New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-05

room the Columbia campus. the sound OF male
voices Joined IN chant OF excruciating pathos Is
sure TO penetrate It
An unfailing symptom OF the parting close at
hand is the applause given to instructors For
week before his farewell remarks a popular pro-
fessOr IS applaudsd whenever stops take
breath No amount OF frowus pleading at the
END OF the hour keep the class from giving
three cheers for their favortte which fairly make
the doors rattle
The Barnard seniors less explosive in ssnti-
ment- They show signs Of emotion until their
instructors remind them that their next meeting
will be at the Anal examinations At this q neat,
wen ordered clapping goes the rounds. and long
line forms before the professors desk where each
student awaits her turn 20 uurmur shameracedly
how much she has enjoyed the course
In the middle OF May come two weeks OF eIsuii-
nations. when the air is tense with sbdued excite
ment and there IS little noise the 'Acropois OF
New-York.'' In the library gathered pale. per-
spring students. examining for the ordeal Seniors
"crawn' wild apprehension" as Mulvaney
would say when they think OF the possible disgrace
OF being plucked the last moment
Toward Memorial Day farewell dinners and
IUncheons are held by the graduating classes. gen
orally IN hotel. where the walters grin
the old college jokes and "grtnds' which
raked up and appIauded for the last time.
1t is a college tradition that the morning OF
class day baseball match shall De played between
the faculty and the seniors Of Columbia 1t is very
kind OF the faculty to immediate themselves IN this
way. since they almost always get beaten and must
suffer muscular pains for week afterward- one
eminent member OF the department OF classical
philOOgy plays every year. though he IS afraid OF
the sight OF a ball When he holds the bat he
squats close TO the ground until the ball has passed
safely his head after which he rises and as
sumes once more sportsmauIike attitude. How
ever. the faculty have ardent hackers in the Bar
nard students who cheer for them, not for the
seniors
Glass day is now a separate occasion from COM
mencement proper. In the beginning OF the whole
ceremony. in the good old days described by Mark
Twain in Tom Sawyer commencement exercises
began with rec!tatious. like Give Me Liberty or
Give Me DEATH and ended with original COM
positions the subject OF Friendship Memo
rtes OF Other Days. etc. But there is marked
tendency nowadays TO do away with sentimentaIty.
and Columbia substitutes for that quality scath-
ing wit. which plays over the members OF the class
relentlessly.
To be sure, the exercises begin sedately enough
with the salutatory address. valedctorian dis
plays Of the old traditional pompousness in
his miniature ,aIauraate sermon on The benefits
of education. and the poet contributes a dash OF
senumentalty in his familiar refrain OF Farewell.
Columbia. farewell" But the characteristics note
OF the entertainment is struck by the class
list, the presentation orator
This genius bestOws each member OF the class
alleged appropriate gift. accompanied by a Wit
tcism the victims personal pecuIiartties. Some
times the wit Of the presentation orator holds up
q senior with some prominent fOthle to be object
of dersion To the audience. and his aunts cousins
and non-reIated worshippers vince for him as he
receives the gift with brave attempt TO grin.
But rule the jokes harmless and good
natUred such as hanging the tallest boy in the
class = sign reading My mother washed me with
Wool Soap" and the shortest boy the sign Il
wish mine had"
Glass statistics another source OF rnirth A
vote is cast by the seniors which OF their
number is the most popular. the worst tempered
the best dressed, the greediest the Iuckiest and
so on through dozens Of fantastic characteristics
Imagine the feelings of 4 proud mother who has
brought friends [ observe the triumphant
graduation OF her Jimmy" who has had ever so
many honors thrust upon him when she hears
that by unanimous vote of the seniors Jimmy
has been named the most eoncetted man in his
class.
OF course there is yew tree and ivy planting ON
class day. on the Columbia campus new as it is
YOU may frequently trip little COMMISSIONERS
in the grass bearing the inscription Planted by
the class OF - In most cases the inscriptions
outlive the yew, which dies early as the result of
hasty planting
Barnard and Columbia. being. as very Barnard
and Columbia student Will eagerly assert entirely
different colleges. hold separate class days. But
as many faculty and friends OF the university
attend the festivities OF both Institutions the pres
entation orators from each college used 10 hold
consultation over the 'grEds' il order that there
might be no repetition OF jokes But they con-
suit more and this is the reason why:
Some years ago a Barnard and Columbia senior
frequently seen walking together. When class
day drew near the Columbia presentation orator
told the orator of Barnard that he going TO
present the friendly Columbia senior with couple
of The Barnard orator turned pale. Please
please dOnti'' she said 1T would be dreadful TO
have such a thing referred to-" The Columbia ora
tor felt that he had been the edge Of moral
precpice. and promised that he would omit the