The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-22
CLASS DAY AT HARVARD.
The Seniors Rcviving the Good Old Fashioned
Graduating Festival.


young gentlemen who attend the old univcrsi-
ty at Cambridge may invest themselves with for
tho four years Of tho college course. all prctcncc
Of this sort is thrown of on class day, aud tho
undergraduate il not ashamed to show himself
a college boy. and to conduct himself in nc
cordance with the spirit Of Jolly freedom which
oughtto prevail on such an occasion. Fate and
the season generally unite to make tho day one
Of tho hottest OF the year and IT has been for
tunato for the multitude who attend the cele-
bration that this day has been 80 comparatively
comfortable M to temperature.
1t will mako tho class OF '78 forever popular
with old Harvard mon, because 1t has rescued
this time honore1 students festival from fall
ing into disusc Mt the university. 1t was most
untoward event. when last year the class found
itself so divided up into contcnding society
parties that successful celebration OF class
day was thought TO be impossible. because OF
the want OF harmony among the hin,n Wno
much. that this observance might bc continued
1t was feared. Tor a time, that there might oe
established n precedent which would. In a. Tow
years. be followed by every class whore there
appeared to be the slightcstdinlculty in arrang-
ing the elections, But that danger seems TO
The faculty. while recognizing the right Of
the senior clnss to intermit the usual class day
exercises. did not allow the occasion to 20 un-
observed: and tho receptions were held as on
previous anniversaries Of the kind. The mon
trouble in II. and reading with very little sa--
isfacuon the sharp criticisms which inc snS-
pension Of cluss day exercises had evoked.
seem To- have resolved that party and society
feeling should never he allowed again To over
come the loyalty to college trad ition, without
which no true lovo for Alma Mater Is felt to
eNWl7Sf,on the question Of celebrating class day
came before the present graduatng class there
was no division Of sentiment II was cnthusi.
astically voted to keep the festival In the good
old way. and, every member OF ~ sharing in
thia fpgliuv IL found that real NltlpultN
stood in the way of harmonious election OF
poet. orator. ivy orator. marshals. and commit
tended for what they believed to be fair diyi-
sion Of the honors; but the outcome OF the
friendly discussions carried no bitterness with
it, and the final choice Of class Jay men was
most cordially acquieseed in.
aged very Successfully bv Mr. H. g. Otis Mr.. H.
l.. Teschemacher. and Mr.. NJ. Hasbrouek. who
made up a very competent committee. ANA
times very different from that which had to be-
done in the good old days when the General
Court OF Massachusetts tthe Legislative Assem-
bly, in modern parlancel dined on class day
with the um!d students 10 AFFORD them en-
The day before class day Il asemi-holiiay for
| the students. and the wnsherwomen and wait
ere and workmen generally have the lion :
| share of the work that is done. Early IN the
| afternoon the lines Of rope are drawn across
the trees In the college yard, in preparation Tor
| the grand illumination. which always attracts
| such an admiring crowd ON class day evening.
Then the halls are vocal with tho tax 81 the
students who arrange the details OF the coming
spread with the sable messenger WHO en-
| bodies for the time being the authority OF some
| favorte caterer The goodies" make the
| rooms neat and tidy against the morrow. 50 thai
| the women who are to be the stud nts guests
may marvel that young men should take such
dainty care, q their abiding places. The
the porters. ara lightened by the hope OF gem
| erous dOUceiHrs. sure To be made good the next
hOnors feels himself the lord Of the time. and IL
| ready to dispense largess with no unlnvish
hand EyerythinE which requires Much man an,
| continually. bringing supplies for the feast the
| next day; and the sound OF the hammers az the
| morning indicates that the seats around lie-
| helliOn tree are being rapidly put together.
| They are made II tho toughest boards hut the
| next afternoon they shall accommodate the SIS
| ters and cousins and friends Of the senior class
-agpodly company. indeed. Of the fair.
