The snake dance of thousands of exulting students enlivens the
scene--the spirit of glorious victory breaks loose.

After the Harvard victory in 1908, in the midst of the excitement, a
Harvard graduate got up from his seat, climbed over the fence, put his
derby hat and bull-dog pipe on the grass, walked solemnly out a few
paces, turned two complete handsprings, walked back, put on his hat,
picked up his pipe, climbed solemnly over the fence again and took his
place in the crowd. He was very businesslike about it and didn't say a
word. He had to get it out of his system--that was all. Nobody laughed
at him.

One sees gray-haired men stand and cheer, sing and enthuse over their
Alma Mater's team. For the moment the rest of the world is forgotten.
Tears come with defeat to those on the grandstand, as well as to the
players, and likewise happy smiles and joyous greetings come when
victory crowns the day.

In the midst of a crisis in the game, men and women, old and young,
break over the bounds of conventionality, get acquainted with their seat
mates and share the general excitement. The thrill of victory possesses
them and the old grads embrace each other after a winning touchdown.

There may be certain streets in a college town upon which a freshman is
never seen. It may be that a freshman has to wear a certain kind of cap;
his trousers must not be rolled up at the bottom. And if you should see
a freshman standing on a balcony at night, singing some foolish song,
with a crowd of sophomores standing below, you smile as you realize that
you are witnessing the performance of some college custom.

And if you see a young man dressed in an absurd fantastic costume, going
about the streets of a city, or a quiet college town, it may mean an
initiation into a certain society or club, and you will note that he
does his part with a quiet, earnest look upon his face, realizing that
he is carrying on a tradition which has endured for years.

You hear the seniors singing on the campus, while the whole college
listens. It is their hour. At games you see the cheer leaders take their
places in front of the grandstand, and as they bend and double
themselves into all sorts of shapes, they bring out the cheers which go
to make college spirit strong.

If you were at Yale, on what is known as "Tap Day," you would view in
wonderment the solemnity and seriousness of the occasion. An election to
a senior society is Yale's highest honor.