USA > Washington > Whitman County > Pullman > Chinook, 1899 > Part 5
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Should anyone who heard the Websterians one short year ago now listen to them he would exclaim with the poet:
"What improvements have been wrought Through the medium of thought!"
The bashful, awkward speaker of last year is the graceful. log- ical debater of today, and in fact as well as in name the future Web- ster of our broad republic. To describe the various administrations. to enumerate the spirited debates, and record the quick wit, or to attempt to bring before our readers an adequate conception of the flowery bursts of eloquence which have thrilled admiring listeners and reverberated from wall to wall and from floor to ceiling of Dr.
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Egge's classroom would more than fill a volume and would neces- sitate the pen of a Milton. It is impossible to mention the brilliant Alvord, to describe the logical Burke, to follow the adventures of a Boone, and to comment on the works of Spenser. Johnson's love of letters will have to remain unmentioned. Joe Hungate, the de- claimer; Smythe, the two-forty talker; Melhart, the useful; Sherrod, the story teller; Cordiner, the financier; Evans, the essayist; Morgan, the convincing debater; Harshman, the ex-tempo speaker; Williams, the rival of Meigs, the forcible debater; Miller, the currier of notes and grinder of witticisms; all these will remain as examples of Web- sterian progressiveness. Let us skip over the Poole, turn ourselves Luce, admire the Park, notice the great Stone, avoid a Person, a Mashburn, or a Blackburn, and obey the command of the Proff.
It is well to pause a moment and listen to Cyrus, the mathema- tician: Jim Hungate, the electrician; Dibble, the orator from the East, and Carlisle, a Websterian worthy his name. The worthy members Cunningham, Mahncke, Patric and Zumwalt will Hyde away in the library and prepare to meet the opposing points of Bull and his colleagues. But we must not digress into a Squibb. Suf- fice it to say that, within a few short months, the society had attained such a degree of excellence that, at the beginning of the present school year, President Bryan, recognizing its true worth, accorded it a position of high honor by a proclamation delivered from the chapel rostrum. The Websterians came, they are here, and they are doing a good work. Courage is their watch-word, perseverance their motto, and a great and noble future the goal of their ambition. Devotion to duty, determination, and inherent capabilities for learn- ing are the elements that constitute their success. The society has been constantly growing, improving, and expanding. From a membership at first limited to twenty-four, it has swelled its num- bers to about thirty-six; and the door of admission is thrown open to all classes in general and all individuals in particular who may be able to come up to the standard of ideal membership.
We glory in the achievements of the Websterians; we rejoice in their success and hold in greatest respect each and every member of
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this society. What Daniel Webster was in the days of his young manhood each Websterian is now; and we confidently believe that the time will come when the task of writing a full history of the Web- sterian and its members will be taken from our hands and placed in the hands of our great national historians; and on the pages of his- tory, the names of the Websterians will shine with a lustre and splen- dor that will forever impart greatness to themselves and to all who may have been so fortunate as to have been associated with their able society.
THE CHEWAWA LITERARY SOCIETY.
The Chewawa Literary Society is the oldest organization and the only one of its kind in the college, and yet, notwithstanding its antiquity, it is still the "baby society."
This organization was founded with the express purpose in view of facilitating a more rapid development of the raw minds of the still rawer students.
In the good old days when students were not so plentiful as now, every new and inexperienced one was ushered into the sancti- monious presence of the faculty, by whom he was cross-questioned and examined and assigned to his respective "stall." Immediately the sheltering arm of Professor Watt was thrown about him and with all due ceremony the little tow-head was initiated into the Chewawa.
The government of this curious institution, this place for little minds, as its name would indicate, is indeed a most interesting and characteristic feature of the society.
The executive, legislative and judicial powers are vested in a single head, the Magnus Pushio. This walking constitution, as he might very justly be called, is imperial in design, a real executive in himself, wearing the purple, and we are told that some of his wily subjects presented him with half a dozen pajamas of that royal color.
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There is also associated with the society a president and secretary.
Briefly, this is the Chewawa. It has not yet sent out from its halls a dazzling array of Clays and Websters, Lowells and Wash- ingtons, nor does it hope to do so.
