Ward Hill at college

Front matter

W o ^ ^ cP 2 ; ^ S

■j

O fN ^ ^ ^ d

Preface

In this story I have endeavored to draw a reasonably correct picture of the experiences of two lads in college life, especially in the freshman year.

It is a period which has its own peculiar joys and sorrows, and they never are entirely lacking in interest, not only for the younger readers, but also for those who have older grown, and who with a half-smile at times turn back and recall the experiences of that trying period in their own lives.

I have touched upon the mistakes and plights, the joys and sorrows, the rivalries and contests, the sentimental and religious experiences, all of which go to make up the complete story of early life in a small college. But no one of them, nor all of them combined, can ever supplant the drill and discipline of lessons learned in the classroom. The best they can do is to supplement that.

So I trust it will be borne in mind that, in the recital of these events, the unchanging emphasis has been placed upon that thorough work for which the college was established and without which no college course, however enjoyable, can ever be termed successful.

To learn how to learn, to become acquainted not only with those who may prove to be congenial friends, but with one’s own powers, one’s own self, is the aim and end of it all. This thought has been the undercurrent and the leading purpose in the writer’s mind.

Everett T. Tomlinson.

Elizabeth, N. J

Contents

CHAPTER PAGE

I. The Opening Term 9

II. In the Chapel 16

Chapter II In The Chapel

G ood for you, freshman ! Good for you ! You’ll make the glee club. No such voice as that has been heard in years at old Tegrus ! ” shouted Jack’s audience. “I’m glad you like it,” said he soberly. “ It isn’t often I can find an assembly that appreciates my musical talents. Since you seem to enjoy it, I’ll give you another,” and again Jack began to sing :

“ My Bonnie lies over the ocean.”

The boys all apparently entered into the spirit of the occasion, and Jack’s monotonous groaning drew them all into the chorus, though no two of them were singing in the same key. They were unable to finish the song, however, and burst into shrieks of laughter. Jack did not join, and standing as he still was upon a table and surveying liis audience with a sober and unmoved countenance, his gravity seemed to increase the hilarity of all present.

“That beats ‘The Lost Chord’ of the glee club all to pieces,” shouted one. “You’re a ‘fine’ freshman. You’ll make the glee club, never you fear.”

“Hold on, boys,” said Jack, “I’m going to sing again,” and once more he began with his heavy, monotonous voice :

” My Bonnie lies over the ocean.”

“ Hold on ! Hold on, freshman ! Enough’s enough. We know you’re all right. You’ll make the glee club, and we’ll not trouble you any more. But we’re after candidates for the crew too. We hear your chum comes from near the seashore and doubtless he is as good an oarsman as you are a singer.”

I’m going to sing again.’

? y

V i

J f

I w-

4 ^ i

IN THE CHAPEL

As he spoke the leader of the band turned to Ward, who felt his cheeks flush with anger. He had little of the adaptability of Jack, and the whole scene seemed to him childish and silly. However, he tried to remember Jack’s warning, and as he perceived how readily his room-mate had turned what threatened to be a disturbance into good-natured banter, he resolved to do nothing to provoke trouble. He stood quietly facing his visitors, but made no reply to their implied question.

“Yes, he comes from the seashore and he’s a capital oarsman. You want to look out though ; he’s got biceps like cast iron,” said Jack.

His words were not without effect upon the company, as Ward could readily perceive, but his hope that the annoyance was ended proved to be vain.

“All the better for the crew, then,” said one of the boys. “ Now then, freshman, we’ll pretend these are oars, and you take them and show us your stroke.” He took two wooden toothpicks from his pocket and handed them to Ward.

“ What am I to do with these?” inquired Ward with a blank look on his face.

“ Why, take them and show us how you pull. We’ll get an idea of your stroke, you see. Sit right down here in this chair and go through the motions.”

For a moment Ward’s eyes flashed, and he almost decided to decline, no matter what the result of his refusal might be ; but just then observing an appealing expression on Jack’s face he thought better of his purpose, and quietly taking the extemporized oars he seated himself in the chair and began to go through the motions of rowing.

The whole thing seemed to him so absolutely senseless that perhaps his feeling of disgust betrayed itself upon his countenance. At all events there seemed to be so little sport in watching him that the visitors speedily declared themselves satisfied with his prowess as an oarsman, and after a few forced attempts at laughter bade him desist.

B

“ Now, freshman,” said the leader, turning again to Jack,

“ what’s your name?”

“ Hobart,” replied Jack promptly, “ and my chum’s name is Hill. Now, what’s your name?”

