Yale University - Sheffield Scientific School Yearbook (New Haven, CT)

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76 CLASS OF NINETEEN THIRTY-FIVE S. AND E. long-promised light wines and beer, and although the state of Con- necticut was slightly behind in the rush, the state of New York was only a short distance from our classrooms, and many were the enter- prising young smugglers to take advantage of the proximity to the source of supply. With smuggling, of course, comes hijacking, but, although much of it was undoubtedly accomplished, there is only one outstanding incident on record. The story concerns itself with two budding young engineers who adopted the device of a pair of coat hangers used as a lifting contrivance and purloined therewith one case of Iacob Ruppert's best from the very window sill of its rightful owner. Many Saturday afternoons were spent marveling over the new yeastless bottles, and we began to look forward to the day when, instead of asking for a cocola with a dash of lemon, we could walk up to a bar and with our foot on the brass rail call out in a firm voice for a mug of sudsf, Now could we have our beer picnics and a real celebration at Derby Day. On this day we donned our old or fancy clothes, rode out to Derby, and watched the various forms of hilarity-and incidentally the boat races. The parties in the evening were the climax to the week-end, and after the weaker sex departed on Sunday we settled down to some real concentrated ef- fort in the form of preparation for Hnal examinations, which came and went in much the usual fashion, leaving a few of our number in sorry scholastic plight and many of the rest of us with obligations of tremendous magnitude to one tutoring school or another for its interest in seeing us through our exams and well on the way to the poorhouse. With the last exam over there was little else to do save start out on a summer's vacation, which being a good idea, widely accepted, we put into immediate practice, thus leaving the calm of New Haven undisturbed for a short time until we should return again for our fzfznior Year. Those of us who did not return until the end of September found a sad and bedraggled group of Mech Tech boys waiting and wish- ing for a vacation. These would-be engineers had already spent the greater part of the month roaming about factories and shops, note- book in hand, much to the amusement of the employees. Nothing in the form of a vacation being forthcoming, however, they all joined forces with the rest of us and thus helped to start the year off in Hne style. Perhaps the first observation that we made was that no longer

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CLASS HISTORY 75 that this necessary activity was not, after all, a thing to be taken lightly-a fact which was made increasingly evident throughout the year by the enforced departure of many of our numberj, we man- aged to take in a few games. Bates, Chicago, and Princeton were tied, while we lost to Brown and Army. The IinXl' was once again proved to be invincible, and few of us will forget the aquatic revel- ries of the encounter with Harvard, which team was literally and figuratively swamped by the fast swimming Eli gridsters. Another memorable event of the fall term was the blanket probation cast over Entry E. This deplorable happening was due more as a result of the necessity of repaneling the doors and generally renovating the halls than to any scholastic failings. With the approach of winter we witnessed the overthrow of the Grand Old Party and spent much enthusiasm on the Beer by Christmas campaign. All hope along this line was soon smotheredll and our attention was claimed by Rush Week. Wilbur Buds and cigars for Pop Lane were only incidental to the ultimate choice, which, when finally made and confirmed, lifted a weight from our minds. We were now full-fledged members of the Shelf social sys- tem which we found-and still continue to find-to be quite real and in no way emasculated, as the board of the Oldest College Daily would lead us to believe. After this week of nerve-shattering experi- ence came a week of comparative calm-a week which was utilized by the members of one club to recover from a particularly poor grade of oyster served at their pledge dinner. Christmas vacation was not long in passing, and we returned to New Haven to await the results of the inauguration. These were not long in arriving, and for some week-ends it was necessary to forego the usual excursions to Vassar or Smith owing to a general tie-up of funds. This tended to cause us to fall out of sympathy with the Democratic party, but our recalcitrance was terminated by the renewed promises of beer. In February came the Iunior Prom with the melodies of Glen Grey and the warblings of Peewee Hunt. Also, by way of recognition of a feat well accomplished, it might be allowed that things ran smoothly and that as a result of the whole thing a substantial profit was recog- nized. Spring finally arrived, and we were once again subjected to the inclemencies of New Haven weather. What we had thought to be unusually bad weather Freshman year was now accepted as a tradi- tion, and we resigned ourselves to its whims and to our colds. To help us out in our dilemma the Legislature finally did give us the

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CLASS HISTORY 77 was Van-Sheff the traditional home of Sophomores, but rather of the lowly Freshmen. Feeling rather honored at having the distinction of being the last Class to occupy Van-Sheff as Sophomores, we looked about to see what other major changes had occurred in our environ- ment. We noted that the College Plan had gone into effect and were told that it was to be all one School now-no more distinction be- tween Ac and Sheff. The unity under the new order was made even more apparent when We learned that the Sheff houses could not take in Ac men as members and vice versa, that the honor societies could choose from the entire University, whereas the Ac Senior societies could not elect Sheff men. Added to this was the fact that reading periods were the accepted order in Ac, that the Sheff boys had only sixteen cuts per term, while the Engineering School fa newly- forrned unitj allowed unlimited cuts. With this new interpretation of unification we realized that Bismarck and Cavour had begun at the wrong end, and, being completely at sea at this point, we even went so far as to attend a few classes now and then. With the fall term came the football season all games, save one of which, were held here in New Haven, and so for a time We experi- enced the sensation of staying here over the week-ends. But the Harvard game provided the necessary stimulus to our vagabond na- tures, and off we sped to Cambridge, where we witnessed a fairly good game, even though we did not come out on top. Sport was provided for the teams by timing the start so that the last part of the game could be played in the dark. But it was all in the interest of fun, and we returned to Yale to find out the details of the game from those who had listened in over the radio. Soon came Rush Week-our first one on the inside-and we be- came entangled in the politics of the social system. Colony and Cloister, having turned Senior society in the previous year and hav- ing had their elections earlier in the fall, were not in the competi- tion and consequently retained their dues and other expense items at par. We managed to live through the battle, however, and retain a rather vivid recollection of cigars, mints, and smoke. When the lat- ter cleared away we found ourselves embarked on another Christ- mas vacation, from which we returned two weeks later tired but happy, and with grim determination embarked on the winter ordeal. The inter-house indoor sports were organized as a supplement to the more strenuous exertions of the autumnal touch football games, and we met in friendly rivalry on the squash courts, pool tables, and