Training 'Frosh' is College Tradition

In Which Jimmy Compares His Campus Hazards

With Those of Pals in Other School

By John Daffron

What happens to a freshman in a Virginia college? Probably not exactly what happens to Jimmy Snark of Chicago, but then all first-year men encounter "laws" and traditions many of which are identical to the problem of our James.

In this, the second of a series of articles detailing the evolution of a freshman, Jimmy swaps experiences with pals in other Virginia colleges.

October 12.

Mr. James T. Snark,
18 Lake Drive,
Chicago, Ill.

Dear Dad,

Tomorrow is the big day for the good old William and Lee freshman football team because when we play the Virginia freshmen up at the University I guess some of our fellows will be seeing the way people from Chicago play football for the first time. I got a good chance to start the game as our regular freshman left-half, Mike Guerin, broke his hand in scrimmage. By scrimmage I mean when we run practice plays.

Aside from the football game, which we'll probably win, I am looking forward to seeing the University of Virginia (U. of Va.) as I started to go there myself and only changed my mind and came to William and Lee because in a smaller school a man's got more chance to show his individuality. Also you meet more people, so the professors say, but I hardly think this is likely as how can you meet more people at one place when there are more at another?

As far as my classes are concerned I'm certainly "pitching in," as we say here. I guess a man hardly realizes it before he comes to college, but there is sure a lot of stuff to learn.

I guess the fellows know by now that I'm something of a kidder. I'm always "ribbing" them about being rebels down here just like we used to when a Southerner was in Chicago. They try to make believe they don't think it's funny, but I know they do because they keep looking at me in a sort of funny way.

I pulled a good one yesterday when I asked a couple of "sophs" from Richmond if they still insisted on Indian head pennies when they changed money. They didn't seem to "get it" so I told them the other pennies had pictures of Lincoln on them. To show you how some of them are, one asked:

"Lincoln? -- Who's he?"

As I started explaining both of them said excuse them as they had classes and walked away.

I've got to get several extra text books so you'd better send me a little additional money, about $30, because I wouldn't want to get behind in a class just because I didn't have the books.

Give my love to mother and ask her to tell Mary Wilson I'll write her when I have time.

Best regards,       From  JIMMY.

October 15.

Mr. James T. Snark Jr.
William and Lee College,
Collegeville, Va.

Dear Son,

Indeed glad to hear that you are getting along all right in your scholastic work, as well as athletics. Primarily, you know, we sent you there for an education. The athletic side of your college career is secondary.

Son, again let me caution you about your attitude toward the upper classmen. I strongly advise against referring to them as "rebels," particularly as you're in the wrong section of the country for that sort of your so-called "kidding."

I do not intend to dictate your behavior, but I do think a young man of 18 should show more judgment than you have evidently exhibited.

Remember Jimmy, I must insist that you curtail your expenses as much as possible, conditions being as they are. Besides, your mother has been reading travel literature, and I'm beginning to suspect she has her heart set again on that Mediterranean cruise.

With affectionate regards from your mother and myself, and wishing you continued, if somewhat subdued "success," I am,          

Your Dad,           JAMES T. SNARK

October 19.

Mr. James T. Snark,
18 Lake Drive,
Chicago, Ill.

Dear Dad:

I don't know if Chicago papers carried the result of Saturday's game between the William and Lee and the University of Virginia freshman football game, but if they didn't I might as well tell you lots of unfortunate things, or "tough breaks," happened to us and they nosed us out, 35 to 0.

Our regular left halfback, who had a broken hand, got all right in time for the game, so I didn't get a chance to play. I am not suspecting any favortism in the lineup, but George Hankins, my roommate, said that Guerin, the regular halfback, is a third cousin of Coach Logan's wife. Maybe if they remembered what I did to South Bend High School last year, they'd have put me in and maybe things would have been different--eh, Dad?

The University of Virginia is indeed a swell place, being located at Charlottesville, which is situated in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and, although William and Lee is also in the Blue Ridge Mountains it's quite a distance from Charlottesville.

I saw Paul Terris, the fellow who used to live near us at Galesburg, and he is now a freshman at Virginia. I asked him how the upper classmen liked freshmen here and he said he didn't know as he hadn't had much chance to speak to one since rushing season.

