436 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 



Wc wont aloug the bluffy bank, the Cedar rolled below; 

 Then past the red brick cottages all standing in a row; 

 Past pits of clay and piles of brick still standing in the kiln, 

 And o'er a rude and rustic bridge across a litUe rill. 



Forty years ago: Forty years ago: 

 Great green oak stumps stood all around here forty years ago. 



A path led past the college hall and close beside the well, 

 Across from which a sturdy oak upheld the college bell; 

 It ended at the boarding hall which had no name, you know 

 We did not call it "'Saint's Rest" then; not forty years ago. 



Forty years ago: Forty years ago: 

 Tlje saints all lived in later times than forty years ago. 



They called us in, examined us; they questioned us like sin, 

 Because there were so many boys we could not all get in. 

 And some were quickly sent away, it made them sad to go, 

 But happy we who stood the test some forty years ago. 



Forty years ago: Forty years ago: 

 It seems but just a little while since forty years ago. 



'Twas Williams, Tracey, Fisk and Holmes who questioned us that day, 

 And Enoch Bancker helped along a little in his way. 

 The questions came in various ways. From Fisk we'd seldom know 

 If right or wrong we'd answered him, some forty years ago. 



Forty years ago: Forty years ago: 

 He's been a college president since forty years ago. 



. That day he asked a likely lad about his mother tongue; 

 "Is English language flexible?" The answer quickly rung; 

 "'The way that you ask questions, sir, it surely must be so." 

 And then the boys all cheered and laughed, some forty years ago. 



Forty years ago: Forty years ago: 

 Prof. Fisk could give or take a joke some forty years ago. 



And when at last we settled down to study and to work, 



Prex Williams lectured to the boys and taught them not to shirk. 



No matter what his subject was, his lecture would be half 



On pretty points he pointed out about his blooded calf. 



Forty years ago: Forty years ago: 

 That calf stood high in Prexy's eye some forty years ago. 



We chopped and logged and cleared the ground, we cut down lots of trees. 

 And once upon a time we found one with a swarm of bees. 

 We took its store of sweetness in, a hundred weight of honey 

 W hich went in triumph to our rooms ; we thought it very funny 



Forty years ago: Forty years ago: 

 Next day we did not feel so well, some forty years ago. 



And when we had ihe surface cleared, we plowed and dragged it down. 

 With heavy teams and working tools that mellowed up the ground. 

 We hoed the corn, we cradled wheat, we used the scythe to mow. 

 For that's the way folks had to do, some forty years ago. 



Forty years ago: Forty years ago: 

 INlachines were scarce and costly then, some forty years ago. 



We had some tools of wondrous make to mellow up the ground, 

 But one big harrow "took the cake" from all the tools around. 

 The teeth were full two inches square and eighteen inches long: 

 It took two heavy teams to pull the monstrous thing along. 



Forty years ago: Forty years ago: 

 That big State drag just beat them all some forty years ago. 



