...AND MANY DARTMOUTH YESTERDAYS

Richard Hovey's Freshman Letters Dartmouth's Poet Laureate Shows a Merry Spirit In the Early Letters to His Mother in Washington

Hanover, Oct. 2. 1881

DEAR MOTHER;

... I am fixed splendidly here. Everybody admires our room. It is quite sumptuous. We have everything civilization can furnish from heliotypes to featherdusters The - heliotypes are very good and look as well as steel engravings and almost exactly like them - I had an examination last Friday week in Algebra. We don't know how we stood, except as he announced in what division we fell. Thomas got in the first division and Bryan in the second, while your humble servant was one of those who were allowed to choose either division. I chose, of course, the first. The first division goes over more ground tha[n] the second, the ratio being about 3 to 4. There were 17 announced in the first division so Thomas ranks 17 or higher. There were ten who were allowed to choose, so I am between 17 & 27. Bryan ranks below 27.

Last night we were initiated into the Freshman societies, Bryan, Thomas and I all into the Sigma Ep. Bryan and I got very severe initiations but the other Freshmen got off very easily. The Sophomores had a grudge against me, having discovered that I wrote that "grind"[*] after Marco Bozzaris. They put me through everything imaginable, tossing me in a blanket, placing me on a block of ice and making me sit there, branding my hand with nitrate of silver, pouring water down my pants and other things too numerous to mention, among which was the recitation of an ex tempore poem by me. Altogether, however, I think I enjoyed it as much as they did. I was a little afraid I'd take cold but did not. Poor Bryan got it worse than I did. Poor fellow! Among other things they lacerated his feeling by shaving off half of his moustache.

I am so sleepy I shall have to stop. The grinding of the college mill takes up most of my attention. By the way our class officers are; President, Bayley; V.P. Colby; Sec. Foster; Treas. Dickey; Historian, Hulbert; Poet, Hovey; Foot-Ball Captain, Cuningham and Reporter for the Dartmouth, Fuller. When, after perambulated Bedbug Alley [the upper corridor of Dartmouth Hall] blindfolded for ¼ hr. I was finally brought into the Σ.E. Hall to be initiated, they announced me as "Hovey! Hovey the Poet," and then hooted and yelled like demons. I was chosen to make the speech in reply to the "welcome" offered us by the last president (Dinsmore) on the part of the Sophs.

Yours DICK....

Hanover, N. H., Oct. 9. 1881

DEAR MOTHER;

Tell father I received [the] draft all right, and am now all straight. . . .

I enclose a copy of another "grind" we have just got out on the "Sophies" You see it speaks of a grind of theirs on us. I would send you a copy of that also, only I have but one myself.

I received your bundles all right, two blankets & a spread and four pillow-cases. Don't remember whether I have told you this or not.

I am having a splendid time, but outside of recitations, chapel, church Biblicals, societies and study-hours have little time. I swear - beg pardon, I affirm - that Quimby's Algebra is the most concentrated essence of pure concatenated, complex double-back-action patent oathcompelling cussedness I ever struck.

Awful hurry By By DICK.

Hanover, N. H. Oct. 27. 1881.

DEAR MOTHER;

I have ordered my overcoat and pants, which will cost respectively $25 & $8, total $33 — The tailor was Critchett; Woodward has been here but had gone when I received your letter. The clothes will be done in from two to three weeks, at which time I shall need the money....

I would give anything if you could get me something to do during the winter. The vacation is four weeks, but I should like, if I can get anything to do, to stay till March. I guess I can make up my studies, if Patterson can. It was very easy work making up the two weeks I lost at the beginning of this term. Try to get a place for me until the same time that Patterson leaves to return, that we may come back together. . . .

I.y.(Psi Upsilon) is the name of the Society I joined. . . .

Thomas has just been here and we have been singing, "The Mermaid," my favorite college song.

