The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1891-12-24
BLOODY MONDAY"
This Ann ual Rush of the Present Time
Past Customs.

Tbs Ann uRl Ruah of the Present Time
Past Customs.
In describing the time honored
Bloody Monday" of Harvard the
New York World says: There Is
little blood let IN the scrin-
mage nowadays. of course, but what
is saved in gore is spent on battered
hats and tattered coats.
The custom is almost old enough to
be called traditional The modern
simple rush" used to be wrestling
match, and a genuine one, too. The
sophomores challenged the incoming
freshmen. II the ''sophs' were thrown,
the juniors gave similar challenge.
If these were conquered, the seniors
either entered tho lists or treated the
victors to as m 4ch wine. punch, ETC.,
as they chose to drink.
Those were the days when they had
evening prayers; and, at the conclu-
sion of the service, the competing
classes assembled on the playground
and formed an extended circle. from
which a STRIPPING of the sophomore
class advanced into tho area, and de-
follow classmen to enter the lists. He
was matched by an equal in stature,
from the newcomers. Beginning with
these puny athletes. as one and an
other was Frustrated on either side,
the contest advanced through the in
terme&iate gradations OF strength and
skill, with increased excitement of the
+afn n1
its height by the struggle of the ciam-
pions in reserve on each of the oppo-
site sides.
This form of initiation into college
life was afterward superseded by the
football rush on the old delta" where
Memorial Hall now stands. But even
this was at last thought to be too saw
age and the faculty lin 1860 voted to
prohibit the encounter.
The students. however, decided to
have a closing service. In the early
evening procession appeared. a. tue
hoad OF which was grand marshal
with hugo bearskin cap and baton.
accompanied by assistants with
craped stats and torches. and followed
by two base drummers (students beat
ing mufied drUms). the elegist or
chaplain. with his Oxford cap and
, back gown. and brows and cheeks
crooked so as to appear rs If wearing
huge goggles; four spade bearers, six
foot coffin on their shoulders, and then
the sophomore class in full ranks.
: They looked poverty-stricl1en. their
| hats, with the rims torn off and turned
in, bore tho figures '63 in front. that
being the year of their class. their
apparel such as is suited to the tearing
foot ball fight and their left legs hav-
j ing Grape on them.
The procession moved on in perfect
+! ly good order to the Delta" and
! halted under the trees toward the
upper end where a circle was formed,
and the coin passed around for the
friends TO take last look at the con-
tents-simply a football with painted
frill fastened into the head of the
coffin, while the spade bearers piled
their spades industriously in digging
the grave.
The elegist then in the most excess
lively mock sanotimoniouS manner,
amid signs and sobs and groans and
lamentations, read by torchlight {
| funeral address.
The coin was then lowered int
the grave, which the sections filed,
and at the head was placed an appro
pirate epitaph in white letters CD {
black board. On the foot piece The
words In Memoriam" were inscribed
over a winged skull.
While they were filling the grav'
the class sang the air of Aud LanE
Syne." Cheers for the various classe
and groans for the faculty were ther
given and the students dispersed, hav
ing gone through ell the ceremonie
with Il laughable mock gravity, goot
humor and good order.