[The Freshman Bench]

The Freshman Bench

	We freshmen are today
       All gathered here to play,
             Here by this seat.
       Our teachers are here too,
        And we are sure that you
       Will watch all that we do.
	Watch something great. . . .

             When in a future day
        The senior class pin gay
             We wear with grace.
       We'll sit here on this seat
       And think how time does fleet,
             How happy and how sweet
             Were freshmen days.
Alvin Farr recited this poem as he presented the Freshman Bench to the school in 1901. Nicknamed the "Kissing Bench" in the 1950's and a bearer of many traditions, the Freshman class of 1903 erected this bench as a marker for their class on "Freshman Day," June 17. Constructed under cover of darkness the night before, the class dedicated the bench with an oratory program under the "great oak tree" that the freshmen chose as their class tree.


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