4 - November 1904

Some jumped the broad jump, some hopped, stepped and jumped, some high jumped, some vaulted, some sprinted, some kicked, some threw. Some pulled while many others and Raspberry[overstrike] Walker tried to do various things. A good-natured happy crowd drifted from campus to lawn, from lawn to road and back again in obedience to a wave of a note book and a long strong call. About the middle of the afternoon the name of Jack Wood began to be frequently heard. He was an unknown Arts man who gradually proved to all who watched his ability, that he could do things required on a Field Day a shade better than any other, and by 5 o'clock he had the medal well in hand and shortly afterwards had won it.

The event of the day was however pulled off in the centre of the campus where a spot of level land is now historic as the scene of m[?]

a strenuous tuge-of-war. The teams looked fit as they quietly listened to the instructions of the referee but it did not need a practiced eye to see that the Meds had 10 poundds per head of an advantage. What strappers they were and how they strained! One foot of rope went their way at the start. For a moments their opponents were staggered and in the fierce pull which followed 3 inches more went slowly to the Meds as the preachers swung out of line under the strain. Another three and the pull would be lost but it was not to be. The divines steadied and held fast and solid during the desperate efforts of the Meds to end it quickly, and settled down to a long, steady pull to recover 2 1/2 feet of rope and register another win. Perhaps it was because preachers are longer-winded than professional men, or because Shore ground a layer of teeth to powder, or because the Resident Tutor squirmed

into a new position and uttered some new and magic expletive or maybe suddenly Westgate realized that there were people looking on and it was no time to quit even if one didn't feel quite up to the mark, or because McGuffin stopped puffing at Hughes' stern command, took a fresh breath and another hold, or because Quiet Frank and the other Frank got their feet in and pulled together at a happy moment, or it might have been all these things combined, I know not. But after a long time while perspiration flowed and muscle stiffened and grit solidified, the centre mark was seen to tremble then start slowly towards Shore. Scarcely moving at first 1/8, 1/4, 1 inch was gained, another and another. The Meds weakened and the rope went over with a rush and tremendous cheer and the day was won.

I might tell of how Miss Hodge won the

ladies' race, or of how Miss Culver threw and Miss Rowat didn't and of many other things but space forbids and as Kipling says "That's another story."