Williams College - Gulielmensian Yearbook (Williamstown, MA)

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FZAGULTYI' Enirenlali. 35.-f'g,,g.y,1'F all the classes that have attended this College during my I experience-and I have been a member of the Faculty for a number of years-none, I think I may safely say, has shown to its instructors more uniform consideration and respect, or more kindly affection, than the present Junior Class. It is for this reason, perhaps, that while we have done our duty to all classes with a faithfulness and self-denial, to qiiote the words of our worthy leader, unsurpassed in any college in the land, we have experienced toward Eighty-eight a peculiar affection, and have watched over them with a paternal interest, that even they, we fear, have not fully appreciated. ' 1 It is an evidence of this' strong bond of affinity in which we feel a just pride, that we have been requested-nay, implored, to contribute a few lines to this volume. And while it must be confessed that though personally the writer is not accustomed to this sort of work, and is far more at home in another branch of literature, he nevertheless enters upon the task willingly and even joyfully. A - We are a body that is greatly misrepresented, even in the GUL, toward which we have always had the kindliest feelings. When, for instance, our worthy Professor of Biology exhibits his nobly independent spirit in a peculiar and highly original system of marking, it is sometimes absurdly alleged that he shakes up the vari- ous grades and names in a hat, and draws them forth at random, when necessity arises. Suppose, if we may suppose, even for a moment, that the theory is true, that, weighed down by the colossal tasks that even his well-known and astounding industry can barely cope With, he has resorted to such a method. In such a case, it is certain that the higher mathematical methods used by the gentleman Whose dut it is to CO1 . . Y ' late and arrange the marks for publication will entirely destroy their original semblance, and thus equalize all errors. But such discussion as this is useless, for the theory cannot be true. Any one who knows h - . . aug t of the character of the Professor in quest1on,w1l1 agree that 22

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While he might, the conditions being favorable, put slips in a hat, he never could summon up energy enough to shake them. It has been said also, that When a young and respected member of the Faculty, While refreshing himself by an evening Walk, discovered three fiends in Sophomoric shape perpetrating an atrocious crime- it has been said, I repeat, that that gentleman Was- acting as a spy. I confess I Was utterly at a loss how to answer this point, and con- sulted several critical editions in vain for light upon the subject, until I was impelled, one day, to refer it to one of my colleagues, a gentle- man to Whom the answering of objections is an every-day affair, and, I may add, a joy forever. He at once advised me to postpone the dis- cussion of this point until We had dealt with the principles of the next chapter, when we -Would' be much better qualified to appreciate it. This mode of refutation struck me as thoroughly convincing, as Well as exceedingly brief and convenient. ' ' . But there is no use of more. Whatever We might say, or Whatever We might do, the ,gentlemen whose young ideas We have the honor of developing would grumble. We endeavor to encourage them in their pursuit of the popular science of base-ball, and they complain because we do not go down on the field and practice with the nine. .We move heaven and earth 'to get them a gymnasium second to none in the country, and We are reviled because there' are no free restaurant, bill- iard-parlor, and electric lights attached. -To borrow' from the elegant and expressive language inffvvhich they are accustomed to express their thoughts Qoutside of the class-roomj, We are the subjects of-more grinds and jumps and charges of everynature, than were ever suffered by a candidate ,for the presidency. ' . ' The only possible Way, it would seem, to suit the vast and varied desires of the mass of students, would be to make chapel and recita- tions compulsory for the Professors only, to entrust the entire disci- pline and training of the Freshmen to the mature minds of the Soph- omores, and to place the government of the College generally in the hands of student committees. Such, no doubt, will be the college of the future. In closing, the Faculty has to express its thanks to the class of Eighty-eight, for this kind permission to voice in these pages senti- ments long repressed, for want of some such medium of communi- cation. . 23,