Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-06-14

Thy golden gates appear"
pass from this, by sort Of natural bent
to topic that have thought over many
times, and that is, the tricks and pranks
which are common, and even popular, in
college life. Some things which, when duly
considered, deserve to be Kissed rather
than applauded by all honest men and boys,
and their perpetrators subjected to scorn and
contempt, somehow in college life, have al
ways been popular, and made the leaders in
them college heroes. do not speak of all
college tricks and pranks. Many Of them,
where there is real fun and honor, with no
rude invasion Of the rights of person or pro-
perty, are, we may say, tolerable-nay, let
us have our laugh and grow fat upon them.
We would make no war on such. But there
are others, and common ones, tool will
not name them nor describe theD-and yet
have been mean and weak enough in my
day to be led into them. / never did that
that is, recount them--even to my own
sons, when speaking of my college
life, because l knew that would tend
to attach to them a sort Of eclat.
If father could do such things, sure
ly they cannot be very wrong. How
many fathers thoughtlessly set poison for
their youthful SONS in this very way? Let
us reform it altogether. Have no two codes
of moral conduct. Hold sternlY and
steadily 70 the principle that what is
vile and base in man is the
same thing in college boy. And if it is
base and vile to destroy or deface the prop
erty of another-to steal and pilfer-tO de-
wise secret plans to give injury, or even an
noyance to obnoxious individuals, then let
not such actions be smoothed over with the
remark that it is only college prank--al
college boys have done so-you must make
allowances for frolicsome and unthinking
youth. l say here, it is not generally the
small boys who lead in such matters. 1t is
some hero of this sort of base exploits who
knows very well what he is doing, and
takes pride in it. We must get the boys
themselves to aid us here, or we shall fail.
They, and they alone, can unmake as well
IS make this sort of heroes, and only get
them to feel aud think that true honor and
true manhood forbids any boy to aspire to
that sort of distinction, or to aid in giving
it to another; that the doer Of mean or
base action, no matter who he is, ought to be
visited with the scorn and contempt the &C
ton itself intrinsically deserves, and the
thing is accomplished, and we shall have no
more of that sort of college heroes. They
will perish like a fish when taken out of
water, and our schools and colleges will be
rid of chronic pest that seems as hard to
cure as a cancer.
may mention at this point that DR..
Gerard Troost, as Professor of Geology, lec-
tured to our class during the last half of our
senior year. 1t ever there was an unadul-
a IS,F1o nd ronHno
DR., 7. was one. This was doubtless the
first course OF lectures on
geology ever delivered in this State.
That delightful department of knowl-
edge now so extensive and so extensively
cultivated was then comparatively in
its infancy. He lectured in the old Ma
sonic Hall, and had a beautiful and ex-
tensiYe geological and meteorological cabi-
net. But l now look back with wonder,
10 think how little that class of more than
average intellect profted by his able lee
lures. But we were reviewing for eX-
animation and preparing our COM
mencement speeches, and that, but
particularly the latter, absorbed us
as the great thing. l suppose it has been
so from that day to this, and viii be so as
long as commencement speeches last, and
hope they may never cease. There is
pride, an ardor, an enthusiasm about their
that comes but once in this
life.
And now we come to the close and cul-
point of college life; commence
ment day, and at night commencement ball.
Af;er that no more college life. l. may be
more happy, or may be more miserable, but
no more college life. Here one stage or sec
ton Of life is cut off from all the rest by
sharply defined line. We'll, here was COM
mencement and commencement bail. We
had glorious time at both. Our class had
no valedictOry orator. We discussed the
matter, and decided not to do anything that
might tend to disturb the sweet harmony
in which we bad lived; and so would have
no rivalry for contention about valedicteTy
orator. Most of the class delivered original
addresses, and city papers of that day spoke
well of them. Among the audience OF that
day was the hero of Orleans aud the gentle
woman he adOred, with most Of the distin-
guished men who then constituted the Board
Of Trustees, and others. DR.. Lindsey con-
ferred the degrees, with short but most
beautiful address to the class. The day
closed, and exit commencement day with all
its trai . Night comes on, and enter at the
spacious ballroom of the City Hotel, en-
new, and mammoth in its proportions for
that day. Mr.. Nokes, our fine old dancing
master-We didn't call them professors
then-and his full musical troupe, as | re-
2 ViOlins, bass violin, clariO-
net, 2 tambOrines, one triangle, and a crowC-
ed and brilliant assembly of the beauties and
the beaux of that day. College fellows,
quite grand and conspicuous in their badges
aud decorations. And then VIII ? No
Whirling round dances with old-fashioned
hugging badly disguised. We touched our
partners hands with the tips Of our fingers,
while the graceful cOtilliOn intermingled
with 0hornpipes, jigs, strathspey and reels,
put life aud mettle in our heels. Oh,
delicious time! Oh, fragrant memory
MANY loye-talk between sweethearts who
were soon to part, and some, perhaps, for
ever.
As bees fee home DER loads Of treasure,
The minutes winged their way with pleasure.
-into"the wee sma' hours ayOnt the twaL."
Our time was up, and college life at its
close. No; forget, there was one more
golden pointed arrow to Times culver, be-
fore collegelife was laid out entirely dead.
Next night Gen. BarrOw-stately,
noble Wash. BaTOW-gave US a glorious
blow out at his new home on Vine street.
But will attempt no description Of this
except its finale. When it was time to
break up, Barrow said to US, in our private
ear, 'sNow, fellows, l am lord paramount
here; and say TO you, this thing can't end
in a common way. At signal from me, let
every fellow seize and kiss his sweetheart
and then scamper just as you like. Don't
mind slaps in the face, nor fans, nor little
struggling and screaming" The scene
which followed l can't describe, for was
not able to take note of more than just my
own particular part of it. But l do remem-
Der this, that some of the fellows were not
content, very much to the disgust Of others,
TO stop at kissing their own particular sweet
heart. No more! no more!
Your speaker has, just for little space,
put the dial back forIy-ive years, and lived
over his college lite. Now he resumes his
proper place among the grave and reverend
senors; and so, hoping that nothing be has
said ia his rambling way for your enter
Iainment viii be taken amisS, aud that
some true words he has spoken are good
seed TO bear fruit in time, he bids you, one
and all, an affsctiOnate farewell.
TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY.
Before the company dispersed it was an
nounced that there would be meeting Of
the Trustees ofthe University to-day. These
are their names:
Hon. John NJ. Lea, President ofthe Board,