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YALE ALUMNI WEEKLY
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ADVISORY BOARD.
H. C. Roptnson, 58. J.R. SHEFFIELD, ’87.
W.W.Sxippy,’65S. J. A. Harrwe tt, '89 5.
C. P. LinpsLey, 75S. L.S. WE Lou, ’89.
W. Camp, ’80. E. VAN INGEN, ’91 8.
W.G. Daaaett, ’80. P. Jay,’92.
EDITOR.
Lewis 8S. WELOH, ’89.
ASSOCIATE EDITOR.
WALTER Camp, ’80.
ASSISTANT EDITOR,
E. J. THOMPSON, Sp.
NEWS EDITOR.
Frrp. M. Davrgs, ’99.
ASSISTANT.
PRESTON KUMLER, 1900.
Advertising Manager, O. M. CLARK, '98.
Assistant, BURNETT GOODWIN, ‘9958.
Entered as second class matter at New Haven P. O.
NEW HAVEN, CONN., APRIL 26, 1899.
THE CORPORATION AND
PRESIDENCY.
Another special meeting of the Cor-
poration has been held, apparently for
the sole purpose of talking over again
the Presidency and the candidates there-
for. According to appearances and re-
ports, this is the last special meeting
before the usual meeting in May. It is
understood that the meetings thus far
have been purely in the way of discus-
sion. People are looking for the be-
ginning of action in the matter at the
next regular meeting, but we have no
certain information about it, and since
even the beginning of balloting may not
necessarily mean much in the way of
concluding the matter, it is hard to see
anything very definite in the situation.
Many alumni, especially those who
are working for the building up of the
Bi-centennial Fund, have expressed the
hope that. the Corporation will surely
elect someone at their first regular
meeting. These people say that the
disposition will be to accept delay as an
evidence of weakness, and that, to put
the thing on a practical ground, any-
thing like an interregnum will seriously
handicap all financial work in prepara-
tion for the Bi-centennial. Many men,
so these reports say, who intend to con-
tribute, are waiting before measuring
the sacrifice they are willing to make for
Yale to see what Yale is going to do;
for when the Corporation elects a
President it will sketch, as by a bold
stroke, the outline of the Yale of years
to come.
Considerable correspondence in re-
gard to this subject having come into
the office of the WerrEKLyY, and the
alumni, as we know, having been anxi-
ous in the matter, we have referred to
it only to say that to our best knowl-
edge and: belief no body of Yale men
more keenly appreciate the necessity of
action at as early a date as possible
than do the Corporation members. We
say this with much confidence, and add
with the same confidence, that the
members are working with the utmost
industry to prepare themselves for the
act of election. It might properly be
added, unless it is assumed, that
nothing under heaven will move these
men to act until they are sure they are
right.
So much having been said, and en-
tirely without consultation, but on the
strength of personal observation, it may
THE
be as well to take up one more point.
Now and then one hears that, back of
the apparent uncertainty over well
known candidates, something is held in
reserve; that a “dark horse” is being
carefully groomed by somebody for
some reason or other; that, in fulness
of time, he will be produced and by
some magic made to win, in and with
the twinkling of an eye.
We are inclined to say, with due re-
spect to people holding such an opinion,
that if they find some intellectual or
other satisfaction in said opinion, their
enjoyment should not be disturbed.
For ourselves we can’t quite work it
out. We have failed yet to hear of any
one who has in mind a possible Presi-
dent of Yale who is not willing to talk
about him freely with all in interest.
We have also failed altogether to read
human character, if it is true that there
is any magic that will win the votes of
such men as make up the Corporation
of Yale, except the magic of a combina-
tion of brains and character that fits and
fills this large and high position.
>= “=
ee ee
UNIVERSITY OF UPSALA.
A Wale Representative Writes of its
Origin and Customs.
Below is printed a letter from Gustav
Andreen, Yale ’94, who has been study-
ing at Upsala the past year:
University of Upsala, Sweden.
March 30, 1899.
One of the northernmost universities
of the world lies in. Upsala, situated as
it is about 60 degrees north of the
equator, or about 1,300 miles farther
north than New Haven. Yet owing to
the Gulf Stream this part of Europe is
not only inhabitable, but of temperate
climate, and according to all reports we
have had less snow here this Winter
than New England.
