Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-21
EARLY DA'!F=.REcALLED
ssssa9 e
AMr-
Old Georgetown College in
the fprties.
.cAREFUE DISCIPLINE
A DROWNING THAT CAST A PAIL
OVER STUDENTS.
n IT .zs a.
Boys Studied Hards Had Plenty Of Fun
and Were Often Subjected
to Punishment.


struck the campus on Georgetown Heights, /"
said an old-time Westinghouse to an Even
ing Star reporter. 'T was between fourteen
and fifteen years old and full of mischief
The Rev. DR.. Ryder was president OF old
'Collegium Georgiopolitanum. ad ripas Po-
tomaci, in Marylandia,' when was pre-
scented to him and the faculty, who &C
cepted me. Father Ward was dean of the
faculty. Fathers MCGUIRE and Gillespie. the
former subsequently pastor of st. AIoysius
Church. this city, were first and second
projects, Father McGuigan was third and
Father Patrick Dudd. the fourth. Father
McGuigan was president of our Philono-
mosian Society, and was universally beloved
and respected. Father Patrick buddy con;
Quoted our candy store, and was a man
whom all of us liked. $50.
II Joined the Phflonomosians. and was
elected corresponding secretary. After
ward became a 'Philodemic' when en-
tered the class Of poetry. Our instructor.
but funny little man. with odd peculiar
tiles. Our relations, suddenly ceased. for
Father Fay. which was his name, one day
went to the president and faculty and be-
body with the demand that he be absolved
from all his vows and be permitted to
sever his connection with the Jesuits. He
said he wanted to get married. He did
There was another project there at that
time whom we called The Cadet He was
the fifth one, and we all hated him heart
lily. He had commenced his career at
West Point, and looked as If he had swal-
lowed ramrod. I forget his name, and
am glad of it. This man was an orator.
but by no means man of God: he was
spiteful and tyrannical. What a contrast
were the men. after Gods own heart,
Father McGuigan and the Rev. Drs Tom
and Sam Muliedy. who were successive
presidents Of the university to 1S47, when
I left 1t.
I had a good. big fight to finish with
the cadet-a drawn, battle rather-wlth
honors even, whereupon 1 came near be-
stood my friends and my sentence was COM
muted to two whole days and nights in
the sky parlor' on bread and water. which
1 was persuaded to submit to. and re-
mained in college.
THAT sky pariof?7 Does 1t now exist? Is
1t ever tenanted? Thousands of boys have
passed through that mill since my day
and some may respond, with "reminiscences
up on the top stofy Of the south college.
above the infrmaty.-I at the end of the
wing on the decliyity pf the hill sloping
to the Potomac. and looking upon the
rner The door da ata a ana b the
and hard benchd and harder fare were
provided the culprS&.i Emust believe that
since slavery emancipation. all these ideas
oiiu tHiH5S nave pdh56u away.
There was a. Wild rascal ,incarcerated
IN the adjoining cell TO He. His name was
Valery Landry, a cfeole,Ian he came from
Louisiana. We b6ysf9 called him Rat
name. The circumst aIld@s that conferred
1t was this: We feene; Aever allowed hot.
bread. often 1t %aB stale: our: bakery had
been entered by fbhreFafs and stripped of
was set. Shadowy forms were seen te en-
ter the premises and they were followed
On entering che bakery there was n.
ss scan as OF rats, and only one misty
form was ofscerned. Quick as lightning it
also disappeared through hole in the
moor, seemingly impossible for any thing
other than weazel or ferret to sueeze
through, but that he did not without de-
lection. and Rat Landry got all the credit
and the blame that accrued
The Old Sky Parlor.
Il had not been in the sky parlor more
than half day when another prisoner was
brought up and the key turned upon him in
the adjoining cell. When the jailer had re-
tired we communicated. 1t was Rat Lau-
dry, for some new offense. We were mu-
tually overjoyed that in our misery we had
company. The college bell began to toll
Somebody was dead. Who? A terrible
dread ran through me and thrilled me with
the thought-can 1t be the cadet? Was 1
q lie last i saw OF MIN ne was
stretched unconscious across my bed
whence he had attempted to capsfze me
upon the floor although he knew 1 had
Just been discharged from the infrmary
and ticket to sleep and must not be
aroused for early mass at s am. He was
bruised and slightly bloody, and his cassock
was torn to ribbons Rat relieved my
fears at once; he assured me that 1t was
'old Brother Meade who had died, after
years in the inf1rmary, and the cadet was
marching around making himself offensive
ana obnoxious as ever. Brother Meade was
an old lay brother of the 8. J.. or Society
OF Jesuits. Rat Landry had his cronies
and emissaries in the institution. and he
was well supplied with bottles of pop and
ginger ale and bundles Of cigars pipes to-
bacco. &c. which he hauled up by means
OF string from the ground In the rear,
where they had been attached by students
and were pulled through the round holes
which lighted our dungeon on the roof.
Rat generously shared with me, and he
duplicate deck of cards, with which we
each played solitaire
"On the second day was released ana
attended class. mass. studies and recita-
soon saw him at liberty also behind the
ball alley smoking a corncob pipe which.
OF course, was breaking the rules That
was the only time In my college days got
into trouble or was had up for punish
ment. apd 1t was not my fault altogether,
as the then president DR.. Sam. Mulledy.
the faculty and several projects exhon-
GRATED me, and further privately said that
the cadet deserved discipline.
Bat amusing things often occurred I'm
our college experience. One rainy day a
special embassy Of delegation arrived at
foreisn,looking priests. 1.-THE reverend faith
ers and their subordinate were dressd in
the outdoor habit Of, their order. Their
credentials proclaimed them OF the most
austere and rigid afgafilzations known to
the church-Benedictipef rfars. monks Of La
Trappe-three OF Whom were sent abroad
by special dispensationaof the papacy from
their monastery Inc Switzerland. to gather
funds from the faithfnf In America to re-
pair ruin caused byIfre, and flood to their
abbey and schools.
The younger, al fat and jolly little fell
low. had almost lost the use of his tongue
He had been denied rits exercise for over
twenty years. 1t was Interesting and pa
thetic now to listepstpohis attempts to re-
sumo the use nf his vocal organs A three
year-old child could shaWe given him object
lessons: However. 1.-the fat little chap had
made the best of hiettame and opportunities
and had picked uprsincengruous crumbs of
pigeon English. which he freely and proud
ly dispensed, despite the checks and frowns
and nudges Of his grave chaperon and CO.
delegate. Father John. Father John was