“ You’ll find that out soon enough,” laughed the speaker. “You’ll do, you two fellows, and I’m glad you’ve come to old Tegrus. We need just such material.”

“No doubt of that,” said Jack soberly. “That’s the reason we came, because we wanted to do good to some of our benighted fellow-men,” and with a droll gesture he included all in the room. “I’m only sorry about one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“That you fellows don’t really belong to our class. I took you for freshmen, every one of you, when I saw you come into the room. It’s a great disappointment to me, I | can assure you. Why, I never had a doubt that that fellow there was a natural born freshman. He has all the symptoms, anyway,” and as he spoke Jack pointed at the one he had singled out when his visitors had first entered the room.

The fellow was a flashily dressed youth, somewhat heavier and larger than the most of his companions, and as Jack spoke he looked up with the evident intention of making some reply. But the words were not spoken ; his cane dropped upon the floor, and a sickly smile crept over his face as his classmates all began to laugh boisterously at Jack’s speech.

“You’ve caught it now, Livey,” laughed the leader: then turning to Jack he said: “You did well, freshman. That fellow likes the freshman class better than any other man in the college. After he entered he was so delighted with that year that when he came back to college the next fall he took it right over again. Then the faculty took a hand, and at the close of the second year they wrote his father that Livingston’s work had been so frequently

IN THE CHAPEL brought before them and had attracted so much attention, that for the sake of the college they begged that he might be permitted to take it again. His father proudly consented, but this year Livey could not be persuaded to remain there longer. But we must go on, fellows. We’ll never find enough men for the glee club at this rate.”

As the boys turned noisily to leave the room, the leader shook hands cordially with both Jack and Ward, and said : “My name’s Russell, and I room right over you here in Hall.” (The dormitory was named “Hall,” after the donor.) “Come up and see me. You’ll have no trouble in college, let me tell you. Good-night.”

“Good-night,” replied Jack.

As the departing visitors passed through the hall they began to sing :

“ My father sent me to old Tegrus,

Resolved that I should be a man ;

And so I settled down In that noisy college town On— the— banks— of ”

The words of the song died away and Ward and Jack turned back into their room.

“Of all the pieces of silly foolishness that ever I saw, that beats them all,” began Ward. “I didn’t believe college fellows could be so simple.”

“That’s all right,” replied Jack good-naturedly. “It w'as foolish, and it isn’t worth while to make too much of it just on that account.”

Ward smiled at the implied rebuke of his friend, and said: “What a fellow you are. Jack! I don’t believe I could be angry at you if I tried.”

“Don’t try.”

“I sha’n’t, but you know how to take everything in the best way. I’m sure if I’d been here alone I’d fear trouble to-night ; but you sent all of these fellows away feeling as if you were about the best friend they had. I wish I knew how to get along with the fellows as well as you do.”

“Oh, well, you know a lot more about studying than I do, so we’ll call the accounts square. You look after the lessons and I’ll look after the fellows. How does that strike you?”

Ward laughed, for his good nature was now restored and the visit of the sophomores had lost the most of its importance in his eyes. It was now late in the evening. The sounds of trunks dragged through the halls and of the confusion in the various rooms had mostly ceased. No longer were the songs heard from the campus, and many of the lights in the dormitories had disappeared.

Ward and Jack were neither sorry when the light in their study room also disappeared and each of them sought his bedroom. The day had been an exciting one, and the morrow was to witness the beginning of their real life in old Tegrus.

On the following morning they made their way up the avenue wdiich adjoined the college grounds to the house of Mrs. Platt, where they were to take their meals, at least for the fall term. Ward felt a little abashed when he w'as ushered into the dining room and introduced to the boys who already had assembled about the two tables there. Jack was more self-possessed, and it was not long before Ward too was feeling more at his ease, so cordial were the students. Doubtless, he thought, his fears of the sophomores were greatly exaggerated, for the boys were laughing and telling the stories of the reports of the preceding evening as if they were something new in college life.

“ Here comes Russell. He can tell us all about the raids,” said one, as the student referred to entered the room and seated himself directly opposite to Ward.

“I haven’t anything to tell,” replied Russell, “except that the freshman class has got some of the best material in it that ever entered old Tegrus. Of course some of it will have to be put into proper condition,” he added slyly, smiling as he spoke.

IN THE CHAPEL

“I thought they said hazing was dead at Tegrus,” said Ward.

“ Hazing? So it is,” replied Russell. “That’s pure barbarism, at least according to the faculty’s view ; but, you see, occasionally there’s a fellow who needs some little personal attention and he gets it. Never more than he deserves though.”

