The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-04-06
DENTAL STUDENTS FIGHT
SPIRITED BATTLE BETWEEN THE
FRESHMEN AT INDIANA COLLEGE.
No One Was Seriously Injured, but
the Opposing Forces Fought
valiantIy.

The monotony at the Indiana Dental
College was ~roken yesterday after
noon by one of the most brilliant and
spirited class battles between freshmen
that has ever been recorded on the war
pages of Indiana dental history. 1t was
the first time anything outside of routine
study has happened since the class rush
early in the year, when the opposing forces
practically ate each other up Professor
Byram had left the room and soon there
was desire on the part of two or three
freshmen to stir up the sluggish atmos-
phere that has enveloped the class so
long. They began by picking" on those
who wanted to study. At first there was
disposition on the part of the class TO let
this pass unnoticed, but by perseverance
the attacking party gradually enlarged
the field of picking until it became gen.
eral.
The timid ones and those who thought
they only had one head and could not
spare it, evacuated by flank movement
and took up position in the hall with
wall between them and the hostile forces.
BY this time missiles were beginning TO
buzz through the room. The defense party
saw what was coming and Immediately
threw up breastworks across one end of
the room out of chairs and benches. With
lightning like rapidity the breastworks
were completed and the defense was safe
ly intrenched. Then the engagement began
in earnest. A hail of movable property shot
from behind the breastworks into the enc
my, who were without cover. Valiantly
they fought but were gradually being
forced to retire.
A consultation was hurriedly held by
the forces in front OF the trenches and it
was decided TO attack the right wing of
the breastworks with artillery. The move
ment was preceded with silence. Then
there was whirring sound, a chair was
shot across the room and crashed into
the breastworks at a loop hole. For
instant IL seemed as if the works were
impenetrable, as the chair settled into the
cavity with no apparent harm Then there
was sudden eruption of chairs and chair
rungs. The opposing forces saw the re-
suit of this shot and were preparing for
a charge, when the defense let go it's bat
terry fire of chairs and the enemy was
forced TO retreat to shelter in an adjoining
room.
For a few minutes there was a IuIl i'm
the battle and then the enemy reappeared,
armed with Jumps of dental plaster. They
renewed the attack with this grape, and
chunks of plaster the size of goose eggs
filtered through breastworks like sand
through a coarse gravel screen. The canis-
ter soon had the works demolished and the
defensive forces were stretched fat on
the floor, seeking what protection they
could behind furniture that was yet stand
ing and fighting with the best of their
ability. So far there had been no one
wounded, but 1t was at that stage where
one force or the other was going to be
mutilated in some way, when another door
opened and Professor Byram stepped in
in time to see a large piece of plaster
splatter over the door he had just entered.
A flag OF truce instantly went up and
roll call showed that out of fight of
fifteen minutes not one in a class of more
than fifty had been hurt.