Morning journal and courier., 1882-06-21
Giving Away the Fence.

 in the joyful consciousness that he world will henceforth call them educated. 1t about six o'clock the college, according to | custom, assembled in the south corner of the l campus to listen to the fence orations. The | seniors soon appeared in light ulsters and l of Howe's band. After while procession of the four classes, headed by the band, marched around the campus, in and out through the old brick row, by Alumni, Dur fee and Farnam, back to the fence. Mir. c. F. Wilder 'S4, then mounted the corner post, and in speech, which we print below, gave the sophomore fence to the freshmen. His audience, which filled the corner of the campus, the street and the windows of the New Haven House and the opposite block, were kept in fit of laughter and often in- terrupted him with their applause. Then MT. E. l.. Richards responded ia behalf of the freshmen, the classes sang "Bingo" in turn, and the seniors went off to their sup per at the Sea View House.
 MIR. wILDER's sPEEaG.
 Gentlemen of '85-the pride of fond parents,
 the future rulers of mighty nation, the
 ''give away" of a great college:
 It is with unfeigned gladness that we see such large number of your class present at
 this ceremony. Fears have been entertained
 that you would not see fit to perpetuate the custom. The college has been on the very
 tip toe of expectation. Rumors were preva-
 lent that you did not like the situation of the
 fence, and some have declared that you would
 have the senior fence or none. The interest
 among the alumni has been intense One
 graduate, in 8 letter to President Porter on
 the subject, moves that the fence be reftted
 and made desirable for your occupancy. He
 suggested, as Inducements that 1t be painted
 some bright color and furnished with free
 baths. This called forth storm of opposi-
 tion. Another echoed the sentiments of the
 college when he said the fence would assume
 a very brilliant color as soon you took
 possession and as for baths-why, to put
 such powerful instrument in the hands of
 novices was suicidal, and finally he suggests
 If you you don't like to sit on the fence you
 may stand on your dignity, even if it breaks
 your neck. This custom of handing down
 the fence is almost as old as some members of
 your class. We have always understood that
 your average age was quite advanced, but 1 was really surprised i1 talking with one of Jour popular tutors recently. He said that last election day in one of the divisions it was the largest, think he said the third there were only seven men present to re- cite. All the rest had gone home to vote And he added with touch of pathos that most of the other seven would have gone had 1t not been for the unjust Connecticut law that takes from the Indian and feeble minded youth the right of ballot. It was source of the deepest regret to the college that Bar num's procession did not pass the campus this year as was the custom before your arri A 0f pointed to investigate tho reasons that led to the loss of so valuable an institution and they reported as follows: It seemed that Mir. Barnum had learned that when 'S5 were on l the fence their feet took up the larger part of the road and he consulted MT. Hadley and ! asked him If he honestly thought he could ! get his procession past that freshman fence. Mr. Hadley thought and said, Well, MT. Barnum, far your horses and char1ots are concerned I think there will be no diff culty, but as for Jumbo and the bearded ! lady-well, it will be tight squeeze And then the greatest show on earth' went way ! round Hamilton Park. It does not seem nearly year ago since you came among us 16O men, every one tried and true. Every State and every nation sent forth It's jewels and it was strange how many emeralds there were in the collection. Doting parents sent you forth as ''sheep among wolves"
 Gentlemen mutton was quoted very low last fall, there was too much on the market. The best authorities agree that 1t has not quite reached normal yet. Way down in the ! bottom of your trunk were slowed away a dozen of mothers matchless cookies. Fair sisters worked pin cushions and 'scratch my backs" and father donated his revered "Prince Albert" Time rolled on. You be came illustrious for some things and famous for others Among the latter is your class cheer Gentlemen, that cheer is libel on Yale College. Why, senior had his father here recently to visit him. When he had showed him ''round'' he said Father, you have seen the beauties and attractions of our lovely city, it is now my painful duty to show you the other side, "then he took him Tn 10 hear some evidence in the Cramsr trial, showed him the workings of South Middle drainage, and then-let him hear '85 cheer. Lii tie ones, the father said nothing, but plac- ing his hand affectionately on his boy $ shoulder whispered My son, be of good cheer. "Anewly married couple from the coun try were stopping at the New Haven House recently, and one night they were awakened by '95 cheering in the streets She said ssDearest John, what is that hideous noise ?'' Joha yawned and said ''We don't have ! um, dearest, up in Plainvil1e, but they are men who go about the streets crying, Cash paid for rags'" Now I have new cheer to propose. It is a new departure, entirely diff ferent from the old cheer that other classes seem to enjoy, but that is no argument for you. Let everything be in keeping with your ! general character-nice and fresh. Imagine an 'S5 man making home run in Harvard Yale game-as he crosses the home plate the hills resound, valleys and plains take up the cry the very air is rent with 85's new cheer: ''Rah, rah, yours for health, Lydia Pinkham" Lydia would undoubtedly come down handsomely. Isuppose if there is any thing that Carries strange wild thrill of joy 1 to the freshman heart, it is the thought that ! they have beaten the sophomores in boat race. But alas, successes rarely come in pairs, and whereas during the year we l watched the progress of your crew with much interest, at the last race at Saltonstall we had to watch it's progress so very long that it became absolutely tiresome. Your l patriotism has been the subject of much com ment among the faculty and the police force. Everything that could possibly give rise to the class cheer has been accepted. There is said to be one freshman who is especially loyal to his class. He sought out "West Rock" and thinking he was the discoverer took posses sion formally in the name of the class of 1855. One night this freshmen was out late and by some chance slept in the cellar of the Medi- cal school. In the morning as he awoke he rubbed his eyes, and looking about on the piles of bones mangled arms and legs, he pAoPOoo three for the class of '65-frst on the ground at Resurrection day" From the time you came among us you have been taken up in our fostering and now you must tear your
 selves from them forever and learn to walk alone. You were ideal freshmen. never be
 ashamed of that. You will soon be sopho-
 mores, never be ashamed of that. When you
 entered friends were sure you would all get
 tutorships, and even now it is evident that
 those who don't get tutorships have got 8
 dead sure thing on janitorships A touching
 story comes to us from the gymnasium. A
 freshman had patronized the bath and gone.
 The "gemman" of color Tn charge took 8
 friend of mine by the hand, led him into the
 room, pointed out the samples of
 real estate left in the tub and re-
 marked: "Thus are the accumulations of
 years washed away in a single hour"
 One freshman when asked where he hailed
 from, drew himself up and said, 'I come
 from the great and untanled West, where
 they raise men that are men," That night
 the bold youth from the land of the setting
 sun sought his couch early and quickly with.
 out even time ts breathe an evening
 prayer. Gentlemen, you have play ed
 e'doggy' for the last time, but you
 did used to play it with an al
 most life like naturalness. You have been
 the subject of much ''game" Every fresh
 man class has to stand that. It will make
 men of you if it is possible thing If you
 don't believe it look at the samples on the
 fence on this side, beginning with the post.
 The freshman year is hard one, but you
 have run the race we'll and today fair liar
 yard. yes, all America. agree that one of your