Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 October 1901 — Had a Class Rush. [ARTICLE]

Had a Class Rush.

Rensselaer had its first genuine “class rush” last evening. The Juniors of the high school had put a handsome class banner on the top of the city water tower, 12 feet long 4 wide, and in the class colors red and white, bearing the figures 03. It was a fine banner and the juniors were very proud thereof. But the seniors cast envious eyes upon it, and swore it should come down; and mutterings of their threats reached the juniors. Both classes mustered for the coming fray in great numbers. The seniors being backed by their traditional allies, the sophomores, and the juniors by the freshmen. About nine o’clock the trouble began. Great deeds were wrought whereof only the pen of poesy can justly deal, as see the effusion be- | low. Long time the issue hung in 'doubt but finally a hired retainer of the seniors seized a chance when the vigilance of the juniors was relaxed, and sprang up the scaling ladder towards the dizzy heights, where the banner proudly fluttered in circumambient ether and also smoke. Cries of rage assailed the bold climber's ears, and rocks and clods clattered about the more exposed portions of his anatomy, but still he shouted Excelsior and pressed on, until he reached the top, tore down the banner and threw it over the parrapet. But the seniors’ victory was not complete, for the banner fell into a junior’s hands, and thus the class retains the precious trophy uninjured. Many thrilling incidents occurred during the melee. One senior had his shirt torn off by a girl junior; and a lady onlooker was struck in the mouth by a dornick that was meant for other mark. The girl combatants took active part in the hostilities and made a specialty of slapping the too vociferous mouths of their male enemies. The poet of the juniors thus relates the class defeat in verse.’ The sun was slowly setting O’er the water-tower so high, When the Seniors were out plotting The Juniors to defy. They put their heads together And decided to hire a man, Thinking they d be praised forever By the Sophomore’s little band. But there was not one among them Who would dare to scale the tower, And take down the Junior’s v emblem; Put there by our hero’s power. But their heads were far too small To concoct such clever plans, So their hireling dropped the flag Into a fair Junior’s hand. Patrons! Give the Seniors pity, For the fight they could not win. And our flag can still, be waving With an ’OS added in.