Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-06-12

II have an idea Of what you are all
thinking about, the long -winded toast
master. You may be thinking of the
minister who stood one day on a prom
itory of our Maine sea coast Look
Ing back ut the mountains he said,
Yen viii disappear, but my soul will
be forever" Turning to the sea, he
said, You, alas, will dry up, but not
l."
Yes, to1StmaSters are frequently
long windcd and | suppose that you
get slim consolation from the sugges-
ton that the longer they are, the less
apt they ale to get Winded
TO get to the issues of the day. Per-
haps you all are not acquainted with
the origin and significance of Ivy Day
or course it means planting an Ivy,
tlreSonc marching, more tiresOme
speeches and pathetic music sandwich
ed in with the whole business A stu
dy of the origin of this day has been
very interesting to me- Now it
may seem Legendary to you but | took
the whole thing from Brand-n new his
tory.
1t was about the time that part of
monkeys any longer that the grand old
custom probably originated. They
called themselves elves and their Lilli-
putian institutions have been PASSED
down to us. They had a certain great
college, the name has only partially
been preserved but it looked like setaB.
There were many students there and
the college attained a prominent posi-
ton among the houses of learning
The students were divided into four
sharply defined groups at the time
when my historian visited the place.
The colors of dress that he saw gave
him his most significant impression.
Fully quarter of the number dressed
in cute little green suits and he writes
that their verdancy was remarkable
Most of them wore small green caps on
the back of their heads, made to stay
in place by vacuum pressure They fire.
quently bedaubed large quantities of
paint on buildings but this always cost
them 80 cents apiece so they finally
desisted. CFreshmen class yelD.
Another group attracted more atten-
ton. They were dressed in fiery red
and the color was truly symbolic of
eiieif dCtlOllS. 1Hey maze a
frightful noise and carried large bags
filed with hot air The reds and green's
had frequent troubles.
There was another group dressed in
sombre black. They kept aloof from
the rest, here in couples, socializing;
there individually, sollioquizing. They
appe AIRED to he bemoaning something.
My historian suggests that they were
probably moaning the loss of an indoor
track meet and wailing because they
had accomplished So little throughout
their college course for they were ready
to leave.
But there was one more group; i'm
maculate in their white suits they
seemed to demand the respect of all
their fellows. Although few in num-
bers, their tenacious spirit overcame
that handicap. They ran races, they
played ball, they drilled. they debated,
continually carrying off the winners
trophy.
Well the time came when this group
had swept in all the honors and they
wished to have a celebration SO they
decided to plant tree. They selected
one symbolic of themselves, strong and
| attractive, an Ivy.
That was years ago. The entire in
stitution of Ivy Day has had a wonder
full growth. The little elves have grown
ur, the college has grown up and the
IVY has grown up. Other things are in