Show THE SPIRIT OF PENNSYLVANIA There is is probably no subject of discourse so common to Utah students students students stu stu- dents as that of college spirit I remember in my time of the many many occasions when I was fairly forced to to listen at chapel while some professor told of the wonderful wonder wonder- ful spirit of this or that university and seized the opportunity to contrast contrast contrast con con- that spirit with what he lie termed our deadness Naturally it is with no little t ti timidity timidity ti- ti that I consented to write an article under the above head But ut gentle reader I shall try not notto notto notto to humiliate you or call you names but but merely describe to you my first experience with the far-famed far Pennsylvania spirit It is the simple story of a disgraceful defeat defeat defeat de de- feat yet the gaining of a great grand victory Pennsy had experienced much hard luck at the opening of her season With nine of the eleven men who had haq decisively defeated Harvard for the fifth time the season season season sea sea- son before every indication pointed pointer toward a wonderful team But even her veterans failed to reach the point expected of them In the first important game that against Swarthmore Swarthmore-a a small college college college col col- lege with an extraordinary team team team- t Pennsylvania was defeated 4 to 0 O. O It was a sad day for the five thousand thousand thousand thou thou- sand Pennsy students who as assembled assembled assembled as- as to watch what they believed believed believed be be- was to be a slaughter of the the innocents The day had been ideal The crowd had numbered twenty thousand Bein Being new at Pennsy last season season season sea sea- son son I had yet to share the spirit of the university Always at home when our colors had been lowered T a t we had filed out of the bleachers bleaches s mute and downhearted disappointment disappointment disappointment and chagrin shown in every wrinkle of our countenances Why then was it not the most natural thing in the world for me to repeat again those well minded habits Had I not heard a fellow student tell me that if Pennsy lost that game it would be her fir first t bitter pill in five years And was wasI I not aware that that same team which was being dragged in the dust by a second rate college colleg had fairly smothered the sons of fair Harvard just one year b before fore Then I argued to myself th th more the shame and I arose to hasten away with the thousands of others who were hurrying from the field But I had a lesson to learn Scarcely had I arisen when a thunderous thunderous thunderous thun thun- derous hiss rang out from the other four thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine ninety students who had re remained remained remained re- re seated I sat down hastily and resolved not to move until th the thelast thelast last student had disappeared beyond beyond beyond be be- yond the outer walls Silently that multitude remained until all but they had left the field Such Stich was the that the barring barring barring bar- bar ring of the outer gates g-ates resounded resounded harsh and rough from across the field Then the yell-master yell spoke his voice broken and unsteady his eyes wet with those unconquerable tears Fellows he began this is the saddest moment in Penns Penn's history For five years we have stood un un- defeated Cornell Harvard Carlisle Carlisle Carlisle Car Car- lisle have all given way before our onslaughts Had it been Harvard or Cornell this defeat would have been endurable for for Swarthmore Swarthmore Swarthmore more to defeat us us he choked opened his is mouth in an attempt to L speak but those unconquerable tears got the better of him and they welled from his eyes Nor did he weep alone for in all that multitude multitude multitude mul mul- not an eye was wa-s uncovered Then followed a cold cruel si silence silence silence si- si lence which thanks to the yell- yell master was was soon broken by a command command command com com- mand to rise and sing sing- As one man those five thousand fellows rose and sang Then with heads still uncovered they stepped into line and marched to the si m. m Having formed a huge semicircle semicircle semicircle semi semi- circle and repeated their songs they began to call upon the defeated defeat defeat- ed warriors each of whom was re re- with thunderous applause Then the coaches were called upon to each of whom a like reception was tendered N Nor or did the enthusiasm enthusiasm enthusiasm diminish as the long list of men coaches and train trainers ers was d a but each cheer cheet gone through 1 seemed to breed a mightier and 1 j stronger one to follow It was Swarthmore's hour of tri tri- From the distance reached the strains of Swarthmore's band band and nd the singing of her her t s insane Insane with enthusiasm At the 1 same time Pennsy was enduring th the hour of sorrow Her students f fh h had d sung sung- and cheered cried and laughed by turns But she was was' determined determined de de- I to hide her wet eyes and heavy heart from the outside world The gates had been barred now for over two hours The sun had long a ago o passed below the Lt horizon and the was al already already already al- al ready lighting up the gas lamps in ill inthe the vicinity From the distance the echoes of Swarthmore's celebrating celebrating- could be heard But students were still singing Th Their ir 1 heads still bowed but their eyes were dry and their hearts no longer heavy There was a wave for silence from the leader and the multitude quieted He spoke a few words of good cheer exhorting the fellows to todo todo todo do nothing but boost and the defeat defeat defeat de de- feat would soon be retrieved and forgotten His words were were greeted greeted greet greet- ed with a mighty cheer There were five thousand students who collected immediately after the game to bear together in their sorrow sorrow sorrow sor sor- row and now after two hours there were still five thousand students Not one man in all that multitude had deserted They shook hands J all around embraced one another I fervently and then passed out of the now opened gates which had been closed merely to keep out the curious eyes of the outer world It was Pennsy's first defeat in five years but how could a victory have been more noble DAN ALEXANDER |