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

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74 CLASS OF NINETEEN THIRTY-FIVE S. AND E. thoroughly initiated and learned in the ways of New Haven. Conse- quently, with the advent of spring, we were ready to push on to newer ground. This we found on the campuses of Smith, Vassar, Connecticut College, and others, and the habit of the week-end exodus from New Haven was firmly established. With spring also came the necessity of deciding between Ac or Sheff, and many were the arguments advanced for both. Finally, deciding that reading pe- riods were not all that might be desirable in life, we decided to cast our lot in with the Sheff boys and to try out the vagaries of a sci- entific training. Next of importance on the Yale calendar of events comes Derby Day, but owing to the reprehensible nature of the un- dergraduate celebration on the preceding year this most important event was not held, and we had to wait until another day in another year to witness our first Derby Day debauch. Perhaps the most seri- ous event of the Freshman year was the series of 240-minute quizzes which terminated the career of so many of our number and which served to install the rest of us in the halls of Van-Sheff. The exam period itself was fraught with much excitement-beach parties, mov- ing pictures, mid-week excursions from New Haven, and what not -but it was in no wise comparable to the enjoyment of Engineer- ing Camp, to which many of our number repaired immediately afterwards. Here in the sheltered calm of East Lyme many of us managed to pass the most memorable part of the year. With Clif- ford's advice to the faculty members, Bancroftls idea as to the func- tion of nails on batter boards, and Brainard's unfortunate experience in the drawing room, together with New London and the boat races, we managed to spend a most enjoyable three weeks. At the close of the course we were, however, glad to break camp and return to some hot water and a good long stretch of vacation before taking our leap into S 0 plz om ore Year. Returning once again to our old haunts in the fall, we looked about us with the object of becoming more thoroughly acquainted with our new environment. It was only a matter of days before we were thoroughly at home in the halls of Van-Sheff, and we soon ventured out once more into the fast mad whirl of New Haven life. We bought a few textbooks, met the Wolf of Wall Street, became lost in the new Gym, and settled down to forecast the results of the approaching football season. During the football season itself, in ad- dition to a slight amount of studying Qfor we had begun to realize

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CLASS HISTORY 73 perception, we were not slow in finding the two Roger Shermans, the Paramount, and the other emporiums in which we were to while away much of our time in the next four years. Returning to our rooms, we turned out a pack of heelers Qnot, however, until we had signed on the dotted linej and proceeded to make ourselves comfortable. We soon learned that the advice of The Yale Guide in regard to hats, neckties, etc., was nothing more than interesting fic- tiong and this, combined with the slowly developing ability to say nov in a forcible manner when questioned as to the possibility of our subscribing to the Hoot, gave us much the air of true sons of Yale. With this much accomplished, it was only a matter of days until we learned to talk aloud in the flickers and to sit with our feet over the chair in front of us in the true Yale style. The first event of any great weight was the opening of the foot- ball season. From this, our first season of collegiate football, we re- ceived several lasting impressions: first, that of the terror inspired in our hearts by Dartmouth's sustained attack upon the Iinx g second, the amusing spectacle presented by Barry Wood as he sat and watched our own Albie carry the dayg and third, that in some re- spects, namely that of drink, we were not half the men we thought ourselves to be-a deplorable fact, and one which we have since spent much time correcting. With the close of the season, having little else to do, we bought some textbooks, pursued the course of knowledge, and, with the ex- ception of one evening which was devoted to the destruction of spare empty bottles in the old Oval, passed a really quiet time. With the arrival of Christmas vacation we repaired to our various homes or wintering places, where we amused the old folks with our newly acquired worldliness and where we hung up our stockings in the same old way. When we returned to New Haven to catch up on some much needed sleep, we heard the still echoing reverberations of the Broad- way Bank crash-a noise which was considerably augmented by the wailings of the returning students. Those of us who had our few pennies salted away in the Mechanics Bank complimented ourselves upon our good judgment, consoled our less fortunate members as best we could, and settled down to a period of comparative quiet which was only slightly rufiled by the rumblings of scandal in Sheff- town. We were an explorative and enterprising group in everything ex- cept, of course, scholastic pursuits and were not long in becoming

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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