sciously, instructive.

The volume should prove valuable in the

grammar schools of the great North-West.

EDITORIAL

GRADUATE

The second number of the TUFTS COLLEGE attempts to set before its readers some of the utterances of the Commencement season that are worthy of permanent record. We commend these utterances to the careful reading of our friends, especially to such persons as did not hear the words spoken. But the coming issues of this magazine must depend more largely upon articles especially written for it. The editors hope that alumni will receive this printed statement as a personal appeal for co-operation. If the magazine is to be truly representative of the Tufts graduate, it must share, sometimes without editorial solicitation, in the thought of its constituency. In short, former students of Tufts College are hereby urged to contribute, not only subscriptions, but manuscripts.

In particular, the discussion opened in the present issue as to the feasibility of granting a larger place in the management of graduate concerns to those who may not be members of the parent organization of alumni should awaken interested discussion in these columns. The writer has recently had a glimpse of the books of the general alumni association, and was surprised to read the minutes of meetings held in the struggling days when the oldest graduates of Tufts now living were but unhonored students. There can be no doubt that the association of Tufts alumni which meets at Boston is, by descent and constituency, the central body of our graduates. But, equally without doubt, there are possibilities of a better adjustment of representation in government on the part of the more distant alumni. Who will provide the plan that shall solve all difficulties ?

THE TUFTS COLLEGE GRADUATE

VOL. I

No. 3

OCTOBER, 1903

At

IN THE DAYS OF PRESIDENT BALLOU College Hill was a barren summit from 1855 to 1859. the first date only Ballou Hall stood on the Hill. I went to live in it as a special student with Prof. W. P. Drew, in order to complete my fit for college. That was in January of 1855. Six years later the awful Civil War began. I roomed first in the south-west corner room, on the third floor. I had one not large stove to heat a very large room. The result was a cold so frightful that Dr. Ballou had me move to what is now the room for the President and Faculty meetings. Here my honored friend, Rev. Dr. Charles J. White of Woonsocket, joined me for study, during the day. The nights he spent at his home in Chelsea. Several of the class of 1858 roomed in Ballou Hall. The noble Thomas H. Angell,—so soon to leave this world, Dr. Smith of Lowell, Hathaway of Plymouth, and others, I remember well. We had a pleasant dining room in the south-west corner of the first floor. Rev. Mr. Talbot was our caterer. Dr. Ballou, Prof. Marshall, Prof. Tweed, and Prof. Drew made up the whole faculty. We saw rise the boarding house, which is now the library building. Into this we all, or nearly all, gladly entered. We planted our trees, making the Fifty-Nine Avenue. It runs east from Godard Chapel to Miner Hall, but the hundreds visiting the hill know it not by name. Only we of '59 feel our hearts beat when we see our trees, now so fully grown, and recall the days of old.

My class entered twenty strong-ten fell out on the way. Only ten of us stood up to receive our diplomas from Dr. Ballou. Dr. Jarvis Wight went as far as the Senior year; Dr. W. E. Gibbs, Rev. A. J. Weaver, General and ex-Governor Selden Connor, General W. B. French, Brown, faithful servant of the United States government, still remain on earth. Bailey was killed in battle. Dr. O. C. Turner, Hon. S. G. Hilborn, member of Congress from California, Robert F. Leighton, Ph.D., teacher and author, Judge Hobbs of California, also have passed on to the higher life.

Those were the days of small things, but we had great teachers and great thoughts. Dr. Ballou, Prof. Marshall, Prof. Tweed, and Prof. Drew, had deep interest in us all. We had warm comradeship among our classmates. We did not envy Harvard; indeed, I do not think we thought much about that great institution of learning. Now we look back with wonder on the courage of the men who founded Tufts College, undeterred by fair Harvard.

Angell, I think, started the Mathetican Society, and earnest were our debates. Later, Greek letter societies were formed. I was sent to Providence to get a charter for a new chapter of the Psi Upsilon. Our petition was refused: Tufts was too new to be accorded such an honor.

Our visits to Boston were not easily made. The Lowell train stopped at Willow Bridge, now North Somerville, no nearer, and we who went to see friends or sweethearts had to trudge the long distance from bridge to room in cold winter nights. But how glorious were the sunsets of those days! Are they as fine to-day? Can Naples or California show more resplendent color? Then the moonlight nights on the hill-how glorious they were!

Very unwisely, I accepted a call to Brooklyn, N. Y., and so was not at college from September, 1857, to September, 1858.