As the life of a freshman at Yale varies in many respects from the life of a freshman at Harvard, a brief review of some of the main points of difference may not be without interest. Further, it is mainly in the academic department of the University that these points, mainly derived from old customs, exist.

The night before college opens the sophomore and freshman classes repair to the Hopkins Grammar School lot, where the ceremonies attendant upon the rush take place. Under the supervision of the seniors, a ring is formed and the exercises begin. Wrestling is indulged in first by the light-weights, then by the middle-weights, and lastly by the heavy-weights. After each of these contests, the victorious man is elevated to the shoulders of his classmates, but as the other side do their best to prevent this, he is soon pulled down. Then follows the rush proper. The freshmen take the western part of the field and the sophomores the eastern, each side calling its class numerals to aid in getting its men together. The classes then form in opposing columns at some little distance from each other. Each man locks arms with the man on either side and places his hands on the shoulders of the man in front of him. In this way they form a solid phalanx, four abreast and from twenty to thirty deep. The freshmen are helped to form by the juniors and many of the latter aid in filling up the rear. When the lines are fully formed, they advance slowly step by step until within a few paces of one another, when the leaders, drawing in a long breath make the decisive charge. The side that forces the other side backwards wins this part of the rush. The sophomores then proceed to a cross street near the grammar school lot, and form in a solid line, the front rank resting on the inner side of the cross-walk. The freshmen then march along the sidewalk and are rushed into the street by the sophomores. The freshmen then regain the walk and go along by the side of the fence hand over hand. The sophomores pull them away from here and again push them into the street, taking care meanwhile, to remove their shirts if possible. The juniors then rescue the freshmen and take them a little farther along and give them another grasp on the fence. This goes on until the sophomores have reached a position along the fence so that the freshmen can go no farther. Rarely a freshman class go the whole length of the fence in spite of the sophomores. The two classes then proceed to the campus, the sophomores going to their fence and the freshmen disbanding.