The San Francisco call., 1909-11-07
Bv Harold Henderson


THE freshman at Stanford uni
II versity is about to enter into his
first rally. The old grad has
drifted back for another evening
among familiar scenes. Drawn to-
gether by e common bond, they sit
alone IN the dark assembly hall and
wait. Gradually there comes a sub
dued hum and murmur as OF footballs
and voices far away. The moonlight
outside. h1tering through the archways.
falls IN semfellipses on the stone flag
gfng Of the quad. The campus, save
for that subdued. far away murmur. is
very still. yet even the silence sug-
gests the racket that is about 10 burst,
as the ominous hush OF approaching
storm precedes q battle Of the ele-
ments.
> Now footballs and voices grow louder.
The clans are gathering. Roble hall.
the womens dormitory. is sending he-
quota of 200. They begin to reach the
assembly hall balcony, that haven
where the ruder sex may never pene-
tEate. From the row. in dozens or in
fraternity men. From the campus
boarding houses. from Palo Alto, from
Maydeld-au Stanford is turning out
p ight TO rally for the team.
out ot the great stone dormitory
now winds human centipede. Three
hundred pairs Of legs bear swaying
body that IS linked by 900 pairs of
Vaiiant!y striving to utter melodious
noises. At the head of this remarkable
animal is z figure in corduroys and
sombrero. and behind him are so or 60
similar figures. Linked in the lock
step. they are the head Of the cent?
peA. Joined to the last Of this senioric
host are a somewhat larger number OF
vertebrse whose lower extremities are
also clad in corduroy. but whose heads
beer not the senioric sombrero, but
only an ordinary hat, or perhaps a gayly
Niunined plug. These are the juniors.
Immediately behind them come the
horde OF the red hat-the great sopho-
Tnoric brotherhood CIutching the
shoulders OF the last red hated indi-
yiduaI is furtive figure beneath a
minute gray cap with a red button. He
as followed by the other "freshies,"
whose rabble fills the need of flying
tail. The centpede moves through the
doors and down the steps. Loudly it
chants heroic ballad of gridiron glory
and dire woe to a rival institution. The
fombreroed head turns to the left, and
neck, body and flying tail ultimately
follow. Down the tree lined pathway
comes the chanting loclstep. Encina
hall OF Stanford is on her way to the
rally.
The silent. moonlit quad. usually so
free from the echoes Of the day. to-
hight is alive again. AS the lockstep
approaches. the moonlight is suddenly
bletted out in the glare OF red fire
flashing from hundred points. Now
the-l long arcades turn cardinal as their
roofs, and the neighboring eucalyptus
grove sinks into impeaetrable gloom.
The ccnupede swings on, answering the
YES from the assembly hall with
looming chant Tor I have been to
8-enlo." it shouts in barefaced frank
noss-the assembly hail yells in sym
pathy, an6 the centipede returns And
tasted Of the beer.' Then 1t turns re-
ncctive "Old Berkeley's dead and
buried" it bellows. although to a mere
observer It may occur that Berkeley
must be q pretty lively corpse to re-
quire such a funeral. The assembly
han answers. Come join the band"
and the centipede. accepting the invi-
taron. leaps upon the quad, enters the
hall parades around it for the benefit
Of Ro5le and the row, and temporarily
subsidies.
Ia the Assembly Hall
Now three young men displaying
brilliant neckties, with the sleeves OF
- - <7r~.~<.