The Chewawa is only a stepping stone to something higher and we hope that for many years yet to come the Chewawa will go on preparing students for effective work in the collegiate societies.
Y. M. AND Y. W. C. A.
OFFICERS OF Y. M. C. A.
President . Leo. L. Totten
Vice President. F. Fielding Nalder
Recording Secretary. . Charles Philips
Corresponding Secretary Will M. Duncan
Treasurer
Geo. G. Melhart
OFFICERS OF V. W. C. A.
President . Gertrude Mackay
Vice President Sophie Cozier
Recording Secretary Huldah Englehorn
Corresponding Secretary
Jessie Bratton
Treasurer Pearl Moys
The Y. M. C. A. of the Washington Agricultural College was organized on November 24, 1894, by James A. Dummet, traveling secretary of the National Y. M. C. A. Mr. Will Philips was made president of the association, holding the office for three years, when Mr. Will M. Duncan was elected as his successor. The new leader being very susceptible to the influence of the gentle sex, agitated the question of a helpmate which resulted in the organization of the Y. W. C. A. on November 21, 1897, with Miss Gertrude Mackay as president. Miss MacKay has proved herself a worthy and effi-
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cient leader. After two years of faithful, earnest work Mr. Duncan was followed by Mr. Leo. Totten, who is still president. The Y. M. C. A. has now twenty active and five associate members, while the Y. W. C. A. boasts a membership of nineteen. The object of these associations is the development of Christian character among its members, the prosecution of active Christian work and the promo- tion of a spirit of Christian love and fellowship among the students. No brilliant results are expected, indeed they are not wished for, but if through the untiring zeal and energy of its members a higher sense of honor and respect for Christianity may be established among the students, its labors will not have been in vain.
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In Memoriam.
DAISY BOYLES Died February, 1893
LULU MERLE GIBSON, '03 Died October 8, 1898
EDWIN EARLE CYRUS, '02 Died May 14, 1899
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8. C. L.
*S. C. L.
During the past two years the peaceful members of the W. A. C. have been much disturbed by the mysterious actions of an associa- tion of boys who have appeared at all the festivities of later dates, giving an inharmonious yell, and like a Filipino band, suddenly dis- appearing. They disclaim any complicity in the midnight feasts and any one of them will tell you that he regards the chicken roost as sacred, but some have interpreted this to mean that the chicken roost is their "Mecca."
The name of this mysterious club is the S. C. L. Through strenuous efforts the Board of Editors succeeded in getting the boys to confide to them something of the history and character of the organization, but the name they left them to guess. Solemn oaths had they sworn never to tell one syllable, or one letter more than the three given, each of which stands for a distinctive word, while the three words compose an appropriate name. In '97, at the beginning of the school year. there were eight boys rooming on the fourth floor of Ferry Hall, all of whom were familiar with the haunts and retreats of that good old structure which has long since been re- duced to ashes. On account of their characteristic love of fun and their daring spirit, they were often associated in various undertak- ings which were performed at unusual hours. Finally, an organiza- tion was perfected, but it was not until after the burning of the dor- mitory that a constitution was adopted and the organization made complete. The object of the club is admirably set forth in the pre- amble to the constitution, which is as follows:
"We, the members of this club, for the reason that the follow- ing constitution is necessary and expedient in order to create and advance a dominant spirit of honor and mutual admiration and re- spect, inter nos to qualify ourselves for present and future services to our country in certain capacities, to reflect credit upon our col- lege, our honorable professors, and our club; to imbue the principles of true manliness and courtesy, for the promotion of our general welfare, for our mutual protection and to emphasize the noble prin-
*Sous of Consecrated Liars.
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ciples of free speech and liberty, to which all other things are and should be subservient and subordinate, do solemnly establish this constitution for the S. C. L."
When the constitution was adopted the object of the club was changed. Regular semi-monthly meetings were held, at which programmes were rendered, consisting of debates and discussions on current topics, especially topics incident to the war with Spain. On February, 1898, the day after the "Maine" disaster, a special meet- ing was called to ascertain the facts and pronounce the verdict of the club on the great catastrophe over which the minds of the American people were so much agitated.
