in College life. With the team at home and abroad are all our hopes and sympathies. 1«