"Tute" Worthen very coolly remarked in Algebra recitation the other day: "When the author of this book put this 1st example in, he observed to me: 'I wonder if anyone will be fool enough to try to do that.' " Then Tute went to say that, if we worked steady we might get the answer in about twenty-four hours. What do you think of that for "gall"?

That Algebra gives me the colic every time I look at it. To-morrow we prove the Binomial Theorem, then have Logarithms, then Series, then the Thanksgiving examinations, then Loci of Equations &c.

In Latin, besides the regular studies, I am, thro' Johnny Lord's advice (I will state to avoid confusion that J. Lord is the Latin Professor) reading Catullus, & enjoy it very much. Do not study evenings any more than I can help.

Do you receive the Dartmouth regular? I had it sent you for the year.

"Prexy" has been absent lately, so "Peanuts" [Prof. Daniel J. Noyes] has run the gospel-mill the last two or three days.

Having finished the Phaeacian episode of the Odyssey, we are now reading the Iliad at sight

The boys are after me to go down to Norwich, (the hour is 10, P.M.) and I must leave & go. We will probably raise the deuce before we get back. . . .

Yours DICK

Hanover, N. H., Nov. 27. 1881. Stump Lane.

DEAR MOTHER;

Thanksgiving is over and with it the Thanksgiving examinations in Algebra, Latin and Greek History. I feel pretty sure that I passed well in all three. . . .

I spent a very pleasant Thanksgiving, although it was rather lonely. Almost all the students live in New Hampshire and Vermont and of course, went home. Comparatively few remained. Thanksgiving morning White and Bryan and Thomas and I took a stroll down to the river via Stump Lane, Skunk Hollow and the Vale of Tempe. It was quite warm and pleasant and it seemed strange to lie on the carpet of needles always found beneath groves of pine or hemlock and, fanned by a zephyr breathing of the sweet South, watch the ice floating in cakes in the river. It seemed as tho' it should have been cold, but it wasn't. Having accidentally aroused a skunk from his lair we departed.

After an excellent dinner, I volunteered to wipe dishes for Mrs. Gould and had "lots of fun" in so doing. In the evening we played cards with Mrs. Gould till halfpast nine o'clock and then went to Dartmouth Hall, where the rest of the class (i.e. those in town) were found Then we had a stag-dance in Bedbug Alley and finally retired at - I've forgotten the exact hour in the morning and perhaps it might not be wise to tell.

Friday, also a holiday, I arose at eleven o'clock, dressed, gave thanks that there was no chapel to attend, took dinner and made a call on "Johnny Lord." In the evening I went down to see Dr. Frost. I passed a very pleasant evening there, talking of various matters and things.

By the way, I have written the classsong and the class are very well satisfied with it. I will send you a copy if I get to it before I get home. . . .

As to money matters, it is immaterial exactly when I get the money but I should like it soon enough before Christmas to enable me to get all my debts settled before leaving without having to hurry. Monday and Tuesday before Xmas are examination-days and Wednesday I shall start for home. I think now that I shall come home via the New England road tho' none of the fellows are going that way but Bryan. . . .

The examination in Latin was rather long and so, with great indignation, we proceeded in a body last Tuesday night to Johnny Lord's house and serenaded him with tin horns. He came out, made us a speech, gave us taffy and retired and so did we, after singing "Bye, baby, bye O!" to express our gratification. . . .

I have been reading the "Rejected Addresses" which are excellent in their line.

For instance, this couplet in imitation of Byron, "Thinking is but an idle waste of thought, And nought is everything, and everything is nought," is filled with the essence of wit. It is not broad burlesque, but exquisite satire, the sentence being Byronic rather than an imitation - Byron might have written it himself in some of his over-bombastic moods. The imitation of Wordsworth is superb and all are good.

Au re voir; RICHARD.

