The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-10-08
WORSE THAN EVER
Washburn Girls Involved in
the Cane Rush.
Smash Presidents Chair in the
Chapel.
ALL WAS CONFUSION.
WAS CONFUSION.
Prof. TOwne Finally Succeeded
in Restoring Order.
Freshmen and Sophomore Glass
es Hare Annual Struggle.


turned, the presidents chair was smash
ed to pieces. clothes were torn and mats
were lost, and the fight was almost as
rough and tumble as the cane rush of
the sophomore and freshman boys
which was celebrated a few minutes
later on the campus in front OF the
chapel While the cane rush was pre-
arranged. and conducted according to
certain recognized rules of war; the
color rush of the girls came without
minutes warning, and was something
entirely unprecedented in the history OF
the college. 1t may have serious con-
sequences. For an hour the girls of the
rival Glasses had been standing on the
chapel seats, each class trying to yell
q the other down. the freshmen girls ex-
ulting in the fact that the boys of the
class had by stratagem succeeded in get
ting the bunch OF freshmen canes up
into the chapel. Suddenly some of the
freshmen girls started to carry the class
colors-a long strip of red bunting-up
to the platform. With a wild cheer, all
OF the freshmen girls went flying toward
the platform holding to the red bunting
and waving it above their heads.
There came an answering cheer and
stampede from the other side or the
room. and flash of the yellow colOrs
of the sophomore class was discernible
in the midst of the throng of girls which
came charging to meet the freshmen
from the opposite side of the stage.
There was absolutely nothing to do but
to fight One side or the other would
have to get off that platform. ,.f
The freshmen and sophomore anna
zonian cohorts came together with
sound of smashing furniture resounded
above the yells of encouragement from
the students in the audience. First the
broad band of sophomore yellow would
stretch from one end of the stage to
the other; then it would be gradually
pushed back and swallowed up In sea
of crimson as the freshmen girls forced
their way to the front. and Haunted
their bunting in the face of the audience.
Suddenly tall man in a long ulster
came running through the door of the
chapel pushed his way down the
crowded aisle, and jumped up on the
stage He made excited gestures, pull
ed the struggling girls apart, shouted
and commanded. and in a few minutes
succeeded in clearing the stage. The tab
man was Prof OrVille TOWne. who had
been acting as sort of referee. peace
maker and general supervisor of the an
nual eShman-SOphomore imbroglio.
A few minutes later. after Prof Towne
had restored a sort of peace and quiet
over the audience by means of a pow
erful duplex whistle, he made a speech.
L regret very much some of the
things which have taken place this ev-
ening," he said, land especially that
which has just occurred here on this
platform. The students we've forbidden
carrying this fight up here into the
chap pei by action of the trustees. and it
is to the trustees. and not the faculty,
that you must answer. 1t is a legal ac-
ton, and not faculty action which you
have violated. iss ,,iar.t
Now 1 will state that there is a dis
pute over the terms of the agreement
entered into by the freshmen and So
phomore classes for this cane rush. The
sophomores claim that the canes should
have been brought between. the posts
of the main college gate, which they
were not. Now. we have decided to re-
fer this to a committee composed of one
sophomore, one freshman, the president
of the senior class and the president of
the junior class, acting with myself
This committee will meet at once. while
the literary programme arranged for
this evening is carried out"
Meantime, the bundle of freshmen
canes, tied UP with wire, was safely in
the chapel Acting according to what
they supposed was the agreement, the
sophomore boys had lined up solidly>De-
tween the posts of the college gate. At
about $780, the freshmen came charging
down on them, bearing what seemed TO
be a bundle of canes. but which was
really fake bundle. While the two
classes were fighting at the gate, four
or five heetfooted freshmen came on
dead run down the sidewalk. and car
ried the real canes safely to the chapel
This ruse made the sophomores mad,
and they proceeded to tie up as many
of the freshmen as they could get hold
of. Later these were released.
After the conference committee went out
to settle the dispute and determine wheth-
err the victory should be awarded TO the
freshmen for getting their canes safely to
the chapel, the brief programme prepared
by the WaShburn College Literary society
was given There was song by the so
ciety quartette, which was very good, and
a defamation essay and extempore ora
! fn W nnh06V maid
attention because OF too much other ex-
element.
The conference committee reported as
its decision that the freshmen, to claim
the victory must carry their canes from
the bottom of the outside steps OF the
eharel down the street and through TIE
college gate
It was here that the cane rush really
commenced. The q sophomore boys lined
up at the bottom of the chapel steps and
the % freshmen charged down on them
with the canes in their midst For a wh::s
it looked as though the freshmen might
get tae canes through the gate, for The
struggling mass was pushed malt way
sWerved by the sophomores. Then the SUI
perior weight of the sophomores began to
tell and gradually the jam around the
canes was turned out of the road and
pushed for some distance over into the
campus q, crowd of several l hundred spec.
succeeded in pulling a cane out OF the
bunch, and then, one by one, the, canes
were pulled out and carried off by the
captors, or else broken in the struggle
Not one of the canes was taken our
through the college gate and the victory
of the sophomore class was undisputed-
The present sophomore elias is composed
of unusually husky men While they were
outnumbered considerably by the fresh
men, they had the best of il in scrapping
ability. 1t is the first time that the
sophomores have ever succeeded in keep
ing the freshmen from carrying canes
Last year, as freshmen, the present soph-
ornore class carried their canes to. the
chapel and safely out again. 7