The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-08-13
The Firing Line By D. N. T.
OLD COLLEGE DAYS

The little things are the things that you remember from the plain old or the dear old college days. Not what Vice-President Coolidge said in his brittle voice, when he spoke at the hall, but the fact that a fingered man from home, who happened to be in his entourage, shook hands with you. Not the 100-yard run for touchdown, but the third-stringer who was tackled out of his pants in Warm-up game. Not the profound reflections of the visiting poet-good ones, too-but the broadbeamed freShman'S reply to an order for more wood during fraternity initiation period:
 You hesk me don cellair to shop wood widout hex. Maybe you zink am a beaver or a rodents or some- zing?"
 The sight of the first girl smok- ing cigaret in public.
 The phenomenal male acceptance of the wrist watch as a practical and commendable accessory, rather than the symbol of the sissy that l it was back home.
 Ultimate success, under an lnl- l tiate's instruction, with bow tie.
 The fact that forty-five is not the minimum age for chaperones at house parties.
 A professor saying hell" and damn" in class.
 The belated revelation that the father of the fellow who owed you forty~five cents from bridge game was the fourteenth richest man in the United States of America. (P. $ He still owes it)
 The wide gap between the vile reputation and the good character of Commons food.
 The little things: the freedom tC walk on grass anywhere; the firm conviction that every girl-pardon every ''wOman'-frOm Smith Ol Bryn Mawr or SkidmOre or Vassal or Mt. Holyoke or almost any place was at least five years older than yourself; the showers that never were anything but too hot or toe cold; the treason of faculty with xo fI.vnL nvrf tho haS1 freshman backfield prospect; dog by the name of Stomach Trouble the range of art from "aht' tt "ort'; the baldheadedness of a jun for.
 The unimportant, all-important things: the Duncan sisters singing Remember the Times We Had Marion Harris singing When vol Walked Out; a saxophone quarte making inrncible harmony between halves with "Oh, Annabelle!"; tht smugness of the cognoscenti Wht claimed to have read all-ALL, mine you-of Joyces Ulysses; Hello gabalus";; the prevalence of th' banjo and people who could mak' it talk; Dial, Broom, and Smar Set: Wishes left on your lips th' mark of their wings; Regrets fl. kites in your eyes; "The broker shards, the behind, The frus trate and unfit, Who sought the in finite and kind, And found the in finite; the books you didn't brin; home The Plastic Age" "Simol Called Peter" West of the Wate Tower" 'The Triumph of the Egg and their now pallid contemporar ies; the finale hop; heavy bim, "cakey," dragging woman, What? No soap?" '"Twas midnigh on the ocean, not a streetcar wa in sight" and Frankie and John nie and the King of England ant the Story About Hop Joint King
 You remember, not the guy wh made Four Point, but the guy wh know all the verses.
 And that's the way it goes, an' that's what you remember, twent years and more later.
 We paid flying visit to Alm Mater this spring.
 Boy, they're sure taking 'em il young now, aren't they?
 cuuN xxypuTINC