FOURTH OR MODERN EPISODE

SCENE I

PANELS OF MODERN YALE

By

FREDERICK TREVOR HILL

So many of the notable events in the history of Yale since the Civil War are so fresh to the mind, that to present them in the foreshortened.form in which we have treated her earlier history would scarcely be possible. It has therefore seemed wise to set this scene in the form of Panels, as though a sculptor had chiselled out in high relief scenes from Yale history and life during this period, to decorate some cornice of the future.

The following Panels have been chosen as showing the most widely divergent points of view of Yale activity since the Civil War.

PANEL I

1870. In the spring of 1870, Professor Othniel Charles Marsh began his series of explorations in Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, California, and Western Kansas which resulted in the discovery of over a hundred species of extinct vertebrates new to science, including the fossil three and four toed horse, the toothed birds, and the flying dragon or pterodactyl. Professor Marsh's discoveries were accorded the highest praise by Darwin and Huxley and Haeckel, and have probably done more to spread the reputation of Yale in Europe than any other achievement.

The scene represents Marsh working with others at the place in Big Bad Lands, South Dakota, where the fossil bones were discovered; the weather is cold and snow is on the ground. U. S. Cavalry are guarding the explorers and an Indian is showing Marsh a fossil tooth of what he called a "big horse struck by lightning." Marsh was known to the Indians as the "big bone Chief." Some of the Indians were very hostile and this expedition in particular was fraught with much danger to all the scientists.

PANEL II

BANGER DAY, FEBRUARY 22

1884. For many years prior to 1890, Washington's Birthday was the first occasion when Freshmen were allowed to carry canes. They celebrated the event by parading the town carrying absurdly large canes called "bangers," with which they pounded the flagstones as they marched.

The scene represents a "Banger" parade, the marchers armed with their huge club-like canes and wearing placards on their hats announcing their class numerals.

PANEL III

1896. In June, 1896, the Class of '96 planted, as its class ivy, a cutting from the ivy which grows on the side of the church in Lexington, Va., marking the grave of General Robert E. Lee.

Prior to the Civil War, Yale drew a large percentage of her students from the South, but many years elapsed before she was again well represented in that section of the country. The honor thus paid by the Class of '96 to the distinguished General of the Confederacy, who is slowly but surely coming to be recognized as one of the really great Americans, was highly significant. It

demonstrated how completely sectional feeling has died out in this country and emphasized the position of Yale as a national rather than a local university.

The scene represents the planting of the Ivy. Students in cap and gown. The Ivy was planted on the North side of Chittenden Library.

PANEL IV

1898. Shortly after the outbreak of the Spanish War, April, 1898, a number of Yale men formed an organization which at first was known as the Yale Battery and afterwards became Light Battery A, First Connecticut Artillery. It was trained during the summer of 1898 at the Government Post at Niantic, Connecticut, and just prior to the close of the war was assigned to General Wade's Division. It was mustered out of service in September, 1898.

The scene represents a detachment drilling at their guns.

PANEL V

1898. On the last day of April, 1898, the S. S. Paris of the American Line was taken over by the Government and converted into a swift auxiliary cruiser or scout known as the Yale. Yale University, in recognition of the honor done her, immediately raised a subscription and presented the cruiser with two rapid fire six pounders. The guns were mounted on the forecastle and were christened Eli and Handsome Dan. A number of Yale graduates served on the cruiser, which took many prizes and did valuable service in holding the Spanish fleet in Santiago. The guns were afterwards presented to the University and are now in the Gymnasium.

The scene represents a crew drilling with one of the guns on the forecastle of the U. S. S. Yale.

PANEL VI

1900. The Yale Forestry School was established in 1900 through the beneficence of Mr. and Mrs. James W. Pinchot, and their sons, Gifford and Amos R. E. Pinchot. At the time of its organization there were only two other institutions on the Western Continent concerned with instruction and research in forestry. The work of the school has grown steadily and increasingly and exerts an important influence on the conservation and economic. use of forests in the United States. At least ten graduates of this school are now in charge of forest schools established by other educational institutions since the inauguration of this department at Yale. Nor is its influence confined to this continent, for certain of its graduates are engaged in governmental conservation work in Hawaii, the Philippines, South Africa, and Canada.

The scene represents a party of students measuring trees at the summer camp of the school at Milford, Pennsylvania.

PANEL VII

1904. In April, 1904, the Yale Foreign Missionary Society arrived in Changsha, the capital of Hunan, a central province of China with a population of twenty millions. The first representatives of the Society were the Reverend Brownell Gage, '98, and his wife, a fully qualified nurse. From this beginning there has developed Ya-li in Changsha conducted partly as a missionary and partly as an educational institution and hospital. It cares for over 200 pupils and boasts eight fine buildings, including a hospital which handles some 2,000 cases a month. It is supported entirely by voluntary contributions. From intense hostility the people have been won to keen interest in the American college.

The scene represents the laying of the corner stone of the hospital in the presence of the Chinese Military Governor, in 1915.

PANEL VIII

1906. The custom decreeing that Seniors execute a low bow to the President as he retires from Chapel is a survival of an old Puritan church custom. During the eighteenth century it was quite generally the custom in English churches for the men of the congregation to bow out the pastor, and thus the Yale honor to the President originated.

The scene represents the departure of the President amid the bowing Seniors. This is a distinctly Yale custom—not duplicated elsewhere, as far as is known.

PANEL IX

1911. In the summer of 1911 the Peruvian Expedition under the auspices of Yale University arrived at Cuzco, the old Inca capital of Peru. The party was in charge of Professor Hiram Bingham, and the Governments of the United States and Peru gave their active coöperation. The expedition contributed much to the knowledge of the scientific world, for it discovered and uncovered an Inca or pre-Inca city called Machu Picchu containing palaces, temples, baths, and about 150 houses. The scene represents the scientists at work uncovering the buried ruins. They are escorted by Peruvian government officers dressed in uniform, and assisted by Peruvian Indians dressed in shawls or blankets, trousers and aprons, yoke shirts and curiously shaped hats.

PANEL X

1915. For many years the day before Commencement at Yale has witnessed a baseball game between Yale and Harvard, and it has become the custom to have the class boy throw the first ball over the plate.

The scene shows a small boy in reunion costume throwing the ball to the Yale catcher. Other players are grouped about watching the scene.