“Did you have any in your freshman year?” inquired Jack with a sober face.

“I had some, but perhaps not so much as you think I ought to have had,” replied Russell, joining in the laugh which arose from all in the room at Jack’s question.

Both Ward and Jack felt that they should like Russell, who joined them on their way from Mrs. Platt’s, and explained to them many of the customs of the college.

The chapel bell was soon ringing, and with fast beating hearts the boys turned toward the building, realizing that now they would s 3e their classmates, and could form an estimate of their companions.

“Hey, fresh ! Ho, fresh ! ” could occasionally be heard from various parti^ of the campus, but little attention was given the hail, and soon Ward and Jack entered and took seats in the section assigned to their class.

What a beautiful and impressive room it was. From the walls the portraits of some of the former and famous members of the faculty were hanging, and their benignant faces made Ward feel as if he was surrounded by a cloud of unseen witnesses, for he rightly thought that the pictures were all of men who were dead. Through the soft colored glass of the windows the light of the September sun was pouring, and as it fell upon a portrait here and there it served to leave the impression of a cloud of glory. In the straight and heavy carved chairs at the sides of the stand were the seats for the professors, and as they came slowly in one by one the eager lad found himself conjecturing who this one was, and who that. Behind the desk sat the venerable president of the college, his head leaning upon his hand, and looking out over the gathering assembly with an interest and pride he was at no pains to conceal. Up the aisles in groups of two or three came the college students, the sophomores making a little unnecessary noise with their canes and looking curiously across the room to the side where the freshmen were seated, and who were only too conscious of the attention they were attracting.

Between the two rival classes were the seats of the juniors and seniors, so placed by the faculty as a barrier, though at times they were rather an incentive to trouble.

The short, sharp taps of the college bell suddenly ceased, a few belated students slipped into their seats, the organ ceased its low music, the venerable president rose, and a solemn hush fell over the assembly.

Ward gave but little heed to any of the services that morning, except to the president’s prayer. It seemed to the eager lad as he saw that saintly face turned upward, as if the man were very close to the Almighty. In simple language, such as a little child might have used, and yet with such an air of confidence and trust did the old president offer his petition that Ward felt as if he were listening to one to whom the eternal things were very real and true.

As he prayed for the entering class. Ward wondered how he could understand their feelings so well, and when he referred to their homes and the empty places at the family table and the lonely feeling in the heart of the father and the mother, who had suffered indeed that their boys might be trained for life and become men, the lad’s eyes were blurred with tears.

Before his mind there arose the vision of the little white house with its green blinds in the far-away village he called his home. He could see his father even then, and the thought of his care and love made his heart soft and warm. And his mother ! Ah, yes ; the good old president’s prayer should not be in vain, for him at least.

Chapter III The First Work

W ARD HILL’S devout meditations were suddenly interrupted as he realized that the president’s tone had changed, and in a somewhat hurried manner, far different from that which he had used, with a few abrupt words he was bringing his petition to its close. The last words had not been uttered when the chapel seemed to be a scene of confusion. As if by magic the boys sprang up from their seats and began to move down the center aisle.

If Ward had not been startled by the unexpected movement he would have seen that only the juniors and seniors were going out from the chapel, for the under classmen were supposed to wait with all due respect for the upper classmen to precede them ; but he was taken unaware by the abrupt movement of the students near him, and as his own seat was at the end of the row, he too quickly rose and began to move down the side aisle, all in ignorance in his confusion that he was the only one of his class to leave the freshmen seats.

As he drew near the door he perceived his mistake, but it was too late to rectify it then, so taking his stand just outside the chapel he waited, though his cheeks were flushed in his mortification. His feelings were not relieved when he saw that he was the center of observation of the students, who now came pouring out of the room, the sophomores and freshmen having risen after the other two classes had departed.

“Hey, look at the freshman! Wait for your betters, freshman 1 Going to take a seat with the president next time? We’ll all wait for you to-morrow morning ! ” were among the cries with which he was saluted.

Feeling almost as if he had committed an unpardonable sin against the established customs of the college, he was too much mortified to show any anger.

He was relieved when Jack came along and thrusting his arm under that of his friend drew him away, saying : “Never mind. Ward. It’s all right. We’ll go over and report with our class at Professor Dunbar’s room. That was where the president told us to go.”

Rejoiced to escape from his present predicament Ward eagerly turned and walked with Jack along the path which led to the building in which Professor Dunbar met his classes. On every side of him were the noisy students, and shouts and calls, class cries and the college cheer were mingled with the songs into which some of the irrepressible boys were frequently breaking. Apparently his mistake was forgotten, and the attention of all was taken up with other matters.

