The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-10-20
RUSH AND ROAR.
Annual Cane Rush ut Wash
burn is Exciting.
Freshmen Win by Clever Piece
of Strategy.
THAT WEAK OLD MAN.
Disguise Adopted to Carry
Canes to Chapel.
Wild Scramble When They
We're Taken Down.
.'Rah. 'Rah. 'Rah.
Nineteen four,
Rush and roar,
Ninteen four
''whoop EN-,
Tear EN-.
Rush and roar,
Walk up. chalk ups
Nineteen four.
These are a sanple of the wells which
HAT WEAK Old MAN.
Disguise Adopted to Garry
Canes to Chapel.
Wild Scramble When They
We're Taken Down.

Rush and roar.
Walk up, chalk ups
Nineteen FOUR
These are a sample of the yells which
disturbed the echoes of the Washburn
chapel when it was officially declared
that the freshmen had successfully car
ried their canes into the chapel, last ev-
ening.
Early in the evening the crowd began
to gather at the college. The stairway
leading from the south side of the hall
to the chapel was lined with girls, loyal
SympathizerS of either the ''freshies or
the naughty sophomOreS. Occasionally
the hall would echo with the class yelIS
of some of the many groups on the
stairs. The north flight of stairs was
kept clear for the participants in the
cane rush.
Outside where the game was sure to
be the toughest the boys of the upper
classes were as anxiOuSly awaiting the
moFes themselves who were seated on
the steps and walking here and there
watching for any sign of the invaders.
Shortly before $50 there was a rush
and a swish and the '.freshies'' three
abreast, closely packed made a dash for
the steps to the entrance of the college
The ever watchful sophs began to form
at the foot of the front steps at the first
intimatiOn that the struggle was about
to begin
The crowd held its breath The fresh
les met tAe SCftIlS- just at the IOOL OF
the steps and all went down in a. heap.
AS fast as the t'freshies'' got up they
began to work themselves around to the
south side of the steps as if to go to the
rear entrance to the chapel to make the
fight While all the attention was at
tracted to the struggling mass to one
side of the entrance, J. W. Clark, the
nervy man from Downs, drove up to the
front of the college campus and dis
guised as an old man with grey beard,
stepped out and with the canes under
his overcoat, walked to the chapel.
The 'freshies' waited until they were
sure that he had reached the
chapel when they let the good news leak
out. Immediately there was a rush for
the stairs.
The fight was on in the chapel in
earnest when some of the upper class
men realizing the unfafrness of the fight
now that the canes were in the chapel
called to the boys to stop Then for
few moments the 'freshies'' made the
air ring with their shouts
There were p freshmen in the fight,
and they carried 20 canes into the
chapel.
ORIGIN OF THE CANE RUSH.
The cane rush has been a prominent
feature in college sports since the insti-
tuition of the American college way back
in the last century, and the freshmen
have been denied certain privileges en-
jOyed by the upper class men,
As early as the beginning of this CEN
fury he was forbidden by an unwritten
d a
However, the innovation of the cane
rush has determined the question.
Upon the sophomores devolves the du-
ty Of making the demands upon the
freSh1eS to give up their naughty
manners and to bring them into sub
mission if possible. This demand ter
inmates in the cane rush every fall
shortly after the opening of the school
In the fight to get to the chapel Ash
baugh had his face severely scratched
up and Ramsey turned his ankle Elk
cept for those two accidents nothing
serious happened during the first part of
the fight
Shortly after the chapel was reached
bluff of trying to carry the canes down
was made. The '.freshies'' got to the
first landing with the canes and in the
tussle Ramsey and another freshman
passed the lines and went outside the
building When the sOphOrnores hunted
for them they could not be found.
The sOphODOFeS We're Of the opinion
that this was according to a prearrane-
ed plan It was anticipated that the
main body Of ''freshies'' would make a
rush on the front stairs and while the
battle ragged highest the sticks would be
dropped out a window and the watchers
outside would carry them away
CARRYING THE CANES DOWN
Evidently the freshmen thought that
1t would not be a good plan to run so
much risk of losing the canes altogether
or else they felt in honor bound to give
the sophomores a fighting chance at the
canes
The struggle began shortly after half
past ten when the ''freshies'' made
rush for the stairway. Their progress
was checked for a moment on the top
landing but the opposing force was not
strong enough and the mass of Strus-
Cling humanity rather rolled than walk
ed down the stairs.
The students were in a pile, a con-
glomeration OF bodies. arms, legs. feet
and clothing The men on the outside
pulled other men out of the pile by the
heels or shoulders. Underneath all
Ramsey and Clark were wrapped in
tween them. AS fast as freshmen could
free themselves from the hold OF the
sophs. they ran back to the pile of
screaming and struggling men and
threw themselves on the top Of the pile
Piles OF two men. a freshman and a
sophomore, were lying around on the
ground here and there. the sophomore
holding on to the 'freshie'' for all he
was worth to prevent him from getting
into the game again
The freshmen made several advances
of a few feet by bodily carrying the
mass OF men. and finally after three
quarters of an hours struggle by one
final effort the crowd bearing the canes
triumphantly sped across the campus
on the north.
On reaching the hedge fence ON the
north Of the campus the canes were
thrown over the hedge and a run made
for the gate to throw the sophomoresi off
the track Later 1t was planned to come
and get them A sophomore saw the
move and secured the canes and took
them to his room. Later a crowd of
"freshies'' went to the room and cap
tured them.
During the progress Of the fght Nor
man Ramsey tainted He soon recover
ed and went into the battle again.
Duke Winans also tainted twice and
recovered to 60 into the fray the third
time.
The fight was exciting from start to