The University of Upsala claims the
seniority among the universities of the
Scandinavian countries, being founded
in 1477, fifteen years before the discov-
ery of America! The others were
founded as follows: the University of
Copenhagen in 1479, of Abo in Finland,
1640 (removed to Helsingfors in 1827),
of Lund 1668, and of Christiania 1811.
In ancient times Upsala was the
capital of Sweden, and it still contains
monuments of great age, especially the
old castle and. the grand cathedral.
Next to these the University buildings,
about a score in number, none of them
dormitories, occupy the most pictur-
carefully groomed by somebody for
facing the main street sits the library
building, which contains some 300,000
volumes and 15,000 manuscripts. The
most famous of these manuscripts is the
so-called “silver codex,” consisting of
a part of the Gothic bible translated by
Bishop Wulfilas in the fourth century,
by many hundred years the earliest:
monument of any Germanic ton-
gue. The vestibule and aula (assembly
hall) of the new University building
with their statuary and architectural
beauty are among the most perfect of
their kind. . |
The city, containing about 23,000 in-
habitants, has wholly the character of
a university town. The fifteen hundred
students, all wearing white velvet caps,
form the very center of attraction and
interest. Every spot, too, seems linked
with the name of some former student
who has become famous. The botani-
cal garden here reminds one of its
founder, the son of Upsala, who is best
known in America, the “flower-king”
Linné, whose statue also graces the
flower gardens of Lincoln Park, Chi-
cago. A direct successor of Linné, oc-
cuping the same chair of botany, is now
-at the head of the University. But the
students of Upsala like those of Yale
mourn the coming retirement of their
excellent president; “rector magnifi-
cus” Fries has decided to withdraw
from active work in the Univers} i
niversit
the end of this term. pee
e€ absence of an undergraduate
_ America.
body, with its exuberance of life and
diversity of interests, affects every detail
of the University work. ‘There are no
student publications, no games, no
class-spirit; the individual student has
his eye so fixed on taking his degree
that all else is unnoticed.
The class-spirit, however, finds a
substitute in what I may call the “sec-
tional” spirit. Every student on enter-
ing the University is required to join
one of the dozen nations at the Univer-
sity, a nation being a union of students
from the same province or section of
the country. Each nation has its own
home or club house, called ‘nation
house,” to which the members always
have access, and which constitutes a
center for the social side of student life.
Here they can lounge, smoke, play
chess or backgammon, read newspapers
or books in the library, converse, and
become acquainted with each other.
Here, too, occasional smokers and
dinners are given, also private theatri-
cals, small dances, and other social
functions. ,
At a dinner given by the ‘‘West-
gothic” nation the Yale representative
was one of the invited guests. After
the speeches when I had responded to
a toast in honor of America and Yale,
there was a demand to hear the Yale
cry. I took a dozen lusty-lunged fel-
lows into a sideroom and practised the
“long yell” with them awhile. When
we on our return almost raised the
roof of the quaint old nation house, the
enthusiasm knew no bounds. It did
my heart good to hear the familiar cry
and to see its effect, perhaps farther
north than it ever before had resounded!
At the word of the toastmaster the
whole company rose and responded to
“Long live Yale!” with the regular cry
here, a fourfold rah, rah, rah, rah!
An American cannot help missing the
element of sport so characteristic of our
universities. This lack depends partly
on a national trait, partly on climatic
conditions. How could our ordinary
inter-collegiate games thrive in a cli-
mate where the snow usually lasts from
the end of October till April? One
favorite sport here is running on “snow-
shoes” (skidor, narrow strips of wood
six to nine feet long, curved up in
front); each year contests take place
partly in long distance running, partly
down steep hills where a long leap is
one of the main features of the contest.
A well patronized riding-academy is
also under the control of students.
The various seminaries and literary
clubs here combine science and “Ge-
miiethlichkeit”’ in an indissoluble man-
ner. After the literary part of the meet-
ing (usually six to eight o’clock in the
evening) a short recess is taken for the
supé, and then all again assemble at
what is facetiously called the “‘post-
seminarium,” at which coffee is served
with cigars and “punsch,” or vichy for
the teetotaler. Here professors and
students meet:as comrades; profound
scientific discussion and light humor
join hands. About eleven o’clock the
smoker is ended and the club usually
accompanies the chief professor to his
gate as a mark of respectful attention.
