Malcolm Gauld
If you recognize the head gear I am holding in my right hand, you probably attended Hyde during its first five years of existence. If not, well…
Back in Hyde days of old — Think: all boys… living, eating, and learning in the Mansion… coats & ties everyday… sit-down lunches and dinners (including Sunday noon meal)… sports practices on the front lawn… movies at The Bath Opera House… Saturday night dances at the Bath Rec. Center, etc. — not only did we luckless Frosh have to wear these things pretty much all fall, we had to serve at the beck and call of the mighty seniors. Among the expectations was to memorize and recite the following passage should any senior approach us with, “Freshman, Spiel!!!”
Oh, Mr. Senior, ostentatious of seniority. It bestows plenary sunnum bonum in the zenith to orate to though this soliloquy of orientation. I opine that I am meritorious of becoming a plebian constituent of the Hyde society as I have an impression that I can comprehend and apply the Five Pillars of the Hyde Philosophy, which are: Curiosidad… Integridad… Leaderismo… Siento por otros… and Coraje.
Hey, it’s not like I remember or anything!
It all ended on a late fall evening known as “Hell Night” when the seniors would awaken us in the middle of the night with, “Freshmen! Get dressed immediately and follow us!” They then proceeded to expose us to a deviously designed regimen of physical and emotional exhaustion for the next few hours. (One annual highlight: staged “motor boat” races in the Duck Pond where we would flail in the frigid muddy water while simultaneously making the sound of power boats… “We can’t hear you!!!”) Then they would “welcome” us as full-fledged Hyde students. (It was not uncommon for some of the newly liberated frosh to band together and give some of the seniors a taste of their own medicine by tossing them in the Duck Pond — especially those smaller than us — before we headed back to bed.)
Ah… The Good Old Days…
Onward, Malcolm