The topic was thoroughly discussed, and as the meeting pro- gressed the enthusiasm increased. The climax was reached when a resolution was offered and passed condemning the treachery of the Spanish officials, and resolving that, "The annihilation of Spain and the freedom of Cuba is the only way of settlement." Louis Pohle offered to put himself at the disposal of the government so that the resolution could be made effective. His services were accepted and he at once reported for duty with the Idaho Volunteers. His regi- ment had no opportunity to take part in the war with Spain, but "Cuba is free" and since Louis did not get a chance to "annihilate the Spaniards" he is now taking his revenge on their kinsmen, the Filipinos. He reports progress.
The club has labored under difficulties so far, not having a suit- able place of meeting, and having regular society work to do in the college association. But they have benefited from their work in the past and have had many enjoyable times. They look forward to a more prosperous future when, with an increased membership, they will be recognized by the college faculty, given a suitable place of meeting, and a chance to reflect credit on themselves and the col- lege.
Charter Members-V. E. Williams, L. H. Pohle, C. H. Good- sell, D. M. Crow, W. D. Outman, D. P. Woods, W. E. Mashburn, J. M. Bateman, Boyd Hamilton.
Officers -- V. E. Williams, M. M .; Boyd Hamilton, M. Mr .; D. P. Woods, A. W. U. of M. S .; W. D. Outman, W. U. of M. S .; C. H. Goodsell, C. of E .; W. E. Mashburn, I. G. H. W. C. K. of C. H .; Hamilton, Goodsell and Mashburn, C. of T.
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THE ORATORICAL ASSOCIATION.
If a college expects to keep abreast of advancing schools and universities, if it would retain its good name and fame, if it would awaken and keep alive a love of oratory, it must turn its attention in some degree to the development of its oratorical powers, and this interest is rightly centered in the Oratorical Association.
As a necessary adjunct of our college the Oratorical Associa- tion plays an important part in the roll of associations. When the W. A. C. emerged from the dim obscurity and humble beginning of the past into its present position as one of the foremost institutions of learning in the Pacific Northwest, there arose with it this asso- ciation. 'Tis true that in the past the Oratorical Association has been somewhat overshadowed by other organizations. Students have been slow to recognize and take full advantage of the oppor- tunities that it offers.
It has been neglected to a certain extent. Nevertheless it has been like a great underground river, slowly, silently, and invisibly wending its way to the mighty ocean.
In the fall of 1897 the association was organized. Heretofore the declamation contests were not strictly of the Oratorical Asso- ciation, but an important and essential part of college work leading up to and preparing the way for its successor. Believing that in union there is strength, a league was made with the University of Idaho and Whitman College. The Oratorical Association of each college was to have a local contest in which the best orator was to be selected, and then the chosen one was to represent his college in an intercollegiate contest to be held at such time and place as should be agreed upon by the associations concerned. It was Whitman's good fortune to have the first contest at Walla Walla and the date as then chosen and since retained, was the last Friday in April.
The W. A. C. entered upon its work with a will. At its first local contest Miss Jessie Hungate received first prize. Accordingly in May. 1897, the first contest on the intercollegiate field of oratory of this "triple alliance," as it might properly be called, was held. Mr. William Worthington represented Whitman College, Mr. Coffey
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the U. of I., and Miss Hungate the W. A. C. After the floods of oratory and eloquence had subsided and the judges had rendered their decision it was found that Mr. Coffey had won the $50 cash prize, on the subject, "The Man of Destiny.". In the second inter- collegiate contest, which was held at Moscow, the orators were: Mr. G. Mckinley from the U. of I., Mr. Proctor from Whitman and Mr. Joseph B. Winston from the W. A. C. Mr. Proctor, Whitman's representative, secured the $50 cash prize on the subject, "Marcus Whitman."
The winner in the local contest of the present year, at the W. A. C., was Mr. Leo L. Totten. According to the manner in which the intercollegiate contests in oratory rotate among the three insti- tutions, it was now our turn and privilege to entertain the visiting representatives. As a consequence, much interest was manifested, and hope and belief in our representative's success ran high. Nor were we disappointed. Mr. Carl Hauerbach of Whitman and Mr. Glen Mckinley of the U. of I. reflected great credit upon their re- spective colleges, but our hope was fulfilled and our joy complete when the prize, a beautiful diamond medal, was awarded Mr. Tot- ten, who told of "The Emancipation of Labor."