The prevalence of this “feasting” in
connection with literary work so char-
acteristic of the North, is in a measure
explained by the fact that a very good
dinner (with game if you please) is
served for less than 30 cents, and the
subsequent ‘‘post-seminarium,”’ includ-
ing coffee, cigars, “punsch” and vichy
costs about 20 cents. On account of the
cold climate beer is never the social
beverage, this. position being rather
monopolized by “punsch,” which on ac-
count of its strength is sipped in only
very small quantities. It strength is
concealed by its sweetness, as some
German students, who lately visited
Upsala, found to their grief. They mis-
took “punsch” for Swedish beer; the
following morning their swelled heads
proclaimed their mistake.
Not a few foreign students are found
in Upsala, some coming even from
The American colony here
this year numbers five members, includ-
ing graduates of Harvard, Yale, and two
Western colleges. During the Winter
Mr. Mott, a graduate of Cornell, who
has often appeared at Dwight Hall,
visited the Y. M. C. A. of Upsala, and
delivered a series of stirring addresses
to large student audiences.
Every second or third year a Latin
play is rendered by students of the
Classical Department. This year they
played to a crowded house some scenes
from Plautus’s Pseudoloss in Latin and
all of Mostellaria in the vernacular. It
was exceedingly interesting to notice
and feel how the venerable Graeco-
Roman plot and jests fairly warmed
this northern audience into enthusiasm.
Is there no one thing in which the
students of Upsala excel? At one of
the Paris expositions they won the
world’s prize for their singing, and on
this one object they still concentrate
all their affection and their energies.
Every student who can sing at all joins
the common choir. Wednesday even-
ings after practice this large chorus
marches from Assembly Hall to Market
Square, all the way singing some cheery
student song. Here they gather round
the candelabra and sing some patriotic
songs before dispersing. At these oc-
casions all Upsala is on its feet, the
streets and Market Square are crowded
with people, who listen in silence to the
unique performance. The song of the
students also graces all festivities con-
nected with the university or patriotic
celebrations.
One of the highest honors a student
can obtain is to be selected member of
O. D. (the initials signifying the lads
of Orpheus), the glee-club par excellence.
At times this glee-club tours not only
this kingdom, but also neighboring
countries; last Summer they were féted
all through Germany, the emperor be-
stowing the order of the Red Eagle on
their leader, the composer Heldenblad.
They have often thought of extending
their tour to the United States, where
their countrywoman, Jenny Lind,
scored such great triumphs; no doubt
Yale, too, would give them a hearty
welcome. ; :
The greatest festival of the year is
the May concert. Then students stand
in line all night to buy tickets, visitors
flock from all over the country, espe-
cially from Stockholm, sisters and
sweethearts in their most attractive
toilets make the gray old university
town look gay and cheerful, teas and
germans are arranged—all remaining
one vividly of the season of the prome-
nade concert at New. Haven.
Gustav ANDREEN, ’04.
hy Lm
Kite Flying for Seniors.
Some sadness has pervaded Berkeley
Oval in these latter days on account of
an edict from the throne forbidding the
passing of ball, even of a tennis ball,
not only within certain hours, but
within all hours. There is still some
passing of ball, for it takes quite a time
for such a new and unusual statute to
become graven on the general mind.
Berkeley Oval has still been fairly
active the last week. A Senioric sport
quite new, or at least not common in
recent years, has been enjoyed at most
all hours of the day. This is kite-flying.
The sport, as an Academic pastime, is
in its infancy, and has not developed yet
beyond simple, bought kites. Neither
have any laws been evolved for the prac-
tice, as to the proper procedure in criss-
cross or broken strings. Members of
the legal department of the University,
however, have been found making their
own laws and have secured a good deal
of Academic twine by right of appro-
priation.
The use of bought kites prevents a
means of enjoying the sport which un-
doubtedly will be secured later when the
true old colonial diamond or, house-
kite shall be framed, with a ten or
twenty-foot tail. Those bought kites
don’t have any tails, except by way of
correction when they don’t fly just
right. Two or three handkerchiefs are
sometimes used, but that gives a
poverty-stricken look.
The kites have begun to be used as
motive power on the little push-carts of
the college trousers-pressing concerns,
which move very satisfactorily on the
concrete. of the Oval.
Yale Law School.
For circulars and other information apply to
Prof. FRANCIS WAYLAND,
Dean.
DUNCAN HALL.
No. 1454 Chapel Street, New Haven.
Furnished apartments—suites and single—
for Yale Students. For rates and plans,
Address,
RE MUMFORD, Manager.