New-York tribune., 1900-03-04
TRADITIONAL CORNELL JOKES.
METHODS OF MAKING FUN OF An INSTRUCTOR
WHICH PREVAIL. YEAR AFTER YEAR

J WHICH PREVAIL. YEAR AFTER YEAR
! Ithaca, y Y. March (SpecisD--There some
features OF life in the lecture rooms at Cornell
University tina, are certainly amusing the vis-
itor. In the preparatory school. ruls. the In
structoTs ind difficulty in becoming really funny
! in the eyes OF their pupils. Whatever the In
structor may say the pupils regard It the height
| Of humoT and go into commissions OF laughter.
/ II thus happens frequently that the preparatory
/ school Instructor think himself Marx
| Twain. II IS quite the contrary. however. at Cor
| nell. There few good lecture room iokers In
the university. instructor who thinks HIM
| self witty is specimen. II he thinks himself
capital Joker he has only TO appear few times
! before lecture room OF two three hundred
students. when ne viii change his opinion OF him
self
The method adopted rally professor II novel
| If the lecturer attempts 10 say something funny
hts jokes hailed with the hilarious stamp
ing Of feet. claDpns OF hands. but also with the
most sober counsenances that could be imagined.
This disconcerts the lecturer and he tries queIl
the levity by vigorously proceeding with the thems
of his lecture. But the cheering 5 EASILY
stopped IN such large body Of youths. who know
how take advantage OF their numbers. II is
prolonged and drawn until the instructor
solves. then and there never to attempt joke
II the professor ~ becomes confused by these out
mistake bor then the students can laugh. Every
thing that can possibly be construed joke, or
demonstration simple Latin phrases. German
tion have been received with the same applause 10
the lecturers utter CONFUSION Even the dropping
.trsctor m has given Te n on on & NM PA ia O1,1 OF ,ge an IN,
stamping as II II was the husest or jokes.
The same remedy IA applied TO a freshman or
upper class man who tries become the shining
light OF his classroom by quickly answering ques-
tohs put TO tfe Wn0e class II a question goes part
way around the class unanswered Il is a matter
or principle 10 leave It unanswered. whether you
can answer II or not, and the student who tries
shine by answering IL when several others OF thA
class have ''hunked on it is soon made to realize
his mistake by being obliged TO listen 10 tempest
of satirtcal applause every time he dares call
never peeh known 10 fstt Ihe would-be brilliant
student is satisfied be thus heartily cheered
the StudentS or tne lecture rocIn They are eS-
pecially amusing in the class of professor in
"a re Is cue oi SOIueA oiueSt ana most
nonored. as Wen as most learned members OF the
faculty. He is professor of English and American
anu IS SO WrStpped up III MS lectures and
work that he never finds time 70 the funny side
OF life His heart and soul Will become alb
to all going on around him He has no need 10
enforce discipline for his lectures truly IN
cinated. He viii frequently remark in the course
of his readings, Here We have an example OF the
recttied by his inner self He was wheeled into a
new orbit One day is set apart in the for
lowed to drop into a box at the professors desk
slips OF paper bearing such questions as they may
desire TO have answered by him.
The opportunity is seized by the students to puzzle
the old man with vague or ridiculous questions
He will nnd himself trying 70 answer such ques
into the new orbit?s' Where does the absolute
man abound and what is his geographical dstribu-
tion?'' and How could such man as Guido hay,
u reCtied intellect. that what thu
S Browning's villain in The Ring and the Book
The old fellow does his best understand anc
answer these questions; while then The members OF N,
takes none of the questions as jokes. but either
s m & sn IN 'ngg t1 are Of moi his cas1 sr or S ,a
remained pack of numskulls