The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1904-11-08
4 PLEASANT REMINDER
OF OLD COLLEGE DAYS
OLD TIMES AT NEWBERRY
COLLEGE.
An Alumnus Is Reminded of His Col
lege Days by Reference in
Herald and News.
Williamson, S. c., Nov. 5, 1904

account of the dedication Of Holland
Hall. Glad you had so many distin>
guished men there-glad the dedlca-
tory exercises closed so suspiciously
but above all I want to thank you
for gratefully recalling the services
of that eccentric but loyal friend of
Newberry college, Prof. D. AIRING
ton, my old professor in mathematics.
What a dear old soul he was! How
we boys did love him! Queer? l
should say he was, but his very oddi-
ties endeared himself to the boys.
venture to remark that there isn't
bov who sat under the tutelage of
s'Old Davy'' that would not now will
ingly undergo any reasonable sacr1-
fee to befriend him or do him honor.
I can see him and little "Bettie" now
in memory's hall walking down the
streets of Walhalla, he about two
Steps in front of her, slightly turned
towards her, with a sort Of hip-hop
gait-talking earnestly or looking
seriously as if he could bite the head
off ten penny nail. AS much as to
sav-and we boys always gave him
the right of way-"here we come,
damn our fool souls, head us" Oh!
but we loved 'Uncle Davy' or
-sDaniel'-he never would tell us boys
what the I'D" in his name stood tor.
called him "Daniel' and sometimes,
most often, tsUncle' or "Old" Davy.
Oh he was a bird-Knew Mathemat-
les? I shoul think he did and any,
thing else you could MENTION de
wasn't afraid to tackle any
thing. And one thing about the
old fellow and his teaching,
he always impressed you with
teaching-a very desirable qualltlca-
superficial, skimthe-air, knowledge
and all the way through. Well do re-
member how elated the big Four"
Haltiwanger, Busby, old Commodore
Moore and myself-"us four and no
more"-were on one occasion when
DR.. Smeltzer had to be absent from,
the college, and he announced that
Prof. Arlington would hear his class
es in History" and Natural Philos-
ophy" and natural astronomy" What
twinkle of merriment wreathed Our
beautiful temples as we glanced
knowingly at each other-as much as
to say, soft job tomorrow. But
things are not what they seem," as
we found out. Imagine our conster-
nation and bewi1derment the next day
in Roman history when Prof. AIRING
ton knew more about Roman history
than we had ever heard Of, and COM
pletely charmed and infatuated US
with his description of the old city
and it's wonderful people-he was
sort of walking historical encyclope-
dia. We were 'delightc8-to put It
mildly. "We'll get him in Natural
philosophy sure" thought the four
wise-acres. But 10! and behold-he
rolled up his sleeves, pulled off his
boots and up went his pants, figura-
lively speaking, and such a talk on
fulcrums, levers, especially the lever
of Archimedes, and laws OF gravita-
ton, and light and heat, and such
kindred subjects, that made our heads
swim.-Then Astronomy, we were sat
ished beyond doubt he was rusty
! on that subject-but he knew more
about the planets, the asteroids, the
moons of Jupiter, the rings of Saturn,
the distance of the dogstar, and com.
is and falling stars, and eclipses and
ne whole 8push" that our author
[cIntyre ever dreamed OF. Catch
N mapping? Not on your life! He
or seemed to be omniscient! He
simply fine old gentleman
v inch nob1eman, and when you