Worcester Polytechnic Institute - Peddler Yearbook (Worcester, MA)

Page 22 text:

EFORE the Thanksgiving recess, the formation of this club was urged by several men, but action was not taken upon it until after that vacation. Upon Nov. 30, we may say that the continued and highly successful society drama. The Socialists of ’92, was commenced by eleven actors, some of whom occupied boxes of a greater or less degree of warmth. In place of the regular orchestral music, we had the plaintive “chug-chug” of the steam pipes, the patter of the janitor’s feet and the wild, wierd eloquence of the opposition. The curtain rises upon a farce comedy entitled, “Hoodooed; or among the Molecules.” Three honored gentlemen of the class were determined to be the comic villains of the play, and proceeded to read their parts with tragic effect. These gentlemen perhaps did not rehearse their characters. They did not need to, for nature had none that part of the job only too well. During the comedy several operatic gems were rendered by the trio; “There aren’t fifteen men in the class who can keep the thing alive.” “The whole thing will be blamed slow.” “Don’t want to say it will go under, but don’t think it can work.” “Didn’t come in to join.” “Just thought I’d see what you were going to do about it.” There were no encores. The next appear¬ ance of the Senior artists, Dec. 2, was signalized by much enthusiasm. Perhaps the dead men were coming to life. This appearance, or rehearsal, was notable for the fact that the cast contained no villains. Two of our prospective actors, fearful of temptation, and remembering it was growing late and very dark, hurriedly made their exit.

Page 21 text:

TEN has it been said that ever since the first issue of the Institute paper, its editors have been continually harried on every side by arti¬ cles from aspiring students upon “ college patriotism,” ” social unity,” and ‘‘class feeling.” The articles usually commence as though the writers were entering upon new themes and as though new argu¬ ments for social unity were being presented for the first time. The announcement in the paper that more editors are needed brings with it a torrent of neatly written and punctuated essays upon that very threadbare subject. New boards have come and gone; new editors have presided, but yet that ine.xhaustible theme has furnished a continuous stream of matter, dilated upon according to the amount of ‘‘filling” required. Solemnly, very solemnly, does each article impart the news that there is a great lack of social feeling within these ‘‘marble halls.” The same subject, couched in different language, appears again and again as though condemned to whirl forever through the unending cycles of eternity. It is impossible to say whether past events have or have not been influenced by these vivid remonstrances, hut it is a fact that something most unexpected happened during the first days of December, 1891. The occasion was the establishment of a social organization, embodying many of the views expressed in the above-mentioned articles. II

Page 23 text:

Sixteen men signed the articles of confederation. The object of the club, as stated, was— “to provide for the social well being of its members,” with the understanding that the means taken to insure such “well being” might include sleighing parties, skating parties, theatre parties, or, in fact, anything which might be recommended by the very efficient committee of arrangements. Variety was the watchword of this “new departure,” but it was understood from the first that the society, though social, was not to be convivial. That its members had no aspirations to be “ howling swells,” but were simply men who wished to become better acquainted with one another before the final leave taking in June. 3