Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-14
PARADE AND SMOKER
Over a Thousand Columbian
Students Participate.
MUSIC BY MARINE BAND
ENTHUSIASTIC CHEERS AND
YELLS FOR ALMA MATER.
Spirited Addresses and Other Exercises
in Banquet Hall of New
Willard.


The ball room of the New Willard Hotel
was the scene last night of one of the most
pretentious affairs in the college life of the
national capital, and one which perhaps
has never been eclipsed in any college city
of the country, the occasion being a man.
moth smoker participated in by more than
a thousand men, students of the Columbian
University. The colleges of Washington
have been mildly criticised in the past for
the reputed lack of college spirit, but the
most prejudiced jury sitting in the case last
night would have decided against the critics
without leaving the box One striking evil
dence of this spirit was manifest in the
parade which preceded the smoker. The
misty, disagreeable rain which began falling
about $50 o'clock did not dampen in the
least the enthusiasm of the regiment of col
legians. The boys waded through the pud-
dies underfoot and took the soaking fall
from above with expressions of great en-
thuSiasm as they marched from the uni
versity buildings to the scene of the more
amplited festivities of the evening.
The students began assembling near the
college buildings at 10Th and II streets
about O'Clock, and while the lines were
forming the United States Marine Band,
under the leadership of Lieut.. Santlemann,
discoursed popular and patriotic airs, the
intervals between the band selections being
filled in with vOciferous college yells. At
1870 o'clock the procession started north on
10th street with the Marine Band at the
head, the various departments of the uni
versity falling in line in the following order:
Corcoran Scientific School, Architectural
School. Schools of Law and Diplomacy,
Medical and Dental schools and the post
gradute students. The parade turned east
on X street and marched to 10th thence to
the avenue.
The College Yells.
One of the favorite yells that rent the
air along the line of march was "Whang,
bang, sis, boom, bah. Columbian, Column
bian. rah, rah rah." Prominent In the din
could be distinguished the regular yell of
"Rah Columbian, rah, rah, Columbian, rah,
rah, rah, rah, rah. rah, Columbian, Column
bian. Columbian" In addition there were
many class slogans, among the most no.
ticeable being that Of the postgraduate
class. which goes: who owns this place?
We do, we do" Many transparencies loom
ed up through the mist over the heads of
the paraders and college songs and songs
unclassified rang out on the heavy air.
Up the avenue came the yelling throng,
each marcher keeping step for himself
alone, and each vieing with the other in
the volume of sound produced. Pedestrians
along the avenue stood in the rain watch
ing the enthusiastic students splash along
dows of the upper stories in fright or
amazement, the startled householders
thinking, perhaps, that an invading army
of barbarians had captured the capital of
the United States and was on it's way to
lodge for the night in the White House.
1t was thought that the incessant cheer
ing, together with the rain would have
dampened the ardor Of the collegians by
the time they reached the hotel, and that
they would settle down into comparative
quiet and peace. inside the building. Not
SO. The cheering of the throng in parade
seemed only to have exercised its vocal
organs. sort of preliminary practice for
the more important part of the proceed
ings. Once in the ball room a perfect din
arose. 1t was as though all the sounds Of
bedlam had broken loose after the pent up
restraint of decades, and there broke forth
the greatest variety of noises that ever
smote the ear of man. The uproar broke
against the roof and clashed against the
walls. shaking the chandeliers suspended
from the ceiling. There were no waves Of
sound. but rather continuous and pro-
longed series of violent explosions which
made the ears ache.
Before the rendering of the program,
which was continuous performance from
about $50 until IL o'clock. Yell Master
Charles A Spirk succeeded in Quieting the
students in order to lead them systemati-
cally in a series of college yells and cheers
for President Needham and Secretary Rudd
of the university. Because of the din and
the vast assemblage in the room it was
found necessary to announce the program
through megaphone. Mr.. ]. T. Petty
was master of ceremonies and handled the
program in a highly creditable manner,
with the assistance Of several aids, there
being no bitches in the performance.
The Opening Address.
DR.. Needham gave the opening address,
and was cheered to the echo.
This event marks the beginning Of the
larger university" said President Need
ham. ut is the opening of the new era
of the institution. an era Of unity and
greatness. for the greatness Of large insti-
tutions lies in unity. I am proud Of the
members of every department of the uni
versity. The school Is made by the men
who go out from it. and am confident as
look into your faces tonight that Column
bian has great future before her. I want
to assure you that the faculty and trustees
of the school are with you, young mea, in
every gathering of this nature, in every bit
OF enthusiasm you display, and they will
stand by you in your efforts along this
line
DR.. Needham spoke of the value of socia-
bility to men. in school and out and in clos
ing before leaving for the Jefferson ban
quet. said: II go from this place tonight,
feeling that the future of Columbian is as
sured."
One of the most unique and enjoyable
features of the program was put on the
boards following DR.. Needham's address.
Florodora sextet, the parts being taken by
members of the first year law class who
were appropriately costumed. An unusual
amount of amusement was created by this
burlesque. the boys dressed as the Pretty
Maidens" bringing forth round after round
of applause by their coquettish airs and
graces, while the heavy male voices taking
up parts OF the song assigned to the maid
ems was laughable feature Of the num-
Der.
Mr. E. B. Hay in the opening Of his re-
marks said that the architecture of the
New Willard had been thorough tested by
the demonstration within its walls He
spoke of Washington as a university city
and declared that there Is the opportunity
OF making her the oxford of America"
Mr.. Hay then relasped into a humorous
strain and the students laughed heartily at
his amusing stories and remarks
A Leading Feature.
Among other features Of the program
was the Original Mammoth Megaphone
Minstrels.' by the Scientific School; selec-