Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1914-05-07
EARLY DAYS Of YALE.
WHEN THE FAMOUS COLLEGE
WAS IN ITS INFANCY.
Wonderful Changes Have Been Made,
as the World Moved On-AthIetie
Field Thing Unknown to
the Founders.

On Saturday. November. 23, at New
Haven. the Yale and Harvard football
gladiators matched their wits and
stamina in struggle for victbry be.
fore forty thousand persons jof both
sexes waving flags and shouting at
the top Of their lungs. It is a pity
that DR.. David F. Atwater pf Spring.
field. the oldest living graduate of
Yale. class Of 1899, could not see the
performance. for there WAS nothing
like 1t in his days at college. The
spectacle would be too strenuous for
the old gentleman. however, and as
for getting to the field of battle and
returning safely to his home without
physical hurt or mental collapse, it is
not to be thought Of as feasible Mt his
age. Football as visual diversion is
game for youth end for vigorous
middle life
When DR.. Atwater was at New Hav.
en- the students were not athletic.
What they spent on college sports
would scarcely have filled a blind
mans cup with eoppers. The doctor
remembers a gymnasium, but it was
very small. the spparatus was meager,
and the students made little use of It.
One does not have to 20 further back
than the late seventies at Harvard to
remember that the gymnasium of that
comparatively modern day was a cir.
cular brick building not much larger
than a pros porous farmers smoke
house; ridiqulously primitive and in.
adequate Was the equipment accord.
Ing to latter day notions, and the su.
perintendeht was stout gray little
man who could spar and fence a bit,
but that was about all.
To return to Yale In 1834-39, physi-
cal proWess seems to have been de-
manded bnly when town" and gown"
Fought 4pgether. and brute strength
was theS more in evidence than skill
IN boxing and wrestling.f The college
leader II such ARRAYS was known as
MAJOR Bhlly. the biggest and sturdiest
man IN his class, according to Dr..
AeWatef.y Yale men were much given
20 oeoat3ng and literary expression
Linohla." Brothers In Unity, and
Caihope,T were some Of the societies
EQUIPPED with libraries and bristling
WIN ioglcians, the rivalry between
tnese Organizations being intense
Amusem rs Of any kind were limited.
ana rrom Dur point Of view they were
tame enohgh. The New Haven &
hartford railroad had not been built
wnen freshman Atwater entered COL
iege; 30 There was no running down
20 new YORK to see the sights and to
dlsslpate. The stage coach and the
only means pf Transportation. Pro
fessor BENJAMIN Silliman was arguing
that it would never be possible to
build steamshihs powerful enough to
cross the Atlanta ic
The college Nhildjnes then cons,st.
ed of a row Of Abrick dormitories a
plain chapel. an aheneum and lvceum
building in which lhe recitations were
held; round them all ran the old
wooden "Yale fenS" Entrance ex.
aminations were oraa and exclusively
classical. Flint andt finder sunnlied
ignition; imported friction matches
few in number, were regarded as dan.
gerous. DR.. Atwater tremembers
tremendous demonstration of livery
stable men against the Protected New
n raven @ Hartiord ralirpad because
1t would injure their business Such
WAS 1aie III the ola days III the men,
ory OF an alumnus Still nVing.-New
-