The feeling of chagrin had not left Ward’s heart, however, but he could not be entirely unmindful of the stirring scenes about him. Hilarious as the boys were, they were all steadily moving toward the recitation buildings, and when Ward and Jack climbed the stairs the most of the disturbance had ceased, and no one was with them except those who, it was evident from their appearance, were like themselves new students in old Tegrus.

When the boys entered the room many of their classmates were already there, and Professor Dunbar was seated behind his desk, glancing occasionally over his spectacles, as he looked up from the lists he was examining at the incoming students.

Somehow a wave of longing, almost of homesickness, swept over Ward as he looked at the man who was to be his teacher of Latin. How different he was from Mr. Crane, his teacher in the preparatory school, and how

THE FIKST WOKK changed was everything from the quiet and orderly ways at Weston. Would he ever feel at home amid these strange surroundings? And his classmates — would he ever have for them the feeling he had cherished for that marvelous band which only last June had completed the course at Weston and gone forth together from its halls ?

At the thought he glanced quickly about at the class. Some of them appeared almost old enough to be his father, he thought. Others were only lads. Some evidently were from the city, and others showed that they were not familiar with the ways of city people. Altogether there must have been about sixty-five of them. They impressed Ward at first, as the first glimpse of strange faces is apt to do, with a feeling that they were not over attractive, although he could readily discover many whom he knew to be “good fellows.”

Professor Dunbar had now risen from his seat, and stood facing the class. There was a pleasing expression upon his face, but his bearing was somewhat effeminate, and Ward could not repress the feeling that the boys would be prone to take advantage of his weakness, or indecision, or gentleness, whatever it was, a feeling which we shall learn in the course of this story was well founded.

“ Please be seated, young gentlemen. Take any seat this morning. After to-day we shall assign you seats, which you will be expected to occupy at each recitation, but for the present any chair will do. Take any one.”

There was a little tremor in his voice that again impressed Ward unfavorably, but he only glanced at Jack, and then both of them seated themselves in the nearest unoccupied chairs.

As soon as the boys became quiet the professor resumed i his talk. He explained the few college rules, told them I where and when they were to report for their recitations, I named the books, and assigned lessons for the following ! day.

“There will be two divisions of this class,” he continued. “For the present the divisions will be arranged alphabetically, and then at the close of the first term a new division will be made, based upon your scholarship. I trust you will all be able to enter the first division then. Until that time all the young gentlemen whose names begin with a letter of the alphabet preceding M will be considered as in the first division, and all others in the second. Now when I shall have called the roll you may consider yourselves as dismissed for the day.”

“May I be permitted to ask of you one favor?” he continued. “ When I call the name, will the young gentleman rise and respond? And too, if his father is the bearer of any title I should be pleased to have you so state it, that we may be able to give proper respect in our correspondence where it is due.”

Beginning with “Adams” and “Andrews” the professor called the roll, each boy responding to his name, and in case his father was the bearer of a title, also giving that, which was received with a smile by the professor, and compared with the list on the desk.

When “Hobart” was called Jack rose, his face serious and showing that its owner was seemingly impressed by all the dignity of the occasion.

“And has your father a title?” inquired the professor.

“Yes, sir.”

“Ah! I am pleased to be informed of it, for evidently there has been an omission on the list I have here. And what is your father’s title?”

“People in the city generally call him ‘ mister,’ ” replied Jack quietly.

A suppressed titter ran around the room, none of the class feeling as yet quite bold enough to laugh aloud.

“Ah, yes. I might have known. Hereafter we will consider that title as belonging to every man, and will make no mention of it in specific instances.”

THE FIRST WORK

The roll-call proceeded, and when it was finished the boys at once departed from the room. A band of sophomores stood by the entrance to the building, but contented themselves by making various remarks upon the appearance of the incoming class. A few of the new students ventured to reply, but the most of them passed quietlyon.

“Come over here,” said Jack. “Let’s see what’s going on at the bulletin board.”

Ward followed and joined the boys who were reading the notices which had been posted, and glanced at the motley collection of invitations, notices, and generous offers to dispose of second-hand books and furniture “at prices unheard-of before, even in the long and glorious history of old Tegrus.”

“ We’ll go up and see the football team practise this afternoon,” said Jack. “I see they have extended a special invitation to the freshmen to turn out.”

“ When’s the studying coming in ? ”

“Oh, any time. You can study when you can’t play football, can’t you?”