The class day OF q began with the meeting oi
1t isan "eminently respectable " assem- hge
which gathered At the sound OF tho musir;
solemn black - the atramentious hue being re-
| levcd only by the ministerial cravat OF white
man goes to tho Appleton Chapel with beaver
| on and there. in that pleasant place OF prayer
| all listen rever-ntly while that good man. the
Rev. Dr. Peabody, asks that the Divine blessing
may TALL upon them aoundanty;
Before they have come out ~ the chapel the
guests have begun 10 gather N the sanders
Theatre. and the spacious room, with lts curl
GUS galleries. is well tlled By these ana the
throng which represents the general public on
the orcasion. Al ll:l5 the seniors. still in full
dress. meet once more in front OF the Hol.
worthy and march to the Sanders Theatre foi
| the formal exercises Of the day. A. these *
on feeling Of regret + excited. for there is n,
cluss-day poet. MIR. Waters. whom his associ
his place no man is asked 70 M. The orator
Charles Moore of lpsllanti. Mich, gives an adj
"rat|r NJ Biolrott fulnls Ills duty we'll
| though many must regret that his Grafton coult
not, as of yore have been given in the open ali
am :.ear the spot where Tho class plants ~
green Tho EXERCISES pass n So well that tn,
Marshals, Messr-. T. W. Thaycr. w. 4. Ban
croft and W 5. Gus receive many compliments
| Now comes the time II most interest for many
in the crowd Tor spreads are in order hence
forth. These are. indeed, select affairs. ana III,
students who are not blessed with much casl
cannot afford t. .ocur tho expense which II
necessary. Something in tho very atmospher'
| OF Harvard seems TO discourage anything Ike
oStentatiOn; hut these spreads are. many o
Thorn. at any rate, sybarile repasis, where th'
choicest is served IN style which even Del
mOnicO could not hope TO excel. There arr
traditions Of spreads which costs the give
moro than Il thousand, and more than tina
number OF guests We're invited 10 tho feasts
EXTENSIVE spread :" 6ut oi many most cnioya
BILE repasts. where the pleasure was not less be
cause the rooms OF the host were only O. mtOrt
ably well filed. 1t was, indeed, one OF thu prct
test sights of the day 70 see the girls, with thct
dresses Of SILK aud satin, IN the windows ol 81
At Memorial Hall. early in tho afternoon. tn
dancers begin to assemble; hut here the GROVE
Is So great that Waiting proves almost an I'm
possibility and even the plain coullon require
constant attention 10 carry out its simple move
ments in the presence Of the Interested throng
Nevertheless 1t II a bright and cheerful seen,
and the presence Of these gay amusement seek
ers does not seem in the least unbecoming TIL
beautiful hall.
The happy ticket holders begin to gathc
around the Rebellion tree some time before H.
exercises begin within the enclosure which
preserved from 5polation by well guarded rop
barriers. This ancient elm, with its smooth
| worn bark TO the herlt IF ten feet has urdl
narily only n few ,trngs corded about II
mark the place now made gay with garlands ,
beautiful flowers. Standing here between ol
Holden Chapel and lolli is and Harvard Halls lhi
old tree is tho centre of attraction Tor nll. Tn
seniors como in and form n ring. Then IN
other undergraduates take their places an
form their own circles Hoarse with shoutln
I the Rah 'rahl before every college buildlnl
the seniors hrayely keep W the cheering, ever
class being honored in its turn, and even tn
goodies and proetors finding rcniemhrano
| In the peculiar Harvard shout Warned hgaln'
| "alsurdity Of dress" the seniors hardly lOl
| SO ErOtcsQue rs usual, rs thcy meet around ~
| tree ana sing their class song with hands
clasp. But with their old hats on, and arrnye
; In caat-on garments that shall shortly becon
| the peruuisitcs of servltOrs. the seniors show
4 marked contrast 10 their previous appearance
e All at once. tho rush for the flowers whc
cnrrclu the old tree begins. For Il
| first two minutes nothing 10 to ho SEQ
but n confused mass Of conglomcrata hi