This is a brief summary of the events connected with the Ora- torical Association up to date, but as an outgrowth of its increasing influence, a debating department has been added and debates are held with the neighboring institutions.
It is a commendable fact that with the present year a new im- pulse has been aroused and great strides have been made toward a higher standard of oratory. The association is winning its laurels by hard work and by keeping constantly the end in view. It has become a part of our college life and made itself felt by supplying a useful sphere. May success attend its every effort.
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THE BOARDING CLUB.
The students of the W. A. C. have numerous advantages that were denied those who attended the institution in the earlier days of its successful career. But the older students, most of whom are now retired. can recall one feature of the college life that has been missed by the present members of the college, that is, the pleasures of life gained by membership in a first class personally conducted college Boarding Club, with board at ten dollars per month, and a general strike if the cost exceeds that figure. Of course, there is still a Boarding Club, but it is nothing like the first organization. Now we have a pleasant dining hall, divided from the kitchen by a passageway and swinging doors, white linen, bright silver, and all the conveniences of any first class restaurant, but then it was differ- ent.
The Boarding Club was a name to conjure with, a few short months ago, before the elements destroyed that noble pile known to the world at large as Ferry Hall and to the inmates as the "pen- itentiary." The very words, "Boarding Club," were a sound of terror to the boys who were fortunate enough to live in the city, and many a bad boy has reformed under the power of the threat that if his conduct continued he would be compelled to board at the hall. Many a Sunday evening did Chappie Fox. Swede Fisher, Chemical Smith, Bill Todd, and others, file solemnly in, gaze despairingly at the table, and file as solemnly out again, with the words, "Well, let's go down to the hotel and get something to eat."
Most of us, should we live our alloted four score and ten, will never forget the indispensable "one hundred choice selections." otherwise hash, that formed the staple of our modest menu. Hash hot, hash cold, hash new, hash old, hash wet, hash dry, hash stew. hash fry, and various other styles of the same old hash, made them- selves dear to the heart of the student by their persistency, their unwavering sameness, and their attention and constant attendance at the post of duty.
We often wondered what our respected professors of horticul- ture and agriculture would have done had they not been able to sell
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their surplus stock of all descriptions to the club. When the outside market for carrots was slow, we had carrots; when the market for onions was slow, we had onions; when the beginners over at the creamery turned out a hundred weight of experimental butter, we had fresh butter; when the prize stock of the farm had ended its days of usefulness, we had beef, chicken, pork, and it was whispered, horse; once we had eggs. Those eggs are still a memory, dear to the heart of the ex-student. They were more powerful than we had thought eggs could be. They were, in fact, so robust, that we de- cided that the people on the farm had been saving those eggs for us for some years as a special and delightful surprise. They were not wasted, however, for they were fed to the training table members.
The mention of the training table may remind some of the stu- dents of that very select organization. In theory, no pie was allowed on the table, no tea, no coffee, and very little of anything else. But. in reality, all those having seats at the neighboring tables had to keep their delicacies under timelocks or they went to fill the voids near the hearts of the athletes.
A point of economy noticed by many was the manner of serving the onions. We always had onions on reception nights, when the boys wouldn't eat them because they wanted a nice breath, and the girls wouldn't eat them because the boys wouldn't. Thus, ten cents worth of onions sufficed for the club, and expenses were kept down to the proper mark.
On one occasion in the memory of the writer we had a little light bread. Some one placed a quantity of dynamite under the bake oven, and when his friends inquired why he had so acted he stated that he wanted to see the bread rise. Fortunately the oven was full of bread when the charge was exploded and no particular damage was done, as the half pound of dynamite used could not lift the bread far enough to enable it to hurt the roof.