Hanover, N. H, Dec. 4. 1881

DEAR MOTHER;

I am glad to write "Dec." at the head of this letter - I hope soon to shorten it by one letter and write at the capitation of my epistles "D.C." without the "e" -

I am on the warpath. I feel like whooping a fearful whoop and scalping somebody. I shall get an excuse from the first weeks of the second term from Prex anyhow, so I might as well utilize my leave of absence. I had much rather stay longer than the vacation. In addition to the pecuniary benefit, I should stay longer at home and avoid the coldest part of the winter here. You tell father I'd like to know who's running this thing — he or I? I have been laboring under the impression that my wishes were to be consulted in some degree. It's all nonsense about the college w[or]k. I can make it up, as easy as rolling off a log.

. As to the Th[anks]giving examinations, of course, I know n[othing] at all. But I think that I passed well in all -

As I wrote you I have been down to Dr. Frost's pretty often and to Prof. Hitchcock's, Prof. Hazen's Prof. Sherman's, Prof. Worthen's, Prof. Lord's &c.

... By the way (mum's the word) Bryan got plucked on the Greek History examination. He's all "broke up" about it. I feel rather sorry for him but, confound him, it's his own fault. He don't know how to study. He will work like a Trojan and think he's studying but he isn't. He does not put & keep his mind on the lesson he is learning. Consequently he spends twice as much time on his lessons as I and does not accomplish one half as much as I. His mark was .48 on the History examination, .50 being required. So he's got another examination to pass. . . .

It's awfully dull here and it's fearfully hard to write any news.

Have you seen Patience yet. I want to very much as I am informed by Miss Sprague that Bunthorne is a capital burlesque of (to quote her words) "Swinburne, Rossetti, Wilde, Hovey &c". I want to see this satire on myself and feel quite complimented at being classed with the much-despised aesthetic school -

Yours truly RICHARD HOVEY

Hanover, N. H, Dec. 11, 1881

DEAR MOTHER;

I don't know exactly what to write about this week. Things "Keep the even tenor of their way" and with the exception of occasional stag dances, &c &c there is little to disturb the monotony of the curriculum. Last Friday Judge Tourgee lectured here and lectured finely too. It was a real treat.

I suppose about two weeks from to day, I will "pillow my head" not exactly as Keats sings "on the sweets of the rose but on a "downy head-rest" that you cannot take by the middle and squeeze the feathers all into the ends.

We finished the Algebra next lesson, but shall have to spend three of four days in reviewing the subject of Numerical Higher Equations (Sturm's Theorem, Horner's Method of Approximation &c). I shall bring that Algebra home with me and expound it to you. Now, aren't you sorry I am coming home?

We are having a big row up here. It is between Prexy & Johnny Lord. One member of our class - Marshall - has been rather fast and Johnny has taken it upon himself to give him monitory advice, which Marshall has rather resented. Hence a row between Johnny & Marshall. Johnny has refused to hear him recite and Prex, being interviewed by Marshall on the subject, sustained Marshall. Hence the quarrel has been transferred from Marshall to Prex and things begin to look warm in spite of the thermometer which at present registers 2° above.

I received $50 from father all right & squared up my book-bill, coal-bill and part of my tailor's bill and have some seven dollars left -

You may expect me home any time after the Thursday prior to Christmas. Possibly Thursday afternoon. Probably not till Saturday afternoon.

Yours, DICK

Hanover, N. H, Mar. 5th, 1882.

DEAR MOTHER;

I have forgotten whether I wrote you, acknowledgeing receipt of $20.00 or not. Anyhow I received it.

You want me to write full particulars of the Montreal trip [to attend the Class of 1885's freshman supper]. Well, there isn't much to say except that I had an immense time — We left Hanover at 11, P.M. on the 21st but owing to the severe snow-storms did not arrive in Montreal until 6, P.M. on the 22d - But such travelling was to me quite a novelty and with a crowd of students and no one else in our car was far from being unenjoyable —

Our supper was "bang-up". I think we had a better supper than the Alumni at Washington. You shall have a menu as soon as I can get some.

The poem is pretty long but when I have time to copy it, I will give you a copy.

Bryan responded to the toast - "The Ladies" and did it well, too. I didn't suppose he could do it so well. On the whole, the speeches were much better, considering them as "post-prandials", than the old fogies at Washington got off excepting always the speeches of Mussey and, I may add Folsom.

