Freshman Grinds

1909's Freshman Grind for the Class of 1910

Long-standing competition between the First Year and Second Year classes (otherwise referred to as Freshman and Sophomore classes) has over the years produced a number of interesting items, many of which have made their way to the College Archives.

Smith women have always been a literate bunch.  Beginning as early as with the Class of 1889, these publications were printed and appeared on the doorsteps of incoming first year students, or in their mailboxes.   The Grinds skewered the First Year students and not surprisingly, the authors referred to them as babies who knew nothing about campus life, and who were impressionable beyond imagination.

"Babies Own Journal" Class of 1908

“Babies Own Journal” produced by the Class of 1908 was a take-off of modern baby books, with instructions on how to keep the baby member of the Class of 1909 happy, healthy and clean.   The Freshman Grind of the Class of 1918 is shaped like a baby sucking a bottle and holding a doll.  It was titled “Initial Instructions for Infants, or the Babies Botany Book.”  Inside were poems about various types of Smith women including the ‘Freshman A-weepiosa’ the ‘Fusser Blush-i-orum’ and the ‘Athlet-a-Longorum.’   Reading, writing and arithmetic were themes of the Class of 1903 grind which was published in the form of an elementary primer.  The Class of 1904 chose to render the Class of 1905 as first year baby chicks in their grind.  At Smith the published grinds appear to end with the Class of 1927.

ABCs for the Class of 1903

Chicken motif for Freshman Grind, Class of 1904