Some of us remember the time that Fisher, "the Swede," lifted a pet snake from the depths of his pocket, and pretended to have found it in the soup, and the lamentable effects on the appetites of some of the young ladies. Perhaps a few also recall how the cook was requested to take the beef out and kill it, to serve a cross-cut saw
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with the chicken, and a few other little pleasantries of the same kind. But a college cook soon grows accustomed to such little expressions of delight and heeds them not.
The strongest point in the menu of the club was the butter. The writer was a member of the club for about four years, and all of that time it was the same butter. Indeed, after the fire there was a rumor that the butter had been rescued and would soon be doing business at the old stand.
And then we had beans. Professor Balmer had a job lot of beans that he was unable to give away, so, on behalf of the state, he sold them to the club. Oh, those beans! Shortly after their intro- duction to the club table a vote was taken on the question of eight dollar board or nine dollar board; two ballots read for eight dollar board, three read for nine dollar board, and one hundred and three read for no beans. The beans were retired.
As well as our oddities in the culinary line, we had them in the line of members. Mysterious Billy Smith, who was always at his post outside the door in time to be the first one seated in the hall, was not alone in his glory. He had rivals for the popular attention in the persons of "Knifey," who gained his sobriquet through a pleasing practice of doing a little sword-swallowing act with his knife in the midst of the festive banquet, Walsh, who was ordered by "Bill" Todd to go see about the pancakes and did so without hesi- tation, and others, with pleasing traits and peculiar ways, many and fascinating.
It was most comforting to hear from the faculty table requests to please pass the jelly, the cake, the cream, and so on, and then, when we made remarks about the quality of the food, to be told by the well meaning members of that respected body, dining at the hall, that they could find no fault with the food, as it was always well cooked and quickly served. They perhaps forgot that the students were not on the committee "to hire and to fire" cooks and waiters. Of course, that had nothing to do with the point, but some of the students were foolish enough to think it might. Any one making a statement to that effect was always promptly squelched, which word may not be good usage, but exactly describes the process.
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One of the enjoyments of life at the period of the rise of the Boarding Club was the effect of the incomplete condition of the power plant. Just as we were about to begin our evening meal, the electrician would begin to "monkey" with the dynamo, and the lights would fade peacefully away. At other times they were sud- denly cut off in the prime of their healthful glow and beauty, but the effect was the same. Darkness, so dense that it could be felt, would settle over the hall, and all would be silent for a moment. Then, from some far corner would come the sound of a hearty kiss, pro- duced by some of the boys who never were kissed and never will be, and an instant later the hall would be filled with cat calls, groans, and various demonstrations of approval and disapproval of the proceed- ings. As the lights slowly returned, our honored professor of rhe- toric would rise indignantly from her seat and move majestically from the room, with the remark that when the students had learned to act as gentlemen she would return. They must have been a very apt set indeed, as she always returned for the next feast of reason and flow of soul.
One result of the shortage of delicacies was the establishment of a system of exchange between the young ladies on the lower floors of the building and the boys on the upper floors, whereby one Knowles was brought to grief. Mr. Knowles was a gentleman of most ingenious ideas. and one evening when he found a sack of ap- ples, which he knew from certain unfailing signs had come from Burnham's orchard, he was so moved to righteous indignation at the thought of the robbery that had been perpetrated on the old man that he promptly took charge of the apples. Returning to his room, he signaled the girls on the floor below, and began to operate the grapevine. Now the grapevine was a string, to which the ingenious Mr. Knowles would carefully attach one of the borrowed applies. and lower it to the floor below. The young lady would detach the apple, Mr. Knowles would wind up his little ball of yarn, and the performance would be repeated once more. When Mr. Knowles decided that he had lowered enough apples he leaned from the win- dow and said, "Well, Sweetheart, that's all tonight." Then in sil-
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very tones came the words, "Thanks, Mr. Knowles, Miss Howard and I will appreciate those apples," and glancing down once more, Mr. Knowles saw the placid countenance of our respected pre- ceptress ..
We might, just here, sum up the peculiarities of the Boarding Club in three quotations; the cooks could have said, with the Church of England people, "We have done those things which we ought not to have done, and we have left undone those things which we should have done, and there is no health in us." Then the boarders: "Their's not to reason why, their's but to chew and die"; and lastly, the committee, who, "Will meet with their reward in heaven."
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