He said that most of the fellows leave school on the week ends and the ones who stay there seem to disappear, and anyway the ones who stay here are freshmen.

The freshmen here seem to get along all right and about the only thing they do is wear hats, which I mean is the only thing they do different from the upper-classmen, except things which have nothing to do with the university.

Saturday night after the game, Paul introduced me to a girl from Charlottesville named Vicky, which he said was "local talent"--an expression they use meaning she lives in Charlottesville. She told me she bet all football men from Chicago were strong men, and I said I guess I'm not the biggest or the best, remembering that a guy shouldn't ought to be forward.

They are getting ready to put out the lights for the night, so I'll continue this letter after our game at Lexington, where we play the V. M. I. freshmen. I understand their coach says he expects to lose by at least three touchdowns and he's probably right.

(Monday)

Well, Dad, we're back from V. M. I., and trouble, or the old "jinx" as we say here, seemed to follow us, as we certainly got every tough break all through the game. I played the second half, and when it started we had them 7 - 0, and the coach said, Guerin, the regular, seemed tired and a little stale, and that I was the freshest man in the lineup.

Something must have happened, because all of a sudden they put in a whole new team, and after getting all the breaks, just did beat us, 27 to 7. But I guess maybe they have a little stronger team than we have, as freshmen here have to be very tough to survive.

Everything at V. M. I. (Virginia Military Institute) is certainly very military, which I guess is why they named it this. Freshmen, or "rats" as they are known here, are certainly "on their toes."

A "rat" can't walk around like an ordinary citizen, but he must "square" corners and march all the time whether he is in a parade or not. Also when he passes an upperclassman, a freshman must brace, which means he must get military all over. Uniforms are worn all the time and not just for drills like they do in your lodge back home, Dad.

Before we left Lexington, Sunday morning, to come back to Collegeville, I met a V. M. I. "soph" and asked him about how freshmen are treated there. He told me that things are very tame, indeed, at V. M. I. compared to the old days when it was considered unsafe in all sources for a freshman to walk the quadrangle unarmed.

At first I thought he was kidding when two or three fellows laughed, but he said, "Oh, no, I'm not kidding," because in those days they were gradually trying to abolish freshmen altogether, and just start the school with sophomores. I didn't see how this was possible, but he said that he still thought it was a good idea.

I then told him that I, myself, was a freshman from William and Lee, and he said he expected as much. I guess maybe, after all, he might have been joking, but he swore he wasn't. I sort of liked V. M. I. as everything looked so neat about the place.

Hoping you and mother are well. I remain,

Your son,    JIMMY

October 30.

Mr. James T. Snark,
18 Oak Drive,
Chicago, Ill.

I certainly hated to have to wire and ask you for more money Friday night just before leaving for Blacksburg, where we played Virginia Polytechnic Institute, but the truth of the matter is at the last minute Mona Thompson, Professor Thompson's daughter, said she would certainly like to go to the game, but her father was out of town and she didn't know how in the world she could arrange to go.

Somebody, probably kidding, said her father had been out of town on nearly every football week end, and he wondered how in the world she hadn't missed a freashman football game in five years.

Mona is very nice and thoughtful and certainly does pull for the team, as she nearly cried when the "fates," as we say, worked against us and we lost, 40 to 3.

Mona, who knows a lot of the V. P. I. men, introduced me to quite a few of them, and all seemed very fine fellows. They, too, wear uniforms and call the freshmen, who also wear uniforms, "rats." Freshmen here, like at V. M. I., certainly have to watch what they are doing. Everyone says "sir" to an upperclassman; everybody goes around saluting everybody else, which to me seemed rather confusing. Those involved, however, seemed to know what it all meant and it did look sort of snappy.

The men at V. P. I. live in very nice buildings, which are called barracks, although I don't see why as the only barracks I had ever seen before was at the army camp at Evanston, and it certainly didn't look like the buildings here.

Saturday we are coming up to Richmond to play the University of Richmond, and if Mona's father is in town she says she would like to make the trip on the football train as she knows a lot of people in Richmond.

With best regards to you and mother.

Your son,          JIMMY.

(To Be Continued Next Sunday)