Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 January 1903 — Class War Still Rages. [ARTICLE]

Class War Still Rages.

The class war of the high sohool broke out again on Wednesday with ten fold fnry. The Seniors and their hereditary satraps the Sophomores, spent the night in. devising and executing plans to break even with the Juniors for the dummy Senior that made the ruction Tuesday morning. All sorts of derisive plaoards and piotures were posted by the Seniors, during the night, mainly at the same old church building. The Juniors and their born thralls, the Freßhmen, were out betimes and pulled down or plastered with coal tar most of the piotures and plaoards. The Seniors’ chief work of art, however, was posted so high that the Juniors did not get it down until the Seniors and Sophs had rallied in foroe to its defense. It was a big picture of a donkey, with the label “04’s Are:” above the picture. To tear down or destroy this picture the Juniors and Freshies strove; to prevent he destruction of this work of art, the Seniors and 3ophies fought. ~ A scaling ladder by which the attacking party hoped to reach the pioture was captured by the defenders, and broken in pieces. A long fish pole by whioh it was hoped to poke down the offensive donk shared the same fate. A bold Junior climbed up into the belfry of the church and let himself down with a rope, to reach the picture, while a companion guarded his much exposed rear, otherwise the upper end of the rope The rear guard was overpowered however, and while the dangling Junior was still 12 or 15 feet from the ground a Sfenior out the rope in the belfry, and the Junior took a tumble. He landed on bis feet, however and continued the fight, uudaunted,

Finally this same bold Junior seoured by strategy wbat utmoai foroe had failed to gain. He ambushed himself behind the church with a long board, and while the last bell was ringing and the teachers were ronnding-np the wild warriors and driving them into the sohool house, the Junior slipped around with his board and poked down and seized the donkey. Another big. straggle ensued for its possession, which was continued dear into the hall of the school house. But the Junior retained possession of the donkey. The casualties were numerous though not severe. Few indeed esoaped without some bruises. One had a finger or thnmb dislocated, another repaired to a dootor’s shop to see if his ribs were where he had left them; and still another got his head very badly bnmped in the final struggle. The teachers now intimate that the classes must bury the hatchet or they will dig up the paddle.