Worcester Polytechnic Institute - Peddler Yearbook (Worcester, MA)

Page 33 text:

THE ANTENNA. 29 The following solid matter “ may be omitted without destroying the integrity of the course.” A DAY OF FIELD WORK. Among the many pleasant occurrences in the student’s life at the Institute, few will be so often recalled to the one who grad¬ uates as a C. E. as the memory of the days spent in Field Work. Many little incidents happen which at the time we think nothing about, but some time after a small incident serves to recall all that happened before. They now appear laughable to say the least. Possibly at the time we may have enjoyed the occurrence in a very limited way, but at the same time there was not the slightest effort at remembrance. Bat there it is, and it will occasionally make itself known, causing much self-gratifi¬ cation in the shape of a good laugh. We will suppose we are to start on the Wire Works Terminus of the Worcester County Central R. R., “which will be built in a few years probably.” Transit man sets up, poleman goes ahead, and soon a man with nothing to do comes up to the transit man, and wants to know wliat we are doing. Oh, running: out a line for railroad,” in a very consequential tone of voice, and looking ahead as if something of much importance was going on ; and, in order to impress the man with his vast accomplishments, he yells at the rodman: “plumb youi lod, or something of the kind, not in the least degree necessan , pei- liaps, but serving to impress the aforesaid gentleman. He

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28 THE ANTENNA. (yepefhl $iirprpkt y Class of’75, 19. Present average age, 20 yrs., 6 mo. Class of’76, 28. Present average age, 19 vrs., 7 mo. Class of’77, 33. Present average age, 19 yrs., 4 mo. Total, 80. Present average age, 19 yrs., 9§ mo. Tallest, 6ft., If in. Shortest, 5 ft., 2J in. Heaviest, 171 lbs. Lightest, 108 lbs. Number of Graduates, by classes, since the foundation of the Institute: Class of 1871, Class of 1872, Class of 1873, Class of 1874, 18 18 20 17 Total, 73 UNDERGRADUATES. Seniors, Middlers, Juniors, 19 28 33 Total, Apprentice Class of’75, 80 17

Page 34 text:

THE ANTENNA. 30 next—the man I mean—inquires if the road is to be built? u Oh! yes,” in the same consequential vay, and the same look ahead to see if can’t find something to say to rodman. Then the man wants to know if we suppose he could get a job on this road? and the answer is 44 Very likely you could.” But Oh ! how unlikely is the prospect in fact, but ’twouldn’t do to disap¬ point the man, who is probably poor and wants a job badly, by telling him squarely, 4 4 No, sir, you can’t get a job on this road and, in fact, it would savor of hardhearted ness to tell him so when he has a hard winter staring him in the face. Now he will be perfectly happy, thinking of working on the Worcester County Central R. R. Well, work proceeds until we get into the Driving Park, and then work is sure to lag, especially if there is any prospect, as there was last year, of a championship game of base ball between two such clubs as the Bostons and Athletics. The curve laid out through the Park is pretty sure to bother in some respect, and at about the time for the game the curve is just about approaching completion. Police come around to see what you are doing; ask a few questions ; don’t appear to know whether it is best to say anything about going off the grounds during the game or not; but conclude finally ; will not say anything; consequently when game does commence there is one knot of very interested spectators at a little distance one side of the rest. After the clubs leave, business is resumed with a will, and probably there is nothing lost in the end. Finally everything is picked up, and we start for the Insti¬ tute, generally feeling pretty tired, but Wi-m-th is sure to break out with one of his stories, and thus relieves in a great measure the monotony of the travel home. Me-l-tt generally broaches some strikingly original ideas, which he is kindly advised to have stuffed for further preservation, but as he has just as many more the next time, all former ones are forgotten. Finally we arrive at the Institute, and so ends one more day in Practice. It is a noteworthy fact that some of those aspiring preps have assumed the device of the arm and hammer, and labelled themselves ’78. Such nerve, we believe, is unprecedented in our annals. i