The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-09
TELLS OF SCHOOL FIGHTS
EDDY NJ. CAMPBELL REMEMBERS
OLD AsBURY UNIVERSITY POLITICS.
Remembers Late Congressman
springer's Interest I'm Election
Stories of De Pauw's Early Days.

ST am following with a great deal of in
terest the inaugural exercises at De PAW
University this week." said Eddy III. Camp
bell prominent banker of this city. "Ihey
recall many pleasant days back in the fos
spent i'm Greencastle and the old Asbury
University, where L received my higher
education. Things have not changed much
about the town, / guess. and the same old
buildings around which revolved many
midnight prank stand with few changes TO
mar the memories of us older men.
1T is strange what deep imprints the
college pranks and fraternity fights leave
on the mind. Not that L was a ringleader
of college mischief, but / was involved in
my share of trouble. 1 remember distinctly
that lots of times l was called upon the
green carpet-as you younger men term
IL now-and charged with misdemeanors
that knew nothing about and do not know
TO this day who were the guilty students
And on the other hand, there were many
things done about the college that knew
little bit too much about and not pro-
ever. L was not found guilty of transgres-
slons suffi( lent TO get me into serious
trouble and finished my education with as
clear conscience as the next one. SO IL
goes in college.
VERY FEW CHANGES.
De Pauw-then the old Indiana Asbury
University. 1 took the examinations for the
sophomore class and passed them, begin
ming my college career as a sophomore AT
that time Greencastle was just about as it
Is to-day, perhaps not so large, but 1t has
undergone very few changes. There were
about 500 students in the university, very
small per cent. of them being girls. as the
institution had only been made co-educa-
"a fQyxr yQa hafO
president, although he retired during my
course and was succeeded by DR.. Martin.
L was graduated in the class of 1873 with
thirty-eight other students. The class just
before me-that of '77-comprised fifty-two
members, and up to that time was the
largest in the history of the university.
The class of II and the class OF "a were
considered the strongest that had made
their way through college. They were gem
orally conceded-and have to-day, l think
the reputation of having the most distin-
guished and prominent men in after life
There is one phase OF my college life
that l shall always remember" continued
Mr. Campbell. smiling pleasantly 1T Is
the fraternity fights that we had at our
spring elections. There is not the least
doubt in my mind that man can learn
more parliamentary law at college cleo
ton than I'm three sessions or Congress, and
i want to tell you little incident demon
strating the truth of such singular state
ment. My roommate was young man,
very quiet and unobstrusive until he be-
came excited. His j. w.
| Springer When the spring election of 1876
| came around Springer and / became much
| interested. OF course factions developed
| the Philo and Plato literary societies COM
bined with the ''barbs" to defeat the Greek
confederacy. We were fraternity men and
| were in the thick of the fray. A crisis was
4 at hand when one vote would swing the
| whole election. We had the vote but we
\ were excited for fear someone would be
bought off or something of the kind.
| CONGRESSMAN IN FIGHT.
| Now this Springer of whom L spoke had
an uncle, the late William NJ. Springer
who was then serving his first term in
| Congress from Illinois About this time he
came to visit my roommate. That was in
February, just a few days after we had
| postponed the election by obstruction and
were fighting il day after day. The new
congressman became much Interested in the
| election, and although he came for only a
short visit. he extended 1t to six weeks. at
| tending every meeting of the election
| which was debated pro and con during that
| period before the adoption of the minutes
| which determined the choice of commences
ment speakers. If you remember that was
just the time when the election on the
! Louisiana commission was defeated by q
| vote of 5 to z, which made Rutherford b
| Hayes President.
"William Springer left GreencastIe and
| went to Washington, where he distin
| guished himself as leader of the obstruction
| gress of the returns of the electoral board
| Mr. Springer afterward told me that dur
/ ing the six weeks that he attended oui
election meetings at old Ashury he learned
| more parliamentary law than at any one
| time in his life, and attributed his success
| in the obstruction debate due to the ex.
| perience of those six weeks of college
| wrangle."