Advice to Freshmen From Freshmen (1921)
From this month's Michigan Today we have a 1920s book with 100+ pages of advice to incoming freshmen. The article is here http://michigantoday.umich.edu/2012/01/story.php?id=8106&tr=y&auid=10129814 and the full book is here http://www.archive.org/stream/advicetofreshme00fresgoog#page/n6/mode/2up .
Some of the book is quaint, some sexist (to 21st century ears), and some downright awesome. An example of the latter:
A bore drifts into other people's rooms, occupies their best chair; eats their fudge; reads their new magazines before they themselves have a chance to; plays their Victrola and scratches their best records. A bore talks hours at a time about people whom you have never heard of and in whom you haven't the slightest atom of interest… She is avoided like the plague.
The photos are great, too.
(I'm assuming the fellow on the left is Johnny Rotten's grandpappy until proven otherwise.)
Enjoy! And please add any choice quotes you like to the comments.
January 12th, 2012 at 9:18 AM ^
I guess the book wasn't wholely successful maintaining class and poise among Michigan men, but at least we are still well ahead of State.
January 12th, 2012 at 9:30 AM ^
I would never want someone using my victrola device without my permission
January 12th, 2012 at 11:05 AM ^
Why, you ought backhand a jezebel for such indiscretion...
January 12th, 2012 at 12:34 PM ^
But I can't think of one that doesn't sound like bashing rather than lightly poking fun.
January 12th, 2012 at 9:40 AM ^
Absolutely fascinating....... wish I had time to read the whole thing today. Love the 'Kite Strings' part about not writing "Dear Daddy" letters back home for money.
And, hey, if you played football, come out to the Frosh Practice. It's your duty.
January 12th, 2012 at 9:46 AM ^
From the "Campus Traditions" chapter:
Or, possibly, when the opposing team came on Ferry field at the football game last Saturday, you did not rise. On the contrary, you remained seated and hissed them. A chorus of "Pipe down and get on your feet, Frosh," greeted these actions. You felt crest-fallen. You had only meant to show your support for the Varsity by hissing the opposing team. You, of course, did not realize that custom had made an unwritten law that the visiting team was to be welcomed from a standing position; with cheers--not hisses.
January 12th, 2012 at 11:15 AM ^
Looks like they should have written down that unwritten law. We haven't risen and cheered the other team in quite awhile.
Probably because all the old alumni from aught six kept yelling "Down in Front!" to those young wippersnappers from '21.
January 12th, 2012 at 9:52 AM ^
on dating...
"Some instructors will be found not half so bad as they may appear in class. We thought you probably wouldnt think of this phase but try it."
Giggidy
January 12th, 2012 at 10:09 AM ^
I'm pretty sure that's Lyle Lovett. He is getting pretty old after all...
January 12th, 2012 at 10:18 AM ^
You, freshman, may have discovered looks of disdain or reproach when offering boilerplate football analysis, e.g. "Next year that STUD Pipkens is gonna DOMINATE on the D-Line. He's a total STUD!" Such will only make you sound boorish, and earn you suggestions from elder students that you join the Equestrian Club to satiate your unorthodox desires. Prior to your matriculation, knowledge of the incoming class and their ratings by national recruiting sites may have made you seem wise in comparison to your classmates, but at Michigan you will find a Rivals account is hardly sufficient to stick out among your peers in football wisdom. Keep about you a healthy humility as you integrate among a populace as versed in Ernest as they are the career of Junior Hemingway.
January 12th, 2012 at 10:35 AM ^
Damn that's good stuff and it still stands, a bore is a bore regardless of the century. I even love the dated references, it's like the language of the non-bores.
Edited to add that I am now hooked after reading in the forward, "the change from high school to college is tremendous."
January 12th, 2012 at 10:59 AM ^
This looks like the scene right before Johnny kills Snakes after giving him 10 seconds to evacuate his property.
Anyone?
January 12th, 2012 at 11:13 AM ^
The movie from within the movie. Nice
January 12th, 2012 at 12:27 PM ^
not to mention the sequel to the movie within a movie in the sequel to the movie.
January 12th, 2012 at 11:51 AM ^
Angels with Filthy Souls. Solid reference lol.
January 12th, 2012 at 12:06 PM ^
I'm gonna give you til the count of ten to get your yella, no good keesta off my property before I pump your guts full of lead. Ok Johnny I'm sorry. One, two, ten.
January 12th, 2012 at 11:48 AM ^
We should bring back vigilance committees.
I knew a Freshman who just couldn't keep still, he just bubbled over with anacdotes of his illustrious high school career. Nothing could shut him up. The result was that he was called before the vigilance committee and warned of what would happen to him if he didn't learn to control himself in public.