Literary Societies Twenty Years Ago" by Henry H. Wilson
Item
amendment to the constitution was secretly
proposed admitting the girls to membership.
(I was about to say ladies but for the sake
of historic accuracy am compelled to con-
tent myself with the less ambitious term.) I
think it was at the last meeting of the fall
term of that year that this amendment
was adopted and a score of young ladies
elected members of the Adelphian. This
number now seems insignificant but when
we recall that the total enrollment of
student of both sexes was only about
seventy-five at that time we can understand
the importance of our victory. When at
the beginning of the next term the Palla-
dians were aroused from their lethargy and
attempted to retrieve their fortunes by
adopting a like amendment, they captured
but a few stragglers and campfollowers, the
main army having already surrendered to us.
Now that we had the girls, dear things,
what were we to do with them! We had
among our number just three young gentle-
men, dandies as we spitefully called them,
that had been somewhat licked into shape
and having grown up in the city had had
some of the rough corner knocked off.
They even wore tailor made suits and
actually seemed to have some other use for
their hands than twisting their coat frocks,
should they chance to speak to one of our
newly acquired members. How we envied,
hated, execrated, these city favorites! As
for the rest of us we have at least one thing
to be thankful for,—there are but few of
our photographs of that period extant. If I
were gifted with descriptive powers I would
give you a pen picture of some who are
now congressmen, judges, lawyers, doctors,
ministers, and other more or less useful
members of society, as they appeared fresh
from the all engrossing pursuits of the farm.
Suffice it to say that our hemed-me-down
pantaloons strove in vain to reach the tops
of our cowhide shoes and we were "long"
on nothing so much as superfluous hands,
hitherto so useful, but now so embarrassing
and in the way.
One thing I can never quite understand
and that is why the country girl when
transplanted to the city adapts herself to her
new surroundings so much more easily than
her brother. Hitherto he has been her
guide and protector and she had been
pleased to lean upon his strong arm, but
in this new life he instinctively turns to her
for instruction. Thanks, however, to the
noble impulses and tender sympathies of
the young ladies of the early societies, the
metamorphosis was made as little painful
and humiliating as possible. And some of
us are still enjoying the civilizing influences
so charitably begun in these literary
societies many years ago.
In the fall of 1876, for the purpose of
forming a society composed exclusively of
the college classes, the present Union
society was formed, drawing most of its
members from the Adelphian but embrac-
ing also nearly all of the eligible members
of the Palladian. This new candidate for
honors, without leave or licence appro-
priated to its own use the hall, fixtures and
furniture of the old Adelphian, but cast
its constitution and records into the waste
basket. Some of us who, (whether wisely
or not I have never quite settled) considered
a trip to the Centennial at Philadelphia
more valuable than the half term at the
university, returned in the early part of
1877 to find ourselves orphans. The
Adelphian had ceased to exist, nearly all of
its member being eligible had become
members of the new Union. The Union
however failed to fulfil its promise of a
society composed exclusively of college
classes.
Could oil and water be mixed! Could
the former Palladians and Adelphians ever
fraternize! Not so. The Palladians with
one or two exceptions soon returned to
their first love and the constitution of the
Union was amended so as to admit sub-
freshmen to membership. And thus failed
the attempt to establish a strictly college
society.
- Title
- Literary Societies Twenty Years Ago" by Henry H. Wilson
- Source
-
The Hesperian
"RG 38/01/02"
Periodical: Box: 3
Folder:
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- extracted text
-
amendment to the constitution was secretly
proposed admitting the girls to membership.
(I was about to say ladies but for the sake
of historic accuracy am compelled to con-
the less amb
think it was at the last meeting of the fall
term of that year that this amendment
was adopted and a score of young ladies
elected members of the Adelphian. This
number now seems insignificent but when
we recall that the total enrollment of
students of both sexes was only about
seventy-five at that time we can understand
the importance of our victory. When at
the beginning of the next term the Palla-
dians were aroused from their lethargy and
attempted to retrieve their fortunes by
adopting a like amendment, they captured
but a few stragglers and campfollowers. the
ca cae T
tious termi.) 1
main army having already surrendered to us.
Now that we had the girls, dear things,
what were we to do with them! We had
among our number just three young gentle
men, dandies as we spitefully called them,
that had been somewhat licked into shape
and having grown up in the city had had
s knocked off.
some of the rough corne:
They even wore tailor made suits and
actually seemed to have some other use for
theie hands than twisting their coat frocks,
should they chance to speak to one of our
newly acquired members. Tlow we envied,
hated, execrated, these city favorites! As
for the rest of us we have at least one thing
to be thankful for,—there are but few of
our photographs of that period extant. Ir]
were gifted with descriptive powers IT would
who are
give you a pen picture of some
now congressmen, judges, lawyers, doctors,
ministers, and other more or less useful
members of society, as they appeared fresh
from the all engrossing pursuits of the farm.
Sutlice it to say that our hemed-me-down
y 1 the tops
pantaloons strove in vain to re
of our cowhide shoes and we were slong”?
‘on nothing so much as superfluous hands,
hitherto so useful, but now so embarrassing
and in the way.
THE HESPERIAN 5
One thing I can never quite understand
and that is why the
transplanted to the city adapts herself to her
new surroundings so mach more easil
untry girl when
y than
her biother. Tlitherto he has been her
guide and pretector and she has been
pleased to lean upon his strong arm, but
in this new life he instinctively turns to her
for instruction Thanks, however, to the
noble impulses and tender sympathies of
es of. the early jes, the
the young i
metamorphosis was made as little painful
and humiliating as possible. And some of
us are still enjoying the ci ng influences
begun in these literary
villi
so charitabl}
societies many years ago.
In the fall of 1876, for the purpose of
forming a society composed exclusively of
the college classes, the present Union
st of its
society was formed, drawing m
members from the Adelphian but embrac-
ing also nearly all of the eligible members
of the Patladian. This new candidate for
honors hout leave or licence appro-
priated to its own use the hall, fixtures and
furniture of the old Adelphian, buat cast
te
stitution and records into the
Some of us who, (whether wisely
or not T have never quite settled) considered
a trip to the Centennial at Philadelphia
more valuable than the half term at the
university, returned in the early part of
1877 to find ourselves orphans. The
Adelphian had ceased to exist, nearly all of
its members being eligible had become
members of the new Union. The Union
however failed to fulfil its promise of a
society composed exclusively of college
classes.
Could oil and water be mixed! Could
the former Palladians and Adelphians ever
fraternize! Not so. The Palladians with
one or two exceptions soon returned to
their first love and the constitution of the
Union was amended so as to admit sub-
freshmen to membership. And thus failed
the attempt to establish a strictly college
society.
Ee
;
Pet ATEN tA ECE.
- Item sets
- Nu History
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 Literary Societies Twenty Years Ago" by Henry H. Wilson |