“I suppose so; though, honestly. Jack, I don’t feel as if I ought to begin by playing football when I should be studying. You know I had a good taste of all that up at Weston.”

“All right. Ward,” said Jack quickly. “You are right, and wee’ll go over to our room and dig out some of our lessons now.”

The boys at once turned and entered their room in “Hall” and began their work, as fortunately they had already secured their books. But Jack was too much excited by the new life to continue his efforts long, and soon went quietly out of the room and Ward did not see him again before they met at their boarding house.

In the afternoon, after another ineffectual attempt to study. Jack said: “It’s no use. Ward. I just can’t settle down until I’ve seen the team practise. If they’re any good, I think I can come back and go to work with a good grace.”

“ All right, Jack,” said Ward with a laugh. “ You go on and I’ll come up after a time. You know I don’t dare cut into my w^ork yet.”

“ I don’t want you to,” said Jack impulsively. “You’re to pull me through in Greek, you know, and I’m to look after the football end.”

It was two hours later when Ward at last laid down his books, and taking his hat started swiftly toward the athletic field from which he could hear the shouts of the assembled students. What it had cost him to delay he only knew, but there was a sturdy determination in his heart to “place first things first,” as he expressed it, and the greater freedom of college life over that of the preparatory school had already shown him the increased resolution which would be necessary to make him hold steadily to his work.

“Hello, freshman? Going down to see the team practise? ”,

Ward looked up at the salute and saw Russell, the leader of the sophomores on the occasion of their visit in the preceding evening, approaching.

“Yes, I thought I w'ould,” he replied as he waited for the sophomore to approach.

“That’s right. There’s nothing like showing the true spirit when you first enter college. We’re going to have a good team this fall.”

“That so? ” inquired Ward, as he looked more closely at his companion.

He was a fair-haired fellow with a pleasing face, almost too pleasing Ward thought, as he noticed the continued smile playing upon it. Still he was cordial and friendly, and his open-hearted manner was decidedly attractive to the stranger lad.

“Yes, I thought last year of trying to make the team myself, but I gave it up.”

THE FIRST WORK

“Why?”

“Oh, it’s too much of a grind. It’s practise, practise, practise. Then you have to go to the training table, and that’s too much for a fellow of my delicate constitution. Besides, I’ve changed my course this year and that makes a little extra work, or at least difficult work.”

“ What did you change your course for?”

“ I got tired of the other one. Say, freshman, I want to give you a piece of advice,” he added in a lower tone.

“Say on.”

“Don’t commit yourself to any of the societies; that is, unless you have done so already,” and he glanced shrewdly at Ward as he spoke.

“Do you mean the Greek letter societies?”

“Yes, what else could I mean? Now I happen to know that several of them want to talk to you, but the Pi ”

“ Hold on a minute. What’s the meaning of that?” interrupted Ward hastily.

Looking across the campus he had discovered Jack being led or helped along by a companion on each side of him. Running swiftly toward him, a closer inspection did not tend to decrease his surprise.

Jack was limping painfully, as if one knee had been severely injured. His clothing was torn, his face was streaked with blood, and altogether he presented a most woebegone and forlorn appearance. But what increased Ward’s astonishment was the expression of supreme delight with which his room-mate beamed upon him as he saw him approaching.

CHAFrER IV

“XT’S great, Ward. It beats anything we ever had at

I Weston,” said Jack enthusiastically, as he observed his friend approaching.

“ What’s great ? I don’t think I understand,” said Ward dubiously, unable to restrain his expression of sympathy at the dilapidated appearance of Jack.

“Oh, the football, I mean. It’s just immense! These fellows here are seniors. Ward. This is Mr. Oliver and this is Mr. Drake,” he added, introducing his companions.

“Your friend’s a plucky fellow,” said Oliver, after he had shaken Ward’s hand cordially. “He says he never has played football before, but he had the nerve to go in on the scrub team against the ’Varsity. He’ll show up well as soon as he has learned the game and had a little practice. He runs like a deer, and I believe he’d jump straight at a stone wall if he was lined up against it.”

“But I don’t understand,” persisted Ward, again gazing ruefully at Jack. “He looks a good deal more as if he’d been run over by a locomotive than playing football. What’s happened ? ”

“Nothing’s happened,” and Drake laughed, “except that your chum’s been in a bit of a scrimmage, and not being dressed for the game he’s come out of it a little the worse for wear. He’ll be all right to-morrow or next day. Hot water and a bottle of liniment will fix him out as good as new. He’s wrenched his knee a little, and we were just helping him along.”