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

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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

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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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78 CLASS OF NINETEEN THIRTY-FIVE S. AND E. billiard tables. But the real event of the season was, of course, our Iunior Prom. The elections to the committee had run off smoothly enough with only one bit of politics occurring to disturb the calm of things. The guilty follower of Tammany was, however, detected and his high aspirations were nipped in the bud. There remained only the Prom itself with which to cope. This February festival was run off most smoothly under the leadership of Charlie Dunbar, and after marveling at the music of Ozzie Nelson and the songs of Har- riet Hillier, we were equally enchanted to hear the news that once again the Prom committee had thrown all tradition to the winds and had realized a profit. With the passing of winter with its unprecedented snowstorm came the growth of those newly-established package stores. The world was once again restored to the old order and spring had come. And to further proclaim the spirit of spring the inter-house track meet was held as usual. Good seats were at a premium and the rafters were crowded with an enthusiastic audience. Somebody won and somebody lost, and we issued forth into the spring air. Once again we found that spring in New Haven was not all that might be wished for. We roamed about amid the snow and rain hoping for a ray of sunshine or a spring vacation. Both finally arrived. Those of our number who had journeyed in the South returned with a good tan and wild tales about life in Bermuda, Daytona, and Pinehurst. This rang well and it was no time before the South-in- the-North group was organized. The beaches around about were strewn with textbooks, while the icy waters were specked with the vagrant students. Spring had really come and there was much cause for rejoicing. With the spring we were more or less supposed to have attained our seniority and were permitted to have cars. This slightly altered the location of cars in the city, but had little effect upon the number. Cars were brought out of the downtown garages, and life continued much as before. Derby Day this year presented a sad spectacle, for, although the event itself was as interesting and amusing as ever before, the nearness of the approaching exam pe- riod prohibited any spring parties. The following Monday, the fac- ulty having proclaimed us ripe, we did proceed like lambs to the slaughter as we struggled with our first final exam. With one be- hind us, and the habit well established, the rest was comparatively simple. With the last exam behind us we were not long in realizing our newly-acquired freedom and, bidding a fond farewell to the city, set out on our last summer vacation.