The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-10-26
History ofthe Glass of'7s.

Read at the class supper, October II, 1877, BY
the class historian, J. " Atwood. Published lJy
request
Inspire me, o Clio, thou who recordest
upon thy everlasting scroll the glory
and rcnown of carih's favored ones.
Assist me, o hcavcii-bOrn goddess, that
| may dclincate in fitting terms the ex-
ploits of those in whose honor Calliope
and thyselt are invoked this night.
Three thousand years have almost com
plctcd their course since old Homer on
Chios' rocky isle first sang of Trojan
arms and the wandcrings of Ithacan
Odysseus. And the worthy successor
of the old Greek poet sings in elouuent
strains tonight, not of Greecian heroes
seeking the Golden Fleece, not of the
gallant knights and courtly cavaliers of
the oldcn time. No, nober theme
inspires the poets mind to night.
Three years, my friends, have passed
away. Freshman, Sophomore, Junior
are terms of the past, and to-day, in the
dawn Of the Scniorlycar, we pause and
turn back to the days of "Auld Lang
Sync." Review the past What shall
| say? The crowded memories of by
gone days throng in rapid succession
upon my mind. Shall speak of Soph-
omore horns and the crashing of doors
of Vergennes-thc banquet that was or
dcrcd, but by some mischance never
prepared? Alas for II! DO YOU re-
member, my brothers, the night in the
presidents room when we Young ones
advocated defiance TO the Sophs though
we quakcd in our boots? Shall | tell
ofthc bitter chill of st. Agnes night
was it not st. Agnes evc?-when sally
ing forth in quaint disguise we sought in
that dark midnight hour for the chapel
door, on darker deeds intent? All, do
you recall that false alarm of the senti-
nal when the work was not vet done ;
Down went the pipe, and on the stair
in terrible ruin fell the huge Philo-
sophical stove. How we fresbies
scrambled and how we tumbled head
long down over the stove which OBJ
structcd our passage. The next day
can forget it? Alas, thou poor, green
Freshman why did you listen TO the
voice of the wicked Soph who told YOU
of an cnraged Prof. and sheriff.
search? Into the stove in vacant
room went all traces of the midnight
capcr. But stoves were scarce inst
then, and soon up the numbering stairs
came the senior professor seeking such
stoves as were unused. Shall tell tbe
sequel?-No, some things are better
left unsaid. The horologe of tinc
moves on, and although | would viii.
lingly lingcr in the Freshman year TO re.
cord much that has been left unnotice,l
still must not intrude too far upon youl
patience, and old Father Time bids inc
speed on. We enter Sophomore wear
with unbroken ranks-a little more
dignity, n little less grecnness, is all the
pcrccptible external change. The in
ternal change, the growth Of the mind.
You each know best. But "tempus fu-
gH.' | must pass on. In the end of
the year we behold the surveyors
camp on Dunmorc's shores. What
memories throng upon the mind as we
review the incidents ofthat happy time.
Pcrchancc one recalls the twilight lour
in the deep shadow of Llama cascade
the toilsomc ascent of Moosalamoo.
DO You remember, my friend. how Won
deluded the unsuspecling Prof by go
ing fishing! All. my lad, You knew
inll well that never Il trout would be
seen in Sucker Brook. Another NAV
call to mind how Neptune sent forth Il
wave TO submcrgc the boat. but the
gallant Soph, with hat in hand. fought
back the waters and gained the shore.
The year draws toa close. and with
stately ceremonial we consign 10 de-
siruclion the remains of the well below
ed (D Analytics. but alas, from Pluto's
realm the avcnging ghost asccnds again.
JUNIOR year comes on apace, and in the
middle of the college course we pause
to reflect. For future time must we go
on with broken ranks. With God
speed we sent them forth, trusting that
some would soon return again TO
Alma Mater; others, we knew, in the
great world outside would do honor TO
IS. But t. ere was one who fell by the
Waysldc. one who was ever faithful and
true, and with heavy hearts we bore
him away, doubling, knowing not why.
But "lle knoweth best" And now,
my classmates. the remaining DAYS will
glide swiftly on. The time will soon
come when the last farewell must be
said. The world is before us. and LET
each one 50 act that when the last sur
vivor of our band looks through the
long vista of years, he may say of each
onc-lle fought well the battle of
life, he worked for the honor of rs.
But must not prophesy, though |
gladly would. of noble deeds and I'M
dying fame: for there comes to me the
poets warning:
Let him not boast who puts his armor on,
H"t he who puts ii oh-thc battle done"