We went up to New Haven to see Yale, for these two universities have been rivals ever since Yale was founded fifty years after Harvard. The wonderful old elms on the campus are famous, but we Berry Wagon Boys would rather see a football game between Yale and Harvard than to see all the glass flowers or historic elms in the world. The Harvard fans would wave their deep crimson pennants and yell: "Rah-Rah-Rah (9 times) Harvard!" Yale champions would wave the Yale Blue, and shout: "Rah-Rah-Rah (9 times) Yale!"
Although Princeton is much smaller, its students love it just as well, for of course a fellow would not love his mother any less because she did not weigh 400 pounds. Anyway, in athletics, the orange and black of Princeton are as well known as any college colors and their yell has cheered Princeton boys to victory on many gridirons: "'Ray, 'Ray, 'Ray! Tiger, Tiger, Tiger! Sis, Sis, Sis! Boom, Boom, Boom! Ah, Ah, Ah! Princeton! Princeton! Princeton!"
The buildings of Cornell University at Ithaca, N. Y., are at the top of a high hill and the campus is as fine as any in America. When Ezra Cornell founded this university he said: "I would found an institution where any person can receive instruction in any subject," and when we had been through the buildings we decided that his wish had come true. The Cornell colors are red and white, and their yell is: "Cornell! I Yell, Yell, Yell, Cornell!"
West Point, is the finest military school in the United States and we wish we had space to tell about the wonderful drilling we saw there. It is way up on the cliffs overlooking the Hudson. The West Point colors are black, gold, and gray, and their yell is "Rah, Rah, 'Ray! Rah, Rah, 'Ray! West Point! Ar-may!"
There is not very much of Old New York left. The great sky-scrapers have crowded out most of the ancient landmarks, but there are a few relics. For instance, way down town is the Sub-Treasury building. It looks like a nice dignified old gentleman dozing and dreaming of the past, while the great high buildings around it with their rushing life are like hustling boys and girls, full of energy and spirit.
Another old-timer is Fraunces' Tavern. In Washington's day it was the most popular tavern in New York. When the British evacuated New York there was a great celebration, and that night General Washington dined at Fraunces' Tavern. A few days later he went there to say good bye to the generals who had served so bravely during the Revolutionary War. Those small-paned windows have looked out on over a century and a half of New York life, and if the old walls could speak, they could tell thrilling stories.
The most historic house in New York is the Jumel Mansion. In Washington's time it was the handsomest house in the city, and besides, it had a fine situation way up on Harlem Heights overlooking the river. It was there that General Washington made his headquarters. It is what grown-ups call "very quaint," and the glass for the windows and the hand-painted paper for the walls came over from France. We saw the narrow hall where the sentry paced back and forth as he guarded Washington's slumber, and the council chamber where the general and his staff decided so many questions. There is the cupboard where Andre, the spy, hid, but the secret passage down to the river has been closed because of the river rats.
After the war the Jumels, (some wealthy French people) bought the house, and later Madame Jumel married the famous Aaron Burr. Jerome Bonaparte, brother of the Emperor Napoleon, once visited Madame Jumel in this house, and many other distinguished people have slept under its roof. It is the most interesting house we have ever seen, and someway it has made United States history seem more real than it does in the school books.
Anyway, when at sunset we went down to the harbor and looked out at the Statue of Liberty, she seemed to sort of belong to us and to all American boys and girls.