We were compelled on account of the delays caused by the snow and contrary to our expectation to remain over night in Montreal. This cost us $2.50 more and made us growl a good deal. Besides it compelled us to be absent from a good many college exercises & the Faculty don't seem inclined to excuse us. This will bring our marks down a good deal and make the class-leader lose that position for this term at least. We don't care, except for him and he himself doesn't seem to care much. But the fact is three fellows stayed behind to get ahead of him and for no other purpose. This is what makes us mad.

The Faculty have suspended the four fellows who took Lucas to the June, till the 1st of June. We think they got off pretty easy but the "Sophs" are very indignant. I couldn't put that clipping into the "Dartmouth" as we are obliged to fight as shy of this matter as we can — All the editors, except Bell, are loud in condemnation in private of the "seduction" as it is called but we have to strike a middle course in the paper and denounce it as mildly as possible.

By the way, you did not know that I licked the printed slip pasted to your "Dartmouth" last number.

The "Dartmouth" is a soft snap. I guess I'll make a little out of it — We have an average circulation of 1.000 copies, than which few college papers have larger. Still there is a good deal of work to do.

There are rumors that the sophs intend more hazing but we are prepared for them.

Yours DICK. . . .

Hanover, N. H. Mar. 14. 1882

DEAR MOTHER;

I suppose you think I am not going to write this week but I guess I shall. To-day is Town Meeting Day and, as a large number of the students are voters, we have been excused from all recitations to-day, and I am busily engaged in loafing. Did you realize that this term is drawing near its close. Only three weeks more remain. Then one more term and hey, for Nantucket and good-bye to Freshman year.

There is a rumor afloat, bye the bye, to the effect that the Faculty intend to recall the Sophomores they suspended before the expiration of their time. If they do, I want it distinctly understood that I leave Dartmouth College. Don't you think I'm right. . . .

I suppose Aunt Sarah and Mrs. Pemberton have left by this time and you are sobering off from your wild career of dissipation. You must be careful and not get fast. You remember you once gave me that advice —

Thank Goodness, spring has come and the cold weather is letting up on us. But the mud is something fearful to behold merely and when it comes to wading thro' it, meseems it cannot be borne....

There is a dearth of news at Hanover. Boys all well.

Yours DICK....

Hanover, N. H. Apr. 23, 1882.

DEAR MOTHER;

There is very little going on worth writing - Thomas was pledged I.Y. last week at which we all feel very good.

By the way, speaking of brings an unpleasant matter to my mind. I hate to have to talk about monetary affairs everytime I write. But I shall have to have money for initiation fee when our initiation comes off (about the first of June) and also for my I.Y. pin - The initiation fee will be about $15.00 and I don't know how expensive a pin I shall get. You can get pins all the way from $3.50 to $12.00. I should like to have $15.00 as soon as possible to settle my room-rent and a few small bills (oil, &c) and my other bills can wait till commencement. There's no use talking about it, I've got to have a scholarship next year. I can't stand this....

Are you folks using those Dictionaries of Biography and Mythology? If you are, all right. But if not, it would be very convenient for me in my literary work, in and outside of college duties to have them here. But it is not of consequence.

It's very pleasant rooming where I am now. The fellows about me are the bright, literary men of the class and when we are together it is truly a feast of - well, not exactly wisdom but, say, culture and a flow of the soul

The I.Y.'s are very anxious for me to come back at the beginning of the term next year. They need me for chinning purposes - I don't know whether I shall or not....

I went over and spent a day with Uncle Alvah (prayers and all) last vacation and am

Yours DICK.

[* a "grind," in the sense used here, was the college vernacular of the day for a local hit or gibe.]

An undergraduate photograph of Hovey,with Psi U pin prominently displayed.

Five gay blades of the Class of 1885. Left to right, they are Elam L. Clarke, RichardHovey, Edwin A. Bayley, Abraham L. Fuller, and Leonard F. Hatch.